New Gadget 2011

When it comes to IT, Ohio's Department of Developmental Disabilities (DoDD) wants innovation. So when the agency's IT manager went looking for a way to manage the new virtual desktop infrastructure, he looked for innovative solutions. "In our agency, we know we have to innovate. And one of the ways we work is we look for innovators in the industry," says Kipp Bertke, IT manager for the Ohio DoDD, which oversees a system of support services for 80,000 people with developmental disabilities.
It was through that lens that Bertke and his team found Unidesk, a startup launched in June 2010 that provides management software for virtual desktops. The Unidesk virtual desktop management platform, combined with VMware View, is helping the Ohio DoDD personalize the desktops, deploy applications to them, and patch and manage them as needed.
The agency's VDI is part of an overall initiative to create a private cloud that started with virtualizing nearly all--up to 98 percent--of its servers. "Our goal was to create a private cloud that was agile, in which we could turn up a server in a day or two as opposed to a week. It has been a huge success for us, particularly from an application development perspective," Bertke says. The virtual servers don't just support application development, however. They also support production apps, including SQL, email and more.
The VDI initiative began in earnest in March and will wrap up in June, with the goal of virtualizing about 1,500 desktops. The time was right to virtualize the desktops, notes Bertke, since many of the agency's PCs are at the end of their five-year lifecycle.
The Unidesk solution will bolster the aim of the VDI, which is to provide desktop capabilities to users anytime, anywhere. Overall, the solution will help the Ohio DoDD reduce desktop operational costs by providing centralized management and security, and will enable agency employees greater mobility by being able to access their virtual desktops from anywhere. And even though the Unidesk solution allows for central control and management, users will still be able to personalize and customize their desktops, with specific settings for everything from Google toolbars to storage disk drive selections and printer setups.
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As one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, Marriott has over 3,500 lodging properties in the U.S. and 69 other countries and territories, and a daily workload of over 750,000 new reservations. Transaction throughput must be rapid, unfailing and 24/7. If problems arise, failover must be swift and absolute.
Simultaneously, business intelligence systems must be able to "right fit" pricing and accommodations for customers during transactions--and the systems must have the ability to extend the "reach" of Marriott's reservation community from the company-hosted Website and systems to the Websites and systems of worldwide channel partners that sell Marriott reservations along with other services.
"One of our goals is to increase the number of distribution channels for our inventory," said Misha Kravchenko, Vice President, Global Enterprise Mainframe Systems for Marriott International. "As the Internet continues to take off, there are more and more niche players, such as travel agencies, that do the bookings. This is the "long tail" of our distribution network, and we want to be a part of this."
Marriott also wants to optimize the customer experience. This means not only instantaneous order fulfillment at any time and from any point, but also best pricing for any given location, coupled with the ability for Marriott Rewards customers to capitalize on the special qualities of that relationship. It also wants to optimize occupancy rates for its accommodations.
As part of the effort, an average of 1,500 transactions per second are processed, offering multi-lingual capability to customers in both single-byte format and the double-byte format that is used for Asian languages that employ ideographic characters. Ninety-nine percent of all transactions take less than one second, regardless of where you are in the world. "Many of these transactions come in through Internet threads that are parallel-processed," said Kravchenko. "We've seen an eighteen percent jump in Internet shopping over the past year, and we expect that trend to continue."
Here's how the parallel processing works:
At the time that the customer is shopping, the customer reservation transaction is simultaneously run on an IBM zEnterprise system with business intelligence software that looks at member status, inventory status and dynamic pricing models. Factors considered include whether the customer is staying over on a Wednesday night or through a weekend, and whether the customer is a Marriott Rewards Platinum member. On the room inventory side, systems also consider whether rooms in the area the customer is requesting lodging for are in an under- or over-sold status. All of this system intelligence comes together in a "best price, best yield" scenario for both Marriott and the customer in less than one second. "The goal is to book inventory down to the last room available to maximize yield," said Kravchenko. We can expeditiously do this from a centralized reservations system, no matter where in the world the reservation is requested."
Marriott also wants to make it simple and inexpensive for channel partners to connect with Marriott's central systems. "In the past, this process was labor-intensive and high cost, because we had to effect these connections serially, with each business partner," said Kravchenko. "We were able to drastically reduce both the costs and the timeframes for on-boarding new channel partners by migrating to an SOA (service-oriented architecture) paradigm for software and converting our application transactions into open XML (extensible markup language) components. This allows for the actual translation of in-coming channel partner transactions, which is performed in real time on IBM DataPower appliances."
Kravchenko noted that the change to a SOA-based solution wasn't easy. "It required an upfront investment in software that ported legacy application code to XML, but we also had to go through the process of parsing the original application code and then moving it to the XML format. This required intense testing, but the resulting code is fully reusable and has in fact become a key leverage point for helping us to continue to reduce our costs in the future. We also can now expedite adding new channel partners because we are no longer working with bilateral interfaces."
Marriott is continuing to expand its product offerings throughout the world, which also means continuing to add hotels, channel partners and brands on a worldwide scale. It backs this business expansion with agile, highly reliable computing constructed around rapid and intelligent transaction processing. "We plan to continue to add computing capacity as we need it, but meanwhile, we are seeing enormous efficiencies in our IT infrastructure, and we are also leveraging the 64-bit architecture," said Kravchenko. "As a global company, we have to have a 24/7 operation that not only positions us for growth, but also for the delivery of richer functionality. To be able to continue to scale out our supply chain of business channels, we must have viable platforms to do this with, combined with vendor-supplied software and hardware that enhance the IT value proposition for our business."
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Specializing in life insurance, annuities and disability income protection products, LV 1871 (Die Lebensversicherung von 1871 a. G. Munchen) is a mid-sized, Munich-based insurer with over 8,500 independent agents throughout Germany. Fitch Ratings gives the company an A+ rating, and agents have given top marks to the quality of the company�s products. Nevertheless, LV 1871 competes with many large players in its industry and also understands that the quality of what it does must go well beyond its products.
�Ninety-eight percent of our business processes are built on IT processes,� said Alexander Triebs, LV 1871 Infrastructure Project Manager. �Processes for business and infrastructure for IT must be fast, reliable, flexible, robust, cost effective and efficient.�
That wasn�t the case seven years ago, when LV 1871 had a mix of hardware and systems in its data center, that included a classic inventory management system running on legacy hardware, a mix of Unix, Linux and Windows systems running front-end and back-end operations, and physical storage where an average of 600 new insurance policies per day were added to its existing repositories. �We wanted to grow and to separate ourselves from our competitors in our market,� said Triebs. �We also recognized that we wouldn�t be able to grow the way we wanted to if we tried to implement new sophisticated products in COBOL and ASSEMBLER, and running our systems the way we had always run them.�
Triebs and his team began talking about implementing other programming languages like Small Talk, Java and Delphi�and about a first-stage virtualization plan for the data center that would migrate LV 1871�s legacy system to an IBM System P AIX (Unix) platform, where additional data center system consolidations (through virtualization) could be performed with the System P as a target platform. At the same time, many of the data center�s services were being outsourced to contract IT providers. LV 1871 wanted to regain control over its IT processes by in-sourcing them, which would give it greater ability to reduce its IT costs.
�Moving our set of programming languages to more flexible languages was a major effort for us that took nearly seven or eight years,� said Triebs, �But we recognized that undertaking it was the only way that would assure us an IT infrastructure that would support the growth we wanted and expected in future years. We had internal expertise in Unix systems, and we knew that with rapidly changing markets with changing products and regulatory requirements, that the old code would not provide the agility. We also knew that we wanted a mid-range, industrial-strength Unix system (in this case, AIX) to take on this kind of workload.�
LV 1871 succeeded in virtualizing its servers and moving its application code base, but it felt it could take virtualization even further to benefit the business. �Our storage was principally network-attached at this point,� said Triebs. �We believed that we would improve both IT cost ratios and our computing performance for the company and its agents if we virtualized storage, and that this would also improve our capabilities of failover and data mirroring.�
One of the data center agility concerns was the time and effort it took to re-provision storage with LV 1871�s network-attached storage orientation. �With the SCSI-attached storage, we did not have a dynamic infrastructure that would allow us to quickly re-provision storage when we needed to,� said Triebs. �Instead, we had to concern ourselves with the model of the hardware, the space required, a buy decision and finally implementation. This end to end process could take as long as six to twelve weeks, and it was an expensive use of internal IT resources.�
LV 1871 made the decision to invest in an initially more expensive SAN (storage-attached network) solution that would pave the way for a virtualized storage framework, where different storage media could easily be tiered into fast access, more expensive disk and lower access, cheaper disk�with deployments and provisioning being accomplished in a matter of minutes, not weeks. �The virtual storage backbone not only reduced our internal costs and our speed of response, but it also allowed us to improve our failover and backup mechanisms for our two separate data centers,� said Triebs. �Data mirroring between the two data centers now takes minutes.� The virtual storage backbone has dramatically improved performance. Virtualization has given LV 1871 vendor independence as well, which lends more flexibility to buying decisions. Additional return on investment (ROI) is being seen in the new tiered storage strategy with its reduction of wasted storage space. �It costs us roughly $20/GB for faster access, tier one storage, while tier two, slower access storage costs around $8/GB,� said Triebs. �In our new tiered storage structure, we find that only one-third of our data is constantly accessed and needs to be on tier one, and we have organized our data this way. This is a primary area where we are realizing data center savings.�
Along the way, Triebs and his staff learned valuable lessons about working with virtualized server and storage infrastructures. �One was a simple practice to remember to delete virtual machines when they were no longer needed,� said Triebs. �On the data side, it is also imperative to think about technologies like data deduplication before doing backups, so you do not store extraneous data. Finally, when you consider going to a LAN/SAN virtual infrastructure as your backbone, you need to consider architectural concepts, such as a split fabric with the use of virtual LANs (VLANs)�and when it comes to security you want your DMZ and LAN to be separate from each other, and hosted on separate hardware.�
With the groundwork for its data center set, LV 1871 continues to move forward with IT that supports its products and services. The results so far? �We provide basic services to our customers (e.g., Storage, SAN, System p (AIX) and System x (ESX) with a 7x24 availability of six 9�s (99.999999 percent) that we are meeting for possible transaction processing uptime,� said Triebs. �Our aggregate service level uptime for over 3,000 services that we provide to over 30 separate customer service groups, and that also includes inventory management and customer relationship management (CRM), is 98.5 percent concurrent availability, which means 99.9 percent for each service group. The entire operation for basic services (Data Center Infrastructure: Storage, SAN, LAN, Server-hardware and Operating Systems) is manned by only three IT staff in our data center�.We have found that by systematically virtualizing, consolidating, reworking job control and backup, and establishing metrics and performance targets - that we can economize staff and infrastructure costs.�
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Paris-based Ipanema Technologies is guaranteeing application performance in the cloud with the latest release of its ANS (Autonomic Networking System). In addition to native SLA enforcement for popular SaaS applications such as Google Apps, Microsoft Office 365, IBM LotusLive and SalesForce, ANS 7.0 features enhancements to SALSA, the ANS multi-tenant management platform, including central application performance dashboards (with an iPhone/iPad version) able to monitor the performance of SaaS applications.
The company has also announced the ip|engine 20, what it calls the first appliance designed for unification of high-speed hybrid MPLS and Internet networks at branch locations. It assesses in real-time the available bandwidth and performance of each path and provides dynamic failover of application flows according to their application SLAs when deployed across hybrid Internet plus MPLS networks.
Because many business-critical and recreational applications are delivered over HTTP(S), port-level QoS isn�t adequate to guarantee appropriate performance, says Joe Skorupa, research VP, datacenter transformation, Gartner, Inc. "You really need two things � fine-grain visibility (per application signatures for hundreds of applications) combined with a policy driven dynamic QoS engine that scales to hundreds or thousands of nodes. With SaaS applications you add the complexity of not being able to place appliances at all traffic sources, so single-ended solutions are required that enable multi-point-to-point control."
"Ipanema does an excellent job delivering on all of these requirements and goes far beyond traditional approaches and is a leader among alternative solutions."
With more than 1,000 customers and 100,000 sites using its offerings to control and optimize their global networks, including public, private and hybrid clouds, Ipanema unifies performance across hybrid networks and dynamically adapts to whatever is happening in the traffic and guarantees constant control of critical applications. The company says it takes the extra step to uses the measurements the system takes to determine how to manage each application flow, combining visibility with control and WAN optimization.
The new release of ANS is part of Ipanema's Cloud-Ready Networks vision to extend end-to-end application SLAs enforcement to all cloud-based applications. The company says virtual appliances will bring ANS to hosted environments, and branch office appliances will become as easy to deploy as cable modems. Due out at the end of the year, the nano|engine, a small form factor, high-bandwidth, plug-and-play device, will automatically control the performance of the combination of cloud, in-house and peer-to-peer applications in branch offices and allow service providers to extend services to small and medium enterprises. Ipanema also plans to release in Q3 the virtual|engine, a software image it calls the first virtual appliance to integrate QoS and control, application visibility, WAN optimization and dynamic WAN selection.
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Smartphones are no longer known for the sensitive devices that they are. Most of today�s new smartphones now have that higher level of toughness that makes them more ideal for day to day use. Sony may have just gone the similar path by introducing its new Sony Experia Active Smartphone.
The Sony Experia Active smartphone is designed to be water and dust-resistant. Users no longer have to worry about getting their smartphones wet while answering a phone in the rain or accidentally spill water on it. It also features a unique wet-finger tracking that makes the touch screen fully functional even when your fingers are wet. Other features announced for the new Sony Experia Active is that it will be an Android smartphone running on a 1GHz processor, 5MP camera with 8x digital zoom, 720p HD Video recording, 512MB RAM with 1GB internal phone storage and support for an additional 32GB microSD card. The Sony Experia Active will be made available in the market by the 3rd quarter of this year.
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As people get old, they get bothered by a lot of things. One of them might probably be difficulties in reading small texts. While vision might be affected by age, the fondness of reading may not. Technology can be one way to resolve such reading difficulties with the use of the Maggie Pro 3 Inch LCD Magnifier.
The Maggie Pro 3 Inch LCD Magnifier is a digital magnifier that allows users to magnify small print into 11 times its original size. It is an electronic magnifier that may be an improvement to the ordinary magnifying glass usually preferred by most old people. Reading those fine print never have to cause seniors and those with visual problems to squint or read with wrinkled brows.


