Acer Iconia A110 7″, Tegra 3 Android tablet now shipping in the UK

Not to be outdone by Google and Asus, Acer has now officially joined the 7-inch tablet party by releasing the Iconia A110 in the UK. Boasting specs very similar to that of the Nexus 7, it seems like Acer’s offering may hold its own in the hot 7-inch tablet market. There’s no doubt that it’ll be tough to grab a decent size of the market share without offering something better or different. However, there isn’t much not to like about Acer’s offering. In fact, it does offer a couple of things that a certain other 7-inch tables doesn’t.  The specs on the Iconia A110 are as follows:

• quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor
• 1GB of RAM
• 8GB of storage of internal storage (expandable via SD slot)
• 7″ display
• HDMI output
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Decent specs indeed, and all that for £179. Some folks may particularly like the expandable storage and HDMI out. Ebuyer is claiming to be the first UK retailer to offer this excellent option in the 7-inch tablet market, and at the time of this writing is showing as in stock. If you pick this tablet up, let us know how you like it.

source:  ebuyer

Samsung Galaxy Camera gets priced and is available for pre-order in the UK

The British website Clove has announced the Samsung Galaxy Camera for pre-order at a price of £399 ($650) including VAT and £332 ($540) without VAT. The camera runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and features a quad core Exynos processor, a 16 megapixel sensor, 21x optical zoom, and pop-up xenon flash The Galaxy Camera looks to spearhead a new era of “Smart Cameras”.

The Galaxy Camera  adds most of the features we are used to in our phones such as 3G, a touchscreen display and HDMI out for the smartphone-loving Instagram nut. It’s meant to satisfy the casual point-and-shoot crowd, but is this preliminary pricing too much for general consumers to swallow?

Source: Clove

MetroPCS to Launch ZTE Anthem 4G

It’s been a busy morning for the budget-minded manufacturer ZTE. First they announced the Blade III‘s availability in Finland for release this month, followed by a launch in Sweden in October. They’ve now followed that up with the announcement of the Anthem 4G available from MetroPCS which will be the first 4G LTE Android smartphone from ZTE available in the United States. The device will run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread,  will sport a 4.3″ WVGA display, and feature a dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor. The Anthem 4G from MetroPCS can be had, “in the coming weeks,” for $219 after rebates, while the LTE plans range from $40-$70. We’ll keep you posted if a solid release date is announced. Hit the break for the full press release.

MetroPCS Adds ZTE Anthem™ 4G to its Expanding 4G LTE Smartphone Portfolio
Anthem 4G is first ZTE 4G LTE AndroidTM smartphone in the U.S.

September 20, Richardson, TX – MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (NYSE: PCS) and ZTE Corporation (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ) (“ZTE”), a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, today announced the availability of the ZTE Anthem™ 4G, the first 4GLTE Android™ smartphone from ZTE available in the United States. The Anthem 4G will be available at MetroPCS stores and online in the coming weeks.

The ZTE Anthem 4G features 4GLTE connectivity, a dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon™ processor and a 4.3” WVGA capacitive touchscreen, making it an ideal choice for the style-conscious consumer who also demands speed, performance and ease of use. Available with any of MetroPCS’ tax and regulatory fee-inclusive 4GLTE service plans ranging from $40 – $70 per month and including the new $55 unlimited 4GLTE promotional plan, the ZTE Anthem 4G makes it possible for value-conscious customers to experience the power of MetroPCS’ 4GLTE network.

“As our first U.S. 4GLTE smartphone, we’re proud to launch the Anthem 4G with our long-time partner MetroPCS because we share their goal of providing consumers with outstanding value and a strong 4G LTE experience,” said Lixin Cheng, CEO, ZTE USA, and president, North America Region, ZTE.

The ZTE Anthem 4G offers an exceptional user experience for customers who want to do more with their smartphones, such as share multimedia content in the moment. The Anthem 4G features HD video output via a HDMI connector, which makes on-the-go HD video playback a reality. Consumers can connect the Anthem 4G to a television or computer monitor via the HDMI port to share their favorite HD videos and films on the big screen with family, friends and colleagues, and with Dolby® Surround Audio, the multimedia playback experience becomes more realistic and immersive.

The Anthem 4G also features dual microphones with noise cancellation, delivering impressive sound quality by extracting surrounding noise from the primary microphone. The smartphone runs on Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread).

The Anthem 4G will be available in the coming weeks for $219 plus tax after mail-in-rebate for a limited time at local MetroPCS stores or online at www.metropcs.com. The ZTE Anthem 4G supports MetroPCS’ 4GLTE Mobile Hotspot service for an additional monthly charge.

