Hasta La Gadget!

We promised to dig up ViewSonic’s dual-booting Windows 7 and Android 2.2 ViewPad 10Pro tablet when we got to Barcelona, and here we are delivering on our word. We just got a chance to check out the 10.1-inch slate and we have to say hardware-wise, we’re dealing with typical ViewSonic quality — the 1024 x 600-resolution, capacitive screen isn’t exactly high quality (horizontal viewing angles were pretty bad) and the build was mediocre at best. However, software-wise we have to say the 10Pro is pretty interesting — the Intel Atom Oak Trail-powered slab boots Windows 7 Home Premium, but is running Android 2.2 on top. Unlike the first ViewPad 10, you don’t have to reboot the device to switch between Android and Windows as the Google OS is running as a virtualization. No word on the pricing of this one, but it should be hitting the market this May. Hit the break for a quick look at the relatively-quick Android / Windows hand-off.

Continue reading ViewSonic ViewPad 10Pro hands-on

ViewSonic ViewPad 10Pro hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Count ’em, because RIM has now announced four varieties of its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. As of today, we’ve got the PlayBook with WiFi + LTE and WiFi + HSPA+ models joining the previously announced PlayBook with WiFi and PlayBook with WiFi + WiMax. As such, there’s a pretty good chance that your carrier will have a 7-inch dual-core PlayBook with the QNX-based BlackBerry Tablet OS on offer at some point in the future, no matter how it chooses to define “4G.” Unfortunately, RIM says that its LTE and HSPA+ models won’t be coming until the second half of 2011.

Update: RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie was particularly chatty after the announcement of the new 4G PlayBook models. The takeaway is that RIM expects to price that BlackBerry tablet at less than $500 (WiFi-only model, presumably) — much less with any carrier subsidies. He’s also expecting to followup the Sprint deal in the US with similar signings of AT&T and Verizon Wireless. “All of our carrier partners want [PlayBook],” said Balsillie, referencing the 580 carrier partners that RIM enjoys in 165 countries. While Balsillie refused to comment on the PlayBook’s rumored ability to run Android apps, he did confirm that RIM’s new tablet was on track for a March or April release.

Continue reading RIM BlackBerry 4G PlayBook tablet now in delicious LTE and HSPA+ flavors (updated)

RIM BlackBerry 4G PlayBook tablet now in delicious LTE and HSPA+ flavors (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 03:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What the what?! Best Buy has just put up word on when you can pre-order the Motorola Xoom — this coming Thursday, February 17th — and a price, $1,199. There are “great” financing offers available, but we can’t get over this price we’re seeing. Our only hope is that this may be a placeholder number, which will get revised soon, though it’s live on Best Buy’s site and there’s nothing to really indicate it’s a mistake. Moreover, that 1-month data activation requirement we noted recently is indeed real, meaning you’ll need to pay a levy to Verizon as well before you get your Android 3.0 groove on.

[Thanks, Joe and Magid]

Update: We’ve heard rumblings that this is indeed just a place holder — much like the way other companies price products they don’t want to sell at ridiculous levels — and the final price will indeed be the $800 we’ve heard most consistently to this point.

Update 2: Best Buy’s listing has entirely disappeared. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Motorola Xoom up for pre-order at Best Buy this Thursday… for $1,199? (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 06:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opera’s been working its Norwegian charms on the iPhone since last Spring, and it’s been flirting with tablets since CES, but up until now the browsers yet to put the moves on the iPad. Considering how much it gets around, we’re surprised it didn’t happen sooner, but Opera announced yesterday that it would show off a new version of Opera Mini on a number of platforms at MWC this year, including Android, iPhone, J2ME, BlackBerry, Symbian, and yes — the iPad. There’s no word on what the iPad version will bring — or when, for that matter — but we’re guessing it will probably sport the same smooth zoom and multiple-page grid we saw previewed on Opera for tablets. For more on the world’s most promiscuous browser, check out the full PR after the jump.

Continue reading iPad gets the Opera Mini treatment, we wonder what took so long

iPad gets the Opera Mini treatment, we wonder what took so long originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 10:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Uh oh, looks like someone got the wrong date for Samsung’s MWC keynote. The above screenshot (now placed after the break) is captured by the eagle-eyed folks at Moveplayer, who spotted what appears to be an embargoed article about the Galaxy S 2 (or Galaxy S II) over at Korean news site Paran. While the offending press shot has since been removed, the text remains intact with the following specs: Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 4.3-inch display, 1GHz dual-core processor, HSPA+, Bluetooth 3.0, and 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi. Additionally, Paran says that this new handset weighs 116g (4.09 ounces) and is 8.49mm thick — which is close to, if not the, thinnest smartphone device we’ve heard of yet. (For the record, the Xperia Arc is 8.7mm at its thinnest point.)

The article also mentions that 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet that we heard of yesterday, confirming it will pack a 1GHz dual-core processor, 8 megapixel camera with “full HD” video recording, and dual surround sound speakers. Sounds promising, but only time will tell whether all this is true or simply a matter of lost in translation.

Update: OK, so we’ve done some spying and can confirm that both devices are very real, and their specs look legit.

Update 2: Oh snap! Samsung Hub managed to get hold of a high res press shot of the Galaxy S 2 before it got pulled off the Korean sites. It sure resembles the Infuse 4G with an extra home button. We’ve posted the pic above for your pleasure. [Thanks, Tran Quoc Hop]

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S 2 and 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet leaked on Korean website (Update: high res press shot!)

Samsung Galaxy S 2 and 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet leaked on Korean website (Update: high res press shot!) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 05:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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