The advantage of the Maggie Pro 3 Inch LCD Magnifier is that it not only magnifies small print, it can also brighten them to make them more readable, even in dim lighting conditions. This electronic device comes with a 3 inch screen display where magnified fonts are highlighted. It also comes with a freeze function to capture an image on a printed page for closer examination. The Maggie Pro 3 Inch LCD Magnifier is available at Xtreme Geek for US$215
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When Nokia first unveiled its MeeGo-powered N9 recently, many believers of the Finland-based mobile brand hoped that MeeGo would be the start of its new era. Apparently, the company has other things in mind, as evident in its �super confidential� presentation about the �Sea Ray,� which runs on Windows Phone.
In an interview with Finnish periodical Helsingin Sanomat, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop confirmed that the Nokia N9 would be the first�and only�MeeGo smartphone. He even told the paper that Nokia will not be making any new MeeGo handsets, even if the N9 would turn out to be a big hit in the market, as the company is setting its focus on making more smartphones using Windows Phone.
�I have taken part in the conversations with the teleoperators and I have been part of the consumer test groups. The feedback has been extremely positive and I am sure that the Windows Phone system will be a great success�, Elop said.
While tech observers become wary whether Nokia would soon spiral down into a mere equipment manufacturer of Microsoft�s phones, Elop assures otherwise. �Nokia will continue its research and development on the software side, as well as in services and equipment design. We will build inventions for our Windows phones that will make us stand apart from our competitors and bring significant additional advantage to our application developers�, he firmly told the paper.
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For frequent travelers, carrying around luggage is always a necessity. But the problem may sometimes come locating them in the baggage carousel along with hundreds of other luggage by other travelers. It may sometime even be unfortunate finding a similar luggage or two that can easily be mistaken for each other. In such cases, luggage problems can be prevented by using the Easy 2 Pick Wireless Luggage Finder attached to them.
The Easy 2 Pick Wireless Luggage Finder consists of a luggage tag equipped with a transmitter and a key chain receiver device. With the tag attached to the luggage, it can transmit a signal to the receiver device which then sounds, vibrates or lights up when it gets within 20 meters of the transmitter. The tag also deactivates automatically using an electric photo sensor when it is in the cargo compartment by measuring levels of light as well as altitude and noise. It then reactivates once it gets into the luggage conveyor. The Easy 2 Pick Wireless Luggage Finder is available for travelers at Xtreme Geek for US$25.
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Summer is here and you defied the recession woes just to spend a day (or two) at the beach with your family. You like to have fun on the sea, but jet skis are expensive to purchase. If you have an extra $500, perhaps you should have the AquaSkipper.
This water vehicle has a patented design that uses hydrofoil wings and fiberglass spring to let you glide along the water by simply hopping onto the AquaSkipper. The hydrofoil wings have very little drag in the water, while the aircraft aluminum frame just weighs 26 pounds. The AquaSkipper can run up to 17 miles per hour and even carry a person up to 250 pounds.
The AquaSkipper can only be started from above the water�s surface, like a dock or a boat, and it moves as long as you hop on it. You can ride a wave or jump on the platform and it can glide for a while before you realize you are sinking into the water because you did not jump soon enough. Still a lot of fun, and even funnier summer memories, if you ask me.
The AquaSkipper watercraft is available at Gadgets and Gear. Some assembly required.
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After unveiling the 9.7-inch WiFi-only TouchPad and a 3G/ WiFi counterpart, HP is said to be building a 7-inch version of the TouchPad that will be released in August. If you are one of many who prefer a more portable tablet, this should come as good news.
The news came out from Taiwan Economic News, which reported a claim from an Inventec employee that HP ordered up to 450,000 tablets every month from their company. Among those orders, according to the source, is a 7-inch TouchPad. Whether it would be WiFi-only, with 3G, or even with 4G, remains a mystery.
We have yet to hear from HP to confirm this report.
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With a lot of gadgets requiring a USB port to charge up, imagine needing to plug a lot of them but you only have one or two ports on your computer. Sure you can have a USB hub, but it could affect the computer�s performance as you use it. There are also dongles that can be plugged from the wall, but that�s one less outlet.
Which is why it completely makes sense for someone to come up with a wall outlet with USB ports. ThinkGeek is selling the FastMac U-Socket USB Wallplug, which comes with two 110-volt sockets and two 5-volt, 2100mA USB ports. The FastMac is guaranteed to charge any device that requires USB connection, including the iPhone 4. It is availablefor only $24.99 , but remember you need to have a know-how on replacing wall outlets�which you can learn with the help of Google and YouTube�before installing the FastMac.
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As well as those very tasty new tablets, Archos has also released details of two more Android devices today � the Archos 35 Home Connect and the Archos 35 Smart Home Phone. The Home Connect is an Android-powered internet/wi-fi radio, which is very nice because we've been trying to find a decent internet radio for ages�

�while the Smart Home Phone is a touchscreen DECT wireless phone for the home. Here they are:

These have been announced by the US wing of Archos, with the Home Connect given a price tag of $149 and the Smart Home Phone coming in at $159. Both launch in the US in September. Archos is usually pretty swift at bringing things to Europe, so hopefully we'll also get some niche Android hardware action at about the same time.

Here's the full press release.

ARCHOS Now Brings Android Home With the ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone and ARCHOS 35 Home Connect

DENVER, CO � June 23, 2011 � In 2009, ARCHOS were the first to market with an AndroidTM tablet

and today they continue to push technological boundaries and innovation with two new Android

devices designed for the home � The ARCHOS 35 Home Connect, an Android-based web radio and

the ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone, an Android DECT phone. Both are smart devices and feature all

of the Android functionalities.

The ARCHOS 35 Home Connect is the perfect music box and the best portable Android device for

streaming radio and music anywhere at home such as the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom or kids room.

Small, compact and easy to carry, ARCHOS 35 Home connect features WiFi and amazing sound

quality becoming a part of your daily life.

The ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone will make owning a home phone popular again. It brings

Smartphone functionality into your home and gives you access to thousands of applications such as

weather, news, games and traffic.

Both cutting-edge ARCHOS Android-based home devices, thanks to the front facing webcams, bring

new usages such as video calling, baby monitoring and even room surveillance.

ARCHOS 35 Home Connect, the most-advanced Android-based web radio

The ARCHOS 35 Home Connect is light, has an extra-long battery-life and fits perfectly in your hand.

With two high-definition speakers specifically designed for improved bass, users will be amazed by the

sound quality produced by such a small device.

With just a click on the touch-screen, users will be able to stream over 50,000 web radio stations or

music using the pre-loaded TuneIn application.

The ARCHOS alarm clock application brings users weather, traffic and news from the moment they

wake up and features multiple alarms. Users will also have access to thousand applications such as

games for children. With a video calling application, users will be able to video chat to stay in touch with family and friends.

Additionally, the front facing webcam allows for baby monitoring and even room surveillance.

ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone, the ultimate Android-based DECT phone

The ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone combines the best of a DECT phone and a Smartphone for your home. Compatible with any ADSL box or phone line and using standard DECT protocols the ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone is a light and stylish home phone that brings users contact sharing with their Android smart phone, MP3 ringtones, caller photo display as well as access to thousands of Android apps, web surfing, emails and video calling.

With its sleek and stylish design the ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone is finally a home phone that users will be proud to leave on their coffee table. Its charging dock is separate from its wireless receiver so there�s no need for a huge dock right next to the phone line.

The ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone gives you access no other home phone can � whether you want to quickly check your email without turning on the PC, find that definition in Wikipedia or play a game while waiting for your call, the ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone can do it.

Thanks to the video calling application, users are able to call from and to a PC or Android mobile phone. Two other usages with the built in front facing webcam are baby monitoring and video surveillance capabilities.

Price and Availability

The ARCHOS 35 Home Connect is expected to be available in September 2011 at the RRP of $149.