Acer reveals 7-inch Iconia Tab A110 with Android 4.1 and MicroSD

Acer has just unveiled the Iconia Tab A110, a 7-inch Android-powered tablet that will serve as a direct competitor to Google’s Nexus 7. The device sports the same quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor as the Nexus 7, though Acer has gone a bit further and added additional features like a MicroSD slot and MicroHDMI port. The best part? The A110 will ship with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box.

These enhancements may make the A110 more appealing to some customers than Google’s offering. Pricing and availability remain a mystery, though the company previously said the tablet would be aimed at the sub-$200 range. Catch the full presser after the break.

Acer presents the new ICONIA TAB A110 – Better mobility meets stylish and compact design

Bioggio, Switzerland

If you are looking for a tablet that you can easily hold in one hand and still lets you enjoy web browsing, multimedia, or even work if you need to, you have found your dream tablet. The new Acer ICONIA TAB A110, with a 7” display and less than 390 g of weight, is compact to carry and comfortable to browse, taking your mobile experience to the next level.

Easy to slip in your pocket or handbag, the ICONIA TAB A110 is just perfect to carry with you at all times to read, to browse, to play games or to plan your day.

It features Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which enables easy access to your favorite apps and brings resizable widgets that automatically resizes to the space available on the screen. The widget content refreshes as the size changes according to the widget size and could display larger, richer graphics or additional functionality or options.

Plus, it’s preloaded with full set of Google Mobile Service: Gmail, Google+, Maps, Messenger, Play Store, Talk, YouTube and more. Everything you need to enjoy a rich experience wherever you go is at your fingertips.

And, for a reading experience not to be missed, the ICONIA TAB A110 comes with Google Currents, a smart mobile app that lets you browse hundreds of free online magazines and top blogs all in one place. You can enjoy easy-to-read magazine-like editions for high speed and offline reading.

To top off the rich entertainment experience, the ICONIA TAB A110 comes with a 2MP front-facing camera to engage in live chats with your friends. The camera can also be used to lock and unlock the tablet thanks to face recognition, enhancing the security of the device and making it truly yours. And it’s also more fun to use!

What’s more, the compact size goes hand in hand with a powerful performance. Powered by NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor, the ICONIA TAB A110 allows faster and smoother web surfing, better multitasking, console-quality gaming and HD video watching.

The tablet also lets you bring your videos on a bigger screen for greater fun thanks to the HDMI ports. It can be connected to other devices, such as camera, keyboard, mouse or gamepad via the Micro USB port. While the Micro-SD card slot extends memory up to 32 G, guaranteeing even more room to your digital life.

Amazon to limit announcement this week to 7” Kindle Fire devices

Despite all the rumors of a larger device coming from Amazon, source are now indicating this week’s announcement regarding their Kindle Fire will be limited to two 7-inch models. The information obtained by c|net indicates Amazon will introduce a slightly revamped version of the existing Kindle Fire and a new, higher-end model of the Kindle Fire. In anticipation of the announcement, Amazon has reported the existing Kindle Fire is now soldout.

The new model is expected to have a faster processor, a camera, some physical buttons for volume control, an HDMI port, and increased internal storage. Both models are expected to benefit from a slight overhaul of the user interface. As far as a larger model goes, it may still be in the works, but don’t expect to see it later this week.

source: c|net

Sony Xperia Tablet S Officially Announced, Wants to Take Over Your Living Room

Sony has officially announced the Xperia Tablet S, with specs matching what we told you earlier. The sleek new tab is powered by a Tegra 3 CPU, comes with Android 4.0 and has built-in storage options up to 64GB. It has the distinctive look similar to the Tablet S, featuring the “folded-over” magazine shape, but is now made of metal and is a bit lighter. It has a 9.4″ IPS screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800, 6,000 mAh battery that will reportedly last up to 10 hours, and has an IR emitter which doubles the tablet as a universal remote (similar to the Tablet S).

Sony says the Xperia Tablet S will be available September 7th with pre-orders starting today. The 16GB model starts at $400, 32GB for $500 and 64GB for $600. There are a plethora of accessories available for the new slate starting with a keyboard ($100), three-position stand with HDMI output (also $100), charging cradle ($40), dock speaker ($130), two carrying cases ($51 and $80) and a stand ($25). Sony says the Xperia Tablet S will launch with a promotion of up to $45 worth of feature films from the Google Play Store, which allows you to pick 3 movies from 15 film pre-selected list.

