Token Black Geek

Verizon makes it official, The Apple iPhone 4 on Verizon Wireless

2011-01-11T08:34:00.000-08:00

To date is the big Verizon announcement. Possible iPhone/iPad 2

2011-01-11T07:40:00.000-08:00

HTC Thunderbolt and LG Revolution show up on Verizon site, officially official

2011-01-06T14:05:00.000-08:00

Would you look at that. Verizon's ongoing press conference has been accompanied by the appearance of two 4.3-inch LTE handsets coming to the network. Both HTC's Thunderbolt and LG's Revolution were pretty well known in advance, but hey, now we have big luscious high-res pictures to gawk at. The Revolution will come with Android 2.2 preloaded while the Thunderbolt has Skype video calling integrated right into HTC Sense. The latter device also boasts a Super LCD display, 8 megapixel camera with HD video recording, DLNA, Dolby Surround Sound, and the honor of being a Verizon exclusive in the US. Now that the devices have been made official, we also know that the Revolution can stream, play and record HD video, perform video chat with a front-facing camera, and share its 4G connection with up to eight devices through its built-in hotspot functionality. Jump past the break for the full announcement.

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ASUS tablet lineup preview: Slider, Transformer, MeMO, and Slate EP121 go wild (with video!)

2011-01-06T14:02:00.000-08:00

We just played with ASUS whole new tablet lineup, which is truly impressive not only in scope, but also for the fact that ASUS didn't just pick a few capacitive screen sizes and call it a day. Each of the four tablets (three Android-based Eee Pads and one Windows-based Eee Slate) has its own "twist" on what's come to seem traditional in modern day tablets, while also maintaining significant hardware and screen quality. We're not crazy about the 'MyWave' ASUS software skin on its Android models, but they at least seem serious about providing UI and apps for the entire experience -- they're not kidding around, is what we're saying.

We've got a ton of pictures and impressions, so follow after the break as we break it all down!

Update: We've added video as well. You'd be a fool not to click.

Eee Pad Transformer - this is possibly the most traditional of this line, because the tablet itself is simply a 10.1-inch capacitive screen in an exceedingly thin (and light!) form factor. However, ASUS didn't stop there, and you can dock the Transformer into an optional keyboard to turn in basically into a very thin Android laptop, complete with keyboard, trackpad and USB peripheral support (like an external mouse). It's no Motorola Atrix, since you're dealing with the same skin whether docked or undocked, but from what we've seen of Honeycomb that might not be too much of a usability stretch.

ASUS Eee Pad Transform hands-on

Eee Pad Slider - We're part of the (possible minority) that uses our Tablet Model of Choice with a keyboard just as much as without, and the Eee Pad Slider seems aimed at that use. There's a surprisingly nice slide-out miniature chiclet keyboard (think on-par with a $300 netbook), which also acts as the stand for the laptop when pulled out. The base also hold's the tablet's battery, leaving the screen itself scary thin. The sliding mechanism we saw wasn't that great -- you had to leverage the screen just right to open it easily, but we were dealing with prototypes and we expect the final product to be better in this regard.

ASUS Eee Pad Slider hands-on

Eee Pad MeMO - This is possibly our favorite of the models, thanks to its small size and emphasis on pen input. ASUS extended the bezel below the screen to make room for a stylus, a perfect solution because it leaves the tablet itself exceedingly thin -- one of the thinnest we've seen in a 7-inch form factor. The actual screen feels very much like standard high quality capacitive glass, and it's also very bright and viewing angle-friendly. However, "pressure sensitive" pen input is possible thanks to a rubberized nub on the stylus that flexes and expands based on your pressure and input. It's not Wacom-quality, but it's a lot nicer than binary stylus input on most tablets.

ASUS Eee Pad MeMO hands-on

Eee Slate EP121 - Windows 7 and tablets have a bit of a sordid history, but we think ASUS has taken the right approach with the Eee Slate EP121. It's large, high-powered (Core i5), has a Wacom digitizer for exceptional pen input, and ASUS bundles a Bluetooth keyboard just to make sure you don't get any ideas about trying to pen-input a novel. Despite the 12.1-inch size, the tablet is still surprisingly thin and light, though it really seems better suited for desk use than schlepping around to coffee shops -- more of a poor man's Cintiq than the iPad of Windows 7 tablets. Our only gripe was the fact that the finger touch input didn't feel as good as the Android tablets in the bunch -- not bad, just not excellent.

ASUS Eee Slate EP121 hands-on

MyWave - ASUS is doing its own UI and core apps, dubbed MyWave, which seems a little silly with Honeycomb on the way. Right now ASUS is demoing the tablets with Froyo, though they have roughly working Gingerbread in the wings. However, the tablets won't ship without Honeycomb, so our great dream is that when ASUS gets ahold of the final 3.0 build they'll realize that Google has a lot more money to spend on perfecting UI and core apps. Perhaps a light touch of a skin wouldn't hurt, and of course ASUS has to work its partnerships, but these tablets would be really badly served without Google's core apps (mail, gallery, media playback [if Google actually builds a good DLNA-friendly player], and browser), or Google's overall UI metaphors it's sweating to build for tablets in Honeycomb.

Samsung 4G LTE Smartphone

2011-01-06T14:00:00.001-08:00

We knew this was coming, and here it is. The white curtains just lifted here at the Samsung booth at CES to unveil the Samsung 4G LTE Smartphone. This Verizon LTE-ready beast touts a Super AMOLED Plus display, runs Android 2.2 and features a front-facing cam. We're busy sorting out details and grabbing pics more. Stay tuned!

CES ASUS unveils Eee Pad MeMO, Eee Pad Transformer, Eee Pad Slider and Eee Slate EP121

2011-01-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, ASUS introduced four new tablet devices ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The Eee Pad MeMO, Eee Pad Transformer, Eee Pad Slider and Eee Slate EP121 are the first of many tablets that will be introduced this week, and the gauntlet has been thrown down. ASUS’ offerings are stylish, functional and well spec’d, giving customers an array of choices to suit a variety of needs. Hit the break for all the juicy details including pricing and availability.