The ARCHOS 35 Smart Home Phone is expected to be available in September 2011 at the RRP of $159. Both devices will be available at the end of September and will be shown beginning of September at IFA.
source: Eurodroid

Leader International launched its Impression 10 tablet model. Available at an MSRP of $349.99, the I10 incorporates a 9.7-inch capacitive, widescreen IPS display that delivers brilliant color, 1024�768 resolution and wide viewing angles. Powered by a 1GHz Samsung processor, the I10 runs Android 2.2 with Flash 10.1 and features micro-SD slot, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth, 4GB flash memory (expandable to 32GB), G-sensor, USB 2.0 (one mini and two standard ports), 2MP camera, stereo output and HDMI port.

"We designed the Impression 10 specifically to deliver a better experience to the budget conscious consumer," said Gary Bennett, Leader International's Vice President of Sales, North America. "The I10 will change the way people look at a tablet that sells for under $350, and expose the world of tablet computing to a new audience."
source: Trendy Gadget

The mysterious AndyPad is getting less mysterious by the day, as specs and prices of the UK-built Android tablet start to appear ahead of its launch in a couple of months time. And now we have our first photo of the device itself.

It's white. Which we already knew. It looks exactly like you would imagine a white 7? Android tablet to look. You can't really tell much else, but here it is:

The photo appeared on Twitter and seems to have been snapped at a business presentation, where attendees were also told there would be two models � the standard 8GB option for �129 plus one with 16GB of memory for �169.
source: Eurodroid

Lenovo has a couple of tablets that will join the increasingly crowded tablet market in the coming weeks, sending a note to members of its affiliate program that informs them that the IdeaPad K1 Android tablet will be announced sometime later this month (that is just a few more days left) or in early July. This might not come across as a surprise for some, since product listings for the tablet have already started showing up all over the place in recent weeks.

Apart from that, the affiliate newsletter also mentioned a ThinkPad Tablet that will be announced this coming Tuesday (June 28th). No idea on whether this will be the similar ThinkPad Android tablet that we heard about earlier this year, or could it actually be a spanking new convertible slate PC that is powered by the Windows platform? As with any other news piece, it makes perfect sense to be patient and wait for an official announcement that ought to happen sometime next week.

Just to recap, the IdeaPad K1 sports a 10.1? display at 1280 x 800 resolution, a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor and is powered by Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb at the very minimum � which is great, since we need not hanker after a software update so soon. Expected pricing? We are looking at the $500 mark, which is the norm these days.
source: Ubergizmo

We brought you news last month that the Fujitsu TH40/D tablet will be arriving sometime in Q3 this year, but it seems that another delay is on the cards. According to Fujitsu, the convertible TH40/D tablet that will be powered by the Windows 7 operating system will experience a delay instead of the initial late June release date in the Land of the Rising Sun. All right, so we do know that said convertible tablet is not going to arrive anytime soon, but will there be any follow up � say, a future release date so that we can re-mark our calendars? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding no, so we will just have to sit tight and wait for an official word from Fujitsu sometime down the road.

According to Fujitsu, the delay is due to �development delays.� Yeah, that's extremely vague and it could be attributed to many factors. Ah well, let us look at this delay in a positive light and hope that Fujitsu fully intends to release a 100% working version of the tablet instead of rushing it to the market gimped.
source: Ubergizmo

While HP's 9.7? TouchPad has yet to hit the stores (July 1st for those not in the know), it looks like the company already has a successor planned. According to reports from CENS.com, a Taiwanese Economics news website - Inventec Corp, a major manufacturer of personal computers in Taiwan, has received orders from HP to start producing 400,000 to 450,000 TouchPad tablets. But in addition to the 9.7? webOS 3.0 tablet, the company has also been reported to be supplying HP with a 7? tablet that will be released in August.

No other details about the 7? tablets were revealed, but it would be safe to assume that they would just be smaller versions of the TouchPad - probably for users who don't need the bulk of carrying a large tablet, but still want a display larger than their smartphones. If that turns out to be the case, will you be waiting for the 7? tablet or will you be picking up the larger TouchPad when it drops next month?
source: Ubergizmo

Julie got the first look at the Xoom, and did a couple of excellent posts on it including a First Looks and the full review. If you are wanting the complete run down on the tablet I highly recommend these posts. And, as always on The Gadgeteer, the comments are full of great additions as well.

Julie may have received it first, but I got to spend a long time with mine, so I wanted to share my observations. Also, she did such an excellent job with the nuts and bolts, I will focus on more general observations.

The Xoom is certainly not the first tablet. There have been a few based on the Android OS that even predate the iPad, but it was the first that ran Honeycomb. This is designed from the ground up to be a tablet OS. If you are used to Android, it's not a big change, but there are some adjustments.

There are no buttons on the front. The power button is on the back, and a rocker volume button is on the side. I like buttons, but I was all right with it after a while. You do have a toolbar visible at the bottom of every screen:

The first icon takes you back, the second icon takes you to the home screen and the third displays the recent applications. If the current page of the application has a menu, a grid icon can be touched to display the menu. On the right side you have icons for any notifications. On this screen the first is the debugging notice (I use that to grab screens), the second tells me Words With Friends is ready for my next move, then you have the current time, signal strength and battery level.

If you tap the settings, you can see more information:

Tapping the settings icon (sliders underneath the time) gives you access to common settings.

So two taps takes you to a screen to control Airplane Mode, access Wireless settings, turn on/off auto-rotate, set brightness, turn off notifications and finally get to all the Settings.

The ability to turn off notifications is a great feature. Especially if you are using it as a reader. Late at night, my wife can deal with the glow of light, but is not a fan of the occasional alert tones.

Apps designed to take advantage of the new real estate on the display really shine. Of course Gmail embraces it:

I really like the layout in landscape. I have my inbox on the left, and the contents of the e-mail on the right.

One of the first applications designed for tablets was the CNN app. Once again, a nice use of the layout:

Battery Life

I thought the battery life was good. I mean, after all, I need to sleep sometime. Even while playing some intensive games (like AirAttack HD) I was at 2-1x3 days before wanting to recharge:

Reading actually took the most out of my battery, since the screen was on the whole time. This was one of the worse results:

One disappointing thing about the Xoom is you cannot charge via USB. This is a big deal for me, I have far too many adapters to track as it is. However, I think this is the current state of tablets. I assume the batteries are too big to efficiently charge via USB. I just wish it was an option for when you find yourself without the adapter.

The Home Pages

If you are used to iOS, you may be confused by the home screens in Android. With Honeycomb, when you download an application from the market it does add it to a page for you (unlike previous Android releases). But the icons you see on pages are just shortcuts, not the apps. Managing this is very easy, and I am still a widget fan:

Form Factor

You know what I want? A tiny tablet that will fit in my change pocket and expand to give me a 17? display. Yeah, we are not there yet. To me this is always about tradeoffs. I love my Sony Reader that conveniently fits into my coat and jacket pocket. The Xoom won't. But the screen real estate is great. I still would like to try a smaller tablet on for size. I am just not convinced I want one this big. It is also heavy. However, it has a great display and a sturdy feel. I am a big fan of the rubberized finish, and have become accustomed to the size. I've now borrowed and read most of the first three books of the the Songs of Ice and Fire series on the Xoom. So I guess that speaks to the form factor issue. However, since returning it I have returned to my PRS-700 Sony Reader, and have been enjoying its weight, size and portability. I am still a fan of e-ink for reading, but the display on the Xoom was very acceptable for reading.

