| Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review Aug 15th 2012, 15:01  Consider it the fallout from a decade-plus of reality TV, but our made-by-the-masses approach has expanded into new territory: technology R&D. Or so Samsung's very public handling of the Galaxy Note 10.1 would have us believe. Thrust into an American Idol-like spotlight at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, the still-unfinished slate, a follow-up to the pen-enabled Galaxy Note phone, was forced to perform for hordes of skeptical insiders. Sure, there was raw talent on display and we could see the promise of this 10-inch contender (we said as much in our exhaustive preview), but it was also clear the company was testing consumer waters, fishing for a vote of confidence before continuing down the development track. Does this make Samsung's latest flagship the Kelly Clarkson of the tablet category? It's an apt analogy, if you think about it: Kelly wants to be country, the Note 10.1 wants to be a pro-designer tool, but neither are allowed. Why? Well, simply put, products sell better when they're made more palatable for a wider range of tastes. Which is why the company used MWC to gauge popular opinion before molding its untested product into something wth a broader appeal. Ultimately, that meant a drastic makeover: since MWC, the Note 10.1 has received a slot for that S-Pen, streamlined software, a quad-core Exynos 4 chip and two storage configurations: 16GB / 32GB, priced at $499 and $549, respectively. So it now has more horsepower under the hood, that much is assured, but is that chip enough to boost the Note 10.1's mass appeal? Will savvy shoppers be able to forgive that relatively low-res 1,280 x 800 display? Will its Wacom digitizer elevate this slate past its more generic Android and iOS rivals? Or will that feature hamper its widespread appeal, attracting mainly creative professionals? Meet us after the break to see if the Note 10.1 can succeed as the multitasking everyman's go-to tablet. Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review Filed under: Tablet PCs Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard announced, packs Switchblade UI LCD panels (hands-on) Aug 15th 2012, 15:00  It's pretty obvious from Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan's one-man presentation at Gamescom that he's buzzing about his new gaming keyboard. Ready to accompany the accessory maker's Ouroboros gaming mouse (hands-on impressions coming very soon), the Deathstalker will arrive in Ultimate and Standard versions. They both plump for chiclet-style keys and the pricier (and larger) Ultimate felt both light and slim. The standard issue packs three backlit color options, while the bigger board adds in Razer's light-up Switchblade UI, seen on its first gaming laptop. The first part of this is ten LCD keys that can be customized to gaming buttons or more typical PC use. They're still contextual, meaning if you launch the calculator from one of the keys, they will then transform into more appropriate calculator functions. Beneath that, a touchpanel LCD can act as a trackpad and accepts several gesture motions. It can also display your Twitter feed, game information and plenty more. The keyboard will also feature Synapse 2, Razer's new cloud-based settings service. The CEO explained that a player's custom layout and profile for the 'board could be stored online and then accessed from any computer it's plugged into, ready for your next (online) fight. Get our first impressions after our gallery and the break. Continue reading Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard announced, packs Switchblade UI LCD panels (hands-on) Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals Razer Deathstalker gaming keyboard announced, packs Switchblade UI LCD panels (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | SwiftKey 3.0.1 brings new themes, languages and bug fixes Aug 15th 2012, 15:00  Rejoice, Android keyboard enthusiasts! SwiftKey announced today that it's pushing out an update to its popular virtual keyboard that brings new themes, languages and bug fixes. Version 3.0.1 incorporates two new summer themes -- Sky blue and Fuchsia -- and bumps the language count to 44 with the addition of Malay and Urdu. The keyboard now also supports continuous dictation with Google voice typing on Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean. Most important, however, are a plethora of tweaks, performance improvements and bug fixes designed to further improve the SwiftKey user experience. We've been using the update for a few hours now on AT&T's red Galaxy S III and it definitely makes our favorite Android virtual keyboard even better. Hit the break for screenshots of the new themes plus the full PR. Continue reading SwiftKey 3.0.1 brings new themes, languages and bug fixes Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs, Software SwiftKey 3.0.1 brings new themes, languages and bug fixes originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Google Play | Email this | Comments | | Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 launches stateside August 16th starting at $499 Aug 15th 2012, 15:00  If you didn't see this one coming from a mile away, then it's clear you haven't been paying much attention. After countless leaks and even an early August availability from online retailers, Samsung's ready to make its S-Pen slate, the Galaxy Note 10.1, official for the U.S. market. The TouchWiz-skinned Android tablet is set to hit retail shelves tomorrow, August 16th, and will be offered up in 16GB and 32GB WiFi-only configurations priced at $499 and $549, respectively. For the money, you're getting an ICS tab outfitted with a 10-inch 1,280 x 800 TFT LCD display, quad-core Exynos 4 CPU clocked at 1.4GHz, 2GB RAM, microSD storage expandable to 64GB, 1.9-megapixel front-facing / 5-megapixel rear cameras and a 7,000mAh battery. The device, first introduced this past February at Mobile World Congress, stands apart from its capacitive rivals thanks primarily to the addition of a Wacom-like digitizer panel optimized for the company's handwriting recognition software and a slew of stylus-specific, pre-loaded apps, like Adobe's Photoshop Touch and Samsung's own S Note. Prospective owners will be able to choose from two neutral launch colors, grey and white, when it goes on sale this Thursday. Filed under: Tablet PCs Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 launches stateside August 16th starting at $499 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments | | Kyocera Rise coming to Sprint August 19th for $20, Virgin Mobile to follow on August 31st for $100 Aug 15th 2012, 14:13  Kyocera announced the QWERTY-packing Rise at this year's CTIA without mention of any carrier support. Regardless, we had a feeling it would eventually end up on Sprint, given the lengthy partnership the two companies have enjoyed -- not to mention a few leaks. Indeed, we got official word this morning that the Kyocera Rise will be available on Sprint August 19th for $20 (after a $50 mail-in rebate and two-year commitment), with Virgin Mobile following up with a prepaid version on August 31st. The non-contract price? $100. That thirty-dollar difference makes for an incredibly tough sell when a contract is attached. For the forgetful Freds out there, the Rise features Android 4.0, a 3.5-inch HVGA display, 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 Snapdragon S2 processor, a 3.2MP camera and a 1,500mAh battery that claims 8.5 hours of talk time. Check out more details in the press release after the break. Continue reading Kyocera Rise coming to Sprint August 19th for $20, Virgin Mobile to follow on August 31st for $100 Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless Kyocera Rise coming to Sprint August 19th for $20, Virgin Mobile to follow on August 31st for $100 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Sprint | Email this | Comments | |
