The tablet is referred to as a “backcountry survival tablet,” and it comes with all the features that most hikers would want out of such a device, including the typical wireless connections including NFC, as well as GPS with topographical maps that are preloaded onto the tablet. There’s a two-way walkie-talkie built in to chat with other hikers who have an Earl tablet as well.

The device sports a 6-inch e-ink display, so it’s certainly nothing that you would watch movies or play games on, and there’s also no camera to take photos, but we’re guessing you’d use your dedicated shooter anyway if you wanted to take photos of the beautiful scenery. It won’t be a tablet for most everyday users, but it seems that it’s an option for the survivalists.

As for price and availability, the Earl tablet is actually trying to raise money to fund its production. The tablet’s website is currently taking pre-orders at $250 a pop, which is 30% off the retail price of the tablet when it eventually launches. The company is seeking $250,000 and they’ve raised almost $13,000 so far as of this writing, with 32 days left to go.

[via Android Community]

Archos is calling these tablets the Platinum line, and the company says that they “are amongst the first Android tablets to offer a super high resolution IPS screen combined with the performance of a Quad-Core CPU.” The tablets come with a 1.2 GHz quad-core chip, 2GB of RAM, front and rear cameras, microSD card slot, HDMI-out, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to run the show.

However, not all three of these tablets quite match the pixel density of the full-size iPad. The 8-inch Platinum rocks a 1024×768 resolution, the 11.6-inch model has a 1920×1080 resolution, and the 9.7-inch variant has 2048×1536 resolution, which is right on par with the iPad’s own Retina display — no more, no less.

Of course, this isn’t the first high-resolution tablet that Archos has put together. Back in December, the company outed the 97 Titanium HD, which comes with a 9.7-inch screen with a 2048×1536 resolution. However, that model only had a measly dual-core on the inside, while the new Platinum slates are rocking quad-core chips.

The Archos 80 Platinum will begin shipping later this month for $199, while the 97 Platinum HD will be available around the same time for $299. The larger 116 Platinum will begin shipping in April at a cost $349. These tablets are definitely less expensive than competing tablets, so it’ll be interesting to see how they hold up against the competition.

The company had originally promised a 10-inch tablet back when it was announced, but it looks like that model will be delayed even further. Instead, Wikipad is working with a smaller tablet this time around — a 7-inch tablet for $249. The company says that the delay of the 10-inch model was ultimately due to the lack of interest with tablet gamers, so the company decided to out a cheaper tablet that would be catered towards more mobile users.

It’s not yet said where the tablet will be sold at, other than at “leading retailers,” and no official release date has been confirmed, other than a spring 2013 window. The 7-inch Wikipad has an NVIDIA Tegra 3 chip, 1GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 1280×800 resolution. The tablet will also be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and will have the full array of ports, sensors, and amenities, including WiFi, Bluetooth, and HDMI out.

As for the 10-inch Wikipad, the company says that’s still in the works, and they hope to release it before the end of 2013, but there seem to be no guarantees. The gamepad itself will have two joysticks — one on each side — as well as a D-pad and four regular buttons. There will also be Start and Select buttons, with one on either side.

Right off the bat, we’re looking at a 1024×768 display, which isn’t high-res by any means, but it matches the iPad mini. The tablet will also run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and will powered by a dual-core 1.4GHz processor. There’s also 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot (with support for cards up to 32GB), a 3700 mAh battery, and a 2MP rear camera, with a 0.3MP front-facing shooter.

The tablet takes on mostly the same size and shape as the iPad mini, except it will be just slightly larger, thanks to the thicker bezel all the way around the display. The tablet will also come with HDMI, as well as all the other goodies you expect in a modern slate, including Wi-Fi 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, USB, and an accelerometer.

We have yet to hear about pricing details, which is one area that many prospective buyers are wondering about. Until we hear more about the tablet, you’re better off hold your breath and waiting for a price tag before you pull your wallet out so soon. However, it’s possible that the V81 could make an appearance at Mobile World Congress, so keep your eyes pointed to our MWC coverage next month to learn more.

[via Android Community]

The first thing you notice when accessing Google News on a tablet is its rather clean, streamlined look. There’s less “junk” to deal with, and white space has been smoothed out and minimized so that it isn’t obtrusive. The display size on the tablet you’re using to access Google News will influence how the website is displayed.

When using a smaller tablet, such as the Nexus 7, the website’s layout doesn’t include the right-side Editors’ Picks sidebar, as well as the “Explore in Depth” option and article excerpts. When using a bigger tablet, however, such as the iPad, the “Explore in Depth” option is available, as are excerpts and the ability to see editor picks on the right side of the browser.

Readers can use various swiping gestures to navigate through Google News from a tablet. Swiping to the side, for example, allows one to flip through sections. Says Google, “There’s something special about reading news on your tablet. Indeed, swiping through articles brings to mind the familiar feeling of flipping through a favorite magazine or newspaper.”

[via Google News Blog]

While the Nexus 10 already has Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on board, the CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies (based on 4.2 as well), will provide Nexus 10 owners a chance to see what third-party developers have planned for the new tablet. Obviously, these nightly builds are in their alpha stages, so you should expect them to be a little buggy and unstable.

Of course, before installing these CyanogenMod builds, you’ll need some know-how on rooting, flashing, etc., so if you feel the least bit uncomfortable performing such tasks, it’s probably best you leave your Nexus 10 untouched, especially since the smallest mistake could end up bricking your device.

We’re not sure when stable builds will be available for the Nexus 10 (or the Nexus 4 for that matter), but it should only be a matter of time after seeing these nightly builds being posted up. We honestly can’t wait to see what the hacking community will do with the high-resolution display of the Nexus 10. Hopefully we’ll see something good soon.

According to Computer World, 4.2′s security system is an extension of the Google Play Store’s security technology, which analyzes apps uploaded to the store for maliciousness. With Android’s new security system, however, the mobile OS will scan apps installed from third-party sources in real time. This offers users protection from malicious apps that aren’t vetted by the Play Store’s security system.

Android’s security system is opt-in. Users who download an app from a third-party source will be prompted the first time around to let Google check them for harmful behavior. The users can then opt-in by tapping “Agree,” or dismiss it and take the risk. If you opt-out the first time around but change your mind later on, you can enable the feature in Security via Settings.

Said Android’s Vice President of Engineering Hiroshi Lockheimer, “We view security as a universal thing. Assuming the user wants this additional insurance policy, we felt like we shouldn’t exclude one source over another.” Apps are checked via Google’s app database. According to Lockheimer, the company has a “catalog of 700,000 applications in the Play Store, and beyond that, we’re always scanning stuff on the Web in terms of APKs that are appearing.”

[via Computer World]

The Nexus 10 is incredibly light and comes with an amazing high-resolution screen with a 2560×1600 resolution. It’s got a powerful processor and obviously a strong army of Google apps and services. However, tablet-specific apps have been somewhat of a hit-or-miss with Android, but Google is looking to change that.

Robert Hamilton, product manager on Google’s mobile team, says that Google would “like developers to think more and more about great tablet experiences,” and that “there’s a lot of really good Android tablets out there now.” Hamilton mentioned the Nexus 10 specifically and said that if the Nexus 10 is going to be successful, it needs developers that can make great tablet apps for it.

Hamilton also says that he’s seeing “smart” Android developers go beyond just supporting a bigger screen when developing tablet apps, but also thinking about the user experience as a whole, such as usage habits like where tablets are used, how they’re being used, and what they’re being used for.

[via The Guardian]

The new exemptions take effect on October 28 and are valid for the next three years. Five types of circumvention are addressed by the exemptions, most of which present the kind of head-scratching stipulations and arbitrariness that make you wonder who is coming up with this stuff. One of the most obvious bits of oddness is the exemption making it legal to unlock smartphones purchased before 2013, but not phones purchased after.

Concerning the legality of jailbreaking: while unlocking smartphones is legal, performing the same actions with a tablet is not. The reason? The definition of “tablet” is too broad at the moment. According to the ruling, “…an e-book reading device might be considered a ‘tablet,’ as might a handheld video game device or a laptop computer.” It was ruled that there is insufficient basis for developing a definition for tablets, which is necessary in order to apply the jailbreaking exemption currently given to smartphones.