Half-Baked? One of the complaints about the Xoom is that it was rushed to market, and is half-baked. It does appear rushed, but I think it is more like 7x8ths baked. Yeah, I kind of made that up. But still, it would be nice if it shipped with 4G and the SD card enabled, however the fact that it can be upgraded to 4G and the SD Card slot will be activated with an update makes it less of a big deal for me. It did not ship with Flash capability, but that is already fixed. And 4G and SD card capability will never be coming to the iPad or iPad2.

Bottom Line

Is it worth it? Will I buy one? The answer to both is maybe. I like it more than I expected to. It is a great tool for surfing the web, working on e-mail, using twitter and reading. Do I need it? No. Do I want it? Yes. The issue to me is the cost. If you can justify the purchase I think it is a great choice in the tablet space. If I had the money, and had to choose one now, I would be getting this. Am I saying it is better than the iPad? No. I haven't used an iPad for any length of time, and trying to label one �best� is pointless to me. It's just a better device for me than the iPad.
source: The Gadgeteer

It's a big day of firsts for Sprint. The carrier launched its first Android tablet on Friday compatible with the new 4G �Wi-Max� network. The device is also the first Android tablet out there capable of running Netflix.

Unfortunately, despite being first in line for 4G and Netflix, Sprint's HTC Evo View tablet ships with the older version of Android: 2.3 (Gingerbread), not version 3.0 (Honeycomb). A future software update will bring Honeycomb, the version of Android made specifically for tablets, to the device.

That speaks to a larger problem of �fragmentation� on Android devices: the inability to implement the platform consistently across multiple types of hardware made by different manufacturers. Fragmentation is also the key reason why Android tablets have been slow to getting popular video-streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu onto its devices. It presents a problem for making sure that Digital Rights Management technologies � or applications that make sure you aren't ripping and recording any of the streaming content you're watching � function across all devices.

�It's not one type of gas that goes into every vehicle,� said Netflix head of communications Steve Swasey, in an interview. �DRM isn't consistent across all Android devices, and unlike the iPad and iOS devices, there's not one universal solution to it.�

Nonetheless, the HTC Evo View 4G's compatibility with Wi-Max will be a significant for those who want to watch streaming media on their tablet devices, as the speed boost you'll get moving from a 3G device to 4G is considerable.

The even better news for movie buffs: Unlike the multiple Android tablets that have already hit the market this year, it's the first Android tablet to run Netflix at launch. The device will essentially come pre-bundled with the Netflix app (after a minor software update upon first powering up the tablet). As of today, only five Android phones are officially capable of running the Netflix app.

�This is a result of extensive testing of the Netflix app on the product to make sure it works smoothly on our network,� a Sprint spokeswoman told Wired.com.

Most tablets released in 2011 so far fall into two categories: Wi-Fi only, the type of device which most manufacturers launch first, and a 3G or 3.5G networked device, like the original Samsung Galaxy Tab (on Sprint's 3G network) or T-Mobile's G-Slate (which is 3.5G at best). HTC introduced the Flyer, the Evo View's Wi-Fi only predecessor, in late May.

Under the hood, the Evo View 4G is no slouch. The tablet sports a 1.5-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a gig of ram, front and back-facing cameras and a 7-inch 1024�600 screen. It's also got a stylus pen, which (for a limited time) will be thrown in for free if you buy a two-year contract.

In addition to the Evo View tablet, Sprint also launched the Evo 3D, HTC's first 3-D-video-capable Android smartphone. The Evo View and Evo 3-D are both available in Sprint and Best Buy stores as well as online, for $400 and $200 respectively, if purchased in conjunction with a two-year contract.
source: Gadget Lab

Back in January we first heard some leaked tidbits about HP's plans in the tablet space. And what we heard back then was that HP was working on two webOS-powered tablets. In the meantime, of course, one of those turned out to be the TouchPad, previously known by its codename Topaz.

Yet alongside the Topaz HP was reportedly working on the Opal, a 7-inch tablet with 1024�768 resolution and dimensions close to those of the original Samsung Galaxy Tab (also a 7-inch device).

While HP has managed to stay silent on the matter, today new information comes to confirm the Opal's existence. Taiwan Economic News reports that, according to a subcontractor, Inventec Corp., a major Taiwan-based contract manufacturer of computers, will make tablets for HP. Orders for the TouchPad are expected to be in the 400,000-450,000 per month range, which is nothing spectacular.

What's more interesting though is that according to the same source HP will launch a 7-inch tablet in August.

Now since HP is Inventec's largest buyer of notebooks, the above certainly seems very plausible. After all, it wouldn't be something out of the ordinary if HP chose one of its trusted suppliers from another industry (notebooks) to supply its tablets as well. Also, since the TouchPad turned out to be real, we have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the information we got in January regarding the 7-inch tablet with the codename Opal.
source: Unwired View

Hate to follow the crowd with the iPad? If so, Archos has a new pair emerging from Paris today, the 80 G9 and 101 G9. Predictably, the biggest differentiator between the two is the screen size, with the former offering an 8-inch panel with a 1024 x 768 screen resolution and the latter stepping up to a 10.1-incher (1280 x 800). Both of �em are proudly using Seagate's 7mm Momentus Thin in order to scale to 250GB, but of course, only time will tell how a power-hungry HDD will do in tablet form factor, or if that's too big a 16GB + microSD arrangement is available for those who aren't feeling a 250GB HDD.

Under the hood, you'll find a dual-core OMAP 4 processor (1.5GHz ARM Cortex A9), support for Flash, access to the Android Market and a full-size USB port � one that's good for accepting the outfit's new G9 3G WWAN stick ($49). You'll also get an HDMI output, support for 1080p playback and a pay-as-you-go option with the aforesaid 3G dongle. The duo is scheduled to go on sale at the end of September (you know, just a month or two before Ice Cream Sandwich makes Honeycomb look like old hat), with the 80 G9 going for $279 and the 101 G9 for $349. Don't ever say Archos' accountants didn't look out for you.
source: 2DayBlog.com

Wortmann AG is preparing to drop another semi-rugged convertible tablet PC into the market. Known as the Terra Mobile Industry Pad, this tablet PC comes with a 10-inch 1024 x 600 LED-backlit resistive touchscreen display, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 dual-core processor, an Intel GMA 3150 graphics card, a 2GB DDR2 RAM, a 40GB SSD, a1.3-megapixel webcam, a spill-resistant keyboard, an SD/MMC card reader, GPS, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 6-cell battery and is pre-loaded with Windows 7 Professional 32-bit OS. The Terra Mobile Industry Pad will go on sale from early next month for 999 Euro (about $1,417). [TerraWorld]

Samsung UK has just commented on the arrival of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet, giving the updated and enlarged Tab an official UK launch date of August 4th. Samsung's also confirmed that the Tab 10.1 will launch with the very latest Android 3.1 Honeycomb update as its OS.

Which is nice.

Both 3G and wi-fi versions of the Tab 10.1 will be available, while the smaller 8.9? version will arrive �later this year�. No official word on prices for us yet. Here's the press release:

UK LAUNCH ANNOUNCED FOR SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 10.1

Samsung announces its slimmest, lightest and smartest tablet will hit UK shops in August

24th June 2011, London, UK - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd today announced the latest in its Galaxy Tab range, the Galaxy Tab 10.1, will be available in the UK on 4th August 2011.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 comes in both 3G and WiFi only versions and launches with latest version of Android, Honeycomb 3.1, which is designed specifically for tablet devices.