ASUS Eee Pad MeMO

Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) OS
7-inch capacitive touchscreen display
1024 x 600-pixel resolution
Capacitive stylus included
1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8260 Snapdragon processor
5-megapixel camera with LED flash
1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat
HD video playback
Starting at $499, available in June

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) OS
10.1-inch IPS touchscreen display
1280 x 800-pixel resolution
NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor
5-megapixel camera with LED flash
1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat
Unique docking station with integrated keyboard and 16-hour battery
Priced between $399 and $699, available in April

ASUS Eee Pad Slider

Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) OS
10.1-inch IPS touchscreen display
1280 x 800-pixel resolution
NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor
5-megapixel camera with LED flash
1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat
Sliding full QWERTY keyboard
miniHDMI, miniUSB ports
microSDHC support
Priced between $499 and $799, available in May

ASUS Eee Slate EP121

Windows 7 OS
12.1-inch IPS touchscreen display
1280 x 800-resolution
Wacom digitizer pen
Core i5-470M processor
Up to 4GB of RAM
64GB SSD
1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat
Included Bluetooth keyboard
HDMI port
Starts at $999, available later in January

ASUS’ full press release:

ASUS Brings Innovation to Life at CES 2011
– Chairman Jonney Shih Unveils the Ground Breaking Eee Slate and Eee Pad Tablets plus the latest TUF Motherboards and ROG products as ASUS brings Innovation to Life at CES –
Consumer Electronics Show, Las Vegas, NA (January 4, 2011) — ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih introduced the long-anticipated Eee Pad, Eee Slate, TUF Motherboards and the latest Republic of Gamers (ROG) lineup during the annual ASUS press conference at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). With innovation and choice being the dominate theme this year, Shih reiterates the company’s strength in cutting edge design and superior engineering to bring consumers the devices of their dreams. Shih was also proud to announce that ASUS is the winner of eight CES Innovation Awards which echoes ASUS’ persistence to bring innovation to life.
“ASUS is a global technology leader in the new digital era. We focus on the mastery of technological innovation and design perfection. We hold ourselves to the highest standards when it comes to delivering consumers the very best products. Choice is a key ingredient for success, and we offer consumers the ability to customize their own digital futures with an exciting lineup of products that are unmatched in quality and depth of features”, said Jonney Shih, Chairman of ASUSTek.
ASUS Eee Pad and Eee Slate Tablet Devices
The newly unveiled family of ASUS tablets* arrives with a splash by offering four unique and innovative products. The Eee Pad MeMO has a 7-inch capacitive screen powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ mobile processor and will ship with Android® 3.0 (Honeycomb) featuring HD playback capabilities, mobile gaming, an exciting Web experience and is accompanied by a stylus pen for taking handwritten notes.
The Eee Pad Transformer and Eee Pad Slider are equipped with 10.1” IPS touchscreens, NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 mobile processor technology and will ship with Android® 3.0. The Transformer comes with a docking option that incorporates a QWERTY keyboard and serves as a battery extension station for up-to 16 hours of non-stop computing. The Slider is equipped with a sliding keyboard for those who desire higher mobility capabilities in a tablet product along with excellent battery life.
For consumers who value productivity, entertainment and desktop power on-the-go, ASUS offers the Eee Slate EP121 which boasts a 12.1” multi-touch screen with Intel® Core™ i5 processor technology running on Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium operating system. The Eee Slate EP121 is the most powerful tablet ever introduced and allows the user to run a variety of desktop applications on its 64GB SSD drive while offering various data input options ranging from a Wacom Digitizer pen to an included Bluetooth wireless keyboard for ultimate user flexibility.
ASUS TUF and ROG Motherboards
With over twenty years of engineering expertise in producing the world’s bestselling and most award-winning motherboards, Shih was proud to introduce the latest ASUS TUF series which is designed to withstand rugged environments with the ASUS proprietary Thermal Armor and Thermal Radar cooling design plus an industry leading five-year warranty.
“As you know ASUS is a veteran in producing the world’s best motherboards. We continue to strive for technological breakthroughs on our motherboards that include a new class leading Digital VRM design. The new ROG Rampage III Black Edition motherboard is a gamers’ dream come true. The additional network lane port and built-in headset amplifier bring both speed and realism to games and media applications. The ROG Vulcan headset is just one example of our commitment to technological breakthroughs. The active noise cancellation technology and tuned frequency response brings the ultimate gaming experience to life,” said Jonney Shih Chairman of ASUS.

AT&T details 4G plans [updated]

2011-01-06T08:16:00.000-08:00

AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega gave a keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday. The focus was undoubtedly 4G — as we reported earlier today — and de la Vega was joined by Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha, HTC CEO Peter Chou and Samsung CEO J. K. Shin to show off exciting upcoming devices. Here are some highlights:

AT&T is accelerating its LTE deployment — it will launch LTE later this year and complete its deployment by 2013
AT&T HSPA+ provides “4G speeds,” and is already deployed to nearly 100% of AT&T’s network
20 new 4G devices will be introduced this year including modems, mobile hotspots and phones
De la Vega included Apple in his list of manufacturers set to launch “4G” devices this year [updated]
Motorola ATRIX 4G launches this year: 4G LTE, Android OS, 1GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 1930 mAh battery, 10.9mm thick, HTML5 support
The ATRIX 4G has a laptop dock that basically turns the phone into a full notebook-sized smartbook — very weird, very intriguing — and a home entertainment dock
HTC Inspire 4G: new HTC Sense UI, HTCSense.com support, 4.3-inch display, Android 2.2 OS, physical location awareness (phone rings louder when in a pocket or bag, then quiets when taken out), HTML5 support
Samsung Infuse 4G: AT&T’s thinnest smartphone, 4.5-inch Super-AMOLED Plus display, Android 2.2 OS, 8-megapixel rear camera, front-facing camera for video chat, HTML 5 support
AT&T’s first “4G” tablet will come soon from Motorola: dual core Tegra 2, 10.1-inch display, Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS
First LTE tablets coming this year
12 new Android devices coming this year
BlackBerry Torch sales have been strong and Windows Phone 7 sales have increased steadily since its launch

In terms of timing for those great new 4G smartphones mention above, five to seven HSPA+ devices will be introduced in the first half of this year, and the Motorola ATRIX 4G, HTC Infuse 4G and Samsung Infuse 4G will be among them. Hit the break for AT&T’s full press release related to today’s announcements.