Next up is the issue of circumventing ebooks, which is permissible for disability access. The exemption concerns “literary works, distributed electronically, that are protected by technological measures which either prevent the enabling of read-aloud functionality or interfere with screen readers or other applications or assistive technologies.” This is an expansion on the 2010 exemption that only permitted circumvention if every available ebook edition contained access controls.

The issue of unlocking just took a step backwards, sadly. The latest exemption removes the previously instituted permission to unlock a phone for use with a new carrier. This change makes it so that only phones originally “acquired from the operator of a wireless telecommunications network or retailer no later than ninety days after the effective date of this exemption” can be unlocked.

Finally, the exemption on ripping DVDs makes the activity permissible for the purpose of using parts of the film in a documentary, noncommercial video, in non-fiction multimedia ebooks offering film analysis, and for educational use by college students and faculty and k-12 teachers in courses requiring the study of film and media excerpts. Decryption is also permissible for disability access, with individuals being permitted “to access the playhead and/or related time code information embedded in copies of such works and solely for the purpose of conducting research and development for the…blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing….” Sadly, it’s still not permissible to “space-shift,” meaning that ripping a DVD on your computer so that you can watch it on your iPhone, for example, is not considered fair use.

[via Ars Technica]

The report states, “The IC3 has been made aware of various malware attacking Android operating systems for mobile devices. Some of the latest known versions of this type of malware are Loozfon and FinFisher.” The report goes on to describe two pieces of malware. Loozfon steals information, while FinFisher is spyware that, once installed, can be used to monitor and take remote control of the mobile device it infects.

Back in August, Kaspersky Labs reported that malware targeting Android increased threefold in Q2 of 2012, with 14,900 new malicious programs added to its database. According to the report, nearly half of the items added to its database were “multi-functional trojans” that mined contact info from infected phones, such as names and phone numbers. Backdoor trojans accounted for 18% of the threats detected.

What can you do to help safeguard your Android device from malware? IC3 recommends turning off features on the phone that aren’t needed to “minimize the attack surface of the device,” using encryption, reviewing app publishers and reviews before downloading, and understanding the permissions you give an app, among a few others. The report recommends using a passcode as a first layer of security, and changing the settings so that the passcode is enabled after the phone is idle for a few minutes. While all the tips are fairly straight-forward, it’s good to keep them in mind.

[via CNET]

Tablet usage overall for accessing the internet has now risen to 31 percent in the US, up from 12 percent last year, which is 74 million more tablet users. The adoption rate is expected to continue its climb, reaching 47 percent penetration by 2013. Currently, tablet users use their devices for 13.9 hours per week on average, 74 percent of them use it daily, and 60 percent use it several times a day.

About 94 percent of tablet usage is for accessing content and information, followed by internet usage at 67 percent, and checking email at 66 percent. Of the content-related activities, 54 percent is for watching videos, 49 percent for getting weather information, 37 percent for national news, and 36 percent for entertainment content.

Although paid apps only account for 23 percent of all tablet apps downloaded in the past year, 72 percent of all tablet owners have paid for at least one app. Most tablet owners showed a preference for free apps with advertising over paid apps. However, OPA still expects the total market for paid tablet apps to reach $2.6 billion in 2012.

The actual global tablet shipments in 2011 was 69.6 million units. That number is expected to surge to 107.4 million units for this year and then to double by 2016 to 222.1 million units. Not only has IDC raised its forecast on future shipments, but it has also shifted more of those units towards iOS at the expense of Android. Tablets that are neither iOS nor Android, such as RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook, are exepcted to drop from 3 percent in 2011 to 1 percent in 2012.

The forecast, however, does not include upcoming Windows 8 tablets, which IDC will incorporate into its tracking starting next quarter. Additionally, IDC lowered its forecast for eReaders in 2012 from 28.2 million to 28 million units, after a disappointing first quarter. Lower priced tablets are believed to be affecting eReader demand.

According to BGR, a “reliable source” has already seen first-hand the Microsoft Office app running on an iPad. In fact, the app looks almost identical to the one leaked by The Daily a few months back. Microsoft, however, denied that report, saying it was based on inaccurate rumors and speculation.

The source also revealed that the app displayed “Office for iOS” suggesting that it will be compatible with all iOS devices and not just the iPad. As for Office on Android, it appears that the suite may only be arriving for Android tablets and not smartphones.

Google has just wrapped up the earnings call but there were a few things we wanted to share with our readers. For one Larry predicts that CPC (basically pay per clicks) of ads will continue to grow as expected, but Larry himself said, “CPC on mobile will pass that of the desktop and PC soon.” Leading us to believe they will continue to push Android and the mobile ad market extremely hard moving forward. When he says “Mobile” that is smartphones and tablets both — and not just Android. This leads us to the more important hardware comments by Larry, and that is regarding Android tablets.

Google CEO Larry Page:

There’s been a lot of success on some lower-priced tablets that run Android, maybe not the full Google version of Android, but we definitely believe that there is going to be a lot of success at the lower end of the market. As well, with lower-priced products that will be very significant. It’s definitely an area we think is quite important and that we’re quite focused on.

During the Q&A the question on Android and tablets was brought up more than once but everyone was very vague on responses. This reply from Larry is the only thing that truly stood out to us. With multiple reports of a budget Android tablet being released by Google themselves we immediately thought of that tablet. We’ve been reporting on rumors that Google is set to release a budget yet extremely portable and powerful quad-core 7″ tablet for the awesome low price of $199 — shattering everything else available and setting the tone for Android tablets. If his comments today about “lower-priced products being significant,” and an area they are “quite focused” on wasn’t a hint then I don’t know what is.

We are starting to see the same thing from others such as Samsung. Just today we got a chance to check out their new Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for only $249. With Samsung and hopefully Google bringing impressive tablets to market at a low price point, hopefully the rest follow suite, including app developers. Obviously we didn’t hear anything juicy and this is pure speculation, but can’t hurt to wonder and dream right?

Obviously one of Apple’s main competitors from the Android side has been Samsung so they were quick to make a few comments on that. One in particular was regarding Twitter and how it looks like a bloated phone app and not something built for a tablet. Here’s what Tim Cook had to say:

Showing a Twitter app running on a Samsung tablet on Android – It kind of looks like a blown-up smartphone app — because that’s exactly what it is. Compare that to Twitter on iPad.

Pretty interesting comment considering Android tablets before Android 4.0 have had Honeycomb — an OS built for tablets that was not a phone operating system like iOS is. Either way we found it interesting for sure. It’s all about the apps, and the developers.

Then he instantly talked about the only tablet that is better than the iPad 2. Stating that out of the 100+ tablets shipped to compete with the iPad 2 only ONE is better — and that is the all new iPad. All the details are here at SlashGear so keep reading as we detail all the specs, battery life, and full availability!

Samsung had attacked the tablet market with a series of Galaxy Tab slates in a variety of sizes, from 7-inch up to 10-inch, but none managed to grab much of the US market as had Apple’s iPad or even Amazon’s Kindle Fire. It seemed almost like the spaghetti approach, flinging tablets at the market to see what stuck with consumers. Despite skepticism, Samsung believes that its 5-inch Galaxy Note will be the answer this year.

Some have criticized the Galaxy Note as being too large for a phone and yet too small for a tablet, while others laud the size to be the perfect in-between that brings the best of both worlds into one slightly larger but still manageable package. Yoon himself says that he no longer takes notes on paper and uses the 5-inch Galaxy Note exclusively, eliminating the need for both a phone and a tablet.

Yoon expects that Samsung will ship 10 million units of the 5-inch model this year, believing that the S-Pen stylus that comes with device gives it a strong competitive advantage. With the stylus, the Galaxy Note can do more than content consumption, allowing users more capabilities in content creation.

As for the just announced Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1-inch version, Yoon was asked whether it was redundant given the existing Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1-inch tablet already on the market. “The best thing to survive in the market is to kill your products,” answered Yoon. “We want to stay competitive in the market.”

