Hasta La Gadget!

Well, look who just oozed into being, Google‘s latest flavor of Android, the tablet-friendly 3.0, Honeycomb. We heard talk that 3.0 would be exclusively for tablets, as in not for phones, and that looks to be played out with the text “Entirely for Tablet” seen early in the video. Perhaps the best thing to say is that this looks more or less nothing like Android. Sure, the browser is the same, and the Gmail app will be familiar to iPad users, but trust us when we say there’s a lot of lovely UI in the video above to admire…and a lot of glowly blue lights, too. Apparently we weren’t the only ones who saw Tron:Legacy on opening night.

Update: The video is back! It’s embedded below.

Continue reading Google shows off Android 3.0, the ‘Entirely for Tablet’ Honeycomb (video)

Google shows off Android 3.0, the ‘Entirely for Tablet’ Honeycomb (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We just had our first in-depth experience with the Vizio Tablet, the company’s opening overture into the world of Android slates, and we’ve got to say — we like what we see. The device — which was just announced Monday afternoon along with the company’s new smartphone, the Vizio Phone — is still rather unfinished (the model we looked at was a hand-built device), but based on this early look, the company is moving down the right roads. We had a good chance to play around with the tablet, and we’ve got all the details, specs, and an in-depth video after the break!

Continue reading Vizio Tablet hands-on preview

Vizio Tablet hands-on preview originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 01:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve been seeing supposed iPad 2 cases for about a month now, all of them with the same telltale cutouts: a camera hole in the back, a camera hole in the front, and a big ol’ speaker hole. Today’s find beats them all, however: we just found a case with a machined aluminum iPad 2 mockup inside. Dexim is the eager exhibitor, with an actually very intriguing case design involving a Bluetooth keyboard that magnetically adheres to the front cover of the book-like sleeve, allowing for a laptop-style setup, or a keyboard-free case when you want to shave a few ounces. It was so intriguing that we asked to put our own iPad inside, which is when we were told it wouldn’t fit, since the case was designed for the next iPad. Indeed, the mockup that we found inside the case was a tad bit slimmer than the first-gen iPad, with a taper leading to the edges that reminds us of the iPod touch, and a home button positioned nearer the bottom edge. We found all the typical cutouts on the case, and their mirror on the machined mockup, including a large square for the speaker.

So, what does it all mean? Well, there’s certainly a consistent iPad 2 make that these Chinese manufacturers seem to be designing against, and while there’s always the off chance that their info is wrong, it seems odd they’d go so far as to actually make the cases if they were unsure about their sources. It also means a slimmer iPad with cameras and a bigger speaker, which is never a bad thing. Check the pictures in the gallery below and make up your own mind.

iPad 2 case shows up at CES, packing a mockup iPad 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 23:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG is busily preparing its CES presentation area right now, where the well known Optimus 2X is being joined by a pair of intriguing new devices, the Revolution you see above, an LTE-connected handset that seems destined to ride Verizon’s minty fresh 4G network, and an Optimus Black (pictured after the break). The latter handset promises the “power of light” housed within an “innovatively slim smartphone with the best display clarity.” Both the allusions to slimness — we’ve found specs listing it as a 9.2mm-thick device with a 4-inch screen — and display prowess match up to the LG “B” device we’ve seen leak out previously, which LG itself promised will be launching at CES. Other details include Wi-Fi Direct certification and the world’s first two megapixel front-facing camera. It’s gonna be a fun week, to be sure.

Continue reading LG Optimus Black and LTE-equipped Revolution coming to CES

LG Optimus Black and LTE-equipped Revolution coming to CES originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS’ powerful 12-inch Eee Slate EP121 tablet has been no secret — don’t forget, it was teased at Computex and then sketched on a digital blackboard — but here it is, with final specs and pricing information. Unlike ASUS’ trio of Android tablets, the EP121 is all about Windows 7, and oh does it have the guts to run it smoothly — it’s powered by a Core i5-470M processor, packs 2 to 4GB of RAM, and a 64GB SSD. It sure has the internal muscle to compete, but it also has a high-resolution (1280 x 800) 12.1-inch IPS capacitive display with a Wacom digitizer. The latter will allow you to use the included stylus to draw self-portraits or you know, take notes in class. ASUS maintains that the tablet breeds entertainment with enterprise, but something tells us the front-facing camera and HDMI port will have this one in the living room more than the board room. ASUS says the EP121 should be hitting sometime in the first quarter of the year for around $1,100, but expect us to bring you hands-on impressions way before that. Hit the break for the full specs.

Update: ASUS says it’ll actually start at $1,000, with an upgraded model available for an extra Benjamin, and it’s due out later this month!

Continue reading ASUS Eee Slate EP121 officially unveiled, IPS display, Core i5, and stylus in tow

ASUS Eee Slate EP121 officially unveiled, IPS display, Core i5, and stylus in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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