Motorola Xoom 2 Leaked, With Possible Holiday Launch

A scoop over at TechCrunch claims that a next-gen Motorola Xoom is about to be availabile in time for the holidays, particularly in Ireland. And by next-generation, we do not mean a modified family version of the tablet.

The word about the so-called Xoom 2 has been around for weeks and its supposed launch during Motorola’s Droid RAZR launch event never happened. Nevertheless, the rumor about the tablet’s holiday launch is fortified with a buyer’s guide from European retail website Carphone Warehouse, which also revealed spinkles of specs about the elusive gadget. The Xoom 2 features an 8.2-inchh touchscreen and Android 3.2 Gingerbread, which we hope will have an Ice Cream Sandwich update soon.

The site reveals that the 16GB WiFi-only model will be available in the Emerald Isle “later this year,” costing €399 (about US$545).

Source: TechCrunch

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Energy Sistem Unveils Three Cheap Android Tablets

Energy Sistem, known for its low-cost PMPs and e-book readers, unveils three new Android-powered tablets. The new slates run on Android 2.3, but its launcher interface is similar to Android Honeycomb.

The devices come in 7-inch and 8-inch screens with 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios respectively. The three tablets feature A8 ARM architecture, 512MB DDR3 RAM, USB-OTG function, WiFi, microSD card slots, front cameras, and a full HD HDMI output. All devices also come with a 3.7-volt battery with 4,000mAh, which offers up to six hours of video playback, seven hours of WiFi browsing, and 30 hours of music playback.

The Energy Tablet i724 Dark Iron is a compact and lightweight device. It comes with a 7-inch screen and 4GB of internal memory. Meanwhile, the Energy Tablet i824 Dark Iron has an 8-inch multitouch capacitive touchscreen.

Finally, the Energy Tablet i828 Black HD has the features of two previous slates, with an additional camera and 8GB of internal memory.

Prices are expected to range between $185 and $270.

Source: Energy Sistem, via Engadget

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T-Mobile Reveals Release Dates for Two Honeycomb Tablets

T-Mobile, through its website, has announced the availability details of its upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Huawei Springboard tablets. The new Springboard will be available come November 7, while the GalTab 10.1 will arrive on November 2 along with a number of handsets.

The Huawei Springboard features a 7-inch touchscreen, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with 720p video capture, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat.

Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, in case you have missed it, comes with a 10.1-inch WXGA LCD screen with 1280 x 800 resolution, 1GHz dual-core processor, a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera with 720p video capture, and a 2-megapixel front facing camera. You can choose between 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB memory options. Both devices run Android 3.2 Honeycomb and support Adobe Flash.

Pricing for both tablets remain unclear, although it is speculated that theHuawei Springboard will cost $179.99, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1(WiFi-only versions) are priced between $499 and $599, depending on specs. The two tablets will also come with a two-year contract with T-Mobile.

Source: TechCrunch

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Panasonic Unveils Business-Oriented Tablets for Japanese Salarymen

Panasonic Japan has announced two new Android-powered tablets that cater to the local market. The Panasonic BizPad JT-580VT comes with a 7-inch LCD screen, while the JT-581VT has a 10.1-inch LCD. Both tablets run on Android 3.2 and are tweaked for enterprise users.

The tablets are ruggedly-designed, making them withstand against accidental drops, dust, and water. Panasonic claims the larger of the two tablets can absorb drops from as high as 80 centimeters, while the smaller one can handle 120 centimeters.

Both devices also feature an ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core processor, 1GB memory, 16GB flash, an NFC reader, a replaceable battery, Bluetooth 2.1, a USB port, GPS, microSD slot, and even infrared.

The 7-inch model (pictured) weighs just 400 grams comes with a 1024 x 600 resolution screen, optional 3G, a 5-megapixel camera, and WiFi. It is expected to go on sale in December. Meanwhile, the 10-inch tablet comes in at 700 grams and features a 1280 x 800 resolution screen, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and WiFi. It will go on sale in January 2012. No word yet on whether the BizPads will be sold outside Japan.

Source: Panasonic Japan, via TechCrunch

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Facebook Launches iPad App, Finally!