[via CNET]

What could have potentially been one of the best moves for the Xyboard is that its official name is the Droid Xyboard. Unfortunately, most people just end up dropping the Droid moniker, and secondly that moniker has lost a lot of its value. Motorola should have captured that brand momentum with its first tablet, the Xoom. It isn’t making nearly as big a splash now.

Nevertheless, the availability of cheaper Xyboards should spark some new interest in the company’s second big attempt to cash in on the tablet war. There are four versions of the device, broken up into 10.1-inch models and 8.2-inch models, each with either 16 GB or 32 GB. Prices range from $400 to $600, a modest decrease from the cost of their 4G LTE-equipped counterparts.

[via Unwired View]

The Coby tablets will have a range in sizes, including a 7-inch (MID7042), 8-inch (MID8042), 9-inch (MID9042), 9.7-inch (MID9742), and 10-inch (MID1042) models. All the tablets will have capacitive touchscreens and be powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor with 1GB of RAM. They will also support WiFi, HDMI 1080p output, and expandable storage up to 32GB.

The tablets are optimized for browsing the web, playing games, checking email, and watching videos. Although no prices have been announced yet, they will likely be in the lower-end range, since Coby is known for their budget-friendly devices. We’ll definitely keep an eye out for the Coby tablets at CES as well as other affordable alternatives.

[via PRNewsWire]

The other apps include more specialized creativity tools, including Adobe Collage, which lets you import photos and provides drawing tools to create image collages. There’s also Adobe Debut that works like a presentation software for Creative Suites files, Adobe Ideas for vector-based drawing tools, Adobe Kuler for color theme creation, and Adobe Proto for websites and mobile apps prototyping.

The apps, each costing $9.99, will be released first for Android starting next month, while release dates for the iPad versions may not be until early 2012, likely in time to debut with the iPad 3. And although there’s no mention of Windows 8 tablets, the platform is expected to support all apps that have worked in the past for Windows 7, meaning that even traditional Photoshop should work on Windows 8 tablets.

The apps will all be integrated with Adobe’s Creative Cloud, which will allow the company’s desktop and mobile apps to sync and share content. Integrations with Facebook and Google search also allow for easy grabbing and sharing of images without leaving the apps.

[via MacRumors]

IDC attributes the strong worldwide shipment of tablets in Q2 to the demand for Apple’s iPad 2, which shipped 9.3 million units and represents a 68.3 percent share of the entire worldwide tablet market. This was a slight increase from the previous quarter of 65.7 percent. RIM entered the market with the PlayBook reaching 4.9 percent share and, surprisingly, Android tablets slipped down to 26.8 percent from the previous quarter of 34 percent.

Android tablet share is expected to see another drop down to 23 percent in Q3 before it jumps back up in Q4 to 25.9 percent. HP’s WebOS tablet share will see an increase to 4.7 percent in Q3 due to the $99 fire sale but since production is discontinued, its share should disappear by the first quarter of 2012.

The expectation for Amazon’s tablet, however, will not benefit the Android tablet share, as IDC is considering the much rumored slate to be an e-reader that will compete directly with Barnes & Noble’s Nook Color rather than Apple’s iPad 2.

E-reader shipments took a dip in Q2, down 9 percent to 5.4 million units, but is expected to grow through the holiday season and reach a total of 27 million units for 2011.

[via MarketWatch]

Samsung may have inadvertently revealed three of its upcoming products when they released their Samsung Mobile Unpacked teaser app on Android Market. The app is meant to reveal Samsung news and events as they develop at next week’s IFA 2011, which is the largest consumer electronics show in Europe and takes place in Berlin, Germany from September 2 to 7.

The app delivers exclusive early access news on Samsung’s events and locations for IFA, including official press releases and even the ability to stream live video of the major Samsung press events. A tipster of Thisismynext, dug around the app’s APK and discovered three logo images for a Galaxy Tab 7.7, a Galaxy Note, and a Wave 3.

The Galaxy Tab 7.7 tablet isn’t a surprise since it makes sense that Samsung would follow up its Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 tablets and it will most certainly run a version of Android Honeycomb. The Wave 3 is expected to be a smartphone running Samsung’s latest Bada OS, and we’ve seen teaser video for it in recent weeks. However, the Galaxy Note doesn’t lend any clues as to what device it could be. Perhaps, another tablet of some sort? Let us know if you have any guesses.

For Q2 2011, the Acer reports a loss of 6.8 billion New Taiwan Dollars (NT$) or about $236 million, which is far more than the anticipated shortfall of NT$3.3 billion or $114.7 million and a drastic difference from its NT$1.19 billion or $43 million profit posted in the previous quarter. The company expects to continue operating in the red for the rest of this year, saying that it would be impossible to break even for the full year.

However, Acer Chairman J.T. Wang insists that tablets are only a fad and that he expects the “fever” for tablets to recede. The year before, Wang had predicted that the iPad’s market share would fall to between 20 and 30 percent of the tablet market, but to date, the iPad still takes well over 50 percent of tablet sales.

Acer has also had to deal with the departure of its CEO Gianfranco Lanci followed with internal conflicts on the company’s strategy. Transitioning its focus from it’s once flourishing netbook business to tablets, the company has in recent months released the Acer Iconia Tab A500 and A100 Android tablets.

[via Reuters]

Furthermore, fragmentation of the Android platform has hindered its growth making development for the platform more difficult. User experience is also less consistent, holding back general mass consumer adoption. With the upcoming Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich, which will unify the smartphone and tablet versions of the platform may see improved adoption by both developers and consumers next year.

Additionally, many low-cost tablets are being introduced that could help bolster sales growth for tablets, but with these lower-end tablets that also have less features, it could create a negative perception of tablets for the general consumer market. It will be important for the platform to pull together to deliver good user experiences to push tablets beyond the early adopter market.

Tablet growth has not been as strong as traditional PCs or smartphones, but they are starting to pick up. Worldwide annual tablet shipments are expected to top 120 million units in 2015.

[via ABI Research]

According to CNET, a source familiar with the company’s plans for the S1 and S2 tablets, says that the duo will be available in both 16GB and 32GB models. The S1 tablet will have both a Wi-Fi-only model as well as a Wi-Fi and 3G model. The S2, however, will only come in a Wi-Fi and 3G capable model.

Additionally, the source points out that the S1 will feature a 9.4-inch IPS display with TruBlack and Bravia display technologies as well as a full-sized SD card slot. And when probed about battery life, the source mentioned that the S1 is “comparable to the iPad 2.” Accessories such as a dock and at least one Bluetooth keyboard are planned for the tablet with the keyboard designed such that it can be clipped to the bottom of the S1 when not in use.

The S1 is the 10-inch tablet that takes on the form of a folded-back magazine, while the S2 is the smaller clam-shell tablet that folds open to reveal dual 5.5-inch displays. They will both be PlayStation Certified devices running on Android 3.0 Honeycomb with a customized interface that integrates some of Sony’s existing services such as Qriocity for music and movies.

The tablets are expected to launch in Europe in September, but release information for the US has not yet been revealed, except that the 3G versions will likely get service through AT&T, which is also the exclusive carrier for Sony’s PS Vita portable gaming device.