Full press release:

Control the Living Room With the New Xperia™ Tablet S

The Android™-powered device features a universal remote control with macro functionality, a variety of original applications and a more immersive entertainment experience

SAN DIEGO, August 29, 2012 (7:45 AM PST) – Sony announced today the launch of the Xperia Tablet S, a thin and light device packed with original applications and Sony exclusive features. The new device joins Sony’s smartphones under the Xperia sub-brand. The Xperia brand delivers mobile experiences that enhance user enjoyment through design and network services. By introducing a tablet under the Xperia brand, Sony offers users a consistent experience between the immediate convenience of an Xperia Smartphone and an immersive entertainment experience of an Xperia Tablet. Common user experience across the devices further enhances overall usability and intuitiveness. Combining optimally designed hardware and software, Xperia Tablet provides consumers with a compelling way to play, watch, listen, share, discover and connect.

CONTROL THE LIVING ROOM
Building on the popularity of the universal remote control feature in the previous model, the Xperia Tablet S has enhanced this feature by adding macro functionality, allowing the ability to turn on multiple devices of most brands, including TV, Blu-ray Disc™ player and audio system, with the touch of one button. Consumers can easily program sequenced commands such as “Watch TV” or Play Music” and perform the sequences with one tap on the screen.

To further enhance the living room experience, Sony will offer a new app called Watch Now, which enriches the TV watching experience. Watch Now provides an interactive, visual program guide fueled by personal preference and real-time trends from users’ social media feeds. TV fans can use the app to discover new shows based on intelligent recommendations from the app, change the channel with a flick of the finger and share their thoughts on what they are watching via Twitter™, Facebook® and Get Glue. The Sony exclusive app will be available for download for the Xperia Tablet S in the US from Google Play™ at launch.

“We know that eighty-eight percent of tablet owners in the US are using their tablets in the living room,¹ and are multi-tasking with their tablets while watching TV,” said Phil Lubell, vice president of networked technologies and services at Sony Electronics. “We wanted to enhance that living room experience by providing interactive and useful features with the Xperia Tablet S.”

BEYOND THE LIVING ROOM

Not only will Xperia Tablet S owners be able to control their living room, but they can also control content on the device for various other people using Sony’s new exclusive Guest Mode feature. Guest Mode allows for personalized configurations for different users by displaying different wallpaper, applications and widgets. The tablet owner can manage access for any friend or family member by regulating which apps and widgets are accessible by others. Guest Mode can provide parents with a strong parental control tool by offering more supervision over what content their children can consume.

“Tablets are no longer just a personal device, but are being shared by family members, and we heard from consumers that they wanted to have parental controls. It was important for us to provide parents with a solution for controlling what content their children could access from the tablet,” Lubell added.

Xperia Tablet’s splash proof design helps provide assurance that the tablet is protected from the elements. With an IPX-4 splash proof rating, the Xperia Tablet S can withstand splashing water at all angles when the multi-port cover is in place. Even with wet hands the LCD screen will still recognize touch gestures, making the device a perfect companion in the kitchen and beyond.

SONY APPS
Preloaded onto the device are the Sony Entertainment Network Services, giving consumers access to their favorite songs, movies and TV shows with a single sign on:

- Purchase or rent on-demand hit movies and TV shows anytime you want with Video Unlimited.
- Discover and listen to millions of songs from all your favorite artists with a Music Unlimited subscription, now with the ability to cache playlists for offline listening.
- Store your photos and videos in the cloud and share on any device at any time with friends through PlayMemories Online™ service.

Book lovers can also purchase and read their favorite eBooks with the pre-loaded Reader™ application and manage their bookshelf across multiple devices, including Sony Reader and Xperia Smartphones. This fall, Sony Xperia Tablet S owners will also be able to enjoy dedicated content from PlayStation®Mobile on their tablets.

Small Apps allow tablet owners to truly multi-task by using a minimized version of the browser, calculator, remote control, recorder, timer, memo or scrapbook simultaneously while using another application. Any widgets downloaded to the device can also be added to the Small Apps.

Scrapbook, a new app available at launch, allows users to clip from websites, services or apps to create their own scrapbooks. Users can then share clips or scrapbooks as images across multiple apps. Users can download Socialife, a fun, stylish viewer to manage your social networking sites and news feeds in one place. Lastly, Sony offers three media applications, WALKMAN®, Album and Movies, allowing users to consume their content in feature rich and easy-to-use apps.