UPDATE: Well, AT&T’s ridiculous decision to call both HSPA+ and LTE “4G”is already causing problems — AT&T contacted us to let us know that no iPhone-related LTE announcements were made. Apparently the “4G” mentioned alongside de la Vega’s mention of Apple did not refer to LTE “4G”.

AT&T Announces Plans to Deliver Nation’s Most Advanced Mobile Broadband Experience
Nation’s Fastest Mobile Broadband Network Getting Faster with 4G; Accelerates LTE network build — to be largely complete by YE 2013. Completes HSPA+ deployment to virtually 100% of network, enabling 4G speeds with expanded backhaul; widens lead in smartphones & devices — 20 4G devices planned for 2011, including industry-leading Android lineup; expands lead in Mobile Apps with new initiatives to speed collaboration, development.
Las Vegas, Nevada, January 05, 2011
AT&T* today said it is building the nation’s most advanced mobile broadband experience by pursuing three key initiatives:
NETWORK: AT&T operates the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network today, and it’s getting faster in 2011 with 4G. AT&T is the only U.S. company committed to delivering 4G using both HSPA+ and LTE technologies – providing a faster and more consistent experience for customers. The company announced plans today to accelerate its LTE network build, to be largely complete by yearend 2013; AT&T plans to begin its launch of LTE service in mid 2011. Additionally, the company said it has completed its deployment of HSPA+ to virtually 100 percent of its mobile broadband network which enables 4G speeds when combined with Ethernet or fiber backhaul. The company is rapidly expanding Ethernet and fiber to cell sites nationwide — adding new cell sites weekly — and by yearend, expects that nearly two-thirds of its mobile broadband traffic will be on expanded backhaul.

Today, AT&T is already seeing 4G speeds on its existing HSPA+ network with enhanced backhaul in areas of key markets. In these areas, AT&T is seeing network speeds up to approximately 6 Mbps** — and expects these speeds will increase as it accelerates its LTE build and further deploys expanded backhaul.
SMARTPHONES & DEVICES: AT&T is the leader in smartphones and devices, and expects to widen that lead in 2011. The company plans to introduce 20 4G devices by the end of the year, some on an exclusive basis. The company today announced a new commitment to deliver an industry-leading Android portfolio, including more than 12 new Android devices in 2011. AT&T expects to offer two 4G smartphones in the first quarter which will join its two existing 4G-compatible laptop cards, available since last fall. AT&T plans to offer five to seven 4G devices in its lineup in the first half of 2011.

APPLICATIONS: AT&T provides its customers access to more mobile applications than any other carrier. In 2011, the company plans to expand its leadership in apps with new initiatives to speed collaboration with apps developers and further open AT&T’s network capabilities to the development community.

” The key to delivering a true 4G experience is to have the combination of network, devices and applications, which together will give our customers the best and most advanced mobile broadband experience — today and tomorrow,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and CEO. “Recent tax law incentives, along with other policy developments, have allowed us to accelerate the capital investment — beginning in 2011 — to largely complete our LTE network build by the end of 2013. This will not only benefit our customers, but will, we hope, benefit the economy as a whole.”
Nation’s fastest mobile broadband network getting faster with 4G
Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, said AT&T has the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network today, according to independent expert testing, and its network roadmap will distinguish AT&T as the industry moves towards 4G/LTE technology over the next several years. He spoke at AT&T’s Developer Summit, held annually in conjunction with the 2011 International Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
“AT&T is the only U.S. company committed to both HSPA+ and LTE technologies,” said de la Vega. “Today our customers are benefitting as we repeatedly increase speeds on our mobile broadband network. As we accelerate our LTE network build, our customers will have blazing fast LTE speeds and when they go off LTE, they will still have faster mobile broadband speeds with HSPA+ — something our competitors will not be able to match.”
Additional information available at www.att.com/network (website available after 10 a.m., PT on Jan. 5)
Industry-leading device portfolio expands with powerful 4G devices
On the device front, de la Vega said AT&T plans to offer 20 4G devices in 2011. In the first half of 2011, AT&T plans to feature a best-in-class portfolio of HSPA+ devices; in the second half of the year, it plans to also add LTE devices, including a leading collection of smartphones, tablets, modems and mobile hotspots.
“Today we are the clear leader when it comes to offering the most extensive line-up of handsets and devices,” he said. “We plan to strengthen our portfolio with powerful 4G devices and a major new commitment to offer an industry-leading portfolio of Android devices.”
“The upcoming lineup of 4G Android smartphones from AT&T is truly cutting-edge,” said Andy Rubin, vice president of Engineering at Google. “These devices coupled with the recent deployment of carrier billing as an Android Market purchase option for AT&T customers
are great examples of AT&T’s commitment to smartphone leadership.”
With over 100,000 applications available in Android Market plus carrier billing, AT&T customers can more easily shop for the latest apps for Android smartphones.
The Motorola ATRIX™ 4G Android 2.2 smartphone will be offered exclusively by AT&T and is the world’s most powerful smartphone. Featuring a 1 GHz dual-core processor, ATRIX 4G delivers a remarkable combination of application processing power, 4G network speed and a high-resolution qHD display. It will be complemented by breakthrough accessories that include a revolutionary, super-thin laptop dock – for which ATRIX 4G is the “engine” — and an HD media dock that uses ATRIX 4G’s HDMI video output capabilities and processing power to enable a revolutionary browsing, application and media experience. For more information, visit www.att.com/atrix4G (website available after 10 a.m. PT on Jan. 5). This device is slated for launch in the first quarter of 2011, only for AT&T customers.

