Hasta La Gadget!

Well, hello there, the worst-kept secret in tech. Apple’s iPad mini is the company’s newest device, a 7.9-inch tablet that’s designed to go toe-to-toe with Google’s Nexus 7. For now, it’ll sit alongside the iPad 2 and fourth-generation iPad, and as it packs the same 1,024 x 768 display as the second-generation slate, apps will carry across without any resizing. While Phil Schiller didn’t mention Google or the Nexus 7 by name, the rival slate (and Google’s app library) was compared to the newest iOS device. On stage, he claimed that the screen, which is .9-inch larger than the Nexus 7, gives the iPad mini 35 percent more display area than Google and ASUS’ collaboration.

On the hardware size, the 7.2mm thick, .68 pounds device has been manufactured with an “all new” process that gives it the same anodized edges as you’ll find on the iPhone 5. If you were hoping for equal specifications to the big-daddy iPad, you may be mildly disappointed. While it will pack a 5-megapixel camera and an LTE modem (if you opt to buy a cellular model), it’s running the last-generation A5 CPU. However, the slower internals and less potent display may account for how the company has been able to squeeze out a claimed 10 hours of use despite the constrained space for a battery. Pre-orders for the $329, 16GB WiFi-only model begin on Friday (October 26th) and will begin shipping on November 2nd. The cellular-equipped models will begin shipping a few weeks afterward on AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, with the 16GB base model costing $459, running all the way to $659 for the 64GB unit.

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Continue reading Apple announces 7.9-inch iPad mini with a 1,024 x 768 display, A5 CPU and optional LTE for $329

Filed under: Tablets, Apple

Apple announces 7.9-inch iPad mini with a 1,024 x 768 display, A5 CPU and optional LTE for $329 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 13:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ahead of Google’s Android event on the 29th there’s additional confirmation of a storage upgrade for the Nexus 7, as 32GB units have now been spotted on shelves at US retailers. Seemingly dead-set on matching the LG E960 “Mako” Nexus G for the title of worst-kept secret, we’ve received this photo of a tag for the new unit at a Sam’s Club (with a placeholder price). Reports on Android Central and The Verge also mention hardware spotted at Staples locations, with one person actually succeeding in buying one. All of that follows a listing on the Staples website and one Japanese buyer apparently receiving one early by accident. According to the tags and receipts, the new units are scheduled to go on sale the same day as the Android event, and at the same $249 price of the current 16GB model. Now that the alleged Sony Nexus phone has been exposed as a fake we don’t know if there will be any surprises left, but if you want to buy anything from Google’s brand then patience (or at least shopping around) is probably your best strategy.

[Thanks, Adam]

Filed under: Tablets, Google

32GB Nexus 7 tablets appear at retail with $249 price tag, October 29th street date originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it’s easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don’t escape without notice, we’ve gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of October 8th, 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Samsung, Nokia, Google, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, LG, Intel, RIM

Refresh Roundup: week of October 8th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back when Google ecstatically unveiled its 7-inch Nexus tablet a few months ago, the company decided to keep things simple by only introducing 8GB and 16GB models — much to the dismay of folks who prefer a device with a bit more storage space. One lucky customer in Japan, however, claims to have unexpectedly received a Nexus 7 loaded with more built-in storage than Mountain View currently advertises, having been delivered Google’s Jelly Bean-packing slate with 32GB instead of the 16GB unit that was ordered. Interestingly enough, the surprise delivery comes at a time when Google is rumored to launch a new, more spacious 32GB model as soon as October 24th — though only time will tell if that’s actually going to be the case.

Filed under: Tablets, Google

Purported Nexus 7 with 32GB of storage gets accidentally delivered in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fans of both Android and Slingbox streaming have had a long wait for a significant update to the SlingPlayer app, to put it mildly — the last major upgrade was to introduce Kindle Fire support at the start of the year. Imagine our delight when Sling Media posts a pair of low-key but significant updates for Android phone and tablet users alike. Smartphone owners get the most out of the upgrade with a new electronic program guide, a fresher overall look and better high-quality video for any phone using Android 4.0 and beyond. Tablet users do get a more optimized interface for the Nexus 7, however, and both form factors will let avid placeshifters remind themselves when a much-anticipated show goes live in the future. Neither of the updates is a complete revolution, but we would say they’re coming just in time.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD, Mobile

SlingPlayer for Android gets a long-awaited update, adds reminders and better Android 4 video quality originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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