Hasta La Gadget!

The FCC may have spoiled the surprise months ago, but Archos has taken to Facebook to officially reveal the new member of its Elements range — the Archos 80 Cobalt. As you may have guessed from the familiar size codification, the WiFi-only slate sports an 8-inch capacitive screen filled with 1024 x 768 pixels, supporting 1080p video playback. The other specs you’ll want to know include the dual-core processor running at 1.6GHz, 1GB of RAM and 8 gigs of on-board storage, expandable with a microSD card of up to 64GB. Modest 2-megapixel and 0.3-megapixel shooters occupy the back and front of the 0.48-inch (12mm) thick tablet, respectively, which weighs in at a solid one pound (470g). There’s no word on a release date or pricing for this ICS device, but we’d imagine the answers are “soon” and “under $200.” Any more than that, and we can’t see people choosing it over, say, a Nexus 7, even if it does have an extra inch on the competition.

Filed under: Tablets

Archos adds the 80 Cobalt to its ICS tablet range: 8-inch screen, 1.6GHz CPU and 1GB of RAM originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Archos (Facebook) (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

The world can use a few more low-cost, high-powered smartphones. Chinese manufacturer ZTE has announced its new U950 Android mobile, which features a quad-core processor and a low price tag of $160. The first 100,000 consumers to step up will be able to place an order on November 11.

The ZTE U950 measures in at 9mm thick, and features a 4.3-inch display and runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Inside you’ll find a 1.3GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and 1GB of RAM. There’s a rear 5MP camera, and VGA-resolution front camera for video calls. Sadly, the device only has 4GB of internal storage space.

ZTE has been swept up recently in accusations of possible espionage for the Chinese government, which has also been brought against Huawei. The US House Intelligence Committee recommended that ZTE and Huawei both be avoided, saying, “China has the means, opportunity, and motive to use telecommunications companies for malicious purposes.” ZTE responded with the statement, “ZTE has set an unprecedented standard for cooperation by any Chinese company with a congressional investigation.”

While the features are all pretty basic, it’s obviously the processor power-to-cost ratio that makes the phone attention-worthy. The U950 is priced at 999 yuan, which is about $160USD. The handset is slated for release in China next month. There’s no word on whether this cheapo quad-core will be making its way stateside or elsewhere.

[via Engadget]

ZTE unveils $160 U950 quad-core smartphone is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This might not be the $199 Tegra 3 tablet that NVIDIA’s keen to see, but hey, a 999 yuan ($160) quad-core phone is just as impressive. Unveiled in China earlier today, this ZTE U950 smartphone packs a 1.3GHz Tegra 3 chip, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a 2,000mAh battery beneath the 4.3-inch display. There’s also a five-megapixel camera plus a VGA front-facing camera inside the 9mm-thick body. Pretty standard stuff for an Android 4.0 phone, except for the price-per-performance ratio, of course. The first 100,000 customers who register now will be eligible to order on November 11th, though chances are the quota’s all gone by now.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

ZTE’s U950 shows how Tegra 3 phone is done under $160 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 23:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  139shop  | Email this | Comments

Pantech is known for producing budget Android smartphones that punch above their weight, and the Flex is no exception. Available now on AT&T for $50 with a two-year contract, it delivers a dual-core Snapdragon S4 — the same chip that lurks within mightier phones such as the Galaxy S III and One X — along with a qHD display and LTE connectivity. The phone certainly hits a number of the check boxes for value seekers, but there’s something that makes the Flex very different from other smartphones on the market: it has a dual personality.

Folks, prepare for memories of At Ease, Microsoft Bob and Packard Bell Navigator to come rushing back. The Pantech Flex features a unique launcher known as Easy Experience, which caters to those who might find Ice Cream Sandwich overwhelming. Fortunately, there’s also a standard launcher for experts. In that regard, the Flex is deserving of its name. Unlike most handsets on the market, it’s targeting both broke college students and technophobes just the same. Of course, we’re here to answer a greater question: is the Pantech Flex worthy of being your next smartphone? Join us after the break for the answer.

Continue reading Pantech Flex review

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, AT&T

Pantech Flex review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

At the beginning of the month, we heard word that AT&T would be offering Sony’s Xperia TL, but of course, no pricing or availability details were announced. Finally, though, Ma Bell has unleashed the only information we’ve been waiting for. Coming November 2, and costing only $99 after a two-year contract, you’ll be have a Xperia TL all to yourself.

In case you need a refresher course on the features of the new handset, it packs a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, and a 13MP rear-facing camera with a front-facing camera capable of shooting 720p video. It also has NFC built in, and is covered with a 4.6-inch 720p display powered by the company’s Mobile BRAVIA Engine.

The device’s camera comes with a quick launch feature, where it can go from sleep mode to taking the first picture in just 1.5 seconds, according to Sony. We’d want to test this out for ourselves, but it doesn’t sound like a surprising figure at all. We’re sure other handsets could easily match that speed.

The Ice Cream Sandwich-equipped device is the company’s new flagship handset and will also be featured in the upcoming James Bond film Skyfall as “the official Bond phone,” meaning the Xperia TL will be the phone of choice for 007 himself in the upcoming film. The Xperia TL will also come loaded with behind-the-scenes footage from Skyfall, as well as Bond-themed ringtones and wallpapers.

AT&T Sony Xperia TL coming November 2 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.