They say the reason why Facebook does not have an app for the iPad because of its disagreements over the former’s integration with Ping, Apple’s music-oriented social network. But it seems that the stalemate is over as the popular social networking site (finally) released an iPad app. The new app now enables iPad users to access their Facebook accounts without having to using a web browser. It functions just like any Facebook app–as it can be used to like, subscribe, post photos, and even play games–but it is optimized for the multitouch capabilities of the tablet. TheFacebook for iPad app is now available for free in the Apple App Store.

Facebook for iPhone users need not feel left out as features from the iPad application have also be integrated into the iPhone app. Facebook also announces that it is extending the Facebook Platform to mobile including the iPad app, iPhone/iPod app, and mobile web site. The FB Platform allows mobile developers to take advantage of social channels for search of discovery of their apps as well as the Facebook Credits payment system.

Source: New York Times, via Engadget

 

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 Plus Unveiled

Samsung has recently unveiled an updated version of the Galaxy Tab 7, appropriately named 7 Plus. The tablet runs on Android 3.2 Honeycomb and features a 7-inch LCD screen with 1024 x 600 resolution, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, HSPA+ connectivity, a 4,000 mAh lithium-ion battery, a 3-megapixel rear camera, and a 2-megapixel front camera.

It was first announced that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 Plus will be available first in Austria and Indonesia by the end of October. Its availability in the United States remained unknown until the tablet appeared on retailer site J&R.com for pre-order, where the 16GB version costs $400 while the 32GB model costs $500. Then again, released pricing does not automatically mean it will arrive soon.

Source: Slashgear, via Engadget

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Android on HP TouchPad Works Like an App

The craziness that is the $99 HP TouchPad has died down and users are wondering whether they could port the tablet with Android. As much as webOS being a critically-acclaimed OS, the fact remains that not a lot can be done there.

There have been several attempts to get Android up and running on the TouchPad, but a recent post in PreCentral (which is dedicated to Palm and webOS devices) shows how to make Android run in the TouchPad like an actual app. Interested TouchPad user can download and install the test IPK file to the tablet, but do not expect it to be flawless as this method is a test for now. You can also check out how it is done in  this YouTube clip.

Several tics are noticeable when switching between homescreens or trying to play back YouTube videos. There are also issues in audio and multi-touch, as well as a power off issue that requires a hard reset.

Source: PreCentral, via Android Central and Engadget

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E FUN Nextbook Premium 8 Android Tablet

E FUN has been churning out Android tablets left and right. Its Nextbook line is on its seventh generation and yet it still has to make a ripple in the market. Perhaps its newest version will prove to be a hit.

The Nextbook Premium 8 tablet runs on a disappointing Android 2.3, but the company promises over-the-air updates. It comes with an 8-inch TFT capacitive screen, Rockchip RK2918 processor, 4GB of storage, a microSD card slot, built-in WiFi, SlideME application manager, OfficeSuite Viewer, ASTRO File Manager, and a 2-megpaixel front facing camera.

 The device is preloaded with Kobo eBook Store app, though no mention of the Android Market. This latest Nextbook tablet is now available for $299.99. Good luck competing with the $199 tags of Kindle Fire and Lenovo IdeaPad A1.

Source: The eBook Reader, via Engadget

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Aakash- India’s US$60 Tablet

While tablet PC’s have finally found its place in the consumer market, their price range may not always be that affordable, especially for those who live in developing countries. With tablet PC’s slowly being eyed as ideal alternatives for textbooks and notebooks in schools and universities, a more cost-effective tablet is required. There have been countries like India that are speeding up efforts to create such affordable tablets. The first one (of what may probably be many) ever to come out in the market from this effort is the Aakash Android Tablet.

The Aakash is actually an Ubislate 7 Tablet from Datawind. It comes with a 366MHz Connextant CPU, 256MB RAM and 2GB of internal storage with a microSD slot for additional storage options. It also comes with a 7 inch 800 x 480 resistive touchscreen display and runs on an Android 2.2 OS. These features may not be that impressive for many device lovers out there, but it does provide the essential needs for those who might need it more like students and even cash-strapped consumers. It even becomes more attractive considering that this tablet will only cost around Rs 2,999. That is around US$60. The Aakash cum Datawind Ubislate 7 Android Tablet is expected to come out in the market by the end of this month.

Image Source: Datawind

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