The latest addition to Samsung's Galaxy Tab range features a 10.1 inch crystal clear WXGA TFT LCD screen, weighs only 565 grams and is the world's thinnest mobile tablet of its screen size measuring just 8.6 millimetres.

Supporting network speeds of up to 21Mbps and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity, the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 is equipped to deliver fast mobile download speeds and reduce data transfer time. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 includes a 1GHz dual core application processor, with the latest NVIDIA� Tegra 2� chip, ideal for entertainment such as movies, games and e-books, browsing the web or staying connected with email or messaging services. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also has a 3 megapixel rear and 2 megapixel front camera with 1080p HD video and Flash playback and is available in both black and white.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 comes packed with content and services, pre-loaded with Samsung's Readers Hub and Music Hub, providing instant access to more than 2.2 million books, 2,000 newspapers, 2,300 magazines and 13 million songs. Also built in is a specialised tablet version of Samsung's Social Hub, which integrates email, instant messaging, mobile contacts, calendar and social network connections into a single interface. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 also delivers console quality gaming, with Gyroscope and Accelerometer for interaction and motion control, powered by 'mobile super chip' NVIDIA� Tegra 2� for mind-blowing graphics.

Simon Stanford, Managing Director, Mobile, Samsung UK and Ireland said: "The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the latest example of Samsung's ongoing innovation in this market and commitment to the Android platform. Our Galaxy family all feature a premium design, excellent screens and are packed with compelling entertainment features. We plan to deliver exciting new user experiences and lead the tablet market in the months and years to come."

In addition to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 announcement, Samsung has also confirmed that the next in the Galaxy Tab range, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, will also be available later this year in the UK. Like the 10.1, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 is incredibly slim and light at just 8.6 mm and 470 grams.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.9 join the original 7inch device to provide a range of Samsung tablets for consumers to choose from. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available in a range of UK retailers alongside a portfolio of accessories on 4th August 2011.
source: Eurodroid

Archos has been churning out the Android tablets for longer than most, but has yet to come up with a proper contender. But that MAY CHANGE thanks to its third-generation of Android devices, the Archos 80 G9 and Archos 101 G9.

One's an eight-incher, the other a ten-incher, both running Android 3.1 with a stonking 1.5GHz dual-core OMAP4 processor inside. They'll both arrive in two hardware formats � a slimmer model with 32GB of flash memory, or a slightly fatter unit with a 250GB hard drive inside.

We like. Android tablet nail about to be hit on the head? Read the full details over on the US Archos site, or check out the tech specs below:

Display characteristics

� 8�: 1024 x 768

� 10.1�: 1280 x 800

Application Framework

� Android

Processor � ARM dual-core CORTEX A9 OMAP4 1.5 GHz

� 3D OpenGL (ES 2.0)



Capacity � Flash Memory: 16 GB* + microSD Slot (SDHC compatible)

� HDD memory: 250 GB*

Video Playback1 � MPEG-4 HD (up to 1080p)

� MPEG-42 (ASP@L5 AVI, up to DVD resolution)

� H.264 HD (HP@L3.1 up to 1080p)

� WMV9/VC1 (AP up to 1080p)

With optional plug-in:

� Cinema: MPEG2 (up to DVD resolution MP/D1)

With the above codecs, the device can play video files with the following extensions: AVI, MP4, MOV, 3GP, MPG, PS, TS, VOB, MKV, FLV, RM, RMVB, ASF, WMV

Audio Playback1

� MP3

� WMA, WMA-Pro 5.1

� WAV (PCM/ADPCM)

� AAC3, AAC+ 5.13

� OGG Vorbis

� FLAC

With optional software plug-in:

� AC3 5.1

Photo viewer4

� JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF

Subtitles � .srt, .ssa, .smi, .sub formats supported

Webcam � 720p front camera with 720p encoding

Interfaces � USB slave: Mobile Transfer Protocol (MTP)

� USB host: Mass Storage Class (MSC) (Micro USB/USB Host cable sold separately)

� microSD (SDHC compatible)

� HDMI output6 (Mini HDMI / HDMI cable sold separately)

Communication protocols � WiFi (802.11 b/g/n)

� Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR

Miscellaneous � Built-in GPS

� Built-in speakers

� G-sensor

� Vibrator

� Compass

� Built-in kick stand

� Built-in Microphone

Power source

� Internal: Lithium Polymer battery

� External: Power adapter/charger

Dimensions & weight

� ARCHOS 80 G9 Flash series: 226 mm x 155.3 mm x 11.7 mm (8.90 x 6.11 x 0.46 inch) � 465g (17 oz)

� ARCHOS 80 G9 Hard Drive series: 226 mm x 155.3 mm x 14.7 mm (8.90 x 6.11 x 0.58 inch) � 599g (21.9 oz)

� ARCHOS 101 G9 Flash series: 276 mm x 167.3 mm x 12.6 mm (10.86 x 6.59 x 0.50 inch) � 649g (23.8 oz)

� ARCHOS 101 G9 Hard Drive series: 276 mm x 167.3 mm x 15.6 mm (10.86 x 6.59 x 0.61 inch) � 755g (27.7 oz)

Battery life

� Music playback time7: up to 36 hrs

� Video playback time7: up to 7 hrs

� Internet navigation time 7: up to 10 hrs

Scalability7 � Device automatically downloads latest firmware updates when the WiFi connection is activated

� Updates can also be downloaded at www.archos.com

Minimum system requirements � Microsoft� Windows� 7, Vista, XP or higher

� Mac OS. X with Android Transfer Files application (not included)

� Linux with android MTP tool (not included)

� USB 2.0 interface
source: Eurodroid

The limited edition Galaxy Tab 10.1 handed out at Google I/O was rooted in no time, and it looks like owners of the more widely available retail version can now thank XDA member shep211 for opening up some new possibilities on their iteration of the tablet as well. As usual, you should proceed with some caution if you decide to take the plunge, but good news is that the root can be "derooted" if you wind up having second thoughts � all the details you need are at the source link below.
source: 2DayBlog.com

The Acer Iconia Tab A500 is one of the more interesting Android Honeycomb tablets on the market, primarily because it's quite affordable, at least compared to some of the competition (cough, Xoom, cough). While perhaps not being the cheapest 10-inch Android tablet, that award probably being snatched by the Asus Eee Pad Transformer in most markets, Acer's first effort is a good one nevertheless.

Back in May we heard that the Iconia Tab A500 would get updated to Android 3.1, the latest version of the tablet-optimized fork of Android, sometime in June, alongside the Eee Pad Transformer. The update for the Asus tablet has already started rolling out, but so far there was no word from Acer on what's going on � after all June is almost over.

So today the company's German arm decided to post an update about the update on its Facebook page. It turns out that Acer Iconia Tab A500 tablets will be updated to Android 3.1 on July 5, at least those bought in Germany. It's unclear at the moment if this date is also when a European rollout of the update will begin, or perhaps a global one. We'll let you know more as soon as we do.

What we do know right now is that, as expected, the update will come over-the-air, and as such your tablet will notify you that the update is available, at which point you can download and install it.
source: Unwired View

Designed to work with practically any tablet, the InfiniteLoop is one versatile solution that can be used to keep your tablet/phone in an upright position no matter where you are; be it in your car, on your bed, at a desk. The InfiniteLoop is basically a strip made from metal and plastic, and it can be shaped into anyway you want to form a stand for your devices. It is also available as the MiniLoop: a smaller version of the InfiniteLoop that is used to hold smartphones instead of tablets.