[via CNET]

Samsung:
Samsung Galaxy S II passes 5m sales worldwide
Samsung Galaxy S II Coming to USA via Verizon First, So Sayeth Mueller
Samsung Galaxy S II Slide from AT&T Pictured in Photos
Samsung Galaxy S II Telescope Teaser Sent to Publishers
White Samsung Galaxy S II gets official
Samsung Galaxy S II Sign-Up Page For US Goes Live

Motorola:
Motorola Confirms Droid Bionic In September, Plus Two New 4G LTE Tablets
Motorola XOOM 4G LTE Upgrade Confirmed For September

HTC & ASUS:
HTC confirms 6-8 new phones/tablets in 2H 2011
HTC Puccini Tablet Press Images Leaked

Apple:
Apple top US smartphone manufacturer; Android pulls ahead of iOS
Apple Grabs Two-Thirds Of Mobile Phone Industry Profits
Apple and Samsung take top smartphone sales spots; Nokia falls to 3rd
Apple Readying Ultra-Thin 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros?
iPad 3 Contract Goes To Pegatron Instead Of Foxconn
iPhone 5 To Hit Second Week Of September, iPad 3 In November?
iPhone 5 Case Prototypes Reveal Radical New Design

AT&T:
AT&T reportedly readying staff for iPhone 5 September debut
AT&T Confirms Data Throttling To Start October 1

Verizon:
Verizon 4G LTE Adding More Markets On August 18
RadioShack To Ditch T-Mobile For Verizon
BlackBerry Bold 9930 Outed By Verizon Ahead Of Official Announcement

Microsoft:
Windows Phone Mango Released To Manufacturing
Fujitsu Toshiba IS12T WP7 Mango phone official [Video]

Giveaways:
Tabletpalooza Week 3 Acer Iconia Tab A500 Giveaway Final Countdown!
SlashGear Archos 101 Internet Tablet Giveaway

Reviews/Unboxings/Hands-on:
Motorola Triumph Review [Virgin Mobile]
Motorola PHOTON 4G Review
LG Thrill 4G Review
Motorola XPRT Review
Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 4G LTE on Verizon Hands-on and unboxing
Vizio Tablet Unboxing And Hands-On

The ASUS Eee Pad Slider first debuted back at CES alongside the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, which has since launched and reaped great success. It’s not clear why the Eee Pad Slider is taking so long to launch, but speculation suggests some problems with its slide-and-tilt mechanism. Another possible factor is a switch from NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 chipset to Intel’s Oak Trail Atom Z670. However, none of this has been confirmed.

In Phone House’s August catalog, the Eee Pad Slider is listed at €349, the equivalent of $467 on contract with ZON. Off contract, the Slider goes for €479 or $684. And although it’s been given an August release for the UK but not in the US, its recent journey through the FCC in the states suggest its on the way here as well.

And in case you’re not familiar, the ASUS Eee Pad Slider is a 10.1-inch tablet with a 1280×800 resolution, 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera, 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash, and plenty of ports, including a mini-HDMI, mini-USB, and microSD card slot. For more details, you can take a look at our hands-on video with the Eee Pad Slider.

[via Engadget]

A major change will be the addition of more touch-friendly navigation menu buttons at the top left, including a Search drop-down that makes it easier to switch between results in Images, Videos, Places, Shopping and more. Image results will now also be larger and load faster, with filtering options easily selectable from the top navigation area.

The overall look takes on the design style introduced with Google+, with a more simplified and streamlined layout, larger text, buttons, and other touch targets. The new Google Search should work equally well in both portrait and landscape orientations.

However, the update is rolling out gradually in the coming days and will be available in 36 languages. And although it will work on all iPads, it will not be supported in any Android tablets below Android 3.1 Honeycomb. To try it out, simply navigate to Google.com in your tablet’s web browser.

[via Google Mobile Blog]

Recent rumors have suggested a September 1 launch for the Motorola Droid Bionic, which is expected to land on Verizon’s 4G LTE network. Jha confirmed the September time frame for the Droid Bionic but also adds that they have at least one other 4G LTE smartphone planned for this year. Additionally, the Webtop interface for the Atrix 4G could get some enhancements before the end of the year as well.

As for upcoming tablets, Jha revealed that there will be two new 4G LTE tablets due within the coming months, with one of them likely to be a Motorola XOOM sequel since shipments of the original are planned to go down during a “transition” to the new product. Almost no details were given on the other tablet except that it will have a smaller size.

Motorola seemed rather confident that it can deliver all this before the end of the year. We can only keep our fingers crossed considering how long it took them to ready the Droid Bionic and to offer the 4G upgrade for existing XOOM 3G customers. The promised upgrade is expected to start in September, when customers will have to ship their tablets back to the factory to get the component installed for free.

[via CNET]

The image was leaked on AsiaDroid showing the Dell Streak Pro looking ready to ship and running Android 3.1 Honeycomb. It’s expected to ship in China as soon as tomorrow, although no details were revealed about it coming stateside. The 10.1-inch tablet features a 1280 x 800 resolution display, 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 1GB of RAM, 2-megapixel front-facing camera, and 5-megapixel rear-facing camera.

Something interesting about the image is that the Dell Streak Pro is pictured alongside the 5-inch Streak and the 7-inch Streak 7, with the latter slate noticeably running Honeycomb rather than the Froyo it originally shipped with. This means that the Streak 7 could very soon be getting an upgrade to Android 3.2 Honeycomb.

[via Android Community]

Hardware

The Verbatim Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard is designed to work with your iPhone and iPad (iOS 4 or higher) but can also work with Bluetooth-enabled Android 3.0 tablets and the BlackBerry PlayBook. It comes in a nice leather carrying case and measures roughly 6.25″ x 4″ x 0.75″ when folded closed. Its plastic body feels relatively solid and has some weight to it that’s not as ideal but also not enough to be a problem.

The keyboard clicks open nicely upon pressing a latch and sits in place thanks to four small rubbery feet. The standard style keyboard, as opposed to a chiclet style keyboard, has some non-standard key sizes to fit into a smaller footprint. For instance, the “G” and “B” keys are a bit smaller to fit on either side of the center hinge while the “V” key is larger and all the top-row number keys are much smaller. The space bar is also split into two keys. For touch-typers this may slow you down a bit, but should be quick to get used to.

There are also some additional media controls and keyboard shortcuts that work especially well with the iPhone and iPad. There are the usual play/pause, fast-forward, rewind, and volume up/down buttons on the left side along with some dedicated keys including Control, Function, Alt, Alt Gr, @, and Menu, which works with other keys to replace hot keys or shortcuts such as “Ctrl+V” for pasting. Two dedicated Home keys are also available with square symbols as is a key for toggling on/off the on-screen soft keyboard.

It uses two AAA batteries that fit into a compartment on the left side next to a battery life status indicator LED, the Bluetooth connection status LED, the on/off switch, and a recessed pairing button. Additionally, on the top left side of the keyboard there’s a latch for locking the keyboard in the open position while on the top right side there’s a hidden iPhone stand that pulls out to spring open.

Performance

Pairing of the keyboard with an iPhone and iPad worked smoothly although it requires you to use a paper clip or a pen to press the recessed pairing button. This would have been better if designed differently. The blue LED indicator is very bright, a little irritating on the eyes and it blinks rapidly when you first turn on the keyboard. Once paired, however, it blinks every couple of seconds and would be alright if it wasn’t so darn bright. Thankfully the battery indicator LED doesn’t light up unless you’re getting low on power.

The unusual key sizes did take a bit of getting used to and the typical “Ctrl+C” and “Ctrl+V” copy and pasting required replacing the Control key with the Menu key. There are also a host of other hot key combinations for Android-specific functions such as for quickly bringing up Gmail, Browser, Calendar, Maps, and YouTube.

The included stand works nicely for your iPhone sitting in the landscape orientation, not so well in portrait mode, and forget about trying to keep an iPad on it.

Wrap-Up

Overall the Verbatim Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard is a good choice if you’ll require heavy typing on your iPhone or iPad. It’s a step up from the more flimsy alternatives and is just as portable in size. Although it’s a bit heavier, it provides a much more solid typing experience. The Verbatim Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard is a bit pricey at $104, but a quick search shows that it can be had for under $60 on Amazon, which makes it an excellent new accessory to help you stay productive while on the go.

The report surveyed 2,277 adults over the age of 18 living in the U.S. and was conducted between April 26 to May 22. It revealed that as of May 2011, 12% of U.S. adults owned an e-reader such as the Amazon Kindle or the Barnes & Noble Nook. This is a big jump from the 6% in November 2010 and is also the first time the e-reader ownership percentage reached the double digits.

Tablets, on the other hand, continued to hit number lower than e-readers. The survey revealed that as of May 2011, only 8% of U.S. adults own a tablet device such as an iPad or Android tablet. This was only a slight increase from the January 2011 report of 7% and the November 2010 report of 5%.

