Hasta La Gadget!

Ah, so now we understand Verizon’s intentions to hastily roll out LTE service to NFL cities. The NFL, which has sided with Sprint over the years when it comes to cellular distribution of content, is apparently in even deeper talks with newfound partner Big Red in order to get its prized content into even more hands. As the idea of watching NFL games on-the-go because more and more sensible, the league is apparently mulling the decision to distribute games (and potentially more) on the next big thing. You know, tablets. Brian Rolapp, the NFL’s senior vice president of media strategy, recently said the following: “The NFL will be on a tablet. It’s a question of what shape or form. We are currently talking to Verizon about it.” VZW declined to comment on the rumblings, but it’s really not a shocker — the carrier’s doing everything it can to get a live LTE network here in the States, and inking a deal with America’s most popular sporting league would obviously bring in boatloads of revenue. The real question is this: what tablet is the NFL eying, and if it’s not the Samsung Galaxy Tab, what’s Verizon’s second tablet going to be? Inquiring minds would love to know.

NFL ‘currently talking’ with Verizon to distribute programming on tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Look, BMW — we appreciate that you were the first automaker to provide seamless iPod integration way back when, but seriously, did anyone on the design squad look at this abomination before shipping it off to France? As the story goes, the aforesaid automaker has demonstrated the first “official” iPad-vehicle integration setup at this year’s Paris Auto Show, and to be frank, it’s heinous. The idea here is to provide world-class rear-seat entertainment, while apparently destroying aesthetics in one fell swoop. It’s just about too hideous to be true, but the iconic “BMW” logo on the mounting brackets all but confirms the authenticity. Perhaps you folks should consult with any number of the skilled DIYers out there before shooting for the stars with version 2.0?

BMW shows off first ‘official’ iPad integration, convinces us to go aftermarket originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 10:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tablet startup Kno has a message for all the other tablet makers out there: Bigger is better.

The company is counting on two things to set it apart from the increasingly heated competition in the tablet space: a clear focus on students as potential consumers — and a massive 14-inch screen size.

“From the students’ perspective you need the real estate to completely see a single page of a textbook without scrolling,” says Osman Rashid, co-founder and CEO of Kno, “and you need enough room to make notes around the edges.”

Indeed, in a hands-on demonstration at the Wired offices, the Kno’s screen made other tablets look puny in comparison, with a surface area that’s about twice as large as the iPad’s. It’s even larger than a copy of Wired magazine.

Kno launched the single-screen tablet Monday. In June, it showed off a dual-screen device that would have two 14-inch LCD touchscreens that fold in like a book. Both the single screen and dual-screen tablets are expected to start shipping at the end of the year. There’s no word yet on pricing.

Meanwhile, here’s a closer look at the features of the single screen tablet.

The Kno will run on an Nvidia Tegra processor and have a capacitive touchscreen. It will also come with a stylus to write notes or draw on the device.

The device isn’t lightweight, though. The massive 14-inch screen pushes its weight up to 2.6 lbs. Compare that to the 1.5 lbs of the 9.7-inch Apple iPad.

Rashid says the heft is unlikely to become a strike against the device. The Kno tablet can hold up to 10 semesters’ worth of content, or 25 to 35 books. That will make the 2.6-pound device lighter than a backpack filled with half as many paper books, he says.

The Kno divides its home screen into three tabs: My Apps, My Courses and My Library. Under the Apps tab, the tablet — which runs a version of embedded Linux operating system — has a browser, notebooks, news apps and an RSS reader. Kno plans to release a SDK (software developers kit) so independent programmers can create applications for the device.

The My Courses tab features all e-textbooks sorted by semester. The company plans to have its own bookstore where students can download textbooks.

Overall, e-textbooks from the Kno bookstore will be about 30 percent to 40 percent cheaper than their hardcover versions, says Rashid.

The Kno will have a battery life of six to eight hours and a one-hour charge time.

“We are not trying to replace a laptop,” says Rashid. “Instead we are trying to improve on it by making it better for students.”

See Also:

• RIM Unveils Tethered Tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook
• How the Tablet Will Change the World
• Build Your Own Tablet for $400
• Dell’s Streak Tablet Is Priced Like a Phone
• Microsoft Cancels Courier Tablet

Photos: Jon Snyder/Wired.com

What is this madness we see before us? Hexxeh, he who provides your nightly Chromium builds, has dropped a small but perfectly formed bombshell by revealing that he’s managed to install Google’s nascent OS onto Apple’s hotcake of a tablet, the iPad. He’s evidenced this feat by tweeting from the liberated slate, though one of his outgoing missives includes the dire warning that he’ll “dash your hopes later, there are a few catches.” Well, at least that gives us a little time to fantasize about Appoogle synergies before those dream-destroying details are revealed in full.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Chromium OS infiltrates iPad, makes itself comfortable originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 02:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well well, Mr. Bradley — hast thou said too much? During an analyst call today the outspoken head of HP’s Personal System Group confirmed that it’s sent more than 200 employees to work at Palm…. and then casually mentioned that HP will have “a webOS-powered PalmPad that will be set for release early in 2011.” If you’ll recall, HP filed for a trademark on PalmPad back in July, and it’s been talking about tablets since it bought Palm in May, so we’re thinking ol’ Todd just let one slip. Now let’s just hope all this “early 2011” talk means really early… like, say, CES.

HP’s Todd Bradley slips ‘PalmPad’ tablet name during analyst call originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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