Cherry Mobile Cruize, 5.2-inch Smartphone for $110 (Php4,499)

Just months after releasing their flagship smartphones, the 4-inch Flare and 5-inch Titan, Cherry Mobile just announced their new Bigger XL smartphone, the 5.2-inch Cherry Mobile Cruize.

Cherry Mobile Omega: Officially Announced

It's now official, Cherry Mobile just announced their newest Jelly Bean smartphone, the 5.2-inch Cherry Mobile Omega.

LOW-PRICED MSI ENJOY 71 ANDROID TABLET UNVEILED

If you want to own a tablet but cannot afford the likes of Kindle Fire HD or the Nexus 7, maybe the new Enjoy 71 tablet from MSI might suit your budget.

$49 ANDROID DESKTOP COMPUTER FROM VIA REVEALED

Via, a manufacturer of integrated circuits in Taiwan appears to be playing in the Android game with an intriguing new creation.

LENOVO TO UPGRADE THINKPAD TABLET TO ICE CREAM SANDWICH

Since the tablet trend is now going for the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS, more and more tablet manufacturers are catching up by making and updating tablets to be compatible with the OS.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Leaked Manual of the Nexus 10



It seems like the 10-inch Nexus 10 tablet is now official, the tablet manual has been exposed at a Korean blog called Seeko. Displaying a really curvy body, it seems to have a few design similarities with the Note 10.1 which is reasonable because they have the same manufacturer Samsung. The Nexus 10 is rumored to possess a very high screen resolution at 2560x1600 pixels so it is not a slouch in that area even though no other specs are shown.

FCC link

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Google Nexus 7 New Ad: Curious

The new Google Nexus 7 Ad shows a curious young girl and her mom reading a book using the Nexus 7 about curious little monkey named George.

The Ad was placed in the Google Home Page yesterday with a tagline: The playground is open.



Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro Quad-Core Developer Tablet Now Available




The popular distributor of Qualcomm development kits named BSQUARE has announced the availability of Snapdragon S4 Pro mobile development platform for a price of $1,299. Specs below:


Benchmarks:



Official Press Release:



Bsquare Announces Availability of the Quad-Core Snapdragon S4 Pro Mobile Development Platform for TabletsSnapdragon S4 APQ8064-based Developer Tool Gives Access to Android 4.0 platform for application and game developmentBellevue, WA – July 24, 2012 – BSQUARE Corporation (NASDAQ: BSQR), a leading enabler of smart, connected devices, today announced general availability of the next generation Mobile Development Platform (MDP/T) for Android tablets based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon™ S4 Pro Processor. The MDP/T provides application developers and device manufacturers with access to a high-performance Android 4.0 platform for developing, testing, optimizing and showcasing applications and games.
The MDP/T is the first Snapdragon based Mobile Development Platform in a tablet form factor available to developers, middleware vendors and others. It's also the first to feature the Snapdragon™ S4 Pro APQ8064 processor by Qualcomm with asynchronous Quad CPU cores, running up to 1.5 GHz each. The tablet development platform offers powerful built-in graphics enabled by the Adreno™ 320 GPU, which is over two times faster than the 225 GPU on previous Snapdragon-based MDPs. Power management and multimedia efficiencies are also increased over previous MDPs due to the 2GB LPDDR2 RAM and 32GB Storage. The device also features a higher resolution 10.1 WXGA Multi-touch Display.
"Access to the APQ8064 processor with its asynchronous Quad CPU cores gives Android application developers a powerful platform to develop their differentiated applications for rapid market release," said John Traynor, vice president of products, Bsquare. "This access, combined with best-in-class engineering support and testing solutions from Bsquare, provides a major benefit to application and game developers developing for a wide range of pre-commercial devices."
"It's exciting for us to make available the first tablet form factor Snapdragon -based development platform with Bsquare," said Tia Cassett, senior director of business development, Qualcomm. "The combination of a powerful developer device in the Snapdragon APQ8064-based MDP/T and industry-leading services from Bsquare means faster time-to-market for Android developers."
The Mobile Development Platform (MDP/T) based on Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor is available now at www.bsquare.com/qualcomm. Bsquare will support developers and manufacturers using the APQ8064-based MDP/T with engineering services and technical support. Customers of the tablet device also have 24/7 access to the Bsquare Knowledge Base, technical documentation, complimentary tools and Snapdragon MDP software updates. Users of the APQ8064-based MDP/T can also benefit from the industry-leading TestQuest automated testing technology from Bsquare, which supports testing of Android software and hardware.