However, this certainly doesn’t mean that tablets don’t pose a threat to the e-reader market. Cost could be a huge factor that hindered tablet ownership growth. Most e-readers are priced sub-$200 while tablets have so far hovered around $500 or more. The landscape could change very soon with a slew of upcoming budget-friendly Android tablets that hit below $350, including the Vizio 8-inch tablet, the Acer Iconia Tab A100, and two new Archos G9 series tablets.

[via Pew]

I don’t find the tablet market share numbers all that interesting at this point. The survey was conducted in April, when the second most popular tablet, the Galaxy Tab, had been out for about 5 months, and only available connected with a carrier and in the small, 7 inch size. The Samsung Galaxy Tab didn’t appear in a Wi-Fi only configuration until April, and the 10.1 inch version, closer to the size of the iPad, will be coming out June 8th, with an 8.9″ version due out “this summer”.

The Dell Streak has been panned by many reviewers (and when I tried it, I found it almost unusable), so we can just discount that one right now. As far as the Xoom goes, it’s a great tablet, but it’s expensive, and it also has only been around since February, and has gotten mixed reviews. It is being constantly updated an improved, so will likely be in much better shape quickly. And then there is the BlackBerry PlayBook, which initially looked underdone, but is now getting many updates and tweaks, including the ability to run Android apps. There are many more tablets out, or soon to come: the Asus Eee Transformer, and the various Acer tabs, which look promising. Even the NOOKcolor is looking more like a tablet all the time, though it has its limits in its factory state. So suffice it to say, the tablet market is still in its infancy. Right now, everyone is rushing to catch up. By next year, the market will look quite different, with consumers having many more viable (and affordable) options for purchasing a tablet. A survey at that time will likely reveal a more balanced market, probably with the iPad still in the lead, but with much stiffer competition.

Looking at the Nielsen report, another group of numbers worth looking at is the way that owning a tablet impacts the use of other devices. Desktop and Laptop computers are the devices that have dropped the most in use, while Netbooks, eReaders, Portable Gaming Consoles, and Portable Media Players all were being used “less frequently” in the same percentage range. Tablets have been tapped by many to replace netbooks, and ASUS’s Eee Pad Transformer, with its detachable keyboard, does a good job of bridging the gap between the two. But the Transformer is only in the hands of a lucky few, and won’t be widespread for a few months yet.

Some devices are being used more – Internet Connected TV is one. Only 10% say they use this device less, and 25% say they use it more. Since it is easy to connect your iPad and some other tablets to the TV via HDMI, that one makes sense. And also, surfing the web and watching TV are far from being two separate activities. They are done at that same time more often than not. Also, smartphones are used more by 21% of respondents, vs 13% who use them less. Why can’t you surf the web, watch TV, and text your friends at the same time? These things all do certain things better than they do others, so we use them all, simultaneously sometimes. Portable gaming consoles also saw usage go up with a tablet purchase, 26% using their gaming console more, and 22% using it less. Again, there are different things that each device does better. Certain games are better played on a gaming console, and others do better on a tablet. The bottom line is that tablets aren’t replacing all our other gadgets, they are just adding another option for us and enhancing our experience for quite a few activities.

So what are people doing with their tablets? The conventional wisdom says that they are consuming media – watching movies or YouTube videos, playing games, and surfing the web. Basically, that they are playing around on them, not working. There have been many that have discounted the usefulness of tablets, saying they are just a fad. However, tablets have been spotted being used to control robots, and doing all sorts of scientific applications. Also, I know a writer who produced a major quarterly report almost entirely on his iPad. He found it doable, though I personally wouldn’t like using a touchscreen keyboard for that much typing. We are also reading books on them, consequently the report showed eReaders being used less.

When we look back at the first graphic, the top reason that people use a tablet instead of a laptop/PC is because it’s easy to carry with you. A tablet is the perfect size for doing casual tasks, easier to read things than on the small screen of a phone, but not so large that it becomes cumbersome. Second is the ease of the interface/OS. Many of us can attest that as we get used to using a touchscreen, having to use a mouse seems like kind of a pain. The fingerprints on laptop screens for those of us who forget “you can’t do that with that” show how easy it is to get used to navigating by touch. As much as I love my Kindle, I keep wanting to touch the links on the screen instead of using the wonky little square thing to navigate.

The third reason is an interesting one as well, and one that computer makers may want to take notice of: “Fast start-up/Off”. Oh how I hate waiting for my computer to “warm up” when I just want to check something really fast. And also, there is the problem of leaving the computer on for a few days, and then it starts moving so slowly that it becomes nearly useless until it’s restarted (yes, I have a Windows PC). These issues are not nearly so prevalent with tablets, or smartphones either, as they are in conventional PCs of the past. For the most part, mobile devices start right up, and are immediately ready to go.

All of these reasons mean that tablets are here to stay. And since that is true, manufacturers will keep making more and more of them for us, and they will get less and less expensive. And hopefully, they will get better. It will be fascinating to watch over the next year at what new innovations come out with tablets. Apple is certainly not standing still. What will the iPad 3, and iOS 5, 5.5, and 6 look like? And Google is not idle either. What changes will the new flavor of Android that follows Honeycomb bring? Will the iPad keep the lead, or will Android tablets take over? Will RIM surprise us all and come from behind? I can’t wait to write about Nielsen’s Spring 2012 tablet survey, and watch the action as it unfolds. It will surely not be dull.

According to a report by Forrestor analyst Sarah Rotman Epps, an Amazon tablet would be the ultimate iPad 2 competitor because Amazon has the ability to compete on price subsidized by its content offering, and the ability to compete on distribution. And over the last few months, Amazon has indeed been quietly building up its arsenal to battle against Apple and the other tablet makers.

Amazon recently opened doors to its Amazon Appstore for Android apps, even scoring an exclusive deal with the popular Angry Birds Rio title. Modeling itself after Apple’s Appstore, the Amazon Appstore aims to elevate itself above the Android Marketplace by providing a less spammy experience with a $99 charge to developers for listing and with a review and approval process.

But certainly Android apps are only a small portion of the content Amazon can now distribute to its own tablet. Amazon already has a popular e-books delivery platform for the Kindle (soon to add library e-book borrowing support), but also recently switched on a video streaming service for its Amazon Prime subscribers. And further add to that their Amazon Cloud Player streaming service announced late last month, which is an online digital media locker that can store and share music, video, documents, and photos.

They have quite a lot going for them and if it all pans out with Samsung, the tablet could be a good kick in Apple’s arse and a mighty threat to all other Android tablet makers. Whether or not Amazon will go with a vanilla Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS is another question folks are pondering. Talks of tightening up the Android tablet OS has people thinking that Amazon could possibly attempt to develop its own platform. Although, developing its own interface layer atop of Android seems more likely—something similar to what HTC has done with their Sense 3.0 would be pretty awesome. Amazon has recently been hiring on Android developers, but have stayed mum on any such Android tablet developments.

However, could an Amazon tablet possibly arrive by end of Summer? That’s what veteran tech editor Peter Rojas seems to think over at Gdgt. What are your thoughts about an Amazon tablet?

[via Business Insider]

Hardware

LG hasn’t strayed too far from Motorola’s example when it comes to the G-Slate’s core specifications. At its heart is NVIDIA’s 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, paired with 32GB of integrated storage. The 8.9-inch display runs at 1280 x 800, making it more pixel-dense than the XOOM, though it lacks the pop and super-broad viewing angles of an IPS display as on the iPad 2. There’s WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS and HSPA+ 4G connectivity built in. Unlike the XOOM, the Verizon version of which only supports 3G at present, the G-Slate offers 4G support out of the box, though whether that adds up to high speed browsing depends on T-Mobile’s coverage.

At 9.6 x 5.88 x 0.5 inches and 22 oz. the G-Slate is narrower, lighter and a little shorter than the XOOM, though no thinner (the Motorola is 9.8 x 6.6 x 0.5 inches and 28.5 oz.). It’s possible to hold it with one hand, but the widescreen-aspect display makes for a long, narrow tablet that soon gets tiring, especially if – as much of Honeycomb is intended for – you hold it in landscape orientation. Build construction is solid if a little uninspiring: sturdy plastic rather than the aluminum of the iPad 2.