When not in use, the InfiniteLoop can be easily rolled up into a compact circle for storage or transporting purposes. Unfortunately, you won't be able to get your hands on one of these stands � at least not at the moment. The InfiniteLoop exists only as a concept product right now and its creator has started a Kickstarter project to get it funded. You can pre-order it for $35 (retail price will be $44.95) or you can pre-order the MiniLoop for $19 (retail price $29.95). $75 will get you both in a limited edition black, and more will give you even more perks. Head over to the InfiniteLoop Kickstarter page to find out more.
source: Ubergizmo

Solar-powered laptop chargers always seemed a little mis-matched. Using a trickle of Sun-power to juice a thirsty computer is a little like running you big-screen TV from a trunk full of AAA cells. But tablets, which spend much longer away from power outlets, are perfect for solar power.

And the Spark Tablet Case is just the thing. The case, made from PET (recycled soda bottles), has a compartment inside for your tablet plus a bunch of mesh pockets for cables and other sundries. On the side are the solar panels, and these will fully charge the internal battery in ten hours (in direct sunlight).

That battery is the important part, as you could leave this hanging from your tent all day and then plug in your iPad when you get back from a long hike. The power comes out through two USB ports. Both provide 5 volts, one sends out 600mA and the other 2A. You can also plug in pretty much any other device using adapters, and the voltage can be stepped up to 12v for charging camera batteries.

It seems ideal for camping trips, except for the weight: at 1130 grams (around 2.5 pounds), you'll probably wan to leave this at base camp. Just don't forget to put it on a sunny rock while you're gone.

$300, available now.

Spark Tablet Case [Voltaic]

Samsung will release the 10-inch version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab in the UK at the beginning of August.

A successor to the reasonably popular original 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab, it will launch with the latest version of Android in Honeycomb 3.1, specially optimised for tablets. Samsung also announced that the Galaxy Tab 8.9 will come out later this year, as the company tries to keep all the bases covered.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is certainly a step-up in terms of power, with a 1GHz dual core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. It also has a 3-megapixel rear and 2-megapixel front camera, with 1080p HD video playback. And of course being a premier Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will have Flash playback. It is available in both black and white colours.

With three tablets covering different sizes, Samsung has certainly tried to offer a choice for all tastes, much like what it does with its phones. Problem is that the iPad has blown away all the competition so far, because like the iPhone it is still thought of the premier device of its type.
source: Unwired View

Analyst ComScore has released some pretty humbling data covering the tablet market, showing that the world still definitely belongs to iPad in terms of current tablet market share.

In its figures showing �non-computer device� network traffic during May, the mass of Android tablets were lucky to break above 1% of non-computer traffic across a variety of countries, with iPad varying between 4% in India and a whopping 33.5% in Canada.

Here's a nice dry table:

89% of all tablet traffic came via iPad in May. But that'll soon change when the Huawei MediaPad launches! Read the full ComScore report here.

ARCHOS announced two new Android tablets. They include two for factors; the 80 G9 (8? 1024 by 768 display) and the 101 G9 (10.1? 1280 by 800 display). They also ship with the fastest dual-core processor, a CORTEX A9 OMAP4 1.5 GHz.

In addition to putting the quickest processor in, they add a couple more features to stand out from the crowd. A 250 GB Hard Drive option and a 3G option that can be added after you buy the tablet.

The 101 G9 is listed for $399.99 for the 16GB model, and $499.99 for the 250GB model. The 80 G9 lists for $329.99 for the 16GB model, and $399.99 for the 250GB model.

You can choose between a flash model, or one with a 250 GB hard Drive. The Hard Drive models are only 3mm thicker and about 4 ounces heavier. It looks like you can't later decide to add a hard drive, since the physical dimensions are different. I know it is all about the flash memory anymore, but the attraction of size and cost for a hard drive is compelling.

There is no 3G model. They ship with Wi-Fi, but include the ability to add a 3G stick for access. It is standard looking 3G USB stick that you can also use with your Mac or Windows PC. What makes it really slick is that it is designed to slide right into a custom slot. When installed, you won't even know it is there (except for the wireless access). The Gadgeteer in me wonders if you can attach other USB devices into that port.

No word yet on what cell providers will support it. I also wonder if they will produce a 4G version. Seems a shame to saddle this high-powered tablet with 3G speeds.

What do you think? 8? or 10??
source: The Gadgeteer

It seems that Sony Ericsson will be dishing out two new Xperia smartphones. Not much is known about the Xperia Ray (pictured) and Xperia Active, except that both will be Android-powered. Sources claim that the Ray could be running with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, while it is hard to tell what version of the OS is on Active.
The Xperia Ray will have a bronze-ish back panel and is just 9.4mm thick. The smartphone will come with Sony�s Bravia Engine technology, which would enhance the resolution of the screen. It can also shoot HD video from its rear-facing camera and it also has a front-facing cam as well. Like theXperia Play , the Ray will have Facebook Inside Xperia, which lets users utilize the social network from all many of the phone�s apps like the camera app, media player, and the address book.
Meanwhile, the Xperia Active appears to have a very rugged design with its curved, probably rubberized edges. It is likely that the Active is developed to withstand tough environments. The Active comes with a little loop where a key chain or wrist strap can be attach and has a much thicker form than the Ray. It also has a rear-facing camera and comes in four color schemes.
According to Steve Walker, Sony Ericsson�s chief marketing officer, the Ray and Active are expected to be launch on the third quarter of 2011 at a lower price point than the Xperia Play, currently priced at $200 with two-year contract from Verizon. Expect to hear more features about these two smartphones in the coming weeks.
celebritycombo.com

John Biggs of MobileCrunch has written an doomsday article about how BlackBerry�s days are numbered and will go the way of other mobile platforms that were bought by a bigger company, exist independently for a while, and then get subsumed. The author has listed a number of reasons why it�s over and done for BlackBerry.
�BlackBerries aren�t status symbols,� proclaims Biggs. �They�re the real-world equivalent of the thick, heavy IT-department-assigned business laptop. They�re staid, boring, and unwanted but people are used to them� but that�s about it.�
It won�t be too long, according to him, that people who are originally into BB would begin to support �more popular devices� such as iOS and Android phones. For Biggs, competitors of BB have become stronger and faster that its manufacturer, Research In Motion, has a hard time keeping up. He even includes BlackBerry�s tablet, thePlayBook, as part of its demise because the tablet lacked native e-mail, a feature that is expected on almost every BB device.
Wrapping up, the author describes RIM as a �slave to its own success.�
�They can�t sell anything other than a keyboard-candybar phone in an era where the keyboard is increasingly irrelevant or hidden away until needed� It�s over and now we�re just waiting forthe buy-out and inevitable disappearance of one of the greatest mobile companies in modern memory.�
What do you think about BlackBerry�s future? Do you think it is too soon to declare its downfall?
celebritycombo.com

Judge Lucy Koh has rejected Samsung�s request to inspect Apple�s iPhone 5 and iPad 3. In an 11-page document, she explained that while Samsung is entitled to �parity,� requesting for Apple to hand over unreleased and unrevealed products was a bit overreaching.
While the decision sounds good for Apple, the rejection of Samsung�s motion is not permanent because the court may have to wait until the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 become available for inspection before deciding whether or not �consumer confusion� will exist as claimed by Apple. This also means that Apple may not get thepreliminary injunction that would have barred Samsung from selling certain products in the United States.
Although Apple may not get the injunction that it wants, it may focus its legal battles against Samsung�s unreleased and unnannounced products that could pose an infringement threat. And the cycle continues.
celebritycombo.com