The HTC Inspire™4G is a stunning, 4.3-inch super LCD smartphone running on Android 2.2 smartphone and the first in North America to feature the next-generation HTC Sense™ platform with cloud services. The new Sense platform can pinpoint on a map a lost phone, send a command to sound an alert on the handset, and remotely wipe the phone’s data with a single command through http://www.htcsense.com/. Inspire 4G also delivers an 8-megapixel camera and a HD video recorder. The HTC Inspire 4G will include a 1 GHZ processor, while also boasting a premium, aluminum unibody design. For more information, visit www.att.com/inspire4G (website available after 10 a.m., PT on Jan. 5). This device is slated for launch in the first quarter of 2011, only for AT&T customers.

The Samsung Infuse™ 4G will be the thinnest Android device and feature the largest screen — at 4.5 inches — in AT&T’s smartphone lineup. The device delivers a brilliant display using Samsung’s next-generation Super AMOLED™ Plus technology which features 50% more sub-pixels for better contrast and outdoor readability. The Infuse will be powered by a 1.2 GHz application processor and run the Android 2.2 platform. This device is slated for launch in the second quarter of 2011, only for AT&T customers.

4G Tablets – AT&T plans to launch two 4G tablets, including its first LTE tablet, by mid summer. Additional LTE tablets are planned for the second half of 2011.

Additional device specifications and images are available at www.att.com/ces-news.
AT&T’s Mobile Apps Initiatives deepen relationship with developers, speed collaboration, innovation
AT&T also announced that it is building on its leadership in mobile applications by expanding collaboration opportunities with the development community — with a focus on speeding innovation to customers.
A leader in the application development community said AT&T’s strategy makes sense: “AT&T is moving quickly to open its network to developers in unprecedented ways,” said Sam Ramji, vice president of strategy for Apigee. “Our work with AT&T will give developers easy access to network capabilities and billing tools. AT&T’s commitment to working with the developer community makes the company a leading platform for innovators.”
AT&T CTO John Donovan said AT&T, in collaboration with others, is investing $70 million to build three innovation centers worldwide – an effort considered unprecedented in working with the app developer community. He said the first center is planned to open in the first quarter near Dallas. The other two – in Silicon Valley and near Tel Aviv – are slated to open later this year. The centers are designed to foster collaboration and improve project cycle time from idea to market by threefold.
David Christopher, CMO, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, announced plans for a series of apps initiatives including:
A renewed commitment to providing more “Apps for All’’ by utilizing Brew Mobile Platform on all of its new quick messaging phones – which a sizeable segment of consumers who aren’t ready for smartphones rely on today. AT&T announced plans for the first of these popular devices – the HTC Freestyle,available next month — and said it planned to introduce five additional new quick messaging phones this year. By installing Brew Mobile Platform across quick messaging phones, which traditionally have had operating systems specific to each device maker, developers can write an application once and be able to offer it to all Brew Mobile Platform based phones from AT&T. AT&T also announced that America Movil and Rogers Wireless have agreed to use Brew Mobile Platform, giving developers access to customers throughout the Americas.

An opportunity for developers to apply to join a new Alpha Program for developing apps for AT&T’s award-winning U-verse® TV – allowing selected developers to collaborate with AT&T to influence the way in which mobile, Web and PC-based apps can be created and integrated in homes with U-verse services (www.developer.att.com/u-versealpha). At the event, AT&T’s Peter Hill, VP of ecosystem and innovation, demonstrated how U-verse Mobile Application Development Technology can effectively enable a mobile device to interactively share media, content and apps with the TV. This technology could lead to the creation of apps that enable AT&T customers to shop, vote and play games via their wireless devices and TVs.

Plans to go live in March with a Beta program for an HTML5 development toolkit for AT&T devices (www.developer.att.com/HTML5). HTML5 enables developers to create apps that work on multiple operating systems instead of just one – which is frequently the case today – and will spur app proliferation. By the second half of this year, AT&T expects the majority of its new smartphones and a number of quick messaging phones will support current HTML5 standards. AT&T is a founding member of the Wholesale Applications Community, or WAC, and HTML5 is at the core of the community’s 2.0 specifications.

A first-of-a-kind agreement with Open Feint that makes AT&T the first and only U.S. carrier to offer a social gaming platform that can work across wireless networks. The agreement opens API’s for the popular Open Feint social gaming platform for AT&T smartphones, and the SDK is available at no charge on the AT&T Developer Program web site for Android developers (www.developer.att.com/gaming). Open Feint allows developers to tap into a social gaming engine to build games that allow a user to compare scores, challenge each other and even compete head to head — capabilities that can be costly to build independently.

More information on AT&T’s developer program is available athttp://www.developer.att.com/. For additional information on today’s announcements, please visit www.att.com/ces-news.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
**4G speeds delivered by HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. Will be available in limited areas. Availability increasing with ongoing backhaul deployment. Actual speeds experience will vary and depend on several factors include device, location, capacity, facilities, and other conditions. Android is a trademark of Google, Inc.

LG Optimus Black and Optimus 2X hands-on(BGR.com)

2011-01-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

Last night, LG threw a laser-packed bash to welcome the addition of the Optimus Black and Optimus 2X to their stable of Android-powered handsets. While both devices were on display, the Optimus 2X was clearly the star of the show. Featuring an nVidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor running at 1GHz per core, the Optimus 2X is an incredibly powerful handset that, along with this year’s other Tegra-powered phones, will help to set a new standard for smartphone performance. The graphics on this thing were stunning, the screen is gorgeous, and the phone absolutely flies along. The handsets on display were running Froyo, but all of the display material noted that Gingerbread is all but a foregone conclusion as soon as it hits the streets. LG had 3 of these things hooked up to what looked like 42″ displays via the included HDMI output, and the gaming and graphics performance on the big screen was pretty incredible. No frame-rate issues, full HD display, and more. Really cool stuff.

