Hasta La Gadget!

We saw it this weekend for a fleeting moment, but thankfully one handy reader sent us copies of the product page for HP’s Photosmart eStation C510, which we can now confirm is the Zeus / Zeen printer and detachable tablet combination we caught wind of back in early August — and we’ve got some more details. Bad news first: as of a month ago, the Gmail app was missing and there was no support for Android Market, meaning the Zeen might not be an official “with Google” Android tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Tab. (The product page conspicuously lacks any mention of the OS, so we’re thinking Android might simply be the hidden-away base layer for the TouchSmart UI, making this thing super boring.) It does have the default Android browser and at least some custom apps for printing pictures from Facebook, Yahoo, and Snapfish preloaded, but we don’t know about anything else. Major bummer, but we’re told it shouldn’t be too hard for the community at large to root the sucker. Beta testing begins this month, so that all might change before the projected September 20th release. Here’s what else we know so far:

• The Zeen is a capacitive tablet running HP’s TouchSmart skin on top of Android 2.1 — it won’t get shifted to webOS, and it’s not clear if it’ll get upped to Froyo before launch given the development time required. It has capacitive touch buttons, an SD card slot, video support, and at least some prototypes have cameras with a special webcam app installed.
• We’re told TouchSmart will be locked in, but we don’t know how deep that’ll go — right now the standard Android homescreen is still accessible. That’s supposedly going away, so don’t get your hopes up for any native Gmail / Angry Birds use.
• E-reading is a major focus, and the Zeen has “significant” integration with the Barnes & Noble Nook bookstore and ecosystem. Makes sense, as the Nook itself is based on Android, and being able to print e-books from the Zeen would be a huge differentiator — and a great way for HP to sell more ink.
• The touchscreen is apparently not very accurate at all, and we’re told the overall experience is far less satisfying than a competent Android phone. Don’t expect this to replace your Droid Incredible for all at-home use.
• The Zeen will come in two configurations: a $399 bundle with a new printer called Zeus and as a standalone unit for an unknown price. The Zeus has its own “basic” control setup, but when the Zeen is docked it provides a rich interface to the printing functions — presumably a web-connected interface like the one HP’s been moving towards with other printers. (Note: the product page listed $399.99 but provided no indication what price the Zeen might go for solo.)
• Ship date is an estimated September 20th but due to some testing issues this may be pushed back.

Until HP comes clean and inks out the details for all the world to see, check out the product page in pictorial format below.

Exclusive: HP Photosmart eStation C510 is Android-powered Zeus / Zeen, may not run Gmail or Market apps originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now, we don’t have any confirmation that the two are one and the same, but we just caught wind of a very intriguing printer on HP’s website. The Photosmart eStation C510 is listed for $399.99 and, in addition to usual ink-plastering duties, has a detachable wireless 7-inch TouchSmart control panel for browsing content, printing (of course), and “brows[ing] the latest e-book bestsellers or old favorites.” It all sounds well and good, and if you ask us, it rings a very eerily similar chord as the eStation Zeen / Zeus from early August. If so, that’d make this touchscreen an Android 2.1 tablet with “significant” Nook integration for e-reading. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see what’s under the hood, software-wise. What say ye, HP, how about throwing us a press release yonder?

Update: And just like that, the printer has disappeared off the face of the internet, without so much as a cached Google page to its name.

Update 2: A trusted source tells us this printer is indeed the eStation Zeus of yore.

[Thanks, Julian]

HP lists Photosmart eStation C510 printer with detachable e-reading touchscreen — is this the Zeus? (update: yes) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab has once again surfaced online via unofficial channels, and this time it’s carrying a sticker on one side that clearly states CDMA. The iAndroid forum goer who allegedly snapped these shots praised the device for its strong speakers, call quality (although not clear if that’s over 3G or WiFi), and ability to run Flash — but at the same time notes the GPS is just a bit slow (it does work, though). More pictures in the gallery below, right next to our ever-increasing impatience to try this little guy out ourselves.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Samsung Galaxy Tab, in the wild and now teasing CDMA originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I what has become an annual occurrence, the yearly leaking of new iPod cases has begun. In previous years, these have given us hints about the presence of cameras, whether correct (Nano) or not (iPod Touch). This year, things are more interesting thanks to the whole antenna-gate fiasco, and its subsequent fix via free cases from Apple.

Above we see what are likely to be the cases for a new Nano and Touch. The Touch case has a cut-out for a rear-facing camera, and we’d guess that it will also sport a front-facing camera for FaceTime calling. Notice that although it has a bumper-style colored strip around the edge, the transparent rear is curved just like the current Touch. My guess is a form-factor almost identical to the current one, only with cameras, a Retina display and the game-friendly gyroscope.

The other, smaller case is probably for a touch-screen Nano. What? Yes, I think that the small square screens that have leaked out over the last few months are not for a shuffle but for a tiny Nano. It probably won’t run anything from the App Store, but if the Nano is to get any smaller, the only way to do it is to combine the screen with the controls. The cut-out on the rear is probably for the existing video camera to peek out through.

As ever, all will be confirmed at the Apple Event next Wednesday September 1st, and I can begin my own yearly ritual of buying the new Touch and passing the old one down to the Lady for use as an alarm clock and not much else. This year the lucky thing will have a 32GB, multi-tasking monster to wake her up.

Accessories appearance early exposure iPod touch 4G leaked [SJ.91 via iLounge]

See Also:

• IPod Touch 3G Cases Already On Sale
• How Apple Designed the iPad Out in the Open

Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.

It’s felt almost as if the BlackBerry smartphone rumor mill has been a little too quiet — dare we say burnt out — since the Torch hit the scene (BlackPad notwithstanding, of course). That’s all changed with a pair of interesting leaks care of Boy Genius Report. Behold a successor to the Bold 9700, the R020. The tri-band UMTS / quad-band EDGE device is gonna disappoint some with the same 624MHz clockspeed and 2.44-inch 480 x 360 screen, but it does have twice the RAM (512MB), a 5 megapixel camera with AF and flash, and of course runs on BlackBerry 6. If the purported leaked slides are correct, a device of such magnitude should be launching in the October timeframe. Looking to the CDMA side of things — which means likely both Verizon and Sprint — we’ve got a 9670 “Oxford” (at least by codename) flip phone with a full QWERTY keyboard, 5 megapixel camera, 360 x 400 internal display (240 x 320 for the external), usual amenities like WiFi and GPS, and the hip new BB6. No touchscreen on either phones, as far as we can tell, but perhaps that’s a blessing for those that fret smudged screens.

BlackBerry Bold R020 and 9670 Oxford flip outed? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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