Post Tagged with: "Tablets"

KickStarter projects looks to transform Android tablets from boring to gorgeous [video]

Google has focused a great deal of effort over the years on making its Android operating system more attractive. Android partners’ first attempts at tablets were lackluster to say the least, and while Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich have revamped the user interface, they still leave much to be desired for many users. Luckily, Android users have the option of completely customizing their devices with various home screen replacement apps, and a nearly endless number of custom ROMs. These alternatives cannot compete with Chameleon, however, an Android home screen replacement app like no other.

Chameleon replaces the standard Android home screens and app launcher with a custom layout of widgets and apps that deliver users a wide range of information. The software can change its appearance and functionality based on GPS locations, Wi-Fi network connections and time zones, along with Home, Office and Evening modes, that will automatically adjust to a user’s needs. Chameleon will also include numerous widgets based on popular apps and services, such as Facebook, Twitter, Nextflix, Instagram, Google Drive, Gmail, Clock, Calendar, Weather, Media Player and an RSS Reader.

Chameleon requires a tablet to be running Android 3.2 Honeycomb or newer, with a 10.1-inch display and a 1280 x 800 resolution or higher. Early adopters can pre-order the app through KickStarter for as little as $ 5 and will receive Chameleon in August, prior to its September release on the Google Play Store. A video demonstration follows below.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

May 23, 2012 0 comments Read More

Microsoft set to release Office for iOS and Android tablets in November

BGR has learned from a reliable source that Microsoft is currently planning to release the company’s full Office suite for not only Apple’s iPad, but for Android tablets as well. The company is targeting November of this year for both launches. Additionally, our source has seen Microsoft Office running on an iPad first-hand and has said that it looks almost identical to the previous leak from The Daily a few months back, despite the fact that Microsoft flat out denied that the app was authentic. It is also plausible that Microsoft Office will be coming to the iPhone and iPod touch rather than only the iPad, as we’re told the loading screen in the app clearly said “Office for iOS” and not just iPad.

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

May 23, 2012 0 comments Read More

HBO confirms Android Go and MAX Go apps for tablets coming this summer

HBO Go for Android

Last week HBO updated its Go and MAX Go apps for Android to support version 4.0. The popular streaming apps had previously only worked with Android devices running the Gingerbread version of the operating system, so the update was a welcome one for those with newer devices.

Unfortunately, at the time there was still no support for Android tablets. Android Community contacted an HBO representative today, who confirmed that tablet versions of the apps are indeed in the pipe and should appear “early this summer.” The rep said that the new version of the apps will include support for “most” Android tablets, including the Kindle Fire.

The Verge – All Posts

May 11, 2012 0 comments Read More

Nokia prepping ‘hybrid’ devices and tablets, admits it failed to adapt

Nokia’s outgoing Chairman Jorma Ollila told the Financial Times the company plans to launch a range of tablets and “hybrid” smart mobile devices, although no time frame was given, Reuters reported. The Chairman, who has been with the company for 27 years, admitted that Nokia acted too slow at the start of the smartphone revolution. He believes, however, that the combination of new products and Nokia services will help the company recover.”Tablets are an important one, so that is being looked into, and there will be different hybrids, different form factors in the future,” he said. Nokia’s failed smartphone strategy has cost the company dearly. Due to Samsung’s success in the market, the South Korean manufacturer recently ended Nokia’s 14-year streak as the world’s top mobile phone vendor.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

May 3, 2012 0 comments Read More

Google had hoped partners would sell 10 million Android tablets in 2011

Even before the release of the first Android tablet and the Honeycomb operating system, Google predicted its partners would sell more than 10 million tablets a year beginning in 2011 and capture up to one-third of the market by 2012, The Verge reported. The information comes from Google’s testimony in an ongoing trial with Oracle. Android Senior Vice President Andy Rubin made the prediction based on tablet market data from Morgan Stanley, which estimated a total of 46 million tablets would be sold by 2012. The Mountain View-based company’s expectations have fallen short, however, and Apple has dominated the tablet market with more than 67 million iPads sold thus far. The Internet giant also expected Android tablets to generate up to $ 110 million in search revenue in 2011 and $ 220 million in 2012.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

April 25, 2012 0 comments Read More

Georgia Tech bus trial relies on Android tablets over traditional schedules

SF electric bus stock 1024

In an attempt to increase efficiency, Georgia Tech has trialled a new bus scheduling system where the vehicles move in relation to each other rather than at set times. This is designed to prevent “bus bunching,” where several buses race to the same stop at once to catch up with unavoidable hurdles in the inflexible schedule. The system uses Android tablets with GPS that report the bus’s position to a central server, which in turn relays information back to the driver on how to proceed.