Trustwave Identified a Flaw in Google Play App Security Filter




Trustwave, a cybersecurity firm said that they have discovered a Google Play security filer flaw that permits a verified application to get updated with a malicious code. The problem is identified to be happening in Google Bouncer, an automatic system that checks freshly posted apps. Trustwave tested it by submitting an app for verification to Google that blocks a contact called SMS Blocker. Because the app is legit, Bouncer verified it. Trustwave then updated their app containing a code that will view user’s phone records, contacts and user photos. The update containing the code can even launch websites that are malicious.

Tomorrow, Trustwave’s researchers will present their strategy at the Black Hat security conference. Google should be listening carefully.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Samsung Just Released Android 4.0.4 Updates for the Galaxy Note



Samsung just unveiled a slight update for the international owners of the Galaxy Note. The update will change the current Galaxy Note’s Android 4.0.3 to 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. Together with the typical performance improvements and bug fixes are couple of pretty awesome enhancements to the software.

First is a feature called the POPup Play that was spotted at the Galaxy S III announcement which allows users to enjoy video playback while accessing other apps. It is truly an amazing feature to those who want to read a text or email and still want to continue playing the video at the side of the screen.

Second feature will be the “Signature Unlock” function where you can simply sign your name by means of Sammy’s S Pen to get access to the content of your phone, replacing the old fashioned PIN.

It is indeed not a useless update. The update is already available OTA and can be downloaded through Samsung Kies or the Samsungfirmware page.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

FREE Android App Of The Day: Demolition Master 3D Holidays




What makes a great holiday atmosphere?Explosions and fireworks, thunder and demolition - it's that simple! Light the fuse and make some 'Boooom!' in Demolition Master 3D: Holidays.In Demolition Master 3D: Holidays you need to explode everything standing in your way. The most important thing is to plant your explosives correctly. Careful bomb placement will yield bigger, more effective explosions, blast after blast! Use your skill to launch debris in specific directions to hit targets and score big points. Plus, of course, have the most fun in the process!
Video:

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Google Nexus 7 Jelly Bean Tablet for $199 Revealed


The new Google Nexus 7 tablet (made by ASUS) is now officially introduced. The new Nexus 7 is the world’s first quad-core 7-inch tablet.



The tablet will be available in both 8GB and 16GB models.  It will have a 7-inch HD 1280x800 display resolution (216 ppi) IPS display and a scratch-resistant Corning glass display. The tablet is powered by a quad-core Tegra 3 SoC processor and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS. It also features a high capacity 4,325 mAH battery that will promise to give 8 hours of constant use. Other features include a 1.2 MP front-facing camera, GPS and NFC.

Video Introduction of the Google Nexus 7



The 8GB model will have a price of $199 and $249 for the 16GB model. Buyers will get a credit of $25 in Google Play store with the purchase, for a limited time only.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Faster Than Ice Cream Sandwich



The video below is using a high speed camera to show how the new Android 4.1 Jelly Bean outperformed the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the graphic interface department. The new Jelly Bean is extremely fast and fluid, running at 60 frames per second.



Smartphones or tablets like the Galaxy S, Motorola Xoom, and the new Google Nexus 7 tablet will be able to acquire this new graphics engine in mid-July, as well as any new mobile device with buit-in Android 4.1.

Project Butter is the name given to this new graphics engine by Google because it is as slippery and fluid as hot butter. The name also suits their dessert/food names for Android.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

$49 Android Desktop Computer From Via Now Available For Pre-Order and Ships In July



3 weeks ago, I posted about VIA revealing their newest $49 Android Desktop Computer. Now, the Android based computer is available for pre-order and ships in July. The product will run the modified version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS for use with keyboard and mouse. When it ships early in July, you will get a hold of an 800MHz single core processor, 512MB of RAM and a 2GB of storage.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Consumers and Their Evolving Relationship with Tablets - Infographic

An infographic illustrating consumer's relationship with their Tablet Computers and more interesting findings!


Thursday, June 7, 2012

Mr. Android 2011 - Infographic

An infographic showing how an average Android users look like.



