News

HP Mini 5103 Business Netbook Now Available

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Hewlett-Packard has released the HP Mini 5103 business netbook with optional touchscreen and the latest Intel Atom processors.

The HP Mini 5103 features a 10.1-inch 1024×600 or 1366×768 LED-backlit display with optional capacitive multitouch tehnology, the Atom N475 1.83GHz or N455 1.66GHz processor with the GMA 3150 integrated graphics, 2GB of DDR3 memory, up to 320GB of hard disk space or up to 128GB solid state drive storage, a 4- or 6-cell battery, optional Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerator for 720p and 1080p HD video playback, and Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Starter or SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 OS.

HP’s new mini-laptop also includes a 2MP web camera, stereo speakers, stereo microphones, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth, HP Mobile Broadband powered by Gobi with GPS, three USB ports, a Secure Digital slot, VGA output, a spill-resistant keyboard, and an optional detachable handle.

The 2.64-pound non-touchscreen and the 2.86-pound touchscreen 5103 netbooks have metal cases with magnesium alloy support structure and metal alloy hinges and are available in three colors: espresso, red, and blue.

In the US, the HP Mini 5103 can be purchased via HP’s online store for a base price of $399.

News Source: Laptoping

Leaked Verizon roadmap features Motorola, Samsung tablets

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The folks at Boy Genius Report have snagged a leaked product roadmap showing some of Verizon’s plans for the next two years or so. While it’s always important to take this sort of news with a grain of salt, since the information could be fake — or at least subject to change.

While the roadmap is full of sexy phones including a Motorola Droid Pro with a 1.3GHz processor and 4 inch display, some of the most exciting products are the Android tablets including machines from Samsung and Motorola.

We’ve been hearing rumors about Motorola and Samsung tablets for months, but here’s what Boy Genius Report has to say about each. The Samsung tablet will run Google Android, have a 7 inch display and a front-facing camera.

The Motorola tablet will have a 10 inch display and a 1GHz or 1.3GHz processor. it will run Android 3.0 and have a front facing camera. The Motorola tablet might not hit the streets until February, while the Samsung tablet could be available this year.

There’s no word on pricing, but since it looks like Verizon will be carrying both models, there’s a chance that you might be able to get them at subsidized prices when you sign up for a long term service contract — much as you would with a smartphone.

The roadmap probably isn’t complete, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in the fact that the iPhone and Windows Phone 7 devices aren’t mentioned at all.

News Source: Liliputing

Gateway launches LT22 and LT32 AMD-powered mini-laptops

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Last month Gateway introduces the LT32 notebook, which is basically a rebranded version of the Acer Aspire One 721 11.6 inch laptop with a 1.7GHz AMD Athlon II Neo K125 CPU and ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics. But it looks like Gateway also has a 10.1 inch model in its arsenal, dubbed the Gateway LT22.

The new model is basically the same machine as the Acer Aspire One 521 netbook which I recently reviewed. On the inside it’s virtually identical to the LT32, but the LT22 has a smaller 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display instead of an 11.6 inch 1366 x 768 pixel screen. It also has a smaller chassis and keyboard.

The LT22 also ships with Windows 7 Starter Edition while the LT32 comes with Windows 7 Home Premium. They’re available now in Canada for $350 and $450 respectively. The Gateway LT32 is also available in the US for $450, but there’s still no word on a US launch date or price for the Gateway LT22.

News Source: Liliputing

New Jetway Mini Top Nettop With Dual Core Atom D525, ION 2

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Can’t hold out for the ASUS Eee Box EB1501P that will come with a dual core Atom D525 processor with Nvidia ION 2 graphics? Well, perhaps you might be interested in the Jetway Mini Top HBJC600C99-52W-BW, which is already out in the market and shipping.

This Jetway Mini top has got the slim form factor down, despite looking a bit plain and packs in a dual core Intel Atom D525 processor (1.8GHz) and Nvidia ION 2 graphics just like the upcoming ASUS Eee Box EB1501P. Further specs – Gigabit LAN and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. For ports – HDMI, DVI, eSATA, RJ45, audio jacks, S/PDIF out (7.1 channel), 5x USB 2.0 ports, card reader. You get peripherals – a remote control, VESA mount, wireless keyboard and karaoke microphone (one or more may be optional, I can’t imagine the last one shipping outside of Asia).

