Hasta La Gadget!

The world of tablets is not really that complicated if you were to break it down in terms of the operating system – there is either Android or iOS, where the BlackBerry PlayBook is negligible, although the release of Microsoft’s Surface tablets later this year might just change the tablet landscape somewhat. It is either an iPad or an Android-powered tablet, where the latter certainly has plenty of options for you to choose from. One of the players would be Kobo, and their latest Kobo Arc 7” tablet certainly looks as though it is shaping up to be an affordable and fun device to carry around.

For starters, this 7” tablet will run on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. Not exactly the newest version, but at least it is not that backward, either. Available later this November, you will be able to choose from 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities. Kobo decided to approach the Arc’s design by taking a new and innovative outlook, intending to change the traditional tablet experience from searching within apps to an immersive content platform coupled with its unique interface known as Tapestries. You can now have more choice than ever before in exploring, saving and experiencing the music, movies, eBooks, and webpages that you love.

Wayne White, General Manager of Devices, Kobo, said, “We designed the Kobo Arc to let people focus on the music, eBooks, movies, website and applications they love rather than on the hardware they hold in their hand – though that is amazingly designed as well. We’ve accomplished this by offering consumers more – more storage, more customization, more choice – all in the powerful, attractive and vivid Android 4.0 Kobo Arc.”

Hardware specifications of the Kobo Arc include a 1.5GHz OMAP 4470 dual-core processor, up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge, boasting a 7″ high-definition display with 178 degree viewing angles, 215 pixels/inch and 1280 x 800 resolution with 16-million colors, tipping the scales at 364 grams. Its form factor is also easy to hold in the palm of your hand, where it features front-facing stereo speakers with SRS TruMedia sound, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, a built-in microphone, and 802.11 WiFi connectivity, not to mention Google Play support.

You will be able to pick up the Kobo Arc in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities at while retailing for $199.99, $249.99 and $299.99, respectively. Pre-orders can be placed from this fall onwards, where you can pick it up from stores later this November.

Press Release

[ Kobo Arc comes in three storage options copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Have you jumped aboard the e-book revolution? If you have answered in the affirmative, then you might want to check out the Sony Reader PRS-T2 e-book reader, which is the latest e-book reader device from the Japanese consumer electronics giant. Just what does the Sony Reader PRS-T2 offer right out of the box? Well, we are looking at additional features which allows it to manage content, delivering easy wireless access to public libraries as well as enhancing touch screen capability for a more immersive reading experience.

Basically, the Sony Reader PRS-T2 will not bog you down or cramp your traveling style, especially when it comes in a light and thin 6″ e-book reader form factor, sporting an enhanced, intuitive touch screen display that has been specially optimized for long-term reading while offering what Sony deems as “the most natural, immersive reading experience.” You will be able to select from white, red or matte black colors, where the new social features will be presented in a simplified and intuitively designed home screen.

As with all other e-book readers, one main area of concern would be the display quality – how does the Sony Reader PRS-T2 stack up? For starters, we are looking at a glare-free, E-Ink Pearl V220 touch screen display which has been specially enhanced for optimal long-term reading, sporting an intuitive touch, more paper-like page turns, in addition to improved continuous page turns and a smoother zoom in and out. Not only that, you get an improved default book layout so that it is easier to organize and look for your digital books.

A couple of English language and four translation dictionaries have been thrown into the mix as well, and with Wi-Fi connectivity turned off, Sony claims the Sony Reader PRS-T2 delivers up to two months of battery life. Storage space stands at 2GB, and all it takes is a single swipe of your finger to turn a page, while pinching your fingers will zoom in and out.

You can pick up the Sony Reader PRS-T2 for $129, while you can add on to that by picking up additional accessories such as a Cover and a Cover with light, where those will retail for approximately $35 and $50, respectively.

Press Release

[ Sony Reader PRS-T2 e-book reader copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

What exactly is a PRS-T1? Well, it’s a new Sony Reader and it just so happens to have swung through the FCC with a WiFi n radio in tow. As you can see above, the regulatory label proudly proclaims this to be a “Digital Book Reader,” though we could have guessed that from the PRS model number. What else do we know? Not much sadly. We’re guess the T1 in the model name indicates that, whatever the panel’s size, it’ll be of the touchscreen variety. (Either that, or this is the tapenade colored model.) Despite Sony’s official denials, looks like that rumored August launch for the company’s latest e-ink devices may actually pan out.

Sony PRS-T1 Reader wanders into the FCC with WiFi on board originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It seems natural selection has finally caught up with the Entourage Edge. When we first reviewed the combination touchscreen/E Ink “dualbook,” we wondered whether its neither-fish-nor-fowl design would catch on — especially priced at $500. That price dropped substantially with its successor, the Pocket Edge, but neither device truly found its feet, in part because of a lack of applications and no updates beyond Android 1.6. And now comes word that the Edge store has officially closed, with customers having until May 27 to download any purchased content. It all points to RIP for the Edge family, and Good E-Reader claims to have recent confirmation from the company. In its goodbye message Entourage steers users toward the Amazon app store, where it notes “you will now have access to a lot of Android Apps that Google would never give us access to.” Obvious bitterness aside, the team reportedly has a new device in the works, this time in the typical slate model.

[Thanks, Roy]

Entourage shuts down Edge content store, devices reportedly discontinued originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 08:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now that you’ve had ample time to get through a few novellas, we’re keenly interested in finding out how you’d change Barnes & Noble’s Nook Color if given the opportunity. For an e-reader, it’s deliciously hackable, giving you a way to blow off steam after a hard day’s night… of soaking up information, that is. We found it to be amongst the top of its class when we reviewed it back in November, but this space is all about you. Would you overhaul the user interface? Ship it with a fancier build of Android? Boost the battery life? Go on and get opinionated in comments below — we promise we won’t judge.

How would you change Barnes & Noble’s Nook Color? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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