Thursday, May 24, 2012

Microsoft Set to Release Office for Android Tablets and iOS in November



BGR has acquired information from a reliable source that Microsoft Company is currently preparing to release a full suite of Office app for Android tablets and Apple’s iOS. November is the expected launch date of the app for both Android and iOS. Furthermore, the source has witnessed an iPad running the Microsoft Office and said that it appears to be very similar to the recent leak from The Daily, even though Microsoft said that the app is not real.


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

$49 Android Desktop Computer from Via Revealed



Via, a manufacturer of integrated circuits in Taiwan appears to be playing in the Android game with an intriguing new creation. They unveiled a PC running Android OS that will only cost $49. The new PC’s motherboard is approximately the size of a little tablet.

The unit features an 800MHz ARM 11 processor, 512MB of RAM, 2GB NAND flash, Ethernet port, HDMI port, VGA port, microSD card slot and more.


The small device is enclosed in a black plastic case. For $49 the unit will only run Android 2.3 Gingerbread as of the moment (maybe they’ll upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich soon) so you can’t expect too much. If you are not a heavy 3D gamer and only do basic tasks like listening to music, playing simple 2D games, and web browsing, this Android device is for you.

Via did not disclose any information about the launch date but you can see more details from the press release below.


Press Release:



VIA Initiates APC: The $49 Android PC
Taipei, Taiwan, 22nd May, 2012 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficientcomputing platforms, today unveiled the $49 APC Android PC system.
Powered by a WonderMedia ARM processor, APC integrates memory, storage, and a full set of consumer I/O features in a small footprint Neo-ITX motherboard that can be connected to a TV or monitor. The system also features a custom build of Android that has been optimized for keyboard and mouse input, and comes with a browser and a selection of preinstalled apps.
“APC brings the familiarity and convenience of Android to the PC at a US$49 price point that will open up exciting new markets and applications,” said Richard Brown, VP of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Like a bicycle for your mind, APC will enable more people than ever before to explore the vast online universe.”
APC is based on the new Neo-ITX form factor measuring just 17cm x 8.5cm and can be housed in any standard Mini-ITX or microATX chassis, providing enthusiasts with unrivaled flexibility to create new mods and DIY projects as well as ensuring rapid time to market for system integrators and OEMs utilizing the platform.
APC consumes only 4 watts when operating at idle power and 13.5 watts at maximum load. This is ten times less than a standard PC system and ensures significant power savings in large scale deployments.APC Features
APC combines an optimized version of Android with a rich hardware package to deliver the best of the internet to users. With the inclusion of hardware acceleration for the most demanding video formats, the APC delivers stunning HD quality multimedia, either streamed from sites such as YouTube or stored locally and delivers a great gaming experience on a large screen monitor or TV.
Key Features:- Optimized Android OS- HD TV support- Hardware acceleration of the most demanding video formats- VGA and HMDI display ports- Four USB 2.0 ports- One microSD slot- One 10/100 Ethernet port- Audio-out/ Mic-in- VIA WonderMedia ARM 11 SoC- 2GB NAND Flash- 512 DDR3 SDRAM- 15W power adaptor

Friday, May 18, 2012

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Gets Rooted



The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 just recently went on sale, and now the people at XDA were able to root the tab, therefore the apps which need root privileges can now be installed and opens up installing custom ROMs on the tablet.

The Tab 2 10.1 contains Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) and it features a 1280 x 800 pixels 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen display.

The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 also features a dual-core 1 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, front-facing VGA camera, 3MP rear-facing camera, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, and a large 7,000mAh battery.

So, if you have the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, you can visit the XDA website and get your device rooted.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Samsung Galaxy Note Ice Cream Sandwich Update Now Available



Samsung has started rolling out the Galaxy Note Ice Cream Sandwich update, with a few owners confirming notifications that the update is ready to be provided over-the-air to their Note. The upgrade with a size of 319MB contains the new TouchWiz version, according to Devin Balentina who received the message on his device, together with the new S Memo widget and the new S Note app.

Those new widgets and apps are from the Premium Suite of Samsung, a new software package particularly designed to make use of the Galaxy Note’s oversized display and digital stylus. There is a feature that let the users write equations by hand and witness them solved, as well as a digital scrapbooking tool.

