ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Transformer are here for those that can’t imagine using a tablet without a physical keyboard
January 4, 2011 No Comment
Here they are: ASUS’s duo of Tegra 2-powered , 10.1-inch tablets with unique physical keyboards. Starting with the craziest of them, is the Eee Pad Slider (pictured on the left), which reminds us a lot of HTC’s old school Shift with its slide out QWERTY keyboard. The device is planned to run Google’s Honeycomb , sports a IPS, 1280 x 800-resolution display, and houses mini-HDMI and miniUSB ports as well as a microSD card slot. The 2.2-pound / .5-inch thick slab also has dual cameras — a 1.2 megapixel front-facing one and a 5 megapixel one with an LED flash on the back. We have to say we love the idea of always having that keyboard around, but if you don’t want to drag along a physical keyboard all the time, ASUS has something for you too. It’s the Transformer, and like the Eee Pad we saw at Computex , it’s a 10.1-inch tablet that will come with a laptop like dock with a full size keyboard and touchpad. The tablet part — like the Slider — will run Android 3.0 and packs a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, two cameras, and a 1280 x 800-resolution IPS display, however, the dock has an integrated battery that will keep the tablet running for 16 hours on a charge — the tablet on its own should last eight. We’re obviously aching in our seats here waiting to get these two in our hands so stay tuned for some crazy videos of the two in action — until then we leave you with the specs after the break. Update: How much will it cost you to keyboard-ify your slate and how long will you have to wait? ASUS says the Transformer will run between $400 and $700 and the Slider from $500 to $800. Expect them in April and May respectively. Gallery: ASUS Eee Slate Slider and Transformer Gallery: ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Transformer Continue reading ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Transformer are here for those that can’t imagine using a tablet without a physical keyboard ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Transformer are here for those that can’t imagine using a tablet without a physical keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …ASUS Eee Slate EP121 officially unveiled, IPS display, Core i5, and stylus in tow
January 4, 2011 No Comment
ASUS’ powerful 12-inch Eee Slate EP121 tablet has been no secret — don’t forget, it was teased at Computex and then sketched on a digital blackboard — but here it is, with final specs and pricing information. Unlike ASUS’ trio of Android tablets, the EP121 is all about Windows 7, and oh does it have the guts to run it smoothly — it’s powered by a Core i5-470M processor, packs 2 to 4GB of RAM, and a 64GB SSD. It sure has the internal muscle to compete, but it also has a high-resolution (1280 x 800) 12.1-inch IPS capacitive display with a Wacom digitizer . The latter will allow you to use the included stylus to draw self-portraits or you know, take notes in class. ASUS maintains that the tablet breeds entertainment with enterprise, but something tells us the front-facing camera and HDMI port will have this one in the living room more than the board room. ASUS says the EP121 should be hitting sometime in the first quarter of the year for around $1,100, but expect us to bring you hands-on impressions way before that. Hit the break for the full specs. Update: ASUS says it’ll actually start at $1,000, with an upgraded model available for an extra Benjamin, and it’s due out later this month! Gallery: ASUS Eee Slate EP121 tablet Gallery: ASUS Eee Slate EP121 Continue reading ASUS Eee Slate EP121 officially unveiled, IPS display, Core i5, and stylus in tow ASUS Eee Slate EP121 officially unveiled, IPS display, Core i5, and stylus in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Yeah, we’re in full-on tablet overload mode, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any room for innovation. In fact, ASUS’s Eee Pad MeMO is surprisingly fresh in its take on this already-so-worn subject. The 7-inch, 1024 x 600 tablet runs Android 3.0 (which doesn’t exist yet, but we won’t tell ASUS if you won’t), with a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm 8260 processor under the hood and dual cameras (1.2 megapixel front, 5 megapixel rear with LED flash). That’s all very nice, but the highlight is a capacitive stylus and two included apps to make the best use of it. Media Note is a scrapbook / note taking application, while Painter allows you to use the stylus as a pressure-sensitive drawing instrument. They’re probably nothing too special just now, but the prospect of pressure-sensitivity on a handheld tablet is alluring, particularly for the artists among us that thought