On the front is a 2-megapixel camera for video calls, while a dual 5-megapixel camera array on the back – with a single LED flash – supports 3D photography and video capture. In-between the two lenses there’s a flip-out metal kickstand, useful for propping the tablet up for video playback (though generally not at the right angle for standalone 3D recording). We often found ourselves smudging the rear lenses when holding the G-Slate in portrait orientation. Ports include microUSB and HDMI on the bottom edge, as well as contact points for the optional docking station, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the left edge. Volume controls and a power/standby button are the only physical keys to be found.

Software

The screen may be a little smaller than that of the XOOM, but the Honeycomb is shows is just the same. As with Motorola, LG has left the Android 3.0 experience untouched, so you get the usual 3D-effect homescreen, tablet-scale email and calendar apps, tabbed browsing and more. We’ve reviewed Android 3.0 Honeycomb in full here.

T-Mobile installs a handful of apps itself, however, including a copy of Need for Speed Shift HD. The EA game uses the G-Slate’s accelerometer and gyroscope for control, and works much as we’ve seen before on the XOOM. There’s also T-Mobile TV, for on-demand news, sports, TV episodes and kids’ content; that offers a 30 day trial of the “premium” package, with the free offering being limited to some basic news and sports, and some shows for your children. Unfortunately, despite being perhaps the most obvious use for the G-Slate’s HDMI output, T-Mobile TV is the one app that can’t be mirrored in that way.

Finally, there’s Zinio Reader, for digital magazines, and a shortcut to Flash Player 10.2. Adobe’s software doesn’t actually come preloaded, instead there’s a link on the homescreen that takes you to Flash Player 10.2 in the Android Market.

The range of Honeycomb-specific apps in the Android Market is still relatively minimal, especially compared to what’s on offer for the iPad. We’re expecting to see a push by Google for Honeycomb development at Google I/O, but for now much of the software is intended for smartphone-scale devices and scales accordingly.

Motorola XOOM giveaway

Performance

With the same underlying processor, the G-Slate’s performance is pretty much on a par with what we saw from the Motorola XOOM. That basically means a reasonably swift tablet experience with a few frustrating lag-points. The G-Slate lacks the silky page transitions and animations of the iPad 2, but is still capable of admirable speed nonetheless. Need For Speed Shift HD is a good example of what NVIDIA’s chip is capable of, and plugged in via HDMI to a big-screen TV it’s a great gaming experience.

Camera and 3D

Like the LG Optimus 3D, the G-Slate taps into the current buzz around 3D with out-of-the-box support for three-dimensional graphics. Unlike its smartphone sibling, however, it’s not quite as slick an experience. The LG tablet has a twin camera array on the back, capable of shooting 3D stills and video, but lacks the glasses-free 3D display of the phone; instead you get a pair of anaglyph 3D glasses – the red/cyan sort – and a special playback mode.

In fact, the G-Slate supports two different 3D playback systems: used alone or with a regular TV, it’s anaglyph only, but with a proper 3D TV you can switch to side-by-side mode. That allows you to use the special 3D glasses that came with your 3D TV to enjoy the content, without the color effects of the red/cyan specs. You can find out more about the different types of 3D in our SlashGear 101 feature on the technology.

Still photos are solid if nothing to write home about, benefiting from as much natural light as you can give them. Indoors, the single LED flash is underwhelming, and there’s plenty of noise in low-light conditions. Video can be shot in 2D or 3D, though only at up to 720p HD resolution, and works well, though there’s some tearing with faster movements. Viewed in anaglyph mode, it feels gimmicky, the color balance affected by the red/cyan glasses. “Proper” side-by-side 3D is more successful: we plugged the G-Slate into a Samsung 3D HDTV, and the results proved surprisingly good considering it was a tablet camera. Nonetheless, we’re not convinced that 3D filming is something that most people will do more than try a few times and then ignore.

T-Mobile G-Slate 2D recording samples

Battery and Accessories

Despite being smaller than the XOOM, the G-Slate’s battery is almost as large: 6400 mAh versus 6500 mAh. That adds up to a solid day’s use or, as is probably more likely for most G-Slate owners, a few days casual use between recharges. We managed 9-10 hours on a full battery, a little shorter than what the iPad 2 offers but still a good showing.

T-Mobile’s retail package is relatively minimal, with an AC adapter, USB cable and a single pair of 3D glasses in the box. Pricing for the docking cradle – which has an HDMI port, USB and power – is yet to be confirmed.

Pricing and Value

T-Mobile is offering the G-Slate both with and without a two-year agreement: if you don’t mind a data plan, you can get the 8.9-inch slate for $529.99, while the off-contract price is $749.99. Three postpaid monthly plans are available, ranging from $29.99 for 200MB, $49.99 for 5GB or $84.99 for 10GB. If you’re already a T-Mobile voice or mobile broadband customer then those plans drop to $23.99, $39.99 and $67.99 respectively.

Each plan includes WiFi sharing for up to five devices at no extra cost, along with unlimited T-Mobile WiFi Hotspot use. On the 200MB plan, overage is charged at $0.10 per MB; on the 5GB and 10GB plans, there are no overage fees but T-Mobile will throttle data speeds and throughput should you exceed your allowance. Alternatively, there are three prepaid mobile broadband plans, either $10 for a 100MB week pass, $30 for a 300MB month pass, or $50 for a 1GB month pass.

The obvious point of comparison is the iPad 2, the 32GB WiFi + 3G version of which goes for $729. That’s $21 less than the off-contract G-Slate, and AT&T and Verizon’s no-commitment data plans are more generous than T-Mobile’s too. As for the XOOM, Verizon’s tablet is more expensive upfront – $599.99 on contract or $799.99 off – but can be used with cheaper data plans. Overall, if you opt for the subsidized upfront price, the cheapest G-Slate is $1,250 (assuming you’re not an existing customer) while the cheapest XOOM is $1,080. Still, you can’t share the XOOM’s 3G connection with the mobile hotspot app.

Wrap-Up

In a way it’s difficult to criticize LG for its decision to put 3D into the G-Slate. We’re constantly asking manufacturers to think about how they’ll differentiate their tablets from the iPad, and 3D recording is obviously LG’s push to do just that. Still, at the same time we can’t help but wonder whether dropping one of those rear cameras might have scraped a little off the unsubsidized price overall.

T-Mobile’s role is a little more frustrating. Compared to the data plans offered by both Verizon and AT&T (on the XOOM or iPad 2) the G-Slate’s packages look over-priced, even if you take into account bundled mobile hotspot service. Honeycomb’s remaining rough edges and lackluster app availability could more easily be overlooked if the G-Slate undercut Apple’s tablet; without that, the price becomes another stick, which will be used against the tablet.

If you’re already set up with a 3D TV, have a hankering to record 3D video, but only the budget for either a new tablet or a new 3D camcorder, the G-Slate does tick both boxes. If you’re not especially bothered by 3D, however, it’s harder to justify, and we’re not entirely convinced by LG’s arguments that the 8.9-inch screen slots the G-Slate into a “perfect middle ground” between 7- and 10-inches. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 8.9 is also on the near horizon, and while it will lack integrated 3G at first, that also has allowed the company to undercut the WiFi-only iPad 2. With no WiFi-only version of the G-Slate on offer, the $750 of the contract-free LG tablet feels like a lot to pay for 3D optics and a 3G modem you’re not going to use, versus the $569 of the 32GB Samsung.

Honeycomb still falls short of being mass-market ready, though it’s certainly full of promise. As Google has shown with its smartphone iterations of Android, it has no intention of standing still and allowing iOS to dominate the market. The G-Slate makes – with things like Flash Player support out of the box – a better first-impression than the XOOM managed, but it still lacks the general appeal of the iPad 2. A few solid firmware updates could address that, but it will take T-Mobile chiseling away at the G-Slate’s price before we could wholeheartedly recommend the tablet.