Balentina is from the Netherlands, but there are also claims from Note owners in Germany being able to update their Note via Samsung’s Kies app for PC. Over-the-air updates typically step out in a staggered manner in order to lessen the impact on a company’s servers, so it may take a while before all Notes are updated.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1 Ice Cream Sandwich Source Code Released



If you own a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1, then it’s time to get the latest source code. Last week, Samsung released the source code of Ice Cream Sandwich for both tablets.

The source code is compatible to 6 various model numbers listed below:

Galaxy Tab 2 7"
·         GT-P3100
·         GT-P3110
·         GT-P3113
Galaxy Tab 2 10.1"
·         GT-P5100
·         GT-P5110
·         GT-P5113

If you want to download all of them and other open source codes from Samsung, they are available HERE.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Acer Iconia Tab A500 Now Getting Ice Cream Sandwich OS Update Earlier than Expected



It is reported yesterday that the Acer Iconia Tab A100 tablets are getting Ice Cream Sandwich updates a bit early, and now, it seems like the 10-inch version of the tablet will also be updated early. Users of the Acer Iconia Tab A500 are already confirming that their devices received Ice Cream Sandwich update ahead of time.
Basically, Android 4.0.3 wasn’t planned to start rolling out for the tablet before the 27th, but it seems like Acer has made the decision to proceed and release the update for most (not all) users. If you want to check if the update is already available on your device, just go to Settings > About.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Study Reveals More People Watch TV on Tablet PC’s compared to Computers


Do you still prefer your notebook computer your second TV? Well, it appears you are currently in the minority. Based on the latest Viacom study, the hip new way of consuming the drug of the nation -- after the 'ole tube itself -- is on a tablet. Around 2,500 individuals were surveyed across the US, and the results indicate a shift away from smartphones and computers to tablets. 15% of TV show viewings (full-length) are being viewed in tablets, with the rise of streaming services and partner apps being specified as factors contributing to the trend.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Refurbished AT&T Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE on Sale for $199



I really like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 because it is not too small and not too big; it’s just the right size. While the tablet is a superb piece of technology in its Wi-Fi only version, AT&T went an extra mile by adding LTE capability. If it’s okay for you to have a refurbished Galaxy Tab 8.9, then you can visit theAT&T website right now and buy the tablet for only $199.99 on a 2-year contract or $399.99 without contract.

The Galaxy Tab 8.9 will have the features of the 10.1 version including the 1280x800 screen resolution but in a smaller frame. The Tab 8.9 features a Tegra 2 pocessor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and Honeycomb OS flavored with Samsung’s TouchWiz. Don’t worry about the outdated Honeycomb because the Android Ice Cream Sandwich for this tablet is already in the works. But if you really can’t wait for the Ice Cream Sandwich, there are several tablet forums that can help you.

Friday, April 13, 2012

ASUS Satisfies Transformer Prime Owners with Free GPS Extension Kit Add-on


ASUS had taken a couple of OTA (over-the-air) updates to improve the Transformer Prime’s GPS performance, but now they are taking a much more immediate solution at solving its GPS hardware reception problem. Prime owners who registered their tabs on ASUS member site are now getting messages for a free GPS Extension Kit dongle, it "may help improve signal reception and optimize the user experience." The kit is expected to ship in mid-April and will be a perfect fit at the bottom of the Prime tablet (held in landscape) and will be match the color of the Prime chassis. The GPS dongle will be available to all customers who picked up the tablet, and according to ASUS, the dongle doesn’t "replace, alter or amend any existing warranties."



Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Low-cost Aakash Android tablet for only $44!



In the past, you have possibly spotted a number of cheap tablet PC deals on the internet. Do you still recall the $99 TouchPad firesale? Well, let me introduce you to an Android tablet that is surprisingly cheap. For only $44 (yes you heard it right!), you can now own a tablet!

Let me take you to India, a nation where hi-tech gizmos are becoming ever so popular, despite the fact that many of them have no or little experience of using them. That is precisely the challenge that the Indian Ministry of Education is hoping to deal with. The plan is to present the Android tablets to rural schools that have minimal access to advanced technologies.

The Indian government will be buying 100,000 Aakash Android tablets at a price of $44 each. It will then be sold to schools at a lower price tag of $22.

