Hasta La Gadget!

ViewSonic has decided to give Android-powered “smart displays” a second go-round. After releasing the VSD220, it’s following it up with the VSD240, a 24-inch monitor running Android 4.1. Though we’re living in an age when Sony and Lenovo are both marketing battery-powered all-in-ones to consumers, ViewSonic is targeting the VSD240 more toward business users than anyone else. The idea, company reps say, is that it could act as a secondary display in the office — one that’s smart enough to update apps all by itself. By that same logic, it would make for a nifty kitchen computer, though even then, Vizio spokespeople are quick to say this isn’t intended to be a primary system.

We happened to see it in person at a CES-related event here in Vegas, and our quick assessment is that the screen is responsive, and the design chintzy. (Just look at that tacky plastic.) In addition to that 1080p display, it packs a 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3 chip along with a TI multicore OMAP processor. As for connectivity, this glorified monitor features HDMI, Ethernet and USB ports, along with an SD card slot, WiFi and Bluetooth. ViewSonic has also baked in a 1.3-megapixel webcam, microphone and speakers. It’ll be available in North America starting in April, with street prices expected to hover around $499.

Dana Wollman contributed to this report.

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Sony’s flagship smartphones may not have set the world on fire so far, but the company is making another concerted push in 2013, launching two top-end phones with near-identical internal specs. The Xperia Z is the main player here, with refined mirrored panelling across the sides and back and a machined power button being the only physical undulation from the 5-inch oblong. Sony’s put in its latest tech from across the family, being the first device to house its Exmor RS sensor capable of HDR video, and a 1080p 5-inch TFT Reality Display (that’s 443 dpi), packing the upgraded Bravia Mobile Engine 2 to augment colors and contrast on videos and stills. From its imaging arm, Sony’s cleaned down its on-screen camera interface and is now more inline with its standalone point-and-shoots and NEX range.

Work has also been done on improving the algorithms behind its automatic settings — now dubbed “auto i+” — while the phone-maker has caught up to the competition with a 9-megapixel burst mode at 10 fps and the ability to capture stills during video. It’s even upgraded the front-facing camera to a 2-megapixel Exmor R sensor, while the rear-facing 13-megapixel primary shooter will be able to capture HDR video — offering up a new solution to dim filming conditions. Software additions to Jelly Bean Android, alongside those Sony entertainment services, include a battery stamina mode that will monitor and switch off apps when the screen is off, while you’ll also be able to add necessary apps to Sony’s white list. The phone will be LTE-capable, with a potent Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and (perhaps surprisingly, given how the phone looks) IP55 and IP57 certified water-resistance. It’ll also be the first phone to communicate through NFC with Sony’s family of new HDTVs, something we’ll be hearing plenty more about later this week.

The phone has barely appeared on stage here at CES but Sony has promised a global launch this quarter — and we’ve already managed to snag some playtime with the device — you can find our full impressions here.

Continue reading Sony Xperia Z announced: HDR video capture, 5-inch 1080p Reality Display, water-resistant

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Polaroid left little doubt that it was launching its Android-based, interchangeable lens camera at CES, and sure enough, it’s here: meet the iM1836. It mates an 18.1-megapixel, 1080p video-capable mirrorless body with Android (which we now know to be Android 4.1) to quickly share imagery with social networks over WiFi, or directly to other devices through Bluetooth. Its 3.5-inch display won’t put the Galaxy Camera’s 4.8-inch panel to shame, but Polaroid is no doubt counting on the ability to swap optics (which includes Micro Four Thirds lenses, through an optional adapter) and a pop-up flash to clinch a sale. The iM1836 should arrive in the first quarter at a $399 price, with a 10-30mm lens included — uncommonly cheap for a camera that could potentially outshoot its Nikon and Samsung opponents.

That’s not the only camera in the Polaroid brand’s 2013 lineup, however. Non-Android parallels to the iM1836 are coming with both WiFi (

iM1232W, $349) and without (iM1030, $299) for cost-conscious photographers; those who don’t mind a fixed-in-place lens can get the iS2433, a $199 bridge camera with a 24x (25-600mm equivalent) lens, a 16-megapixel backlit Sony CMOS sensor and a 3-inch LCD. One camcorder, the iD975, is joining the fray with 1080p video, 16-megapixel stills, a 3-inch touchscreen and a video-in-video mode that shows the person recording video along with the main footage. Polaroid hasn’t provided launch dates for its more conventional shooters.

Filed under: Cameras

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Source: Polaroid

Velocity Micro was busy this December, and it’s not about to let up with CES right around the corner. At the forefront of its Las Vegas launches is the Edge Mini. While we’re sure some companies might take issue with the PC builder’s claims of having the world’s smallest desktop, there’s no denying that the extra-small Edge’s 4 square inches of surface area and 1.5-inch thickness let it slot easily into a home theater. A Core i3 won’t make the Edge Mini the most powerful tiny desktop, either, although its $499 asking price may not be an obstacle for those willing to buy the PC when it ships next week.

The tablet crowd also gets its fill with a pair of 10-inch Cruz tablets (pictured after the break). The D610 and Q610 respectively use dual- and quad-core, 1.5GHz Allwinner processors that help keep the starting price down to $199, a company spokesperson tells us. Velocity Micro expects both Cruz models to ship toward the end of March with Android 4.1 inside.

Continue reading Velocity Micro unveils tiny Edge Mini desktop, Cruz D610 and Q610 tablets

Filed under: Desktops, Tablets

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Source: Velocity Micro

Not to miss out on the CES action, eFun has announced it will be bringing a new slate to the show. The 7-inch Nextbook 7GP is part of the cheekily-named Google Play Series and runs Android 4.1 with help of a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a gig of RAM — all yours for $130 when it ships next month. The 1,024 x 600 display resolution can’t really be labeled “high-definition”, and most other specs are plain Jane too — 8GB storage (expandable), dual snappers, WiFi and HDMI-out. While we aren’t sure whether that moniker will jerk Mountain View’s chain or not, penny-pinching shoppers can look forward to some more deets when the budget tablet graces the CES floor next week.

Continue reading eFun unveils Nextbook 7GP for $130: 7-inch screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.1

Filed under: Tablets

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Via: Ubergizmo