Wednesday, May 16, 2012

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 review
May 15th 2012, 17:00

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When we review a second-generation product there are certain things we tend to take for granted: this new thing, whatever it is, will be thinner, faster, longer-lasting, maybe even with more bells and whistles in tow. With Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1, though, it's a little less obvious why its sequel is here. It offers near-identical specs, including a 10-inch, 1280 x 800 PLS display, dual-core 1GHz chip, 1GB of RAM and a minimum of 16GB of internal storage. What's more, this generation is slightly thicker and heavier, and sheds the LED flash that used to sit on the back side. But there's one detail we haven't mentioned yet: in addition to softening the specs, Samsung dropped the price by about hundred bucks, so that it now starts at $400.

Clearly, then, the 10.1 has evolved into a mid-range tablet, whereas it used to be the best Samsung had to offer. That's good news for penny-pinching shoppers, but Samsung has a bit of a problem on its hands: it's jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire, dodging direct competition with the new iPad, only to find itself competing with a raft of affordable tablets made by Acer, ASUS and even Apple. So how does Samsung's warmed-over 10.1 compare? Can it be a winner in the mid-tier category, at least? Let's find out.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 review

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Baidu Cloud phone unveiled: Changhong H5018 with 300GB of cloud storage
May 15th 2012, 16:49

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That new Baidu Cloud phone we told you about last week? You're looking right at it! Following the flagship Dell Streak Pro D43 (which was branded with what was then known as Baidu Yi aka version 1.0 of the platform), this Foxconn-built Changhong H5018 is the second smartphone to have its Android Gingerbread system enhanced by Baidu, meaning it'll come with 300GB of cloud storage space (instead of the old 100GB), Mandarin voice search functionality and a set of other online services offered by the Chinese search giant.

As for the hardware itself, we're looking at a 10.3mm-thick matte chassis housing a 650MHz MTK6573 processor, a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 display, a three-megapixel camera and a non-removable 1,400mAh battery, all of which would explain that highly affordable CN¥899 (US$140) off-contract price tag. That said, you'll still find a dual-SIM (WCDMA plus GSM) tray and a microSD slot hidden beneath the bottom cover. Not sure where ZTE is on this one, but for now, you can head over to Sina Tech for its hands-on report and photos.

New Baidu Cloud phone unveiled: Changhong H5018 with 300GB of cloud storage originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 12:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceTencent Tech, iFeng Tech, Sina Tech  | Email this | Comments

Bridgestone reveals plan to withdraw from e-paper business, AeroBee loses its buzz
May 15th 2012, 16:22

Bridgestone reveals plan to withdraw from e-paper business, AeroBee loses its buzz

If you were intrigued by those 21-inch e-paper tablets Bridgestone showcased last year, you're sure to be bummed by this news. The company has announced that plans to withdraw from the electronic paper business and expects to bring production to a screeching halt by the end of October. Citing increased competition and rapid declines in material prices for the move, the outfit looks "to put an increased focus on its core businesses." As you may recall, Bridgestone had partnered with Delta Electronics to develop the business-focused AeroBee tablets and it remains to be seen if the latter part of the duo will continue its e-paper exploits with a new mate.

Continue reading Bridgestone reveals plan to withdraw from e-paper business, AeroBee loses its buzz

Bridgestone reveals plan to withdraw from e-paper business, AeroBee loses its buzz originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink E-ink Info  |  sourceBridgestone  | Email this | Comments

Google Chrome 19 Stable arrives, shares live tabs across your computers and phones (video)
May 15th 2012, 16:01

Chrome live tab syncing

Google first teased live tab syncing in Chrome 19 beta, and it's now available for all of us who tread the safer path of Stable releases. If you weren't living on the bleeding edge for long enough to try the syncing early, you'll be glad to know that it lets you see and quickly sync all the tabs that are open on any device signed into your Google account. That includes your phone or tablet, if you've got Android 4.0 and the Chrome for Android beta loaded up. Like with the beta, though, you'll have to cool your jets if you were hoping to get live syncing right away: Chrome 19 Stable is pushing automatically over the next few days, but tab syncing will take weeks to be ready for everybody.

Continue reading Google Chrome 19 Stable arrives, shares live tabs across your computers and phones (video)

Google Chrome 19 Stable arrives, shares live tabs across your computers and phones (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 12:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Google Chrome Blog  |  sourceGoogle Chrome  | Email this | Comments

Tizen OS will run Android apps -- with a little help from third-party software (video)
May 15th 2012, 15:39

Tizen OS will run Android apps -- with a little help from third-party software (video)

As Tizen's open-source OS continues to make its first steps into the world, there's some good news for anyone concerned with a weak app line-up. It looks like both Android versions and Samsung's own Bada SDK will be supported through an application compatibility layer (ACL) which works along similar lines to the Android app player on BlackBerry's Playbook. Open Mobile, which is responsible for the ACL, claim it'll have 100 percent compatibility with Google's back catalogue and be just as responsive -- some pretty heady statements. The company wants its program be included on the OEM side of the equation -- this isn't aimed at humble end-user tinkerers. For now, you can check how its ACL fares in a quick video walkthrough after the break. (It's worth noting that the demo tablet isn't running on the Tizen UI -- it looks like we'll have to loiter around for some more hardware.)

Continue reading Tizen OS will run Android apps -- with a little help from third-party software (video)

Tizen OS will run Android apps -- with a little help from third-party software (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink BGR  |  sourceThe Handheld Blog  | Email this | Comments

Panasonic's Let's Note J10 netbook promises over 12 hours of battery life, available now in Japan
May 15th 2012, 15:18

Panasonic intros Let's Note J10 netbook in Japan, pricing starts at 120,000 yen

To pair nicely alongside that beastly Let's Note B11 we showed you last week, Panasonic's now also selling its J10 netbook series in Japan. Aesthetically speaking, the new Let's Note J10 isn't much different than its predecessor, the J9, though it has changed a bit (as expected) in the specs department. The entry level 10.1-inch (1366 x 768) J10 gets you Intel's Core i3-2350M CPU with 320GB of hard drive storage as well as 4GB of RAM, while the higher-end model sports an i7-2640M chip (sorry, no Ivy Bridge here), up to 8GB of memory and you can choose between a 256GB SSD or a 1TB HDD. Additionally, each unit's packing a hefty amount of ports, including two USB 2.0, one USB three-dot-oh and an HDMI out. Those looking to grab one of these J10s best have deep wallets, as pricing ranges from 120,000 yen (about $1,500) all the way up to around 267,000 yen.

Panasonic's Let's Note J10 netbook promises over 12 hours of battery life, available now in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 11:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Netbooknews  |  sourcePanasonic  | Email this | Comments

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