Aakash Ubislate 7+ specifications:
  • Processor: Conexant A8, 700MHz
  • RAM: 256MB
  • Storage: 2GB, but expandable to 32GB
  • Display: 7-inch  resistive touch screen with 800×400 resolution
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi, GPRS modem
  • Battery: Up to 180 minutes (3200 mAh)
  • Operating system: Android 2.3 Gingerbread
  • Other features: 2 USB ports, 3.5mm jack for audio, HD video playback and streaming


Aakash tablet video:







Source

Monday, April 2, 2012

7-inch Hyundai A7 Ice Cream Sandwich Tablet for only $110



We already seen a lot of cheap Android tablets being sold in the market but this tablet has pretty good hardware. The A7 is actually not related to the car company Hyundai. For only $110, you get a 7-inch 480 x 800 Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) tablet. The touch screen is a 5-point capacitive multitouch.

The Hyundai A7 tablet should run most apps and games because it features a Cortex 1.5 GHz A8 processor and a 512 MB of RAM. It also features an 8 GB of internal storage, micro-SD extra storage, and a micro-HDMI port for watching High Definition movies on a larger screen.
Even though the tablet’s design is not the prettiest around, the Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) OS is enough for you not to judge its looks. The tablet has been around for more than a month now and has lately in-stock again.

If you already have this tablet, please leave a comment below and give us your opinion if the Hyundai A7 is worth your money.


Source

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Google plans to make a Low-priced tablet



Google is partnering with hardware makers based in Asia on a budget friendly 7-inch tablet to challenge what Apple and Amazon.com is offering, according to a report.
According to Wall Street Journal and Digitimes, the hardware will be built by Asustek and Samsung, while the software side will run Android supported by the California Internet Giant. It is set to go against Kindle and iPad devices.
The Asustek tablet is expected to be released on May 2012 with a competitive price of $199. It should be an option for consumers considering the Amazon.com made tablet called Kindle Fire, according to Digitimes.
This action by Google will surely pressure other tablet manufacturers to lower the price of their tablet PC’s.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

How to Root the Sony Tablet P (Dual-screen tablet)



To those who played with the dual-screen tablet of Sony for quite a long time now, we have good news. The tablet can now be rooted and it is not difficult to do it. RayIczer, a forum member from Pocketables goes over a process of requiring a Sony Tablet Root program and an ADB installer. So, if you are interested to root your dual-screen tablet, just hit the source link below.


Source: Pocketables

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Archos reveals $129 Ice Cream Sandwich 7-inch Child Pad tablet



When we talk about gadgets for the kids, what immediately enters our mind is it should be durable to withstand kid’s beating. How about if you give your kid an Ice Cream Sandwich-equipped 7-inch tablet? Called Child Pad, this tablet is finger friendly and sticky with an impressive 1 GHz processor and 1 GB of RAM. Since it is designed for kids, Archos is making this $129 tablet access the AppLibs Kids App Store where there are about 10,000 apps, books and games. It is sad because there is no information yet about the ports of the Child Pad, but the good news is adults will also enjoy using this tablet according to Archos.




Press Release:


ARCHOS Announces the Child Pad, a 7" ICS Kid-Friendly Tablet

The new Child Pad will provide kid's a safe, fun, full tablet experience at $129

Denver, CO – March 01, 2012 – ARCHOS, an award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, announced today a themed 7" Android™ tablet for children, called the Child Pad. The 7'' Child Pad features a compact light weight design, the latest Android version, 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich", a 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. The Child Pad will be available at the end of March for $129 SRP.

"As a pioneer in the portable audio and Android™ tablet market we realize the importance of providing a tablet that can offer hours of entertainment for all ages, especially kids", says Henri Crohas, Founder and CEO. "ARCHOS strives to offer great tablets with only the best of features at affordable prices and we expect this tablet to bring a smile to the faces of kids and parents' everywhere."

Key Features & Benefits
Kid friendly features of the Child Pad include access to the Kids App Store powered by AppsLib which is filtered down to 14-friendly categories and 10,000 apps including games, entertainment, communication, multimedia, books, comics, sports and more.

In addition, ARCHOS has created a kid-friendly user interface with colored icons, home screen folders with direct access to games, entertainment, learning and puzzles and the top 28 kids' apps pre-loaded including Angry Birds, Pig Rush and Flight Frenzy.

