Sony S1 and S2 dual-screen Honeycomb tablets get official (video)

Sony’s hosting a press event in Tokyo today where it just made the first announcement: a pair of Android 3.0 tablets — yes, the very two Honeycomb slabs we told you about exclusively back in February. The first is the Qriocity-focused 9.4-inch S1 media tablet with both front- and rear-facing cameras and a curved wrap design that resembles a folded magazine. The S1 features a Tegra 2 SoC and customized “Quick and Smooth” touch panel UI with “Swift” web browser. It can also be used as a remote control for Sony gear thanks to integrated infrared.

The second tablet is the dual-screen S2 clamshell with its pair of 5.5-inch 1,024 x 480 pixel displays, Tegra 2 SoC, and camera. While it sounds bulky, Kunimasa Suzuki just pulled the hinged tablet from his jacket pocket on stage. Sony takes advantage of the two screens with a custom book-style UI layout for its e-reader app, split keyboard and messaging displays for email, and split display and game controllers for PS One gaming. Both the S1 and S2 are PlayStation Certified, support DLNA, and are WiFi and 3G/4G “compatible” according to Sony. See the Sony tablets codenamed “S1” and “S2” in action after the break on their way to a global release in the fall — possibly sooner in the US.

P.S. While the company isn’t ready to talk prices yet, our sources told us back in February that Sony was considering a $599 MSRP on the S1 while the S2 would likely come in at $699. Still no word on the Windows 7 slider but with the other two leaks official, it’s now only a matter of time.

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Sony S1 and S2 dual-screen Honeycomb tablets get official (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Lenovo to Debut Android Tablet This Summer

This could be what Lenovo’s tablet looks like, according to a leaked Powerpoint presentation. Photo courtesy of This is my Next

Yet another major electronics manufacturer may throw its hat into the tablet ring this summer according to a recent report.

Chinese PC manufacturing giant Lenovo has plans to debut its Android 3.0-powered ThinkPad Tablet come June, according to a leaked Powerpoint presentation obtained by tech reporter Joanna Stern.

As the document says, the device will be powered by Honeycomb, the tablet-optimized version of Android. It will run on the Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor, a chip which has virtually reached mobile-industry standard status after being featured on myriad phones and tablets debuted in 2011.

Other touted specs remain similar to the already-existing pack: Micro USB, HDMI, SD card and USB 2.0 ports are all included. 16, 32 and 64-GB versions will be offered, as well as the eventual release of 3G and 4G-enabled versions.

The tablet does deviate from its brethren somewhat, but you’ll have to spend a little more to see the differences. Optional choices include a stylus pen for “sketching and note-taking,” as well as a docking bay with keyboard attachment, which essentially turns the tablet into a laptop. Think HTC Flyer meets the Motorola Atrix.

Since Lenovo’s tablet is marketed in the Powerpoint pictures as the tablet “for on-the-go business professionals…and the IT Managers that support them,” we may be seeing a rival to Research in Motion’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, a device also aimed at the enterprise market. Originally a laptop designed and manufactured by IBM, the ThinkPad brand was purchased by Lenovo in 2005.



Lenovo 7-inch Honeycomb tablet coming Q4 according to leaked PDF, Le OS genetics in tow

Hot on the heels of yesterday’s leaked 10.1-inch ThinkPad tablet comes another juicy tidbit about another forthcoming device from Lenovo. This is my next reports that in the PC-maker has a 7-inch Honeycomb-equipped slate in the pipeline sporting a high resolution 1280 x 800 display and ARM dual-core processor. The slides also indicate the presence of the “Lenovo family UI,” which most likely means Le OS. Release is purportedly slated (ugh) for Q4, but given the presence of a placeholder image and the fact that these slides are at least a month old, most of this is subject to change. Still, we hope Lenovo takes the time to get things right with its Honeycomb customizations, since its the little differentiating touches that make all the difference in burgeoning sea of screen-centric devices.

Lenovo 7-inch Honeycomb tablet coming Q4 according to leaked PDF, Le OS genetics in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v available tomorrow for €590, starting with Portugal

Some lucky Aussies might have been able to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v ahead of the rest of the world, but it turns out the Portuguese will actually be taking this Honeycomb tablet home first, starting tomorrow. Originally known as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 but quickly superseded by a slimmer, impending model, said transitional device is now listed on Vodafone Portugal’s website with a more delightful €589.90 ($860, which is no doubt off-contract) tag to go with its HSPA+ radio, along with a big red “available from April 26th” stamp. We dug through Vodafone’s other European sites and the only country that also mentions this Tegra 2 slate is the Netherlands, though it only indicates a “week 17” launch — in other words, any time between now and May 1st. If you’re in Europe and don’t mind this slightly out-of-date whopper, be sure to check back as we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for more details.

[Thanks, Carlos O.]

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v available tomorrow for €590, starting with Portugal originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 05:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Iconia Tab A500 now on sale, $450 for aluminum-clad WiFi-only model

Yearning for some diversity in your hunt for a Honeycomb tablet? Acer’s new Iconia Tab A500 doesn’t really stray from the Tegra 2 norm when it comes to internal specs, but it does have that brushed aluminum back, a full-sized USB 2.0 port, and a sane $450 price point going for it. You’ll get 16GB of storage and 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity for your money, though ASUS’ similarly outfitted Eee Pad Transformer should also be prominent on your radar as it’ll ask for an even humbler $399 when it makes its slightly delayed US launch tomorrow. Let’s hope the arrival of these Taiwanese cousins nudges other Android tablets makers into engaging in a bit of price competition, eh?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Acer Iconia Tab A500 now on sale, $450 for aluminum-clad WiFi-only model originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 02:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet leaks out with Honeycomb, IPS screen, optional stylus and keyboard folio?