Being a barebones model, there’s no RAM, storage or OS. You’ll have to arrange those yourself separately. Up to 2x RAM slots (DDR2-667/800 RAM) and one 2.5? SATA storage device is supported.

News Source: Netbook News

RIM BlackPad tablet priced at $499 when it ships in November?

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Come on, admit it, you want to believe that RIM is working on a tablet called the BlackPad don't you? You'd better, because Apple Daily is piling on with more unsubstantiated rumor this morning. So, in addition to the 9.7-inch display, Bluetooth, WiFi, and front- and rear-facing cameras already mentioned by Bloomberg's sources, Apple Daily claims that Quanta won the bid to manufacture the tablet with plans to ramp up for 2 million units starting in September (for a November retail launch) with another 8 million planned for 2011. The price? $499 is the target, naturally.

News Source: Engadget

Asus Eee Box EB1501P gets a pricing, launch details

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The Asus Eee Box EB1501P is the latest small-form factor desktop PC (or nettop) from Asus. We recently discovered that the little guy would ship with a dual core Intel Atom D525 processor and next-generation NVIDIA ION graphics.

I just received word from Asus that the nettop should be available in the US in the next few weeks, with a starting price around $500 for a model with a DVD burner. A Blu-Ray version will launch in late September for a higher price.

Meanwhile, Asus UK tells the folks at Electric Pig that the nettop will be available in that country late in the third quarter of early in the fourth quarter of 2010. The Eee Box EB1501P is expected to sell for about £379 including VAT, which is about $600 US.

The Asus Eee Box EB1501P will be available with Windows 7 Home Premium, up to 320GB of hard drive space, and support for up to 4GB of DDR3 memory. It has 6 USB ports, HDMI, eSATA, and Ethernet ports, a flash card reader, and 802.11b/g/n WiFi.

News Source: Liliputing

Augen release GenTouch78 update with screen calibration, USB charging

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Augen may not be likely to bring full Android Market access to the GenTouch78 tablet anytime soon, but the company did push out some software updates last week that goes a long way in addressing some issues early customers have had with the $150 Android tablet.

The company’s August 4th firmware update adds a screen calibration tool to the list of installed apps. When you run the calibration utility you’ll be asked to tap the stylus on 5 different points on the display. Once you’re done, the screen should be much more responsive. I found it much easier to type after running the calibration utility, whether using a stylus or my fingertips.

You still have to press the screen pretty firmly, even after the update. But you don’t have to worry that P will pop up every time you hit the L key anymore.

The August 4th update also allows you to charge the tablet using a USB cable, so you don’t have to plug in the wall jack and the USB cable in order to copy files to and from a PC.The instructions for installing the firmware update are pretty detailed, so make sure to follow them to a T or you might run into problems.

Some users have also noticed that the update seems to fix the Recovery menu, which is the first thing that hackers need in order to install custom ROMS. So it might not be too long before we start to see custom versions of Android designed to run on the Augen GenTouch78.

News Source: Liliputing

Augen GenTouch78 KMart tablet to lose Google Apps

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You know how we were just talking about that $150 KMart tablet and how it was unlikely that it would ever have full access to the Android Market? Yeah, it looks like that was just the tip of the iceberg. The company issued a statement today explaining that future shipments wouldn’t have the Android Market or any Google apps, although the company is in talks with Google about including those apps with future products.

That means it will ship without Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Talk, and other apps. Some Google applications, such as Google Maps may still be available as these are typically available for download on most Android devices.

In a nutshell, while the Google Android operating system is open source, the Google suite of apps which includes Gmail and the Android Market are not. Companies need to form an agreement with Google to install these — which is something Augen did not do. The company claims that it had builds of this software on early GenTouch78 tablet units for testing purposes, and accidentally shipped the devices without removing the apps — but that seems a bit odd since KMart and Augen initially advertised the tablet as having access to the Market and thousands of third party apps.

It looks like if you already picked up an Augen tablet, you may be able to keep the apps installed, since the company doesn’t seem ready to remove them from existing units. But to be honest, the current software is somewhat buggy and you might be better off if Augen does offer a software update in the future. After all, while the current software lets you search the Android Market, there’s no way to actually download apps from it.