ARCHOS has also designed the Child Pad to comply with both CIPA and COPPA regulations, ensuring a safe tablet environment for kids and peace of mind for parents. The parental controls and safe web browsing is powered by Editions Profil, whose "Mobile Parental Filter" is ranked as the most efficient parental control software in worldwide benchmarks.

Availability & Price
The Child Pad will be available in stores starting the end of March with the recommended retail price of $129.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Rockchip announces RK30 for the Low-cost tablet PC’s of today


Rockchip, a budget ARM licensee has been bawling out its products on the Barcelona streets as they announced their latest RK30xx platform. The company supplies the internals for a range of inexpensive android tablets, which is based on a past year’s technology. The latest system will be based on dual-core Cortex-A9 ARM CPU, Artisan Physical IP Process Optimazation Pack and Mali-400 GPU. The processesor will run at 1.4 GHz and will be capable of supporting 3D displays and decoding 1080p video. This will ship as a whole package solution which means a lot of budget tablets with identical internals will be available in this year’s second half. If you are willing to start a tablet business then look at the press release details below because the 1st engineering samples will arrive in March.


Press Release:


Rockchip Licenses a Wide Range of ARM IP for Turnkey Solution Targeting Mass Market, Cost-Effective Android Tablets
Rockchip RK30xx platform significantly lowers Bill of Materials (BOM) cost and reduces design complexity for customers
FUZHOU, China & CAMBRIDGE, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rockchip, a leading Chinese fabless semiconductor company and mobile Internet System-on-Chip (SoC) solution provider, today announced its next generation RK30xx platform, targeting the mass market, cost-effective Android tablets. The new platform is based on wide range of ARM® Intellectual Property (IP) that Rockchip has licensed, including dual-core ARM Cortex™-A9 MPCore™ processors, ARM quad-core Mali™-400 MP Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and an ARM Artisan® Physical IP Process Optimization Pack (POP) for the Cortex-A9 processor. The RK30xx platform is a turnkey solution that reduces design complexity and enables faster time-to-market for Android tablet manufacturers, enabling them to address fast changing consumer demands.
"The tablet market is growing rapidly, and putting greater demands on semiconductor companies to deliver cost-effective solutions that can sustain an ever-increasing level of graphics, video and gaming performance, while still being energy-efficient"
The combination of Rockchip's market-leading design experience for mobile Internet devices and high-performance, energy-efficient processor and GPU technologies from ARM has resulted in a platform that delivers captivating 3D gaming experiences and fluent HD video playback, as well featuring a rich set of memory interfaces and peripherals.
"The tablet market is growing rapidly, and putting greater demands on semiconductor companies to deliver cost-effective solutions that can sustain an ever-increasing level of graphics, video and gaming performance, while still being energy-efficient," said Mr. Feng Chen, Chief Marketing Officer, Rockchip. "The partnership enables us to use proven mobile Internet technologies from ARM and provide a high-performance, low-cost and easy-to-design platform. This turnkey solution is ideal for customers to quickly adopt for their Android-based tablet devices. The combination of the ARM Cortex-A9 processor and the POP has enabled the highest performance with the lowest power in the fastest time possible. Rockchip has been able to deliver a highly efficient processor implementation on a 40nm LP process."
"ARM is committed to providing advanced processor, GPU and physical IP technologies to our Partners. This enables them to innovate for complex, smart system applications, such as mobile Internet," said Mike Inglis, executive vice president and general manager, processor division, ARM. "We are pleased that Rockchip, whose solutions are already being used in many mobile Internet products, has chosen a range of ARM IP for their innovative, next generation RK30xx platform. We look forward to their continued success in the Android tablet market."
The Rockchip RK30xx platform features:
Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor with up to 1.4GHz speed, implemented with Artisan Processor Optimization Pack (POP)Quad-core ARM Mali-400 MP GPU, supporting OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0 and OpenVG 1.1Full memory support, including DDRIII, DDRII, and LPDDRIIHigh performance dedicated 2D processor1080P multi-format video decoder1080P video encoding for H.264 and vp8Stereoscopic 3D H.264 MVC video codecEmbedded HDMI 1.4a, supporting 3D displayEmbedded 60bit/s ECC, supporting MLC NAND, E-MMC, i-NAND and bootingSupport of dual panel display and dual camera
Availability
Samples of the Rockchip RK30xx platform will be available in March 2012.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Toshiba Excite 10 LE gets 6th of March Launch date



At first Toshiba released the AT200, then followed by the Excite x10, and now it is the Toshiba Excite 10 LE. Like the name implies, the tablet is excitingly beautiful, with a 1280 x 800 resolution 10.1-inch LED backlit display and a 0.3-inch (7.7 mm) chassis. Toshiba said that the Excite 10 LE will be available on March 6th at select US retailers.