Related: Google Android 3.0 Honyecomb Review

But there are other factors at work here. For one, the iPad 2 and other tablets have taken the spotlight off PCs, even if they haven’t replaced them. Possibly many people spent their money on a new tablet and decided to stick it out with their old PC for a bit longer. At least, that is what Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner thinks: “With the launch of the iPad 2 in February, more consumers either switched to buying an alternative device, or simply held back from buying PCs. We’re investigating whether this trend is likely to have a long-term effect on the PC market.” That does seem likely.

But according to Bob O’Donnell, Vice President for Clients and Displays at IDC, “Slower than expected commercial growth in the first quarter failed to offset the ongoing challenges in the consumer market,” he said in a statement. “While it’s tempting to blame the decline completely on the growth of media tablets, we believe other factors, including extended PC lifetimes and the lack of compelling new PC experiences, played equally significant roles.”

In the US, IDC says shipments declined by 10%, while Gartner says 6%. Shipments also contracted in Europe and Japan. In Asia though, shipments increased by 5.6% (IDC) or 4.1% (Gartner).

Here are IDC’s numbers for the worldwide market:

IDC sets the worldwide demand for PCs at 80.6 million units, and HP led the pack at 15.2 million, followed by Dell, Acer, Lenovo, and Toshiba. Lenovo is the only one on that list that saw an increase, 16%, which is the exact number of the decline in Acer’s shipments.

Gartner’s numbers for the worldwide market:

Gartner says the worldwide market is at 84.2 million units, with HP leading with 14.8 million, then Acer, Dell, Lenovo, and Toshiba.

In the US, the numbers are pretty similar, at 16.1 million units. The lineup is HP at 4.3 million, Dell at 3.7 million, Toshiba at 1.6 million, Apple at 1.4 million and Acer at 1.3 million. Acer got spanked with a decline in shipments of 42 percent. Apple posted a gain of 9.6 percent, and Toshiba saw a gain of 10.4 percent.

See the full Gartner and IDC reports, and draw your own conclusions. What do you think is the culprit behind the declining PC market?

[via All Things Digital]

The Q1 SN10T1 tablet has a 10.1-inch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 600. It will run Android 2.2 and has 16GB of storage. The processor inside the tablet is the Tegra II and it has WiFi and Bluetooth. The tablet will sell for €349. The Q2 bound tablet is the SN10T2 with the same 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 screen. This tablet gets a T1 processor and 8GB of storage. It too will run Android 2.2 and packs in WiFi, Bluetooth, and adds a camera for €299.

The last of the three tablets heading your way in Q3 is the SN10T3. This tablet has a 10.1-inch screen with a higher resolution of 1280 x 600. It will run the Tegra II processor and has 16GB of storage. This tablet will get Android 3.0 and have WiFi, Bluetooth, and a camera. It will sell for €449.

[via Android Community]

What you’re going to want to do is either head back to the original contest post by clicking right [here] if you want the full ruleset, or just go ahead and enter by checking the following out and doing it!

AND we’ve got the same contest (with three MORE XOOMs laying in wait) on Android Community!

1. “like” us on Facebook: facebook.com/slashgear.com
2. Comment on the wall saying something nice like “SlashGear and NVIDIA are ever so generous and kind with their dual-core generosity.”

Contest begins April 11, 2PM PST, and ends April 24, 2PM PST. A winner will be announced every Monday @ 5PM PST here in the main news feed and at our official Facebook page.

WINNERS will be given the opportunity to submit a review of their XOOM and have it posted on the front page of SlashGear.com!

*Reviews may be edited or modified before publication and are considered works for hire under the 1976 Copyright Act. Submissions will be ineligible for payment or remuneration.

Go for it!

The converted price will be a bit over $480 and if that price sticks when it hits the states it will be one of the more reasonably priced tablets around. If you have missed the other details on this tablet, the thing will have a 7-inch screen with capacitive touch capability and a resolution of 1024 x 600.

The tablet supports up to 1080p HD output thanks to the Tegra processor inside and it has 8GB of storage. At this low price, there is no 3G modem inside, but the machine has WiFi integrated. This tablet is also thin and very portable.

[via Android Community]

Hardware and Performance

Motorola’s design is sober and discrete, and where the iPad shows off its brushed metal the XOOM seemingly prefers to let the 10.1-inch display do the talking. It’s a 160dpi, 1280 x 800 WXGA panel with a capacitive touchscreen supporting multitouch gestures, and while it doesn’t use the same IPS technology as the Apple slate, it still manages decent viewing angles. We’ve had no issues with touchscreen responsiveness, though at 9.8 x 6.61 x 0.51 inches and 25.75oz it’s a somewhat heavy device, and one-handed use can get tiring.

Inside, NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 is calling the shots, a dual-core 1GHz SoC paired with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and 32GB of integrated storage. Although the XOOM has a microSD card slot, currently the tablet doesn’t support it; similarly, there’s an LTE SIM slot – filled with a blanking card – but that won’t be used until Verizon updates the tablet to 4G in Q2 2011. Instead, you get EVDO Rev.A, WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, along with USB 2.0 and mini HDMI ports. Motorola is readying a WiFI-only XOOM, but that isn’t expected until later in the year.

We’ve seen sensors of various types proliferate on smartphones, and the XOOM ups the ante. As well as GPS, an accelerometer, digital compass, ambient light sensor and gyroscope, there’s a barometer for measuring air pressure. So far there’s no actual use for it in Honeycomb, but since it’s available for third-party developers to tap into via the Android 3.0 APIs, it’s only a matter of time before somebody takes advantage.

On the front is a 2-megapixel fixed-focus camera and a tricolor notification LED, though no physical controls, while on the back is a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with a dual-LED flash. It’s flanked by stereo speakers and the power/standby button. The only other hardware control is the volume rocker on the left hand edge. A 3.5mm headphone socket is on the top edge of the slate.

Benchmarking Android devices is something of an inexact science, with various tools – synthetic and real-world – in common use and lingering issues around multicore compatibility. We ran Quadrant on the XOOM, and the Tegra 2 based slate scored 2,126. Meanwhile, in Linpack the XOOM managed 36.166, and BenchmarkPi crunched through in 559 milliseconds.

Perhaps more importantly, however, the XOOM whipped through everyday tasks with hardly a pause. Panning through the 3D-style homescreen was lag- and jerk-free, the app menu opened without delay, and apps themselves sprang to life as fast as we’ve seen on an Android device. In comparison, the single-core 7-inch Galaxy Tab feels sluggish. The healthy chunk of RAM meant that heavier webpages still rendered successfully and panned/zoomed without protest, even with multiple tabs open.

Software

We’ve already covered Android 3.0 Honeycomb in our separate review of the new tablet OS, and – in keeping with a Google Experience device – Motorola has left the software well alone on the XOOM. It’s a sensible decision, given Honeycomb’s degree of polish. In fact, the hardest part for most people has been finding the power button, which Motorola has put on the back of the slate.

The untampered OS should also mean that, as Google rolls out newer versions of Android, the XOOM is hopefully first in line to receive them, something that can’t be said the same for Motorola’s smartphone range. Considering the attention Android fragmentation gets, that’s a big element in the XOOM’s favor.

Cameras and Multimedia

Motorola has outfitted the XOOM with two cameras, a 5-megapixel unit on the back, complete with auto-focus and an accompanying dual-LED flash, and a 2-megapixel fixed-focus camera on the front that’s primarily intended for video calls. They take advantage of Honeycomb’s new camera app, complete with various effects and shooting modes, and are easily controlled with the new circular shortcut wheel (though there’s no dedicated camera shortcut key on the slate).

Stills from the 5-megapixel main camera are good, though not outstanding. The biggest surprise was how comfortable taking photos is on a tablet; while the 7-inch Galaxy Tab felt like a somewhat ridiculous, oversized smartphone, the 10.1-inch XOOM doesn’t feel awkward, and the large on-screen controls make it straightforward. Currently the Motorola tops out at 720p HD video recording at 30fps, though an update to support 1080p HD is promised at some point in the future. Clips are on a par with Motorola’s smartphone range, with generally jerk-free footage that only shows smearing on faster pans. The dual-LED flash can be used as a video light, but it’s only really of use in mildly darker environments.

