ASUS TOUGH 7-inch Honeycomb tablet lands in Japan ready for some corporate abuse

Not content with offering up merely modular Android tablets, ASUS has revealed a new seven-inch tablet that’s water and dust resistant — perfect for a spot of bath-time browsing or… desert rallying. The ASUS TOUGH-ETBW11AA has a rubberized bezel and strips across the back, contributing to the substantial 22.2mm profile, but that hefty frame can survive drops from the heady height of 76cm. Aside from its tough-guy credentials, there’s a 1280 x 800 screen, five megapixel camera, Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz processor, WiMAX connection and the staple WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS medley. It comes with 16GB of well-protected storage, but there’s room for more via microSD. For those seeking a slate that’ll survive the bumps and scrapes of the business world — and not look ridiculous — it’ll be available to enterprise customers of Japanese carrier KDDI this November. No news yet on whether it’ll canoe its way across from the Land of the Rising Sun, but we can give you a few more photos of the rough and tumble tablet after the break.

[Image credit: Keitai Watch]

Continue reading ASUS TOUGH 7-inch Honeycomb tablet lands in Japan ready for some corporate abuse

ASUS TOUGH 7-inch Honeycomb tablet lands in Japan ready for some corporate abuse originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Engadget Chinese (Translated)  |  sourceKDDI (Translated)  | Email this | Comments

Xiaomi Phone review

Any seasoned Android enthusiast would have no doubt come across Xiaomi Corporation’s MIUI at some point. For those who haven’t, here’s a quick intro: MIUI is a heavily customizable Android ROM based on the works of CyanogenMod (at least on the driver level, so we’ve been told), and currently the Chinese startup is officially offering its free software for 12 well-known Android handsets, including the HTC Desire, Samsung Captivate and Motorola Droid. Of course, we’ll also have the Xiaomi Phone on the list when it launches in China next month.

Using Foxconn’s tooling and Inventec’s manufacturing resources, the aptly named Xiaomi Phone is the company’s first attempt at developing its own hardware, and boy, it’s done one helluva job here with the specs: a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8260 SoC (note that this isn’t just an overclocked 1.2GHz chip), 1GB RAM, 4GB ROM, eight megapixel camera and the usual wireless bundle including WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS (plus the rare GLONASS). By now you must be thinking: surely there must be a tradeoff somewhere for that tempting price of ¥1,999 ($310)? Read on to find out if this is the case.

Continue reading Xiaomi Phone review

Xiaomi Phone review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Telstra’s 4G LTE network goes live in Australia, new HTC handset coming next year

Telstra customers woke up to a sun shower of good news this morning, when their provider’s new 4G LTE network went live in Australia — or within parts of it, at least. After months of development and a soft launch in late August, Telstra finally flipped the switch on its broadband network today, bringing LTE coverage to capital cities, airports and other select areas. According to the company, its new infrastructure offers download speeds between two and 40 Mbps (a 25 percent increase over what its 3G network supported at launch), with upstream rates ranging from one to ten Mbps. For now, Telstra has upgraded its base stations in all eight capital cities and some 30 regional centers, though it plans to expand its coverage to 80 sites by the end of this year. Subscribers can hook up to the network with a new USB dongle from Sierra Wireless (pictured above), as long as they’re within a five kilometer radius from a capital city’s station, or within three kilometers of a regional center. Before long, however, Australians may not even need a dongle to bathe in LTE goodness, as Telstra is planning to launch a new 4G-enabled HTC handset by the first half of next year. At this point, details about the Android-based device (codenamed “HTC 4G”) remain fuzzy, though the carrier says it will boast a 4.5-inch screen, eight megapixel camera and dual-core processor. For more details, head past the break for a pair of press releases.

