Tech News and Reviews
Tablet
iPad review (2012)
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What’s in a name? Or, more importantly, what’s in a digit? Would that which we call an iPad by any number less than 2 be less sweet? That’s the question Apple posed for us indirectly when it unveiled the new iPad and relegated its future slates (and, presumably, phones) to a numeral-free future. And that new slate? It’s much the same as the old one, with a slightly more chipper processor at its (quad) core and support for both Verizon and AT&T’s fancy new LTE networks.
But there’s one bigger change here, one that will ripple across the industry as each manufacturer struggles to keep up in this ever-accelerating market. That feature is the iPad’s new 2048 x 1536 Retina display. It’s the best display ever featured on a tablet, probably the best display ever on a mobile device, but is that enough to keep this tablet ahead of the pack? Believe it or not, the answer is yes.
The new iPad: are you buying one?
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Today is the day many have been patiently, or not so patiently, waiting for. The new iPad saunters onto shelves around much of the globe, and into the sweaty palms of the “gotta-have-its.” So, were you dazzled by that display? Or tempted by the LTE and new graphics chip? Maybe you’re upgrading, or treating the partner (by treating yourself)? Perhaps you were hoping for the rumored smaller device, or just gotta have something Android. Whatever camp you fall into we want to know about it, tell us via the poll below!
Wacom Intuos5 touch review
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It’s no secret Wacom has a firm grasp on what it takes to make great graphic input devices. Fresh off of its introduction of the Inkling last Fall, the outfit recently unveiled the latest member of its high-end pen tablet line, the Intous5 touch. Essentially, Wacom took what made the Intuos4 a great addition to any designer or illustrator’s workflow and refined it, with this latest iteration sporting a new rubber-coated shell. It also implements touch gestures — much like those on the fresh Bamboo models — which can be customized to speed up tasks you need to be complete on the regular, preferably without the aid of a mouse.
Sure, a new matte black suit and the ability to navigate Adobe Creative Suite without a pen seem impressive at first glance, but is the new model worth investing northward of $229? Are you better off sticking with the Intuos4 you splurged on a while back? Let’s see.
Is your new iPad heating up?
0Apple’s latest hot ticket seems to be a tad too hot to hold, some users are reporting. New iPad owners on the Apple’s own support community complain that the slab’s lower left corner can get a little warm during extended use. Don’t get excited though, reports seem to vary by user — some are reporting that their tablet becomes too uncomfortable to hold while others say that it only gets “slightly warm” and that it’s “expected.” How’s your new iPad treating you? Click on through to the comments and let us know.
Wacom announces Intuos5 graphics tablets, we go hands-on! (video)
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It’s a couple of months since we spotted paperwork for a mysterious “PTK-450″ device at the FCC and now Wacom has finally revealed the gadget that goes with the label. The Intuos5 tablet is available to purchase immediately in Small (4 x 6 inches), Medium (6 x 
and Large (13 x sizes, priced at £200, £330 and £430 respectively. We’re still waiting on confirmation of US pricing, but it’ll no doubt be less than what a straight currency conversion suggests (i.e. somewhere below $320, $525 and $680). There’s actually a fourth variant to add to the trio, but it’s not an XL — Wacom is hoping to up-sell you to a Cintiq 21UX or Cintiq 24HD if you want something bigger. Instead, the fourth tablet is a version of the Medium that comes without touch sensitivity, bringing the price down to £270 if you’re able to live with pen-only input. Opting for this particular model will remove one of the biggest upgrades in this three-year product cycle: the ability of the Intuos5 to sense up to 16 finger-touches simultaneously, rather than just the nib of the pen. But there have been other revisions since the Intuos4 aside from touch, and you only have to read on to discover what those are.
Nook Tablet update closes sideloading loophole, lacks holiday spirit
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Remember all that extra functionality your Nook Tablet used to have? Well, that’s what memories are there for. The recently-released Nook 1.4.1 firmware update apparently prevents the Nook Tablet from installing Android apps from non-Barnes & Noble sources. As a result, the unit is confined to the roughly 2,000 apps available through B&N’s app store (many of which are priced higher than their Android Market equivalents). This lockdown has already been performed on the Nook Color and trying to sideload a new title will pop up a warning that only apps from the Nook store can be installed on the device. At least it appears that third-party apps already on the tablet will continue to run and there’s always the hope of a custom ROM that could reenable the feature on Christmas morning.
Lenovo LePad S2005 vs. Dell Streak 5… cuddle!