The Optimus Black, on the other hand, is all about aesthetics. It was super responsive to be sure, but its 1GHz OMAP3630 processor paled in comparison to the Tegra. That said, it’s not as if the Optimus Black didn’t have its virtues. The device is super thin, is really well manufactured and designed, it definitely feels like more of a luxury/up-market device in hand. The Optimus Blacks were also running Froyo, but featured a new Wi-Fi direct feature that allows for long range peer-to-peer connections. The Optimus Black also has what is being touted as the “world’s first front-facing 2 megapixel camera” allowing for relatively passable shots from the forward camera, and definitely paving the way for a bit of a higher quality video chatting experience than we’ve come to expect from the mobile arena. Oh, and did we mention that LG brought lasers? Click on over to the respective galleries for more shots and some video from the event!

T-Mobile G-Slate announced: 4G, Android 3.0, made by LG

2011-01-06T08:04:00.000-08:00

T-Mobile and LG have decided not to sit still in the shadow of Motorola and Verizon's high-powered 4GHoneycomb tablet partnership and have just announced their intention to introduce the T-Mobile G-Slate. Few details are known at present other than those headline-grabbing 4G (or pseudo-4G) capabilities and Android 3.0 operating system. This is probably the exact same tablet that LG is hosting an event for tomorrow. Jump past the break for some video conferencing, browser, and e-reading demos in awesome, fluid, streamable video. Hey, even if you don't care for either T-Mobile or LG, this is a pretty nice exposition of the Honeycomb interface.

Acer Iconia Tab A500 first hands-on! (update: video)[Engadget.com]

2011-01-06T07:58:00.000-08:00

Acer's ten-inch Tegra 2 tablet with Verizon LTE? You're looking at it right now, courtesy of the NVIDIA booth at CES 2011's Digital Experience show. It's just the same engineering prototype with an early build of Android 2.2 we've seen before -- it'll run Honeycomb at launch -- but this time, we got to touch. The hardware seriously feels final, with a solid metal case and a supremely responsive touchscreen that tracks a full ten points of contact. There's an interesting array of ports, too, with a full-sized USB port (as well as micro-USB) on one side and a dedicated charging socket too, as well as a dock connector on the bottom. What's missing are the standard Android Home, Menu and Back buttons, as instead of those, you simply swipe the lower right corner of the screen to bring up a tiny pane of virtual alternatives. No LTE connectivity to be found at Digital Experience, we're afraid, so we'll have to bring you speed tests another day -- but we'll have video up soon. For now, peep the gallery below.

Update: Video after the break!

Acer Iconia Tab A500, first hands-on!

Android 2.4 Gingerbread breaks loose on a prototype Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc?(Engadget.com)

2011-01-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

We're still coming down from the euphoria of introduction, but Dutch site Tweakers.net claims that Google's not entirely passing the torch to Honeycomb just yet -- beforehand, there's apparently anotherGingerbread build in the cards. Having played with some sort of cobbled-together Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc with a 2.4 build, the site says that we can expect an incremental build that seems to feature miscellaneous stuff Google might not have had time to include in 2.3 -- random things like a new animation when deleting icons off the home screen, to much bigger features like visible video calling hooks. Unfortunately, said hooks didn't seem to be tied to any video calling-enabled Google Talk client, but considering how early this build seems to be, there's reason to believe they'll add it in by launch time. It's an open question when this is coming -- or to what devices -- and when you think about Eclair'sprogression from 2.0 to 2.1, it could happen sooner than you expect.

Samsung 9 Series and Sliding PC 7 Series quick hands-on (video)[Engadget.com]

2011-01-06T07:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy day, but we hope you didn't miss Samsung's Sliding PC 7 Series. The little laptop / tablet hybrid does just what the name suggests, with the display literally sliding over the keyboard. Of course, we had to get video of it in action, which you can enjoy after the break. Some pictures are below, too, both of the 7 Series and ultra-thin 9 Series. Needless to say, we're going back for seconds.

Samsung 9 Series and Sliding PC 7 Series quick hands-on

Apple's Mac App Store goes live(Engadget.com)

2011-01-06T07:46:00.000-08:00

Well it's official boys and girls -- Apple's Mac App Store is live as of this morning, and available to use and abuse via a Snow Leopard update (version 10.6.6 to be exact). The OS X application market takes the company's wildly successful iOS App Store to its logical conclusion, bringing an orderly, structured app buying experience to desktops and laptops across the globe. The Store will launch with over 1,000 titles, including Apple standards like the iLife suite broken out into separate parts (iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand) selling for $14.99 each, Pages, Keynote, and Numbers for $19.99 apiece, and the bank-breaking Aperture for $79.99. Of course there'll also be third-party apps present at launch, including Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, Pixelmator, Cheetah 3D, and Flight Control HD (yes, a port of the iPad version).

The software itself will be a separate application that functions much like the App Store, providing update notifications and a universal installation process. That process, mind you, will be part of the requirements for getting your application into the store, along with Apple's famous content policies -- so we're sure we'll see some irate devs with painful rejection stories. Or maybe not. We know that the company is planning on getting lots of familiar developers into the Store, but we also know that some of what Apple is looking for may not gel with, say... Adobe's installation procedures (or worse). Regardless, right now the number of apps available is small, but you can expect it to grow fast now that every Mac user will get a crack at this software. We're going to be doing a much deeper dive on the experience and report back -- until then, if you're using it, let us know what you think in comments.