The results of the system’s first test were positive — average headways between buses were both shorter and more predictable, and the system also managed to automatically re-equalize the headways once a bus had been removed from its route. With positive…

The Verge – All Posts

April 22, 2012 0 comments Read More

Acer Iconia Tab A510 now on sale, Android 4.0 rolls out to earlier Acer tablets on April 27

Acer Iconia Tab A510

And then there were two: if we’re counting correctly, Acer’s Iconia Tab A510 just became the second quad-core Tegra 3 tablet to go on sale in the United States. While it doesn’t have an optional keyboard dock like the Asus Transformer Prime, the 10.1-inch Android 4.0 slate does have a fairly sleek design, 32GB of storage and a sizable 9800mAh battery pack to its name, and — assuming you’re not holding out for a $ 199 Tegra 3 — you can pick it up for $ 449.99 at Acer’s website today.

If you’re not ready for the latest and greatest, though, you’d probably be happy to hear that Acer’s existing dual-core Iconia Tab A500 and A100 tablets will be getting an update to Android 4.0 quite soon. Assuming you aren’t already running a leaked…

The Verge – All Posts

April 17, 2012 0 comments Read More

Microsoft patent reveals hand gesture system for future tablets

A recent patent application from Microsoft reveals that the software giant is looking to bring real-time hand-gestures to tablets, PatentBolt reported on Monday. The patent summary doesn’t provide an extensive overview of the invention — instead, the company states “its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.” Microsoft goes on to say that there is “a need to provide simple, accurate, fast and computationally inexpensive methods of object and hand pose recognition for many applications.” The application highlights Microsoft’s image processing system, which will be incorporated into the tablet to be used to classify images captured by the camera. The classification information can then be used by the tablet to control software and the user interface.

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BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

April 16, 2012 0 comments Read More

Samsung’s ChatON IM app now available for BlackBerry phones, optimized for Android tablets

After launching on Android in October, iOS in January, and on the web in February, the chat app everyone isn’t talking about is finally available on BlackBerry. As well as expanding its availability to all BlackBerry users (it was available for the BlackBerry Torch last month), Samsung has released a tablet-optimized version for Honeycomb and ICS tablets, which is available in Google Play now. ChatON has been downloaded from Google Play between half a million and one million times, which pales in comparison to the 10,000,000+ downloads the Android version of WhatsApp, its nearest cross-platform competitor, has racked up.

For BlackBerry users, there’s no PlayBook app yet, but there are versions for “Touch Phone” and “None Touch Phone”…

The Verge – All Posts

April 15, 2012 0 comments Read More

Toshiba announces three new Android tablets

Toshiba on Tuesday announced an expansion of its Excite family of Android tablets. The new Excite slates are equipped with thinner and lighter designs, high definition displays and a wide range of ports and features. Toshiba will release a 7.7-inch model, a 10.1-inch model and a 13.3-inch model, and all three slates feature scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass, quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processors, 5-megapixel rear and 2-megapixel front-facing cameras, expandable storage slots, 1GB of RAM and the latest version of Android — Ice Cream Sandwich. The Excite 10 tablet will be available on May 6th starting at $ 449.99 for the 16GB model, while the Excite 7 and Excite 13 will be available June 10th starting at $ 499.99 and $ 649.99 respectively. Read on for Toshiba’s press release.

TOSHIBA SET TO EXCITE THE TABLET MARKET WITH NEW 10-, 13- AND 7.7-INCH TABLETS

Toshiba Introduces Three New Android-powered Tablets, Giving Consumers More Choice

IRVINE, Calif. – Apr. 10, 2012 – Toshiba’s Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the expansion of its Excite™ family of Android™-powered tablets with three new display sizes – 13.3-inch, 10.1-inch and 7.7-inch. The new Excite tablets boast thin-and-light designs, brilliant displays, quad-core performance as well as a full range of essential ports and smart features.

“One size does not fit all, so we are carefully considering how and where people are using tablets and designing form factors to best suit various needs,” said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. “With amazingly thin and light designs, our new Excite family of tablets continues to incorporate what consumers have come to love about Toshiba tablets: essential ports for a more complete tablet computing experience plus durability that ensures they can go the distance.”

Powered to Perform, Built to Last and Designed to Excite

The three new tablets – Excite 10, Excite 13 and Excite 7.7 – feature elegant and sturdy aluminum shells and scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass displays, making them not only stylish, but also durable. Powered by Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, which builds on the things people love most about Android – the tablets offer a simplified UI, easy multitasking, customizable home screens, resizable widgets and a full suite of familiar Google™ mobile services applications – as well as powerful new ways of communicating and sharing.
From scrolling and swiping the web, to the fast action of the latest games, the Excite tablets’ all-new NVIDIA® Tegra™ 3 processors deliver amazing multitasking, web, gaming and video. This innovative mobile processor features the world’s only 4-PLUS-1™ mobile quad-core CPU, providing users outstanding performance for even the most demanding applications. Apps run faster, games are played at console-quality, HD video is smoother, plus it features a unique 5th battery-saver core to handle everyday apps – extending battery life.