they’d left the iPad’s fingerpainting methods back in kindergarten. MeMO’s other standout might not win it so many fans, but it’s still worth noting. ASUS calls the device “a perfect blend of tablet and smartphone,” and uses a stereo Bluetooth headset dubbed the “MeMic” media phone extender to make the experience a bit more phone-like. We’ll reserve judgement for when we see more than a render of MeMic in action. No word on price or release for the MeMO right now, but hopefully we’ll know more soon. Until then we can keep our eyes set on Honeycomb’s supposed March timeframe — a river of tablets will carry us there. Update: ASUS says the Eee Pad MeMO will start at $499, and debut in June. Gallery: ASUS Eee Pad MeMO tablet Gallery: ASUS Eee Pad MeMO ASUS Eee Pad MeMO tablet takes a pen out of the Courier’s book originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Lenovo goes back on its word and shows off an IdeaPad Windows 7 slate, we go hands-on
January 4, 2011 No Comment
Remember when Lenovo said it wasn’t going to do a Windows 7 slate product ? We do too, but apparently the company has had a change of heart regarding Microsoft’s operating system for tablets and has brought a 10.1-inch Windows 7 slate to CES. The IdeaPad tablet, which doesn’t have a name right now, will be powered by Intel’s forthcoming Oak Trail Atom processor and will run Windows 7 Home Premium with Lenovo’s own application skin. We don’t have any other real details on the tablet — it isn’t expected until May — but we did get a chance to check out the touchscreen slab this morning. The build of the device was very similar to the Android Le Pad with a tapered plastic back and metal sides, but the 1280 x 800-resolution capacitive touchscreen has an active digitzer and comes with a stylus. Lenovo didn’t have details on who was making that digitizer, but the battery-powered pen worked very nicely for doodling on screen and taking some test notes in WordPad. We could go on about the touch experience or we could just let you see for yourself in the video after the break. Gallery: Lenovo IdeaPad Windows 7 slate hands-on Continue reading Lenovo goes back on its word and shows off an IdeaPad Windows 7 slate, we go hands-on Lenovo goes back on its word and shows off an IdeaPad Windows 7 slate, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Would you look at that. The device above could very well be the long rumored Optimus Tab we caught hanging out in the LG booth here in Las Vegas just moments ago. It certainly looked to be running Android 2.x beneath an 8.9 inch display but there’s obviously no way to confirm the Tegra 2 processor. Whatever it is, LG was not very happy to have it on video judging by their quick “hey buddy!” request to shut down our camera. Specifically, the tablet was spotted in the floorspace occupied by LG’s new series of WiFi-connected Thinq appliances sporting an LG home automation skin or app. We get a first glimpse of the tablet (or at least a tablet with a rear-facing camera) at about 10 seconds into the video posted after the break — it’s being held by a man who just used Thinq from his office to remotely feed his dog while watching the whole thing go down from the camera on his HOM-BOT robotic vacuum cleaner. Bizarre, we know, but strangely compelling. Of course, with Samsung’s Galaxy Tab already on the market receiving its fair share of accolades, you can’t expect its cross-town Korean rival to stay out of the market much longer. The only question we have (which LG wasn’t about to answer) is whether this is a general purpose Android tablet or if it’s dedicated to Thinq appliance management. We’ll know soon enough as it’ll certainly be unveiled this week. Gallery: Exclusive: LG Optimus Tab revealed? Continue reading Exclusive: LG Optimus Tab revealed? Exclusive: LG Optimus Tab revealed? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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It’s the first presser of CES 2011, and we’ve done our doctor recommended pre-liveblog stretches. ASUS is obviously going to show off some tablets and new laptops, but who knows what other wild stuff they have in store for us. Perhaps the second coming of Waveface ? Follow along after the break to find out! Continue reading Live from ASUS’s CES 2011 press event Live from ASUS’s CES 2011 press event originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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Remember last year at CES 2010 when Lenovo made a huge scene with the tablet / netbook U1 Hybrid, which ran Windows when docked and Lenovo’s Skylight Linux in tablet mode? And then Lenovo killed Skylight in favor of Android and put everything on hold? Well, it’s back — and we just got some serious hands-on time with production-ready Chinese versions of what’s now