Motorola Xoom becomes official, headed to Verizon in Q1, upgradeable to 4G in Q2(Engadget.com)

2011-01-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

Motorola has just outed its delicious Honeycomb tablet alongside another device, the LTE-equipped Bionic, on its official site. The company's CES press conference is ongoing right now, where the Xoomwill presumably get its proper announcement. All we know so far is that this slate is headed to Verizon, the press release is still somewhere in the hidden parts of the internet. More soon!

Update: The PR and full spec sheet are now embedded after the break. A 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 will power this 10.1-incher, while 4G connectivity will be made available as an update in Q2 following a Q1 launch. Other specs include a 1280 x 800 resolution, 5 megapixel camera, 720p video recording and 1080p video playback, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and finally, a healthy 32GB of onboard storage. The battery is rated to be capable of supporting 10 hours of video. Be still, our beating hearts!

[Thanks, Pratik]

Motorola Xoom official press pics at CES 2011

Motorola Xoom becomes official

Show full PR text

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc announced, we go hands-on (update: video!)[Engadget.com]

2011-01-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

The cat is out of the bag, Sony! We just walked into Sony's CES press conference and look at what we found hanging around in the back? It's Sony's Xperia Arc, and it is one slim smartphone. No, like it is really thin and it has a concave back, which reminds us a lot of the Nexus S. According to the placard it has a "Reality Display" with a Mobile BRAVIA Engine. We're not sure what those fancy words mean, but the display (we're assuming it is 4.2 inches) is definitely extremely bright and crisp -- like AMOLED bright and crisp. We don't know the exact measurements of the handset, but it looks just as thin as the iPhone... if not thinner. Other than that we know it has an mini-HDMI port and runs Android 2.3 (confirmed on the device itself!). It also has a Sony Exmor R camera. We should be learning much more about this thing as soon as it becomes "official," but until then hit the break for some hands-on shots.

Sony Xperia Arc hands-on

Update: Ah, finally some confirmed specs. The Arc does in fact have a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 4.2-inch display, 8.3 megapixel camera, and measures just 8.7mm thick. Hit the break for the full PR and specs.

Show full PR text

Samsung Infuse 4G for AT&T eyes-on (Update: video)[Engadget.com]

2011-01-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

We were checking out the Samsung booth at the Digital Experience event at CES when, lo and behold, we stumbled upon the Samsung Infuse 4G for AT&T in all its gigantic 4.5-inch Super Amoled Plus display glory. There was only one catch: we weren't permitted to touch it, nor take shots of the back of the phone. So we compiled a few pictures of the front and sides of the 9 mm thin device below, including a size comparison with the iPhone 4.

Samsung Infuse 4G for AT&T eyes-on

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Motorola Droid Bionic hands-on (Engadget.com)

2011-01-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

If this is the direction high-power smartphones are going, we like what we're seeing. Though the software's still a bit raw (there's no Android Market, for example), the Droid Bionics on display here at Motorola's CES event this evening look and feel pretty blazingly fast. A spokesman we chatted with said that Motorola is actually doing some manner of software optimization (and yes, it'll launch with 2.2) to take advantage of the two cores out of the box, so it's a promising start -- as Jha says, it's "2GHz of processing power." We hope that's true in practice!

Physically, the phone feels smooth in the same way a Droid 2 does, though a bit lighter -- good news considering the LTE hardware and big display, but not entirely surprising when you take into account the lack of a sliding QWERTY keyboard. The patterned battery cover looks textured, but it's actually quite smooth with a slight soft touch treatment. The screen looks great -- in particular, the viewing angle looked superb, though all phone displays have a tendency to look a little better in this sexy lighting since they can't wash out as easily. Follow the break for video!

Motorola Droid Bionic hands-on

Motorola Atrix 4G, HD multimedia dock, and laptop dock hands-on

2011-01-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

Earlier today, we got a complete demo and some seat time with the Motorola Atrix 4G for AT&T at Motorola's CES event, including its HD multimedia dock and laptop dock. The phone looks similar to theSamsung Vibrant, but with a black screen bezel and a tastefully patterned matte back cover. Build quality is very good, as we'd expect from a Motorola device. The QHD (960 x 540) display is gorgeous and the phone feels ultra snappy, thanks to the dual-core processor running Froyo. In fact, despite still running preliminary firmware, we recorded a blazing 2,616 score on the Quadrant test. The power button at the top back of the Atrix 4G also serves as a fingerprint reader, and there's a dual-LED flash flanking the 5 megapixel camera. Check out the gallery below and read on for the details -- and the complete demo on video -- after the break.

Motorola Atrix 4G, HD multimedia dock, and laptop dock hands-on

The HD multimedia dock features a power connector, three USB ports, and an HDMI output, along with an infrared remote. It turns the Atrix 4G into both a multimedia center, and at desktop PC when connected to a TV / monitor and keyboard / mouse. The laptop dock features a 11.6-inch display, two USB ports, a very nice chiclet keyboard, and a comfortably-sized trackpad with two-finger scrolling. It's super thin and light, and made of a lovely mix of aluminum and plastic.The Atrix 4G docks on the back left edge of the device, behind the display.

But the most impressive part of the entire package is the software and user experience that ties it all together. The Webtop app essentially turns the Atrix 4G into a full blown PC, complete with windowed UI, an Mac OS X-like application dock, a full version of Firefox with Flash 10.1 support, a file manager, and Citrix remote desktop support (shown connected to a PC running Windows XP full screen). Better yet, the state of the Webtop app is maintained between sessions, allowing the Atrix 4G to be undocked at any time without missing a beat. It's the first solid alternative to our Continuous Client proposal. We plan to bring you more coverage as soon as possible, but in the meantime watch the video above.