SPECIFICATIONS
The Xperia Tablet S, which launches with Android 4.0, has a thin and light aluminum body while still maintaining a unique design for a comfortable grip and feel. It is fast and powerful with a NVIDIA® Tegra™ 3 quad-core processor. The screen maintains a crisp display and fingerprint and glare reducing coatings. The device includes a full-sized SD card slot for expanded storage and HDMI® connectivity with optional HDMI adapter cable. With built-in Wi-Fi® compatibility, users can browse the internet, check e-mail and access digital content anywhere there is a Wi-Fi connection.

Sound quality is enhanced with ClearAudio+ mode. ClearAudio+ mode, developed with Sony’s own signal processing technologies, allows users to effortlessly enjoy audio quality that is distinctly Sony. ClearAudio+ mode incorporates a variety of Sony’s technologies, but with one simple operation, users can easily enjoy Sony recommended sound in ultimate clarity and presence, across the entire spectrum of sound.
Also available at launch is a promotion for up to $45 in feature films from Google Play™. The Xperia Tablet S will come equipped with redemption codes to add three movies from a choice of fifteen available movies to the Google Play movie library.

TABLET ACCESSORIES
Users can personalize their Xperia Tablet S with a new line of optimized accessories (sold separately). The Cover with Keyboard features a thin keyboard that connects via the device’s multi-port, so no pairing is needed. The Docking Stand is sleek, stylish and adds functionality with three USB ports and one HDMI port. Other accessories include a Simple Stand, Carrying Cover in seven stylish colors, a Charging Cradle and a Dock Speaker.

AVAILABILITY AND PRICING
The Xperia Tablet S is available in 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB versions and will be sold at Sony Stores, including online, and other authorized dealers nationwide for about $399, $499 and $599 respectively starting September 7 (preorders start today).
Accessories (all available at launch with the exception of the Dock Speaker):
Cover with Keyboard – $99.99
Docking Stand – $99.99
Simple Stand – $24.99
Carrying Cover –$50.99 – $79.99
Charging Cradle – $39.99
Dock Speaker – $129.99, available November
For more information please visit www.sony.com/tablet, visit blog.sony.com/xperiatablet for a video first look and follow #SonyTablet on Twitter for the latest tablet news.

Mysterious ASUS TF500T Shows Up at the FCC

Well it looks like ASUS has another device on the way because model TF500T just showed up at the FCC. If naming can give any clues to this mysterious device, it should be somewhat better than the Transformer Pad TF300 and somewhat inferior to the Transformer Pad Infinity TF700. Little is known about the device, but it’s listed as having WiFi (b/g/n), HDMI, a microphone, and is tablet shaped.

Any guesses as to what else this mysterious device might have? Hit up the comments and let us know what you think.

source: Engadget
via: FCC

Sprint and Motorola officially announce the Photon Q 4G LTE, Available August 19th with pre-orders starting today

We already had a good idea that the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE was going to launch on August 19th, and Sprint and Motorola just confirmed it with a press release. It will be priced at $199 and you can pre-order yours today and receive it as soon as this Friday, August 17th. What separates this phone from most others is the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. They aren’t as popular as when the original DROID was released, but I know many of you still enjoy them. So if you are a QWERTY fan and a customer of Sprint, this just might be the phone for you.

There are no surprises on the specs, but here’s a refresher:

• 4.3-inch qHD (960 x 540) display with ColorBoost technology
• 1.5GHz dual-core processor
• 1GB of RAM
• 8MP rear camera
• ULE Platinum Certification, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint
• SMARTACTIONS™, the free Motorola app that helps extend battery life and intelligently automates routine, everyday tasks so that smartphones can do more for consumers
• Mirror mode when connected with HDMI cable (sold separately) to view images, files and movies on a larger screen, like your TV at home
• Sprint ID, offering an innovative way to personalize an Android-powered smartphone with apps, widgets, ringtones and more all, in a single download
• NFC support to share links, apps, YouTube™ clips and more with Android Beam™
• Sprint Professional Grade designation making it business ready with full corporate security, including remote wipe, pin lock and data encryption
• Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich

Full press release:

Calling All QWERTY Fans! Motorola PHOTON Q 4G LTE from Sprint Available Aug. 19 for $199.99; Pre-Order Begins Today

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. & LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. (BUSINESS WIRE), August 13, 2012 – Offering a device packed with features to provide the ideal work-life balance, Sprint (NYSE: S), the only national wireless carrier offering truly unlimited data for all phones while on the Sprint network, today announced the Sunday, Aug. 19, availability of the first 4G LTE-enabled smartphone from Sprint with a full QWERTY keyboard and international roaming capabilities, Motorola PHOTON™ Q™ 4G LTE. Motorola PHOTON Q will cost $199.99 (excludes taxes) with a new line of service or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement.