In the meantime, Augen has released a couple of software updates that make the user experience on the GenTouch78 much better. This includes a screen calibration utility which helps make the screen more responsive and a new third party app store with a few hundred downloadable applications. Best of all, the firmware update makes the recovery screen easier to navigate — which could make it far easier for hackers to develop custom ROMS for the Augen GenTouch78.

News Source: Liliputing

Acer RevoView media player to ship this month… in Germany

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You could make the case that Acer’s line of Aspire Revo nettops are already aimed at the multimedia market. They’re about the same size and shape as a Nintendo Wii and are clearly designed to look good next to a TV. These little computers tend to have low power Atom processors but high performance NVIDIA ION graphics for pumping out HD video.

But if you’re looking for something a bit cheaper than a full-fledged computer, with the added benefit of consuming less power, Acer plans to begin shipping a new device called the RevoView soon. The company first showed off the Acer RevoView a few months ago, and now nDevil reports that it will be available in Germany by the end of August, with prices starting at about €149 (about $198 US).

That price will get you a set-top box with a remote control and the ability to play HD video from a hard drive or stream content over your home network. It looks like the hard drive is also removable, allowing you to insert it into a PC drive bay. That means you can store all of your PC media on the drive, and then remove it and plug it into the RevoView when you want to access your media on your TV. The device may also be able to access on-line media.

The Acer RevoView will be available with a 320GB, 1TB, or 2TB hard drive. There’s no word on if or when the RevoView will be available in the US.

News Source: Liliputing

7” Android tablet from Chinaleap Technology Co. wins FCC approval. Looks like a big iPhone.

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Chinese-based Chinaleap (HK) Technology Co. passed the ARMM1 tablet, pictured above, through the FCC today. The device, which looks like a bit iPhone, features a 7” WVGA 800 x 480 TFT touch screen, a 600MHz Rockchip RK2808A ARM9 processor, 8GB of flash memory and WiFi.

The image from the ARMM1’s user manual, below, suggests that the device will run Android. However, the version of Android is not mentioned in the company’s FCC materials. The ARMM1 will also feature a HDMI out port – a nice plus. The device supports AVI, 3GP/MP4, RM/RMVB, FLV, MKV, MOV and WMV video formats.

There’s no word on pricing or availability of the ARMM1, but we’ll keep you updated as we hear more.

News Source: Wireless Goodness

Acer Debuts New Dual Android, Windows XP Netbook

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Acer's latest crack at combining Google's Android mobile software and Microsoft's Windows XP OS in the same netbook was unveiled at a computer show in Taipei on Thursday.

The Acer Aspire One AOD255 netbook uses Android as a quick-booting operating system and then Windows as the main operating system. Acer software on the device, called Acer Configuration Manager for Android, controls which OS will boot.

The netbook sports a 10.1-inch screen and has Intel's Atom N450 microprocessor inside. It carries 1GB of DDR2 (double data rate, second generation) DRAM as well as a 160GB hard disk drive (HDD) for storage. The device comes with a 3-cell lithium-ion battery, but Acer also sells a 6-cell battery for an additional NT$3,000 (US$95), a salesman said.

The device is being sold at the computer exhibition for NT$9,500, around US$300, but this is a special price for computer show attendees only. The list price on information handed out at the show is NT$11,900, around US$375.

People attending the Taipei Computer Applications Show, which runs through the weekend, will be able to order the device on Thursday and pick it up Friday. A salesman at the booth did not know when the device will be formally launched on world markets.

News Source: PC World

HP Zeen tablet (of some sort) hits the FCC

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While we’re waiting for HP to launch a slate PC running WebOS, Windows 7, or pretty much anything but Android, a new product has shown up at the FCC which looks an awful lot like… and HP slate of some sort. It’s called the HP eStation Zeen, and that’s virtually all we know for certian at the moment.

There’s no official word on the screen size, processor, or operating system. And the folks at Engadget are reporting that it could be a glorified eReader as well as a display panel that can be used to control an HP printer. Some tipsters are reportedly saying that early versions of the Zeen ran Google Android, but it seems likely that HP would ship the OS to WebOS before releasing this product… whatever it is.

News Source: Liliputing

Eros tablet sport 11.6 inch display, optional ION graphics

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Tired of waiting for HP to launch a tablet PC? A Chinese company has put out an impressive looking tablet (that you probably won’t be able to buy in the US anytime soon), with some pretty sexy specs. So it should come as no surprise that the tablet is called the Eros.

