Oct 12

Archos 80 G9 review

Posted in: Android, archos, Google, honeycomb, review, slate, tablet, tablets, texas instruments, ti, Today's Chili

As far as tablets go, a couple of interesting things are going to happen between now and the holiday season. One, we’re going to see a glut of smaller 7- and 8-inch tablets running Honeycomb (like this, this and this) hit the market. And if the Kindle Fire and Acer Iconia Tab A100 are any indication, they’re going to be cheaper, making slates palatable to folks who previously couldn’t bring themselves to spend $500 on a plaything. The Archos 80 G9, then, is the perfect specimen on both counts. Here you have an 8-inch tablet running Android 3.2 with a kickstand and full-sized USB port — costing just $300 for the base model ($270, even, on sites like Amazon). So how does it stack up against other diminutive, aggressively priced tablets? Let’s see.

Gallery: Archos 80 G9 review

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Archos 80 G9 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 12

Google TV 2.0: app developers get final add-on for Android SDK

Posted in: Android, android market, AndroidMarket, app, apps, developers, Google, GoogleAndroid, GoogleTv, hdpostcross, honeycomb, market, sdk, Today's Chili

If you hadn’t heard, Google TV is (over)due to get a major boost with Honeycomb and access to the Android Market. We’ve seen a few compatible apps leak out thanks to Google’s early efforts to woo developers, but it’s only now that we’re getting the final add-on for the Android SDK. It brings a couple of revisions, like better placement options for the action and navigation bars, but more importantly it delivers the message that two-point-oh is almost two-point-here.

Google TV 2.0: app developers get final add-on for Android SDK originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 06:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 11

T-Mobile Springboard hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)

Posted in: 7-inch, Android, ctia, Google, hands-on, honeycomb, t-mobile, tab, tablet, TMobile, Today's Chili, video

CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011 has blessed us with a 7-inch tablet by the name of the T-Mobile Springboard. Similar in look and feel to the HTC Flyer, this Huawei-made slate is just as easy to hold, though it’s completely sans a fancy pen. The device has a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, runs on the latest version of Honeycomb (Android 3.2), and offers a 5MP rear camera with a 1.3MP front-facing shooter. We couldn’t get any confirmation on pricing or availability, aside from being told to expect the Springboard sometime during the holiday season. That may not narrow the timeframe down as much as we’d like, but at least you know it’s an idea for that holiday wish list you’ve been trying to put together. Head below for a full smorgasbord of pictures and a hands-on video.

Gallery: T-Mobile Springboard hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011

Update: We were informed by T-Mobile at this evening’s media event that the Springboard will debut for under $200, though no additional solid information is available yet.

Continue reading T-Mobile Springboard hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)

T-Mobile Springboard hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 11

Archos 101 G9 tablet goes on sale, 8GB version now $370

Posted in: 10-inch, Android, archos, honeycomb, minipost, slate, tablet, Today's Chili

After popping up at IFA, and teasing us with the whole ‘pre-sale’ thing, the Archos 101 G9 is finally ready to empty your wallet. We’ve only seen it on the company’s store so far, where the base model’s available now bearing a $370 price tag, with no sign of the 250GB variant yet. For your cash you get Android 3.2, a 1.0GHz dual core processor, and even HDMI out for those times when the 10.1 inch screen just isn’t big enough. Still not sure if the Archos slab’s for you? Try checking out our hands-on to see if this slate with the French flair is worth your hard earned cash, and head on down to the source link if the answer is oui.

[Thanks to OneLove]

Archos 101 G9 tablet goes on sale, 8GB version now $370 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 11

Motorola Xoom a bit slow boomerangin’ back with 4G LTE update

Posted in: 4G, Android, delay, honeycomb, lte, minipost, motorola xoom, MotorolaXoom, Today's Chili, update, upgrade, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw, xoom

Consider yourself lucky if you sent off your Motorola Xoom for the 4G LTE upgrade and got it back in about a week, as promised. It seems that Motorola Mobility is now having some trouble holding up their end of the bargain on the quick turnaround. In a note to eager, empty-handed slate faithful, the company informed those waiting that it’s experiencing delays and will let customers know when their device finally ships. Surprised that an upgrade that requires you to actually mail in your tablet isn’t being returned “on time?” Yeah, neither are we.