Motorola PHOTON Q will be available for pre-order beginning today at www.sprint.com/photonq. Customers who pre-order Motorola PHOTON Q will begin receiving their smartphone as early as two days before the device goes on sale – while supplies last.

“At Sprint, we recognize there is a large group of our customers that love the ease of a physical QWERTY keyboard,” said David Owens, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “By bringing a device like Motorola PHOTON Q into our portfolio, we are able to give these customers the option of a physical keyboard plus international roaming capabilities to stay connected while traveling abroad.”

Motorola PHOTON Q features a slide out PC-like QWERTY keyboard for double-thumb efficiency. Each laser-cut key is outlined in LED lights so users can see what they’re doing, even in the dark. It also has a dedicated number row for maximum typing efficiency and accuracy.

Combined with a large 4.3-inch ColorBoost™ display, Motorola PHOTON Q offers the largest screen currently available on a 4G LTE smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard. Its 8-megapiexal rear-facing camera with 1080p capture and playback along with an HD front-facing camera produce a high-quality multimedia experience that provides the perfect blend of business and pleasure with blazing speed on the Sprint 4G LTE network2.

Additional key features on Motorola PHOTON Q include:

• 1.5GHz dual-core processor
• Android™ 4.0.4, Ice Cream Sandwich
• ULE Platinum Certification, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint
• SMARTACTIONS™, the free Motorola app that helps extend battery life and intelligently automates routine, everyday tasks so that smartphones can do more for consumers
• Mirror mode when connected with HDMI cable (sold separately) to view images, files and movies on a larger screen, like your TV at home
• Sprint ID, offering an innovative way to personalize an Android-powered smartphone with apps, widgets, ringtones and more all, in a single download
• NFC support to share links, apps, YouTube™ clips and more with Android Beam™
• Sprint Professional Grade designation making it business ready with full corporate security, including remote wipe, pin lock and data encryption

Official Nexus 7 Dock and Premium Leather Case Images Leaked

Ever since we first saw the Nexus 7 at Google I/O, we suspected that a dock accessory would be released since the tablet contains four golden pogo pins that are currently not being used. Swedish site Nordic Hardware has leaked slides of upcoming Nexus 7 accessories, including a charging dock and premium leather case.

The dock “perfectly angles” the tablet for “movie and photo viewing, browsing and email“. It also contains a 3.5mm line out jack to hook up active speakers, which is a nice touch. HDMI, unsurprisingly and unfortunately, is not included. According to the leaked images of the dock, it should be available August 24th for $49.99.

For those of us still looking for that perfect Nexus 7 case, we are getting options. Hit the break to find out more.

First, Google has finally made available the official Nexus 7 case in the Play Store, but if you’re looking for something a bit more elegant, a premium leather case is apparently on the way from ASUS. This case is rumored to run $39.99 and will be available on August 31st in four different colors. There is no mention of it being a smart cover, however, meaning it won’t automatically wake or sleep your tablet when opened or closed. That’s a shame since it’s a very convenient feature that just takes a simple magnet to implement.

It’s good to see accessories showing up for the Nexus 7. Hopefully its success will afford not only official accessories, but a thriving 3rd party market as well.

source: nordic hardware
via: droid-life

CX-O1 Mini PC now Available for $48, Stocked with Android 4.0

The Pocket TV we reported on last month that could bring Android to a HDMI-enabled TV and monitor now has a competitor priced at only $48. The CX-O1 will bring Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to those HDMI-enabled devices in the size of a USB stick. With it only being $48, I can imagine that this would be a great accessory to keep around.

The CX-O1 would be an awesome device to get work done on the fly. The device comes with 512mb of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a 1GHz single-core processor, a full-sized USB port, HDMI, and Wi-Fi capabilities. This isn’t that bad at all for it’s price, especially with the device being stocked with Android 4.0. It’s also not a hassle to set up on the big screen. The CX-O1 would go beyond expectations if it had Bluetooth support and it was capable of running on a Google TV, but unfortunately, it’s not able to do either.

The CX-O1 is almost equal to it’s other competitor, the iPPea TV in terms of specs. Comparing both, I would still go with the CX-O1 instead of the Pocket TV or the iPPea TV as the picture makes it look a bit smaller than the other two. I think portability is key here and that is where the CX-O1 delivers the most. Between the two devices there really isn’t much of a difference in terms of specs.

source: Phandroid