* Display: 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixels
* Touchscreen type: Resistive
* CPU options: Intel Atom N450, Intel Celeron SU2300
* GPU options: Intel GMA 3150 (w/Atom), NVIDIA ION 2 (w/Atom), GMA 4500MHD (w/Celeron)
* I/O: HDMI, VGA, 3 USB 2.0 ports, SD card reader
* Storage: 160GB
* Memory: 1GB
* Battery: 4600mAh
* Weight: 2.2 pounds

Prices will range from about $440 to $600 depending on the configuration. There’s no word on the operating system, but the Eros tablet certainly looks like a Windows 7 machine to me.

News Source: Liliputing

Android 2.1 update for the Dell Streak tablet features improved keyboard, more

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The Dell Streak 5 inch Android tablet isn’t available in the US just yet, but it’s already on the shelves in the UK for anyone who wants a huge phone or a tiny tablet running Google Android 1.6. What, last year’s OS not doing it for you? No problem. Engadget reports that Android 2.1 will be available for the device in early September.

While we were kind of hoping for an Android 2.2 Froyo update, Eclair still has a lot to offer. Aside from support for live wallpapers and newer third party Android apps, Engadget reports that the software update will bring some changes to Dell’s custom user interface for the Streak. Probably one of the most important changes is a vastly improved virtual keyboard.

The first time around, Dell decided to use the extra size of the Dell Streak 5 to cram in a number pad and caps lock key — but 5 inches isn’t really that much room, and Engadget reports that typing is much easier with the new software — although the keyboard still doesn’t support multitouch.

Multitouch is available in some other elements of the Dell Streak though, including Google Maps. The new software also includes the Android 2.1 photo and video gallery app, a redesigned phone dialer, and a new camera app.

News Source: Liliputing

Archos Generation 8 tablets coming soon?

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We already knew that Archos was planning to launch a new line of portable internet tablets running Google Android. Screen sizes are expected to range from 3 to 10 inches and prices should go from about $100 to $350. They should have processors with clock speeds between 800MHz and 1GZ.

Now e have some new details, thanks to a product page at J&R.

The J&R page lists a device called the Archos 32 8GB, which will apparently sell for about $150. It’s described as “coming soon,” although there’s no word on what that means. There’s also no picture.

But here’s what we can glean from the listing. The handheld device will have a 3.2 inch touchscreen display, an 800MHz ARM Cortex A8-based CPU, OpenGL support, and 8GB of storage.

The Archos 32 8GB has 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, camera and mic, and support for a ton of audio and video codecs including MP4, H.264, WMV, MOV, 3GP, MKV, FLV, OGG Vorbis, FLAC, and AAC.

On the other hand, the display is limited to 400 x 240 pixels and I don’t see anything about RAM or battery capacity. It’s also not clear if the handheld device has a capacitive or resistive display. Still, for $150, this little guy looks pretty good.

News Source: Liliputing

Gpad G10: Cheap Android 2.1 tablet with camera, accelerometer

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The Augen GenTouch78 Android tablet is getting a lot of attention because it sells for less than $170 at KMart. But while it’s one of the cheapest Android powered device you can buy, it’s kind of a pain to use at this point thanks to a resistive touchscreen that’s not particularly sensitive and a few other quirks like the lack of an accelerometer which makes rotating the display pretty difficult.

There are a few tricks that make things easier. For instance, I’ve been using the tablet for a few days and I’ve noticed that if you install the Aldiko eBook reader you can rotate the display to portrait mode while you’re reading a book. I’m still looking for a good alternative to the unresponsive on-screen keyboard.

But if you’re looking for a tablet that comes with some features that are absent in the GenTouch78, you might want to take a look at the Gpad G10. this table tis about the same size, and runs $185. But it has a built in camera and an accelerometer.

The Gpad G10 has 2GB of built in storage, support fro 1080p HD video playback, and 256MB of memory. It has a Telechips 8902 ARM 11 based processor, which is the same as the one used in the Augen Gentouch78. But the Gentouch78 CPU is clocked at 600MHz while the specs for the Gpad G10 say this model will have an 800MHz clock speed.