Remember the ultra-thin Lenovo ThinkPad X1 we detailed just a few hours ago? The document that dished those secrets also mentioned an “X Slate,” which made us wonder if Lenovo’s LePad was finally hitting the states… but This is my next seems to have stumbled across a grander piece of technology than that oft-delayed slate. According to a presumably leaked company presentation, Lenovo’s planning to release an Android 3.0 tablet this July with a giant raft of specs — a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 IPS capacitive multitouch panel, a Tegra 2 processor, up to 64GB of storage, front and rear cameras, a full-size USB 2.0 port, mini-HDMI out, a genuine SD card reader and up to 8 hours of purported battery life in a package about 14mm thick and weighing 1.6 pounds.

What’s more, it will reportedly have an optional dual-digitizer with “true pen support” and an optional keyboard case, possibly aping ASUS’s recent Slate and Transformer tablet input mechanisms by allowing for both simultaneously. There’s also apparently plenty of software support for the business-minded, including IT integration as well as anti-theft and remote wipe options, and all this will apparently start at the competitive price of $499 — assuming these documents are legitimate and still valid. You see, they look a little preliminary for a slate supposedly sampling in just a couple of months, and there are contradictions here and there, such as the mention of a 1080p display in one slide, and some watermarks from 2009 in others. Still, Lenovo, if you’re indeed producing a tablet today, we’re liking its proposed specs — don’t suppose we can get a Tegra T25 chip while you’re at it? Find a few extra renders and plenty of slides at our source link.

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet leaks out with Honeycomb, IPS screen, optional stylus and keyboard folio? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Apr 2011 17:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell’s 10-inch Android and Windows tablets get names, specs, release dates

leaked Dell tablets

Well, well, what have we here? A pair of 10-inch Dell tablets, one running Windows 7 on those fancy new Oak Trail chips from Intel and the other pushing Android 3.0 with a Tegra T25. We already saw these devices leaked in February, but now we have some specs and release dates. The Wintel powered Latitude ST boasts a resolution of 1366 x 768, 2GB of RAM, up to a 128GB SSD, GPS, an accelerometer, both front- and rear-facing cameras, an 8-hour removable battery, and “1080p video output,” which we assume means HDMI-out. The Android-flavored Streak Pro opts for a 1200 x 800 panel, but keeps the pair of cameras (and two mics) for video chats, while adding an unspecified mobile broadband radio and slathering Dell’s Stage UI on top of Honeycomb (whether or not that’s a good thing is purely a matter of taste). Pricing is still up in the air, but the leaked roadmap indicates the Streak Pro will land in June, followed by the Latitude XT3 convertible tablet in July, and the Latitude ST in October.

Dell’s 10-inch Android and Windows tablets get names, specs, release dates originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile willing to knock $100 off G-Slate, if you ask nicely

G-Slate Discount

Here’s a little secret that T-Mobile didn’t really intend for public consumption: if you give the company a ring you can nab an extra $100 off a G-Slate. The discount was emailed out to those who signed up for a special promotional offer T-Mo teased recently. Like most things, though, the internet got ahold of this juicy morsel and we’re happy to tell you it’s open to everyone. Just reference promo code GSLATE100 and you can pick up a shiny new Honeycomb tablet for $430 — provided you have an existing voice plan or sign up for one, are willing to commit to a two-year data contract on top of that, and don’t mind dealing with a mail-in rebate. If those caveats don’t scare you off, go ahead and call. Just act quick, the offer ends April 27th. Check out the larger image after the break for full instructions.

Continue reading T-Mobile willing to knock $100 off G-Slate, if you ask nicely

T-Mobile willing to knock $100 off G-Slate, if you ask nicely originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon updates Kindle app for Honeycomb, shows that tablets really do exist

If you’ve done any Kindling on your Xoom or your G-Slate or your Transformer or whatever little slice of Honeycomb you’re calling home, chances are you’ve noticed the app isn’t exactly optimized for the relatively big screen of your slate. Well, now it has been. As promised, Amazon has just pushed an update to the Kindle app that makes it decidedly more 3.0-friendly. Gone is the ugly list of books, replaced by a lovely grid of titles including cover art. Just tap to start reading. Text itself within the books is higher-res and page turning seems snappier too. Worth the download? For sure — especially since it’s still free.

Continue reading Amazon updates Kindle app for Honeycomb, shows that tablets really do exist

Amazon updates Kindle app for Honeycomb, shows that tablets really do exist originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Xoom, Nexus S 4G hitting Sprint in early May?

Sprint service the only thing standing between you and a Motorola Xoom? Good news — a tipster passed along an internal calendar showing an April 25th employee training date for the Honeycomb tablet, and while we’re still taking it with a grain of salt, it seems like the real deal. If past products are any indication, it should hit Sprint stores a fortnight later, in early May, lining up nicely with those Xoom cases that were spotted a week back. The Nexus S 4G also looks to be slotted for employee training the same day, foreshadowing busy times ahead for the Now Network cashiers.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Motorola Xoom, Nexus S 4G hitting Sprint in early May? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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