Digital cameras of today, even the most advanced models, lets you capture a single shot of a certain image for posterity. But for the camera of the future, it may be possible to take a single shot of that same image and then change the type of focus later on. This can give photographers a means to take a multi-focused image in just a single shot. This type of futuristic camera may now be made possible by the new Lytro.
The Lytro is a camera currently in the works that may enable photographers to capture a more versatile image of sorts. It allows photographers to change the focus of the image after it is taken. The Lytro makes use of a new type of sensor that captures and records the entire light field, or all the light rays present in an entire scene. Current sensors only capture all the light as a single amount of light.
Armed with this feature, the Lytro camera can allow the focal point of a photo to be adjusted according to what a photographer needs through a computer in the same way that images can be adjusted for color, hue or contrast on Photoshop. The Lytro�s sensitive sensor also makes it possible to take photos in very low light conditions and possibly 3D-like images using a single lens. According to the company, the first Lytro camera may be available as a pocket sized device that will be available sometime at the end of the year. They also say that this revolutionary device will be �competitively priced�, whatever that means. For now, you can try and check out some of the images taken using the Lytro camera at theirwebsite to see it for yourself.
celebritycombo.com

Microsoft has introduced the latest developments on its Windows Phone Mango, particularly with its new Games Hub. One of the biggest changes on the Hub is that it now features that were used to be relegated to a separate Xbox Live Extras app. This includes Xbox Live messaging, integrated achievements, and the ability to edit the user�s Xbox Live profile down to its fully animated 3D avatars. Players can even compare their achievements with their friends.
The 3D avatars even move depending on how the user treats the Windows Phone. Shaking the phone would make the avatar dance or even faint; abusing the phone too much and the avatar might even lash out at the user.
Another improvement is the Hub�s Collection view that lets users manage their installed Windows Phone games more easily. Games are used to be sorted alphabetically, featuring the icon on the left of the list and the name on the right. Now, if the phone has more than 20 games, the list would feature the last three titles the user has played.
Seeing these developments make me more excited about its Fall release.
celebritycombo.com

While the tablet market today has become one of the more competitive markets for devices out there, that doesn�t stop many companies from trying to get their own tablet versions out there. Btu while they may have all the attractive features, it seems that their expected prices may not be something that almost anyone can afford. If tablet makers would want to attract a customer base, then having a more affordable price point would surely do that. That is what Vizio did by coming up with its own 8-inch Vizio Tablet.
Vizio is more known for its good quality yet inexpensive TV sets. It has now come up with the Vizio Tablet that was initially designed to sync up with its Vizio home theater line to function like a universal remote control. But the Vizio Tablet is an interesting piece of device in itself.
The Vizio Tablet may be comparable to features of most tablets that are currently out there- a 1GHz processor, 8-inch touchscreen display, 512MB RAM and 4GB internal storage with microSD support for up to 32GB. It also runs on the Android Gingerbread OS. But what probably may be more interesting for most people is that the Vizio Tablet will just cost around US$350. That�s quite a bargain compared to the prices of the current line of tablets out there. While most people would surely not line up at Walma
rt around next month when it comes out like the Apple crowd did with the iPad, the Vizio Tablet would at least get the attention of the would-want-a-tablet-but-can�t-afford-it crowd.
celebritycombo.com

Magellan is not gonna give up on providing a standalone GPS navigator, a category slowly being beaten by GPS apps in smartphones. It has recently introduced the Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM, a smartphone-like device with full WVGA display, WiFi, native web browser, and AAA TourBook app complete with Diamond ratings.
The RoadMate 5175T-LM can be viewed on both portrait and landscape modes, adapting to personal viewing preference. Its 5-inch high-resolution touchscreen displays free Lifetime Map Updates, Lifetime Traffic Alerts, automatic updates, and other features. The TourDirector lets users choose attractions and plan the day�s itinerary by searching for venues of interest within the local area.
The cost: $299.99. Pretty expensive if you ask me, but I�m not gonna discourage you from buying it.
celebritycombo.com

Not liking how you would have to purchase a separate device to scan that credit card for your mobile payments? Does typing all the credit card information onto the phone too time consuming for you? Card.io has heard you! This SDK utilizes the smartphone cameras to accept credit cards. All you have to do is to pull out the credit card, get the Card.io running (which would automatically turns on the phone�s camera), out pop a little green rectangle, frame the card into it, and snap a photo.
The credit card info is then processed by a third-party merchant. The details are then deleted from the phone once transaction is complete.The Card.io for iOS is now available for developers who are interested in using it for their apps. An Android version of the kit will be released soon after.
celebritycombo.com

During an event, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop asked a crowd to �put away their cameras.� Apparently, he was about to unveil something �super confidential.� As it turns out, it is a Nokia smartphone that runs onWindows Phone 7 Mango that goes by the code name �Sea Ray.� Pinch me, I might be dreaming.
Of course, not everyone is foolish enough to follow Mr. Elop�s request. Within hours, leaked photos and videos of the secret phone were released into the blogosphere. The Sea Ray looks just like the just-unveiled Nokia N9, although the LED flash is placed differently on the back plus it has an additional hardware button on the side.
You can check out the full, sneakily-recorded video at the source link.
celebritycombo.com

Vizio's Android Tablet was first seen back in January at CES. We havn't really heard much since then, but we have stumbled upon some new details today on Vizio's first attempt at a tablet.

The tablet will run on Gingerbread along with Vizio's custom interface which will be similar to Vizio's Internet App Plus ecosystem, although Vizio stated that they would be willing to switch to Honeycomb if they think it will be stable enough on the device. The device spots a 8-inch screen with 1024 x 768 resolution, a front-facing camera for video chat, stereo speakers, and HDMI out which allows the user to transfer videos from the tablet to the TV. A unique feature of this device is the ability to use the tablet as a remote for your TV and other entertainment devices in the room.

Vizio's Android Tablet will ship in July and will be priced at $349. This low price point is a new strategy used by many Android tablet manufacturers to make their product more attractive than the more expensive tablets such as the Xoom or iPad 2. We will keep you updated on any more news we hear about Vizio's Tablet.
source: Unwired View

According to Motorola's European Facebook page, the company has finally begun to launch the latest Android 3.1 update for the tablet outside of the US. It's going to be a patchy, gradual process, as ever with these things, but IT HAS BEGUN.

Here's the quote from Motorola:

The 3.1 update for Motorola XOOM� outside the U.S. has started. Owners in Europe can expect updates over the next several weeks until the roll out is complete. The 3.1 update for non-U.S. devices, in addition to many other improvements, also includes SD card activation. Release notes will be made available in each region, functionality varies by region.

So stop your moaning, Motorola users�

�you're about to have the best and newest Android thing once again.
source: Eurodroid

The Lenovo IdeaPad K1 has been taking its sweet time on its trip to American shores. You may remember it was the Lenovo LePad, though the tablet has been slightly updated since we first saw it. A display placard from OfficeMac has surfaced, and its details echo those of a recent Buy.com listing for the slate. The IdeaPad K1 runs on Android 3.0, has dual front and rear cameras, a 10.1-inch screen, and 10 hour of battery life. When it hits OfficeMax's shelves � and that could be soon � it will retail for $499.99. That's not the cheapest Honeycomb tablet we have seen as of late, but it's also not the worse.
source: Android Phone