Continue reading Telstra’s 4G LTE network goes live in Australia, new HTC handset coming next year

Telstra’s 4G LTE network goes live in Australia, new HTC handset coming next year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Optimus EX gets official in Korea, sporting 1.2GHz Tegra 2 chip, 700 nits of brightness

So, about that LG Optimus EX we saw last week — it’s now gone official in South Korea and it’s looking slightly more alluring. Announced yesterday, this Gingerbread-coated handset is the first to ship with NVIDIA’s revamped 1.2GHz Tegra 2 processor, which means it’ll support 1080p video, much like the Galaxy S II. It also boasts a four-inch LCD with 480 × 800 resolution and a full 700 nits of brightness, along with 1GB of RAM, 8GB of onboard storage, a five megapixel camera and front-facing VGA shooter. Available in either black and silver or white and gold color schemes, the EX is slated to launch on Korea’s SK Telecom at an unspecified price, though plans for an international release remain unclear. As soon as we find out, however, we’ll be sure to let you know.

LG Optimus EX gets official in Korea, sporting 1.2GHz Tegra 2 chip, 700 nits of brightness originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 05:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Electronista  |  sourceLG Mobile (Korean)  | Email this | Comments

Hands-on with HTC’s Amaze 4G for T-Mobile (video)

So how does HTC’s Amaze 4G stack up to its European counterpart, the Sensation XE? Pretty well actually. The 4.3-inch qHD smartphone also features Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU, but bumps the RAM from 768MB to 1GB. It’s also HTC’s first NFC toting device and joins T-Mobile’s Galaxy S II as the other 42Mbps HSPA+ -capable handset on Magenta’s network. More noteworthy is its trick eight megapixel shooter, which features the same backside-illuminated sensor, f2.2 wide-angle optics and 1080p video recording capability as the myTouch 4G Slide. Similarly, the Amaze 4G hangs on to quite a bit of that phone’s camera software, including a new composite mode that automagically creates one stellar image out of five less than fabulous snapshots. We also liked the addition of two physical camera buttons, one for stills and the other for video. First impressions of the Sense-laden, Gingerbread smartphone? It’s very much like a Sensation on steroids, with a definite T-Mobile flavor. Take a look at our gallery and hit the break for our hands-on video from Mobilize 2011.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Continue reading Hands-on with HTC’s Amaze 4G for T-Mobile (video)

Hands-on with HTC’s Amaze 4G for T-Mobile (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+

Europe may be enjoying the Sensation XE, but today at Mobilize, T-Mobile’s announced that it’s getting the exclusive on HTC’s Amaze 4G ($259.99 on a two-year contract), while also confirming the hardware whispers we’ve heard. With its 4.3-inch qHD screen and 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, it’s one of the first smartphones able to connect to T-Mobile’s upgraded 4G (HSPA+ 42Mbps) network and is the first HTC phone featuring an NFC chip — something we didn’t gather from those early spy-shots, but the manufacturer promised a while ago.

Pushing its photography credentials, the Amaze 4G’s eight megapixel shooter can record 1080p video, with a dedicated camera button (and even a direct-to-camcorder button) to make the most of the handset’s promised “zero shutter lag.” Its also got that backlit sensor found in its sibling, the myTouch 4G Slide, so we’re expecting admirable low-light performance, too. On the software side, it’s running Android 2.3.4, coated in the inevitable Sense veneer and supporting the likes of HTC Watch and T-Mobile TV. Will it be enough to steal the network’s king of Android crown away from the Galaxy S II when it ships October 12th? You tell us, as you check the PR after the break.

Keep up with our Mobilize 2011 coverage here!

Continue reading T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+

T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu-Toshiba unveils waterproof Arrows Z ISW11F handset with 13 megapixel CMOS sensor

Toshiba may be bowing out of its mobile joint venture with Fujitsu, but not without bestowing this Gingerbread-munching flamingo upon the Japanese market. The Wimax-enabled Arrows Z ISW11F, unveiled today by Japan’s KDDI au, is juiced by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, sports a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 LCD and, most notably, rocks a 13 megapixel CMOS sensor. It also features a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and supports 1080p video, along with your standard suite of 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities. Oh, and to top it all off, it’s waterproof, too. No word yet on pricing, but KDDI plans to bring this bubblegum to the Japanese market sometime in November. Doggie paddle past the break for more information in the translated presser.