Motorola Xoom a bit slow boomerangin’ back with 4G LTE update originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 11

SlingPlayer app now available for Honeycomb tablets, priced at $30

Posted in: android market, AndroidMarket, app, application, availability, content, hdpostcross, honeycomb, price, slate, stream, streaming, tablet, Today's Chili, TV, video
It was teased back in September and now, it’s finally arrived — the SlingPlayer Android app optimized specifically for Honeycomb tablets. Available today on the Android Market, Sling Media’s latest app allows Slingbox owners to stream TV directly to their slates, and features a new program guide, designed to help users browse content and change channels with greater ease. The SlingPlayer app for Android handsets, meanwhile, will continue to function on tablets in “compatibility mode,” without exacting extra charges, though it won’t offer the same resolution quality you’ll find on a Honeycomb-laced device. Interested parties can grab the app for the familiar price of $30, at the source link below. Otherwise, click past the break for more details in Sling’s refreshingly brief press release.

Continue reading SlingPlayer app now available for Honeycomb tablets, priced at $30

SlingPlayer app now available for Honeycomb tablets, priced at $30 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 11

Benchmarks clock iPhone 4S’ A5 CPU at 800MHz, show major GPU upgrade over iPhone 4

Posted in: Android, Apple, benchmark, honeycomb, ios, ios 5, Ios5, ipad 2, Ipad2, iPhone, iphone 4s, mobilepostcross, performance, Today's Chili
Pre-orders for the iPhone 4S only began shipping this week, but a handful of early owners have already taken Apple’s first A5-based smartphone for a test run, and they’ve got the benchmarks to prove it. The results, obtained by AnandTech, are hardly what we’d call shocking. In terms of Javascript performance (pictured above), the 4S measures up rather nicely against the Tegra 2-based Honeycomb competition, while out-dueling the iPhone 4 in overall CPU muscle. Geekbench results, meanwhile, clock the 4S at around 800MHz, with a score of 623. That’s about 25 percent lower than the A5-based iPad 2, but notably higher than the iPhone 4 (see graphic, after the break). When it comes to GPU performance, GLBenchmark 2.1 tests in 1280 x 720, off-screen render mode place Apple’s new handset well above the Galaxy S II, with scores of 122.7 and 67.1, respectively. It still trails the iPad 2, not surprisingly, but the 4S’ scores show a major advantage over the iPhone 4, which registered a score of 15.3. For more statistics and graphics, check out the source link below.

Continue reading Benchmarks clock iPhone 4S’ A5 CPU at 800MHz, show major GPU upgrade over iPhone 4

Benchmarks clock iPhone 4S’ A5 CPU at 800MHz, show major GPU upgrade over iPhone 4 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 10

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Review: The New Best Android Tablet, Again

Posted in: Android, honeycomb, samsung, tablets, Today's Chili, top

I had major deja vu writing this. That’s because as cool as the Galaxy Tab 8.9 is, it’s basically just the Galaxy Tab 10.1, but slightly smaller. Which actually makes it noticeably better. More »

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Oct 07

Xoom 4G LTE upgrades boomerang back with Honeycomb update, microSD card support now a go

Posted in: 4G, Android, honeycomb, lte, minipost, motorola xoom, MotorolaXoom, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw, xoom

Xoom owners that hastily shipped off their slates for an LTE upgrade are in for a surprise. Turns out the newly equipped 4G tablets are not only being expediently returned, but also come with an upgrade to version 3.2.2 of Honeycomb. Details of just what’s been included in the new firmware are scant, but the main takeaway from Verizon’s overhaul is the now functional microSD slot. That’s right, unless you were privy to that non-U.S. Android 3.1 update or installed the Tiamat kernel, you’ll now finally be granted read/write access to your microSD card. It seems wishes do come true in Big Red land, you just have to practice extreme patience.

Xoom 4G LTE upgrades boomerang back with Honeycomb update, microSD card support now a go originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 03:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 06

Motorola Xoom Family Edition pops up at retail sporting kid-friendly software

Posted in: android tablet, AndroidTablet, education, exclusive, honeycomb, motorola, tablet, Today's Chili, video, xoom

Now that Motorola’s Xoom is ready to rock out on 4G LTE connections, the only thing missing from the original 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet is a nice suite of edutainment software… wait, what? Whether or not that’s what you asked for, it appears to be what Motorola’s giving you judging by this “Family Edition” branded Xoom that just showed up at a big box electronics store. While there’s still no hint of the subwoofer-equipped Xoom 2 Media Edition that’s been rumored, this model is differentiated by the addition of a Kid Mode with $40 of software for kids from Zoodles (trailer after the break) packed-in. We don’t have a release date or official pricing yet, but we’d expect to see the MZ505 on shelves sooner rather than later, but for now just check out a few more pics in the gallery below.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Gallery: Motorola Xoom Family Edition

Continue reading Motorola Xoom Family Edition pops up at retail sporting kid-friendly software

Motorola Xoom Family Edition pops up at retail sporting kid-friendly software originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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