The G10 has a 7 inch, 800 x 480 pixel touchscreen display, which I’m assuming is a resistive touchscreen. It also has 256MB of memory, a 0.3MP camera, and a 2600mAh battery as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack an HDMI port, whereas the Augen GenTouch78 simply has a spot on the side of the case that says HDMI (with no actual port).

With the same CPU, memory, and storage space as the Augen GenTouch78, I wouldn’t expect the Gpad G10 to be a miracle tablet. But it does look like an interesting alternative for budget Android tablet shoppers.

News Source: Liliputing

Google Cloud Print integration finds it way into Chrome OS

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Google Cloud Print is a service that will eventually let you send print jobs from Google Chrome OS to any supported, web-connected printer. The idea is that you won’t need to connect any cables or install any drivers. You’ll just be able to hit the print button and print a web page, document, or picture on any printer that you’ve linked to your account.

It’s not entirely ready to go yet, but Lee Mathews noticed that Google has started adding Cloud Print code to pre-release builds of Google Chrome OS. If you hit Ctrl+P or select the print option from the tools menu, you should see a box that would let you select a printer — if you had any printers available. But since the Cloud Print protocol isn’t out in the wild yet, the odds of finding a compatible printer are pretty poor.

Still, cloud Print could open up some exciting possibilities. For instance, you might be able to print documents from a smartphone using nothing but your Google Android web browser. After all, the Android browser and Chrome OS are based on similar code.

News Source: Liliputing

HP Mini 5103 business netbook in the works

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HP appears to be preparing to refresh its business class netbook line with a new model called the HP Mini 5103. For the most part, this model looks like the HP Mini 5102 I reviewed a few months ago. But the new model will come with a choice of a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 or 1.86GHz Intel Atom N475 processor.

What that means is that unlike the HP Mini 5102, the 5103 supports faster DDR3 memory — although the difference in performance will likely be pretty minimal.

Like other business netbooks from HP, the Mini 5103 has premium features such as a 7200RPM hard drive, an accelerometer to shut off the hard drive in the event of a fall, and a magnesium alloy case. The netbook also comes with a slew of options including an optional Broadcom HD video accelerator, optional touchscreen display, choice of a hard drive or solid state disk, and a choice of operating systems including SUSE Linux, Windows 7 Starter, or Windows 7 Home Premium.

You can find detailed specs at HP Italy. The HP US site has a support page for the netbook, but there’s not much information available on the US site.The HP Mini 5103 is also available for purchase in Italy for between €482 and €597.

News Source: Liliputing

Forget dual screens: Samsung seeks patent for double-sided touchscreen device

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Notebooks with dual screen displays not doing it for you? How about a 2-sided tablet or smartphone that has touchscreens on both the front and the back? Samsung has filed a patent application for a device with those characteristics… for some reason.

Clearly you can only look at one side of a device at a time, which might make you wonder why you would need a toucshcreen on the front and another on the back. But this could let you trace gestures on the front or back screen to interact with the computer’s user interface. Some actions could even be controlled by using both screens at the same time — such as pinching the front and back of the device to zoom.

Using the back of the device as a control interface could also help you see what’s going on with your primary display. This could come in handy if you’re playing a game or watching a video, since poking your fingers at the screen makes it difficult to see what’s happening.

News Source: Liliputing

Netbooks sporting AMD Ontario chips due out early next year

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A few weeks ago AMD announced that it’s new low power Ontario chips for netbooks should begin shipping to PC makers by the end of 2010. There’s always a little gap between the date when a chip maker starts shipping a processor and the time when you can walk into a store and buy a notebook with that chip inside. But it looks like that gap won’t be too long in this instance.

DigiTimes is reporting that big name PC makers including Acer, Asus, and HP plan to launch Ontario-powered machines in the first quarter of 2011. The Ontario chip features a CPU and an integrated graphics processor.

The chipset is designed specifically for netbooks, featuring a low price tag, low energy use, and low heat generation. The strong suit of the AMD Ontario is expected to be its graphics component, which should provide higher performance graphics than you get from most Intel Atom-based netbooks.

On the other hand, I’ve been pretty impressed with the balance of power and energy consumption already available from AMD’s Nile chipset. At $349, the Acer Aspire One 521 is already pretty inexpensive, and it’s the same size as a typical netbook. I’m not sure there’s a market for a similar machine with a less powerful CPU unless the price is significantly lower… which it just might be.

News Source: Liliputing

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