Continue reading Fujitsu-Toshiba unveils waterproof Arrows Z ISW11F handset with 13 megapixel CMOS sensor

Fujitsu-Toshiba unveils waterproof Arrows Z ISW11F handset with 13 megapixel CMOS sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another alleged HTC Vigor leak: HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core, Beats Audio (update: more pics)

We know the high-end HTC Vigor exists, but we’re still in the dark about its precise specs — not least because a previous ‘leak’ turned out to be double Dutch. Now an Italian dude by the name of Fabio Mele reckons he’s gotten hold of Verizon’s ROM for the Vigor and extracted a ton of information, including tutorial videos (which yielded the render above) and key hardware credentials. And they’re some credentials: a 4.3-inch screen with 720 lines of LG-rivalling HD craziness, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 1GB RAM and an 8MP rear camera. The reported ROM also contains HTC’s much-hyped Beats Audio software, which we’ve experimented with on the Un-American Sensation XE. We’re taking all this with a pinch of salt if you don’t mind, Signor Mele, but we want to believe you, we really do.

[Thanks, Giuseppe]

Update: That elusive Vigor tutorial vid has popped up online and shows the handset from all angles, including what lies beneath its battery cover (hint: it’s a SIM slot for what we presume to be LTE access). Check it out after the break.

Update 2: And now some real photos of the Vigor have shown up online, too. Check out a couple after the break, and get the full spread over at Android Central.

Continue reading Another alleged HTC Vigor leak: HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core, Beats Audio (update: more pics)

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Another alleged HTC Vigor leak: HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core, Beats Audio (update: more pics) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 07:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink HDBlog (Italian), Droid Life, Android Central  |  sourceFabio Mele, Team BAMF  | Email this | Comments

Samsung announces Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy S II HD LTE handsets for Korean market

There’s some pretty big news coming out of South Korea today, where Samsung has just announced the Galaxy S II LTE handset, along with its even more alluring cousin, the Galaxy S II LTE HD — the first member of the Galaxy S family to rock an HD display. The new device, pictured on the right, boasts a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD screen with 1280 x 720 resolution, which translates to about 316 pixels per inch. Other than that, its specs are identical to those of the Gingerbread-laced S II LTE, which is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and features 16GB of internal memory, an eight megapixel camera that supports 1080p HD video and the usual collection of WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC capabilities. No word yet on pricing or availability, but the Galaxy S II LTE will be available exclusively on SK Telecom, while the HD variant will be available on all three Korean carriers — SK Telecom, LG U+ and KT. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Samsung announces Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy S II HD LTE handsets for Korean market

Samsung announces Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy S II HD LTE handsets for Korean market originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 05:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Pocketnow, Sammy Hub  |  sourceSamsung (Korean)  | Email this | Comments

LG Optimus EX bound for South Korea, still won’t pay alimony

Despite its rather curious name, the LG Optimus EX (aka the LG SU-880) just might be your soulmate — provided you live in South Korea. The 9.5mm device appears ready to take SK Telecom by storm with a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU (with no indication of make or model), Android 2.3, 4-inch WVGA TFT-LCD display and five megapixel camera; it’s also said to be coming in black and white varieties. We admit, it’s not the type of spec sheet that induces a large amount of salivation, but we imagine many will be seduced by the new device — if the price is right, that is. No word on pricing or availability yet, but we’ll hopefully know more once we get officially introduced to the new handset.

LG Optimus EX bound for South Korea, still won’t pay alimony originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PocketNow, MovePlayer (translated)  |  sourcePopboy (translated)  | Email this | Comments