being called the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid with LePad tablet. Things have substantially changed for the better in the past year — in addition to Lenovo’s skinned version of Android 2.2 (called LeOS, sigh), there’s now a newer 1.3GHz Snapdragon in the LePad and an 1.2GHz Intel Core i5-540UM in the U1 base. Switching from Windows to Android just requires disengaging the latch on the base — the flip to Android is basically instantaneous, while getting back to Windows takes a few seconds. The U1 base is much nicer than the unit we played with last year — it’s been restyled and features a chiclet-style keyboard and dimpled trackpad. Best of all, the LePad now features a 10.1 1280 x 800 capacitive multitouch display, instead of the floppy resistive unit we saw last year. Both pieces are pretty thin individually, but docked up it makes for a pretty chunky laptop — but you are getting two machines for the price of one. Now for the bad news — the LePad will run for about $520 when it arrives in China this quarter, but the full U1 kit will run $1300. There’s also no US availability or pricing right now — and Lenovo told us the U1 won’t hit the States until it runs Android 3.0, so we could be waiting months while the company reskins the OS. And we might have to wait even longer for Lenny to retool the LePad to meet that supposed dual-core CPU requirement — but then, it’s already been a year. We’re ready to love the U1 Hybrid — we can wait a little longer, we suppose. Video and PR after the break. Gallery: Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid / Le Pad Gallery: Lenovo U1 Hybrid with LePad hands-on Continue reading Lenovo LePad tablet and IdeaPad U1 Hybrid return with Android 2.2 in tow Lenovo LePad tablet and IdeaPad U1 Hybrid return with Android 2.2 in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Sharp and Samsung’s CES posters preview Smart TV apps, 70-inch Quattron LCD
January 4, 2011 No Comment
Samsung and Sharp couldn’t help but tip their hands regarding CES announcements with some of the posters wrapped around the Las Vegas Convention Center. While Sharp is advertising its largest Quattron LCD ever at 70-inches (up from a mere 68-inch version before ) Samsung is taking the opportunity to invite everyone to “join in” its Smart TV platform. No word on whether that encompasses its expected Google TV efforts or just existing Samsung Apps, but icons listed included the already available Google Maps, Facebook, Twitter and more, check out a few more pictures after the break. Continue reading Sharp and Samsung’s CES posters preview Smart TV apps, 70-inch Quattron LCD Sharp and Samsung’s CES posters preview Smart TV apps, 70-inch Quattron LCD originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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The brand we know and love for staying on the cutting edge can go dedicated high end HiFi the old fashioned way too — Onkyo announced a new lineup of elite HiFi separate components is for those who know that you only need two speakers for great sound. The trio is made up of the $1,499 C-7000R CD player, the $1,699 P-3000R pre-amplifier, and the $2,499 M-5000R power amplifier — which only leaves the speakers for you to source elsewhere. You have to be a true audiophile to appreciate the specs in the attached press release, but it’ll be very easy to fall in love with the retro styling when these show up at select dealers later this month. Continue reading Onkyo’s latest HiFi stereo separates go retro Onkyo’s latest HiFi stereo separates go retro originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Fujifilm’s 16 megapixel CES debutants leaked early: 30x superzoom and 1080p-recording compact
January 4, 2011 No Comment
Nobody is immune from a CES leak , it seems, as even the relatively tame waters of high-end compact and superzoom cameras have been ruffled up today with the emergence of two 16 megapixel Fujifilm models. Both sport an EXR-CMOS sensor, with the bigger brother HS20EXR boasting a 30x zoom (equivalent to covering the 28mm to 720mm range in old school photography parlance) zoom lens along with a 3-inch LCD on the back and an electronic viewfinder. Joining it at the CES unveiling this week will be a FinePix F500EXR number that offers a highly respectable 15x zoom of its own, along with a 3-inch LCD, geotagging, and 1080p video recording. If this leak turns out to be the real deal, we should have confirmation and more details very soon indeed. Continue reading Fujifilm’s 16 megapixel CES debutants leaked early: 30x superzoom and 1080p-recording compact Fujifilm’s 16 megapixel CES debutants leaked early: 30x superzoom and 1080p-recording compact originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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