Each tablet is equipped with a 5-megapixel camera on the back, along with a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter for convenient photography, video capture and chat. The tablets also include stereo speakers with exclusive sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS® Labs, as well as Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® connectivity.

Excite 10: Smart, Speedy, Durable

An all-around tablet designed for home and away, the Excite 10 tablet delivers an exceptional visual experience, featuring a bright, high definition 10.1-inch diagonal AutoBrite™ LED Backlit display with 1280×800 resolution and 10-finger multi-touch support, making it an ideal choice for web browsing, reading, games and apps. Measuring just 0.35 inches thin and weighing just 1.32 pounds, the Excite 10 tablet is extremely portable and delivers up to 10 hours of battery life and seven days of stand-by.

Delivering more performance than previous generation tablets, the Excite 10 tablet is powered by a quad-core NVIDIA® Tegra™ 3 processor with GeForce graphics and 1GB of RAM, opening up new possibilities for everyday multi-purpose use and next generation mobile games. Built to do more than the average tablet, users can enjoy easy syncing and sharing between all of their favorite devices, with a selection of built-in ports, including Micro USB, Micro HDMI® and a full-size SD card slot.

Excite 13: More Screen for More of Everything

Delivering more screen real estate than any other tablet on the market, the Excite 13 tablet offers a big, bright, higher resolution display, while delivering more room for everything else – from sharing photos and web browsing to playing games and watching movies with a group. Ideally suited for the home, from growing families to empty nesters, the Excite 13 tablet is only 0.4 inches thin and weighs 2.2 poundsviii, so it is still easy to carry.

With a 13.3-inch diagonal AutoBrite™ LED Backlit display with 10-finger touch support, the tablet boasts a cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio and 1600×900 native resolution, perfect for watching HD movies and videos. A four-speaker sound system with exclusive sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS Labs delivers amazing audio and an included tablet stand makes it easy to prop up on a table, kitchen countertop or coffee table to share videos with friends and family.

Not only great for movies, the Excite 13 tablet can power through the latest games and multitask with ease. Powered by the quad-core NVIDIA Tegra™ 3 mobile processor with GeForce graphics and 1GB of memory, the large display tablet offers smooth, console-quality gaming plus the performance for high definition entertainment. Extremely power efficient, the Excite 13 tablet is targeted to deliver up to 13 hours of battery lifex and seven days of stand-by. The Excite 13 tablet includes Micro USB, Micro HDMI® ports and a full-size SD card slot for syncing and sharing content.

Excite 7.7: A Brilliant AMOLED Display

Toshiba’s first tablet to feature an AMOLED display, the Excite 7.7 tablet is ideal for consumers on the go and is perfect for the mobile gamer and movie lover alike. The tablet’s brilliant 7.7-inch diagonal display brings games, movies, books and photos to life like never before with rich colors, deep contrast and amazing sharpness. Extremely thin at just 0.3 inches and light at only 13.4 ounces, Excite 7.7 fits easily into a bag or jacket.

Exceptionally powerful and able to tackle the latest games and HD content, the Excite 7.7 tablet is powered by a quad-core NVIDIA® Tegra™ 3 processor with GeForce graphics and 1GB of memory. The tablet includes a Micro USB port and a Micro SD card slot for syncing and sharing content.

The Convenience of Android and Exclusive Toshiba Apps
The new Excite tablets include a full suite of familiar Google™ Mobile Service applications, including Google Play™, YouTube™, Gmail™ and Google Maps™. Additionally, the tablets come pre-loaded with a useful mix of Toshiba software and third-party applications, including TOSHIBA Book Place, which offers more than 3 million e-books, the TOSHIBA Media Player that supports content sharing, TOSHIBA File Manager, as well as Netflix™ and Zinio™, the ultimate app for magazine lovers and more.

Pricing and Availability
The Excite 10 tablet will be available for purchase on May 6, 2012 for $ 449.99 MSRP for the 16GB model, $ 529.99 MSRP for the 32GB model and $ 649.99 MSRP for the 64GB model.

The Excite 7.7 tablet will be available for purchase on June 10, 2012 for $ 499.99 MSRP for the 16GB model and $ 579.99 MSRP for the 32GB model.

The Excite 13 tablet will be available for purchase on June 10, 2012 for $ 649.99 MSRP for the 32GB model and $ 749.99 MSRP for the 64GB model.

These tablets will be available at major retailers, e-tailers and direct from Toshiba at ToshibaDirect.com.

BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech

April 10, 2012 0 comments Read More

Post Tagged with: "Tablets"

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