I know I know I abandoned the Token Black GEEK blog but Im back

2011-01-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

Im back to blogging here for 2011 First up my 2011 CES coverage

T-Mobile’s ’4G’ network now available in over 75 cities

2010-11-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

T-Mobile let us know that they have some pretty big news, just a day after Sprint finally blanketed New York City with 4G coverage. As of tonight, T-Mobile has over 75 live HSPA+ markets which covers an estimated 200 million people. T-Mobile insists on calling it 4G even though it’s not technically a 4G network, but with speeds up to 21Mbps (and T-Mobile looking to bump that to 42Mbps in 2011 and even 84 and 168Mbps after that), we’re not sure it really matters, especially to consumers. Neville Ray, CTO for T-Mobile said:

The footprint of our 4G service is not something that competitors are going to match anytime soon, and starting today, we will begin marketing our network advantage with TV commercials advertising ‘America’s Largest 4G Network’ from T-Mobile.

Chicago, IL, Colorado Springs, CO, Ft. Wayne, IN, Louisville, KY, and Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington, NC have just be lit up with “4G” for your web-browsing, file-downloading pleasure. Full press release is after the break!

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Nov. 2, 2010 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the expansion of its 4G mobile broadband network to six additional metro areas, and introduced two new products designed to tap into its 4G service. Tomorrow marks the national retail availability of the T-Mobile® myTouch® 4G and T-Mobile’s first 4G netbook, the Dell™ Inspiron™ Mini 10 4G. With typical download speeds that are on par with or faster than competing 4G technologies, and service availability in 75 metropolitan markets throughout the United States, the T-Mobile network now offers a super-fast, next generation mobile broadband experience to more people than any other wireless network in the country.

“4G is about performance and today T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network is delivering 4G speeds that match and often beat WiMAX and are comparable to what early LTE will deliver. Our 4G network is capable of theoretical speeds up to 21Mbps and we have seen average download speeds approaching 5 Mbps on our myTouch 4G phone in some cities with peak speeds of nearly 12 Mbps. Further, independent reviewers have seen average download speeds on our webConnect Rocket between 5 and 8 Mbps with peak speeds up to 8-10Mbps,” said Neville Ray, chief technology officer, T-Mobile USA. “The footprint of our 4G service is not something that competitors are going to match anytime soon, and starting today, we will begin marketing our network advantage with TV commercials advertising ‘America’s Largest 4G Network’ from T-Mobile.”

The “America’s Largest 4G Network” message will be communicated in an iconic, arresting and memorable way through national TV and digital advertisements that will begin airing today on major TV networks and cable TV stations, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and TNT, and appearing on websites, including AOL, MSN, Amazon.com and easily viewable on T-Mobile’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/tmobile.

T-Mobile expanded the availability of its 4G network to six additional metropolitan areas, including Chicago, Ill.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; and Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington, N.C. T-Mobile customers with 4G devices in 75 metropolitan areas can now enjoy faster Web browsing, uninterrupted video streaming and quicker downloads at no additional cost.

“Consumers do not understand the technical alphabet soup of technologies involved in 4G, but for our purposes we define WiMAX, LTE and HSPA+ as 4G technologies,” said Chris Nicoll, distinguished research fellow, Yankee Group. “HSPA+ is evolving a far more ambitious and long-term road map than was originally envisioned. T-Mobile is using an upgrade to HSPA+ to deliver faster 4G speeds today and is quickly bringing a number of HSPA+ devices to market that greatly enhance the mobile data experience for its customers.”

In addition to the network expansion, T-Mobile continues to broaden its lineup of products that tap into its 4G network. Available today is the stylish and powerful T-Mobile myTouch 4G smartphone. Designed to access faster speeds on T-Mobile’s 4G network, the myTouch 4G also includes a front-facing camera for Video Chat through Yahoo! Messenger or QIK, HD Camcorder with Screen Share by Twonky™, 5-megapixel camera with flash, Android 2.2, and additional exclusive T-Mobile features such as Genius Button™, powered by Dragon Dictation from Nuance Communications, myModes and Faves Gallery™. The myTouch 4G is appearing in a national ad campaign beginning today and will be the featured device at T-Mobile retail stores nationwide this holiday season.

Also available today is the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 4G, T-Mobile’s first netbook to feature built-in access to T-Mobile’s 4G mobile broadband network. It also includes Windows 7 Starter Edition — Microsoft Corp.’s latest operating system — and a fast processor for easy Web surfing, communication, photo sharing and multimedia playback in one small, ultraportable device.

“With an upgrade path that continues to provide room for considerable speed enhancements, T-Mobile’s 4G network is purpose-built for continued growth. We are now on pace to increase our 4G footprint — reaching 200 million people by the end of this year — with plans to offer 42Mbps theoretical speeds in 2011,” added Ray. “As customer demand for wireless data increases, T-Mobile is well-positioned to compete based on the speed, breadth and evolution path of our mobile broadband service.”

Additional 4G products already available from T-Mobile and designed to take advantage of the faster 4G service include the T-Mobile webConnect® Rocket™ 2.0 laptop stick and the high-powered T-Mobile G2™ with Google™ smartphone. T-Mobile’s 4G smartphones, the myTouch 4G and the T-Mobile G2, are powered by the Android 2.2 operating system, which provides tethering and Wi-Fi Sharing capabilities. Beginning this holiday season, T-Mobile will offer a Tethering and Wi-Fi Sharing service plan that allows customers to use their smartphone as wireless modem for connecting laptops and other devices to the Internet through the T-Mobile mobile broadband network. Customers can add the Tethering and Wi-Fi Sharing plan to their Web – Unlimited $30/monthly plan for an additional $14.99/month.

Product Availability

T-Mobile plans to offer a selection of affordable data plans for both smartphones and broadband products, with smartphone data plans starting as low as $10/month. T-Mobile customers do not pay a premium for access to its 4G network. For more information on T-Mobile products, services, pricing and promotions, visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

The myTouch 4G is available nationwide tomorrow through T-Mobile retail stores, online at http://www.t-mobile.com, at select third-party dealers, and at leading national retailers including Best Buy, Costco, RadioShack, Sam’s Club and Target. Customers can visit http://mytouch.t-mobile.com for more information about the myTouch family of smartphones including the myTouch 4G.