As for the front camera, while it can be used for stills and video, it’s unsurprisingly not adept at either. Motorola has tuned it for video call duty, and in that it does well, producing a reasonably crisp picture that manages to keep detail even when compressed for a 3G stream. The fixed-focus does mean you lack sharpness, however, not so noticeable in video but making vanity shots unimpressive.

Photos, video and audio can be played back either on the slate itself – with the XOOM’s stereo speakers proving underwhelming for all but the most casual of listening – or, using the HDMI 1.4 output and bundled cable, on a nearby big-screen TV. The entire interface is mirrored on both the external display and the touchscreen, making for easier control, and the XOOM can handle up to 1080p Full HD playback. We’ve commented on Android 3.0′s paucity of native codec support in our OS review, but thankfully there are various third-party media players in the Android Market that do a better job with video content other MP4, WebM, 3GP and H.264/H.263. Footage is crisp, as you’d expect, and with 32GB of onboard storage there’s a decent amount of capacity for media. It’s worth noting that, if you’re a Mac user, you’ll have to install the new Android File Transfer tool, since Honeycomb won’t be recognized by OS X as a USB drive without it.

What you don’t get, at this stage, is Flash support. Adobe is busy working on Flash Player 10.2 for Honeycomb, but right now there’s not even 10.1 for backward compatibility. It’s another reason the XOOM feels somewhat rushed to market, and it knocks an important selling point from the Motorola’s roster. Yes, Flash is on its way, but with the iPad 2 launch imminent, Motorola really needed all its strengths in one place to take on the iOS slate.

Connectivity and Battery

The XOOM isn’t short on connectivity, with EVDO Rev.A, WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and USB 2.0, along with a 4G LTE update in the pipeline, but it’s worth noting that it won’t make voice calls. Verizon’s agreement is for data only, which means that if you want to actually talk with someone using the XOOM you’ll have to pick a VoIP client. Still, with Skype, Fring, Qik and others in the Android Market, and Google Talk preinstalled in Honeycomb, most users should find something to fit that gap.

As well as using the 3G connection for onboard surfing, Honeycomb comes with a mobile hotspot app that can be used to share the data out with up to five WiFi-tethered clients. It’ll likely incur a surcharge, however: Verizon has only said that data access will start from $20 per month for 1GB, and we’re assuming that, like the carrier’s phones, hotspot service will be a higher-tier package.

Verizon is also yet to detail the 4G update, which means we don’t yet know how early-adopters of the XOOM will convert their 3G tablet into an LTE one come Q2 2011. It’s possible that this is a modem firmware update, which could be released OTA or as a sideloaded install, or alternatively owners may have to take their XOOM into a Verizon store or even send it off. Still, Verizon has said it will be a free update, though it hasn’t confirmed whether there’ll be a 4G surcharge on top of the regular 3G data package.

Battery life, meanwhile, has been very impressive. With very heavy use, the XOOM lasted over 14hrs – over 8hrs of which the screen was on – before shutting down. Bear in mind that’s undergoing testing for this review, meaning a combination of browsing, media playback (both using the XOOM’s display and via the HDMI output), both WiFi and 3G connections, streaming media and photography. With more casual use, especially if predominantly browsing, we’d expect to see 9hrs or more. That’s a little less than an iPad, certainly, but still enough to be considered a strong showing in our opinion. A full recharge takes around 3.5hrs.

Accessories

Verizon provided two official accessories with our review unit, the Speaker HD Dock and a Bluetooth Keyboard. The dock is, surprisingly, more basic than that offered for the Motorola ATRIX 4G, having only power and mini HDMI connectivity. It will charge the XOOM and allows you to have a wired connection to your HDTV permanently hooked up, but we’d have preferred it if Motorola had used a full-sized HDMI port. We’re guessing the choice of a mini connector was so that the cable bundled with the tablet could be used with the dock as well, but given most users aren’t going to want to keep swapping a single cord between their bag and the dock, opting for the more common (and cheaper) full sized HDMI would have been a more sensible decision. The integrated 5W stereo speakers are more powerful than the XOOM’s own, which makes for stronger audio during video playback together with more easily audible video chats.

As for the Bluetooth keyboard, that also works as you’d expect it to, hooking up wirelessly with no issues and then allowing for easier text entry than the on-screen ‘board. It’s worth noting that, since the XOOM supports the standard Human Interface Device (HID) protocol, you can use a non-Motorola Bluetooth keyboard you might already have. Motorola’s ‘board is actually the same as offered for the ATRIX 4G, which means it adds in shortcuts to various Android apps. It’s also reasonably comfortable to type on.

Motorola also offers a Portfolio Case for the XOOM, though we didn’t have that on hand to test. As with similar examples for other tablets, it basically allows you to prop the XOOM up for easier on-screen typing or watching videos, as well as folding around to protect the display during transport. Finally, there’s a Standard Dock, which props the XOOM up and recharges it, which we also didn’t have in to test.

Pricing and Value

Cost is likely to be the XOOM’s most contentious aspect. Verizon and Motorola have priced the slate at $799.99 without a contact or $599.99 with a new, two-year agreement on a data-only plan. With the cheapest data package Verizon offers – $20 per month for 1GB – that adds up to almost $1,080 over the course of the contract.

In contrast, Apple’s 32GB iPad WiFi + 3G is $729. That’s less than the unsubsidized XOOM, but more than the on-contract version; however, AT&T allows iPad owners to activate and deactivate 3G service as they see fit, rather than locking them into a monthly commitment. You also get more for your money on AT&T, with iPad 3G plans offering either 250MB per month for $14.99 or 2GB for $25.

The XOOM is likely to fall in price after a couple of months – there’s always an early-adopter premium to be paid – but it’s not the home-run we’d hoped it might be. It’s worth remembering that, even if you don’t want to use Verizon’s data and only rely on WiFi to connect, you’ll still have to pay for a month’s worth of service and the activation fee.

Wrap-Up

Despite the absence of Flash support and the absence of 4G, there’s a lot to like about the Motorola XOOM. It’s a solid, discretely handsome slate, with strong battery life and whip-crack performance. Against it are the premium price tag and the ridiculous mandatory first-month data fee; frankly, Verizon have missed a trick by not giving buyers a free first month in the hope of getting them hooked to the convenience of 3G.

Much of the XOOM’s strength comes from Android 3.0 Honeycomb, and there’s little doubting that Google’s tablet-centric OS is the star of the show here. As we found in our full software review, it’s a convincing and polished platform, which brings a highly usable multitasking environment to the tablet marketplace, neatly distinct from the “oversized smartphone” accusations levied at previous Android slates.

Until Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 and LG’s G-Slate reach shelves, the XOOM has the Honeycomb space all to itself. Still, neither Motorola nor Google can afford to rest on their respective laurels. The iPad 2 is expected to debut a mere week after the XOOM goes on sale, and considering the first-gen version is still the benchmark by which new tablets are measured, the second-gen model is only going to raise the table stakes.

Nonetheless, we’re impressed by the XOOM, and by Honeycomb. Neither feels like a compromise, and with the heft of the Android Market behind them, the gap between Android and iOS has narrowed drastically. The XOOM may only be the first Honeycomb slate, but it’s a strong start to what’s going to be a fiercely competitive race.

ALSO have a look at our Android Honeycomb Review as well as an informative post by our sister site Android Community: Motorola XOOM and Honeycomb Review [All Questions Answered].

BONUS: Tricked out!

Breaking the survey down further, iPads represented the largest percentage of new enterprise tablet activations with 29% in December, up 25% from the previous month. That number is sure to slip in the long run as Android tablets like the Motorola XOOM and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 become more widely available.

And what impact tablets are having specifically on corporate America isn’t clear, but considering a previous report by Morgan Stanley that showed Tablets were starting to cause a drop in printer activity and supplies orders, or that companies are simply becoming more tablet centric, rather than being chained to a desktop. One thing is certain, tablets are getting traction.

[via Android Community]