Hasta La Gadget!

Archos recently dropped a few hints about a Gen 10 tablet, and, just as promised, three weeks later the device is getting its official unveiling. Meet the Archos 101 XS, a 10-inch slate running Ice Cream Sandwich and a dual-core TI OMAP-4470 processor.

Staying true to the company’s budget-friendly rep, the 101 XS will go for $400 when it drops in November, and that includes the tablet’s main attraction: a keyboard dock that also acts as a cover to protect the 1,280 x 800 display. The so-called Coverboard attaches to the tablet’s body magnetically, and there’s a dock for securing the device when you want to type. The Coverboard sports a full QWERTY layout along with home, back and recently open buttons for navigating the Android OS. Speaking of which, Archos says the XS will be upgradeable to Jelly Bean in October. Other key specs include 16GB of internal storage, a 1.3-megapixel, 720p webcam and a 1.3-pound, 0.31-inch-thick design.

To complement its new slab, Archos has also announced several new docks and covers. The Boombox speaker dock will charge your 101 XS while you soak up 32 watts of music playback. If you’d prefer to hook it up to your existing system, the Cradle dock has audio-out ports alongside a pair of USB sockets that can be connected to portable hard drives — and more music. A selection of pouches and sleeves will also be up for grabs for anyone who’s willing to leave that Coverboard behind. Pricing info for these accessories is yet to come.

For more info, head past the break for the press release (and photos). We also have a full review of the 101 XS — check it out here.

Jamie Rigg contributed to this report.

Continue reading Archos announces 101 XS tablet with built-in keyboard dock, arriving in November for $400

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Archos announces 101 XS tablet with built-in keyboard dock, arriving in November for $400 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s just one among many, but the headlining case in the Apple v. Samsung global war is finally drawing to a close. Today, each party attempted to persuade the jury of nine one last time with their closing arguments, and with the rebuttals complete, it is time for deliberation. Starting at 9AM tomorrow morning, the jury’s job is to sift through the mountains of evidence proffered by each side, decipher the verdict form provided and reach a unanimous decision on the patent and trade dress claims at issue. Will Apple emerge victorious or will Samsung’s arguments carry the day? Could a hung jury and a mistrial be the result? Tune in tomorrow (and maybe the next day, and the next…) to find out.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs

Apple and Samsung finish closing arguments, jury to decide their fate originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While pricing hasn’t revealed whether it’ll spar with the Nexus 7 for the hearts of bargain tablet shoppers, Lenovo‘s smaller Android 4.0 slab, the A2107, has called in at the FCC. Again, there’s not all that much we can glean from a tablet that’s prone and turned off, but it does give the product another nudge towards launching next month. Fans of all things radio and wireless can peruse the official filing at the source below.

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Lenovo’s seven-inch Android 4.0 tablet passes federal testing, on course for September release originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If your favorite audio or video broadcasts are spamming you with obnoxious ads (or anything else you don’t like) an Apple patent describes a process to cut them out — then substitute your personal content. First, the system would check media in real time through audio analysis or metadata scanning. Then, it would determine if it’s “of interest” to you by checking it against a profile based on your listening habits or personally defined preferences. Finally, if it thinks you’re into a particular stream, it would continue playing it, and if not, it could blast something from your own collection. The patent claims even describe a TiVo-like time-shifting function — ensuring you’d catch that entire guitar solo while not missing a single word from your favorite show.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs

Apple gets patent for process that replaces unwanted media with user content originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 07:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola filed its most recent ITC complaint against Apple so late into last week that the court system couldn’t immediately provide more details; we’re only just seeing documents now that the weekend is over. As it stands, the case involves seven patents that mostly touch on staple technologies of the modern mobile world, such as syncing messages between devices and bookmarking media playback on one device to resume on another. Does that last technique sound familiar? You might recall it being a cornerstone of the movie and podcast support that Apple has implemented since 2005. Despite reaching that far back into history, Motorola is just as eager to modernize the targeted hardware list to keep its complaints relevant — the current iPad, the iPhone 4S and other devices are at risk of a trade ban, posing more of a threat to Apple’s bottom line than the dust-covered (and near-finished) initial legal challenge from October 2010. Before coming to any conclusions, though, remember that the newer complaint isn’t likely to have any speedy resolution of its own. Past ITC cases have usually taken a year and a half to complete, which could leave most or all of today’s technology as another distant memory.

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Laptops, Tablet PCs

Motorola’s latest ITC complaint against Apple targets newer iOS devices and Macs, messaging and sync originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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