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It’s inevitable that these two 5-inch tabletphones — the Dell Streak 5 on the left and the Lenovo LePad S2005 on the right — are to meet in the Chinese capital. With the exception of the slightly taller body on the S2005 everything else are suspiciously similar, especially the button and camera layout. Well, there’s a good explanation for this: we’ve been informed that this new tabletphone hails from the same ODM, Qisda, as Dell’s counterpart. Too bad Lenovo decided to keep the same screen resolution though.
According to Stone Ip from Engadget Chinese, he found that the S2005 has a nicer grip than the Streak, and he also digs its more masculine appearance — obviously this is open to debate. Performance-wise this slate responded well to our input, but the lack of promise on an Ice Cream Sandwich update will probably make potential geeky buyers think twice. Well, good thing we have some awesome modders around the interwebs these days.
New NOVO7 8GB Basic Version With Android 3.2 OS and Ingenic JZ4770 CPU
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Ainol NOVO7 Tablet PC with Android 3.2 System and 2.0MP Camera/Wifi/HDMI – 8GB
Ainol have recently announced its NOVO7 tablet. Ainol NOVO7 tablet PC runs on Android 3.2 OS, and with 802.11b/g/n WiFi built in, that you can download so many Android applications. NOVO7 tablet PC has 7.0 inch 800×480 pixels 5-Points-Touch Screen. Powered by Ingenic JZ4770 1GHZ CPU, 512MB DDR3, 8GB flash memory onboard. NOVO7 focus on multimedia playback different from others. Support so many video formats and up to 1080p playback. NOVO7 is more like iPad 2. It also with 0.3MP Front Camera and 2.0MP Back Camera, OTG, G-sensor, HDMI and E-book. The NOVO7 built in Spider-Man game, you can have the HERO’s wonderful experience.
Product page: http://www.ownta.com/ainol-novo7-android-3.2-os-tablet-pc-with-2.0mp-camera-wifi-hdmi-8gb-basic-edition.html
Ainol NOVO7 Tablet PC Features:
- Android 3.2 OS (Flash 11 / Netflix / Google Apps)
- 7.0 inch, 5-Point Capacitive Touch Screen, 800×480 pixels
- Ingenic JZ4770 1GHZ Processor, Vivante GC860 GPU
- 512 MB RAM, 8GB Storage memory, support MicroSD card that can expand up to 32GB
- Build-in Wifi 802.11b/g
- Build-in Microphone and Speaker
- Build-in 0.3MP Front Camera and 2.0MP Back Camera
- Mini HDMI 1080P Output, OTG, USB 2.0 Transfer ports
New NOVO7 Basic Version only need $129.99 with Free Shipping Service, we also ship free case, free screen protector and free charger adapter as gifts.
For more latest Android Tablet MID, please check this page: http://www.ownta.com/wholesale-dropship-computers/tablet-pc-mid-and-umpc/
Acer Iconia Tab A100 review
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It’s been nine months — nine months! — since Acer first announced it was getting into the tablet game, with a promise of both 7- and 10-inch slates. Well, the 10-inch Iconia Tab A500 has been on the scene for months, but until now we’ve been tapping our feet impatiently waiting for the other tab to drop. Acer came out and said it wouldn’t be here until the second half of the year, and meanwhile we’d heard rumors it would arrive in September and that it was delayed due to “Honeycomb compatibility issues“.
Well, folks, dog years later it’s finally here. Say hello to the Acer Iconia Tab A100, the company’s first 7-inch tablet, and the first 7-inch tablet to run Android 3.2. Other than its OS, its specs are fairly run-of-the-mill: a Tegra 2 SoC, five- and two-megapixel cameras, and micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports. And rejoice, geeks, because that’s vanilla Honeycomb loaded on there — you won’t find any custom skins or proprietary widgets clogging your home screens. As much promise as these vitals might have for nerds, though, Acer is clear the tablet is for mainstream consumers (“moms,” among others, according to the press release). We’re not sure how your mother would feel about the precious pattern on the back, but chances are she’d appreciate the bargain factor: the 8GB version costs $329.99 while the 16GB number rings in at a reasonable $349.99, undercutting the 16GB HTC Flyer by $150. We’ve been lucky to get some quality time with the A100 the past few days, and let’s just say we’re coming away with some mixed feelings. But do we like it enough that we feel this little guy was worth the wait? That’s a toughie, guys.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 European ban hearing to be held August 25th
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No one was all that surprised when Samsung announced plans to fight the injunction granted by a German court that banned the sale of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe — what is perhaps surprising, however, is how quickly the wheels of justice are spinning on this one. The hearing, which was initially expected to take four weeks to get started, will be held on August 25th. A decision on overturning the ban is expected to arrive a few weeks after that date.