Hasta La Gadget!

While one consumer electronics giant is unceremoniously exiting the tablet wars, after many teaser trailers we’re hearing Sony is finally ready to reveal its entry. We uncovered the S1 PlayStation Tablet ahead of its official reveal earlier this year, and after getting our hands all over it we’ve got more details to report before it launches. The official name of the S1 is the Sony Tablet S, which is currently projected to bring its 9.4-inch (1280×768) screen to market in the first two weeks of September. It will ship with Android 3.1 with an eye towards upgrading to Ice Cream Sandwich once that’s available, and just as the company said many of the key features will revolve around using it to control all devices in the home, via the network or the integrated IR blaster, as well as having the ability to “Throw” media to other DLNA-compatible hardware, whether it’s made by Sony or someone else. The slate’s dual cameras come in at 3.0MP res up front and 5.0MP around the back, while it’s also expected to bring along accessories our source indicates are very similar to those for the iPad. In the images below you can check out a wireless keyboard and dock setup and micro-USB to USB host dongle, details on the “TruBlack” screen technology that’s supposed to provide better colors with less glare, and of course all of Sony’s preinstalled software bringing PlayStation Certified gaming plus its music, movie and book services. What we don’t know yet is its final price — we’d heard $599 previously — but there should be more to say about that and the clamshell S2 tablet soon.

Update: Eagle-eyed Daniel wrote in to let us know that it looks like Sony is rebranding its video service as “Video Unlimited,” which will make it a much nicer match for Music Unlimited.

[Thanks, J]

Sony’s S1 Android Tablet is the Tablet S, due to arrive in early September originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet now available for order, priced at $500 and up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 08:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC’s Puccini tablet is shaping up to be the company’s worst kept secret. This latest batch of leaked screen shots over on PocketNow show off the tab’s skinned homescreen where a clearly visible AT&T widget indicates a missing SIM card, and the Settings menu which points us to the product’s possible release name — Jetstream. The 10-inch slate, said to pack a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and Scribe functionality, appears to have a “true” 4G LTE AT&T destiny ahead of it, with a potential launch coming before the close of this year. Make sure to hit the source below for an additional look at this Android slate.

HTC Puccini screens leak (again), to be known as Jetstream on AT&T? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, it’s taken long enough, but Google has finally updated its Reader app for Android and added support for Honeycomb. That’s right RSS addicts, you can now peruse your feeds in full two-pane glory on your Xoom, Galaxy Tab 10.1 or other comparable slate. The move to version 1.0.1 doesn’t just benefit tablet owners either — the small screen UI has received a fresh coat of paint that’s a tad more polished. As far as new features, there doesn’t seem to be anything Earth-shattering, but the ability to quickly share posts via social networks or add them to your Read It Later list on a tablet is greatly appreciated. Hit up the Android Market to download the latest edition — seriously, right now.

Google Reader Android app updated with new UI, Honeycomb support originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to Engadget’s Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we’re here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we’re leaning back with our tablets — and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back — at the end of the month we’ll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides — and hit up the hub page right here!

There are certain back to school purchases we could never talk you out of. A laptop? Vital. A smartphone? Highly recommended. A printer? Necessary — if you’re the kind of person who finishes papers minutes with minutes to spare, leaving no time to swing by the computer lab on the way to class. But a tablet? We’ll be honest: we can’t think of a good reason why you need one, but we can more than sympathize if you’re dead-set. We’ve picked a few noteworthy choices for each budget, though if you’re really lucky you’ll win one of 15 Samsung Galaxy Tabs and won’t have to pay a dime. Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win, and check out our giveaway page for more details. So wipe off the glasses, grab your clicker, and get ready to jump past the break for this year’s tablet picks for back to school.

Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide 2011: tablets

Engadget’s back to school guide 2011: tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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