Lenovo’s an old hand at this device-releasing lark, so it’s no surprise to see the IdeaTab A1000-F hitting its mark at the FCC, just in time for the Q2 launch that was pencilled in back at MWC. The budget-flavored slate comes with a 1.2GHz dual-core chip, 16GB storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 LE. There’s no word on pricing yet, but we imagine that even newly unemployed Julius Genachowski can afford to pick one up with his final week’s salary.
Source: FCC
Only a couple of days we reported that Sony had started taking Xperia Tablet Z preorders. It is going to be released in April, the company has promised that shipping will begin between 12-15. The Wi-Fi model offers 16GB and 32GB storage options. A 16GB LTE version has been mentioned as well, but no details about its pricing or availability have been revealed up till now.
However before the device can go on sale, it does need FCC approval. Sony has applied for the FCC’s approval, though its just the Wi-Fi model of Xperia Tablet Z at this point in time. This tells us two things. The Wi-Fi version of Sony’s upcoming Android powered tablet will be released very soon, whereas it could take longer for the LTE version to come out. The 16GB and 32GB Xperia Tablet Z models are priced at £399 and £449 respectively. Sony will be releasing its tablet in a market where competition is quite high. There’s competition not only from other Android manufacturers, but a threat from iPad as well. Do you see Sony’s new tablet making a dent in the market?
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: LTE Chromebook Pixel Shipping To Begin By 8th April, Samsung NX300 SMART Camera Announced, 
Sure, we’ve seen Sony dissect the Xperia Tablet Z to show its inner workings, but that doesn’t get the slate any closer to its spring launch. An FCC approval will, however. The tablet has swung through the US agency in its regular WiFi form, with photos and a user manual removing any doubts as to its nature. While there’s no surprises here — not unless you really, really wanted to know the exact location of the WiFi antenna — the move should leave just a few formalities between Americans and Sony’s extra-thin design.
Source: FCC
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
HTC’s next “Facebook Phone” has been in the rumor mill for much too long, but this morning’s approval by the FCC may speed along its journey to a launch date. The PM33100, which has been long associated with the Myst (or Opera, going even further back in time), just received the go-ahead by the Feds — and it’s carrying the same four LTE frequencies that we normally see accompanying AT&T smartphones. Naturally, HTC is keeping as much to itself as it possibly can, as we were able to glean few other details from the documents, but we know it has dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0. However, if the leaked specs provided by @evleaks are correct, we should also expect to see it come with a 4.3-inch 720p display, a 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8960, a 5MP rear camera and Android 4.1.2.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, HTC, AT&T
Source: FCC
Julius Genachowski will be stepping down when he reaches the end of his term as FCC Chairman, according to a brief message on the FCC’s webpage. We’re expecting to hear more in a live announcement at 10am, but this was no big surprise: four-year terms are the norm for a chairman and it was widely expected that he’d be amongst the officials replaced during Obama’s second stint in office. The Wall Street Journal actually broke the news yesterday, and speculation over Mr. Genachowski’s tenure has lingered ever since an awkward exchange where he refused to commit to his future at this year’s CES.
During his time at the Commission, Genachowski worked to speed up the roll-out of broadband to rural communities, voiced concerns about the current phone unlocking policy and pushed to allocate more spectrum to WiFi use. With senior Republican Robert McDowell also departing the commission in the next few weeks, two places on the FCC’s five-person board will need filling — with names like Tom Wheeler, Karen Kornbluh and Catherine Sandoval being bandied about as replacements.
Update: Genachowski just made his formal announcement and used his minutes on the podium to thank the FCC’s staff for helping to “get big things done” and “improve the lives of all Americans.” He says the US has gone from “laggard to leader” in telecoms, with as many 4G subscribers as the rest of the world combined.
Update 2: The White House has now issued a statement on the matter, saying in part: “Over the last four years, Julius has brought to the Federal Communications Commission a clear focus on spurring innovation, helping our businesses compete in a global economy and helping our country attract the industries and jobs of tomorrow. Because of his leadership, we have expanded high-speed internet access, fueled growth in the mobile sector, and continued to protect the open internet as a platform for entrepreneurship and free speech.“
Via: The Verge
Source: FCC
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has resigned his post at the top of the agency. He’ll formally leave within a few weeks. That leaves two of the top five spots open at the agency that regulates telecoms, carriers and cable operators. As with lots of top political figures, Genachowski’s tenure was marked by both victories and failures. More »
If phablets are your kind of device, then devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and LG’s Optimus G Pro could be of interest to you .While the Galaxy Note 2 has been launched, the Optimus G Pro is expected to make its way into North American markets come Q2 2013, and thanks to an FCC filing, it looks like LG could be right on schedule. An FCC filing for a certain LG E980 was spotted recently and with the LG Optimus G being the E970, it can be safely assumed that the E980 would be referring to the Optimus G Pro. The FCC filing has also revealed radio bands that would suggest that AT&T would be the carrier that the Optimus G Pro will be launching on. Either way we don’t have any official confirmation yet, but hopefully this FCC filing means that a launch is nearing, so check back with us at a later date for the details! In the meantime if you’re trying to decide if the LG Optimus G Pro is the phone for you, check out our review of the device here.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: HTC Myst Passes Through FCC With AT&T-compatible LTE, HTC One Releasing In The U.S. ‘Before The End Of April’, 
LG isn’t done creating intrigue at the FCC just because the E980 has made the rounds. A second device, the LS720, has popped up at the agency. Don’t expect the same kind of telltale clues that might have given away its AT&T cousin, however — we mostly know that it’s a phone with Sprint-friendly LTE bands, and browser strings suggest that it could ship with Jelly Bean. Is it a sequel to the Optimus Slider (LS700) for Virgin Mobile? A spiritual successor to the Viper 4G LTE? It’s difficult to tell at this stage, although the numbering scheme points to something below LG’s 800- and 900-series devices like the Mach (LS860) and Optimus G (LS970). We’ll keep our eyes peeled.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG
Source: FCC
The FCC’s Chairman Julius Genachowski has been at the helm of the agency during a time when gadgets and wireless technology have grown exponentially. During his time, the chairman has prodded the FAA to loosen its in-flight gadget restrictions, has overseen plans to open the unlicensed spectrum to wireless Internet, and has spoken fondly of the wireless industry as a whole, to name a few. And now, according to sources, he will announce his departure tomorrow.
The information was given to the Wall Street Journal by a source said to be an FCC official. This doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been watching the situation, with unnamed sources telling the Washington Post earlier this month that Genachowski would be stepping down in the relatively near future – as early as April, in fact.
This is despite the fact that Genachowski’s term will end this upcoming July; a request for an official statement on the matter was declined. Notes the Washington Post, the top candidates to replace the current chairman include venture capitalist Tom Wheeler, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ambassador Karen Kornbluh, and the Commerce Department’s head of tech Lawrence Strickling.
Such a rumor not only prompts speculation about who will replace Genachowski, but also what he plans to do after he steps down. He could already have plans in place for where he will go next, but nothing has been provided and he could very well be eyeing retirement. Regardless, if the rumor proves true, we’ll have more details for you tomorrow, so stay tuned.
[via The Verge]
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski reportedly to announce departure tomorrow is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
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