The 16GB version of the 10 LE will have a price of $530, while the 32GB version will be priced at $600. Both tablet variants will run Android 3.2 Honeycomb out of the box (can be upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich sometime in the spring) and both are Wi-Fi only. The tablet features a 1.2 GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor, micro-USB, microSD, HDMI port and a 5 Megapixels camera that will shoot 1080p video. See the full press release after the jump.




Press Release:


Toshiba Brings World's Thinnest 10-Inch Tablet to U.S. Market

World's Thinnest and Lightest 10-inch Tablet, Excite 10 LE, Available for Purchase on March 6, Starting at $529.99

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced that the Excite™ 10 LE tablet will be available for purchase from select U.S. retailers on March 6. Previously introduced as the Excite X10, the Excite 10 LE is the world's thinnest and lightest 10-inch tablet measuring just 0.3 inches (7.7mm) thin and weighing just 1.18 pounds (535g).

"We have engineered this tablet with premium materials and components, given it elegant yet durable styling and more connectivity options than any other tablet in its class, while fitting everything into an astonishingly thin and light design."

The Excite 10 LE tablet, powered by Android™, carries a starting price of $529.99 MSRP2 for the 16GB model and $599.99 MSRP for the 32GB model.
"Excite 10 LE embodies what a luxury tablet should be," said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "We have engineered this tablet with premium materials and components, given it elegant yet durable styling and more connectivity options than any other tablet in its class, while fitting everything into an astonishingly thin and light design."

A More Premium Design with All the Essentials

The thin and light Excite 10 LE features a vivid high-resolution 10.1-inch diagonal AutoBrite™ display3, delivering optimum browsing, reading and entertainment. Designed for durability and style, the device also features a high-quality magnesium alloy surface and scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass display with an anti-smudge coating for greater resiliency.
The tablet also comes with an array of connectivity interfaces and ports on board, including micro-USB and HDMI® ports, a micro-SD slot to share content and files with other devices, plus Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® connectivity. Stereo speakers with exclusive sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS® Labs deliver superior audio capabilities. Front and back HD cameras provide convenient photo capture, plus 1080p video recording and video chatting.

Smart Multicore Performance with Long Battery Life
Powered by the 1.2GHz Texas Instruments OMAP™ 4430 multicore mobile processor4 and dual-channel memory, the Excite 10 LE offers smooth web browsing and multitasking plus the performance for high definition video and entertainment. Extremely power efficient, the Excite 10 LE delivers up to 8 hours of battery life.

Powered by Android

The Excite 10 LE tablet features Android 3.2, Honeycomb, and will be upgraded to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich later this Spring. Also included is a full suite of familiar Google™ Mobile Service applications, including the Android Market™, YouTube™, Gmail™, Google Maps™, Music, Videos. Additionally, the tablet comes pre-loaded with a mix of Toshiba software and third-party applications including TOSHIBA App Place, TOSHIBA Book Place, TOSHIBA Media Player, TOSHIBA File Manager as well Netflix™ and Zinio™.

Docking and Accessories

Toshiba will also offer a suite of tablet accessories for the Excite 10 LE, including a docking station, multiple cases and more.

Specifications

• Android 3.2, Honeycomb (upgradeable to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich)
• 10.1-inch diagonal LED Backlit widescreen Corning Gorilla Glass display with IPS technology and 10-finger multi-touch support
• 1280 x 800 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio
• Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 multicore processor; 1.2GHz with 1GB LPDDR2 RAM
• 16GB and 32GB configurations6
• 2 megapixel front-facing camera
• 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash
• Micro USB, Micro HDMI ports
• Micro SD card slot
• Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Gyroscope, Accelerometer, GPS, eCompass and Ambient Light Sensor
• Stereo speakers with sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS Labs
• Built-in 25 watt-hour rechargeable lithium ion battery
• 10.1" (W) x 6.9" (D) x 0.3" (H)
• 1.18 pounds (535g)