The Dell™ Inspiron™ Mini 10 4G is available tomorrow at http://www.t-mobile.com.

About T-Mobile USA, Inc.

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the second quarter of 2010, approximately 131 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 33.6 million by T-Mobile USA — all via the world’s most widely-used digital wireless standards. T-Mobile USA’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile USA among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations.

Google, Android, and Android Market are a trademark of Google Inc. Yahoo! and Yahoo! Messenger is the trademark and/or registered trademark of Yahoo! Inc. The names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Creative Ziio 7- and 10-inch Android tablets

2010-11-02T06:52:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in the world, Creative just announced a pair of 7-inch (480 x 800) and 10-inch (1024 x 768) Ziio tablets running the Android 2.1 OS. Both feature a ZiiLabs ZMS-08 processor, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, WiFi 802.11b/g, and microSD expansion. They're slated to ship in December with the 7-incher costing €229 (8GB) or €259 (16GB) and the 10-incher demanding €289 (8GB) or €319 (16GB). And somewhere, somebody must be jonesin' for these resistive touchscreen tablets (China?), just not here.

Foxconn and Compal contracted for 5-6 Palm devices in 2011 [rumor]

2010-10-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

While the Palm Pre 2 might be eliciting less-than-impressed responses from Palm fans, we can’t help but wonder what Palm might come out with next. It’s all but assumed that the Pre 2 was the phone Palm had in the pipeline and that it was supposed to be out several months ago, but what’s not all that clear is what’s due next.

According to Chinese trade paper CENS.com's "industry sources," Foxconn Technology and Compal Communications have landed contracts with Palm to produces several new devices. Foxconn is said to have secured the contract for four or five devices, including the PalmPad, while Compal has picked up the contract for one more device. Additionally, all five (or six) devices are due for production and presumably sale in 2011.

If this is true, consider our minds scrambled. That leaves us wondering just what devices we could see if up to six different form factors hit the shelves next year. There’s obviously the tablet, but what else there might be is unclear. Options include portrait and landscape sliders, a keyboard-less slate device, the candy bar Pixi form factor, and... something else to make six? Here's hoping Palm can take some inspiration from our amazingly talented members.

HP has made it clear that they’re intending to invest major dollars into making Palm a successful company, and when you spend $1.2 billion on something, you generally want to make sure you get your money’s worth. Multiple devices hitting the market in the span of a year is one way to get attention, and hopefully rake in some profits.

We’re also taking some comfort from CENS.com’s use of Palm as the contracting company, not HP. It’s a comforting notion that these would be Palm handsets (or tablets (or toasters)) and not HP branded, calming our fears of the Palm brand fading away anytime soon.

Samsung Galaxy Tab hitting T-Mobile USA on November 10th, $400 on contract

2010-10-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

America's number four carrier just landed a launch date for Samsung's Froyo-based Galaxy Tab, and sure enough, it'll be trotting out into the spotlight a full 24 hours before Verizon Wireless and four whole daysprior to Sprint. Trouble is, T-Mob's not being kind enough to dole out a price tag, so there's no reasonable way for you to compare its offering against the competition. But hey, being first out of the gate, they can't hold out on us too much longer, eh?

Update: T-Mobile USA's official Galaxy Tab portal just went live, and guess what? You'll be shelling out $399.99 for this bad boy... on a two-year data contract. You'll also be responsible for a $35 activation fee and a $200 early termination charge should you soon realize just what you've gotten yourself into.

Introducing The PlayStation Phone

2010-10-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that what we're looking at is real -- but we assure you, the picture above is in fact the PlayStation Phone you've long been waiting for. As we reported back in August, the device you see is headed into the market soon, likely boasting Android 3.0 (aka Gingerbread), along with a custom Sony Marketplace which will allow you to purchase and download games designed for the new platform. The device snapped up top (and in our gallery below) is sporting a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 (a chip similar to the one found in the G2, but 200MHz faster), 512MB of RAM, 1GB of ROM, and the screen is in the range of 3.7 to 4.1 inches. Looking almost identical to the mockup we hit you with this summer, the handset does indeed have a long touchpad in the center which is apparently multitouch, and you can see in the photos that it's still bearing those familiar PlayStation shoulder buttons. For Sony buffs, you'll be interested to know that there's no Memory Stick slot here, but there is support for microSD cards.

The particular model in these shots is still in prototyping mode. As such, the unit doesn't have a custom skin (not even SE's Timescape design seen on the Xperia devices), and is said to be rather buggy. We're digging into more facts as we speak, but it's likely that much of what we reported earlier is still accurate, and though the device could still be headed for a 2010 release, 2011 is looking much more realistic. Still, there's a lot of time between now and the holidays... so keep your fingers crossed!

More pics at: Engadget

Samsung Galaxy Tab and Huawei S7 pre-orders kick off at Best Buy Mobile

2010-10-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

Best Buy announced Monday that three upcoming Android tablets are now available for pre-order. Two versions of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Tab can be ordered for $599.99 each, and the Huawei Ideos Tablet S7 will cost $299.99 to reserve. None of the aforementioned pre-orders require a contract. Demand for these Android tablets is not expected to be excessive, however interested parties eager to ensure delivery on launch day will be happy to learn that pre-sales are now available. Each Samsung Galaxy Tab version features a 7-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, dual cameras, 16GB of internal storage, a 1GHz processor and the Android 2.2 operating system. The Huawei S7 features a 7-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi, dual cameras, microSD support and the Android 2.1 operating system. According to Best Buy’s website, pre-orders of all three tablet options will be delivered as early as November 7th.

[Via Best Buy]

Read (Galaxy Tab, Sprint) Read (Galaxy Tab, Verizon Wireless) Read (Huawei S7)