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Did mobile sleuths uncover Nokia’s new MeeGo tablet?

A pic of the MeeGo vido player

Nokia’s MeeGo platform had us impressed during last year’s Computex and we’ve been itching to see some more. Now thanks to some Nokia fanatics at Mobile Review, we may have some more insight towards a new Nokia tablet running the sought-after UI.

The pictures show a MeeGo video player (with our favorite videos like “Kittens” and Tarantino’s “Big Buck Bunny”) along with an onscreen keyboard and some network capability. Standard fare really. And going by the bug reports, it’s still a long way from 100%, but it gives us something to look forward to, right MeeGo fans?

Source: Mobile Review via Engadget

Review of the Hanvon Rollick 0604 graphics tablet

Is the Hanvon Rollick graphics tablet a better alternative to Wacom?

Reviewed by Henry Canizares.

Inexpensive battery-free pen tablet for carpal tunnel discomfort.

A few weeks ago I started to feel some discomfort in my right wrist that I believe was being caused by hour upon hour of clutching my computer’s mouse. I decided to search for another option to the mouse that might alleviate my carpal tunnel syndrome. During my search I considered many options such as a track ball mouse, a mouse that looks like a pen and a graphics or pen tablet.

A graphic designer friend recommended to me a graphics tablet, so I went online to look at some of the available brands. After reading many blogs and reviews, I realized that there are two graphic tablet technologies on the market: those with battery-operated pens and those with battery-free pens. I really didn’t want to deal with replacing batteries because I had previously owned several computer mice that used batteries. They were a pain because I had to replace the batteries often. I eventually narrowed my search to two brands — a pen tablet by Wacom from Wacom.com and one by Hanvon, available on Telbak.com.

I ended up buying a small pen tablet from Telbak.com for $69.99 because the Wacom tablet’s price seemed a little steep. I decided to write a review about how this product works and helps me with my carpal tunnel problem.

Box opening experience

As you can see in the pictures, I think the presentation is standard in the market for this kind of product. I like that everything in the package is recyclable. The pen tablet is completely black and comes with pen stand, drivers, USB cable and software. I really like the design with a touch ring and two sensitive buttons for a keyboard shortcut setting.

Installation

The installation was simple and easy. I inserted the CD, and the installation prompt guided me through the process. After installation, I started using the tablet.

I have to admit that it was not easy to change the setting of the shortcut buttons. The touch ring was easy because it was ready to use for zooming in and out in graphic software and for scrolling up and down in MS Word and the Internet.

Handwriting aspect

Because I am new at using a pen tablet, it took me little longer to get used to it. I wish that it came with a tutorial on how to operate it. After a few days of using the writing mechanism, I can say that this is what I was looking for. I noticed that my wrist is now moving in many directions because the active area of the tablet mirrors the computer screen. Not only is my wrist moving right to left, but also rotating up and down. The pen has, without a doubt, helped with my carpal tunnel problems.

Also, I noticed that not only is my hand rotating in many directions but also my whole left and right arm are moving when I use the keyboard and the tablet combination.

Free Software Included

One huge advantage of using this product is that it not only alleviates my carpal tunnel syndrome, but it also increases my office productivity. The software that comes with it is exceptional. I am able to write anywhere on the screen, sign documents using PDF or MS office, and even send handwritten emails to my friends.

Technical aspects

I am not technically savvy, but I found these technical features from Telbak.com.

Active Area(LxW): 6″×4″ (152×101mm)
Tablet Size (LxWxH): 9.45″x9.37″x0.276″ (240×238×7mm)
Pressure Level: 1024 Levels
Resolution: 2540 LPI
Max. Report Rate: 133 pps
Accuracy: ±0.5mm
Tilt Range: ±60°
Maximum Reading Height: 7mm
Induction Mode : Electromagnetic Induction
Interface: USB
Pen Weight: 10.5g
Pen Size: 10×138.4mm

Conclusion

I really don’t understand why people still use a mouse on a daily basis. I know that these pen tablet products are not easy to get used to. But after a few hours of practicing, I am extremely satisfied — not only with the brand, but also with its capabilities.

For only $69.99 and with no battery to replace, I really recommend this product to anyone looking for an alternative to a using the traditional mouse. Regardless, it is a superb performer overall for graphics and office use.

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COOL-ER eReader gets second wind with Elonex partnership, promises color E-Ink next year

Elonex's color eReader that was shown at IFA (image from Pocket-lint)

Amidst all the pricing shakeup that happened in July, it had looked like Interead, makers of the COOL-ER line of eReaders, would be one of the casualties. They announced that they would be liquidating their assets in an attempt to repay debt. Many, us included, took this as a sign that another eReader manufacturer had bit the dust, but according to Pocket-lint — who has an exclusive interview with Interead marketing director Phil Wood — COOL-ER has partnered with eBook maker Elonex and are promising even more to come in the next year.

Wood expounded upon Interead’s liquidation stating that it was due to two problems: the UK banking system and a major U.S. retailer backing out of a large order of COOL-ER eReaders. Thankfully it looks like Elonex has gobbled them up and are looking to release a co-branded lineup of five new eReaders in the next year. The focus will be on providing affordable, colorful options including a 99-euro color-screened eReader. Elonex is banking on COOL-ER’s recognizable name for that.

The main bit of news, however, is around a COOL-ER color E-Ink eReader. Wood said, “If you’re dedicated reader, you want e-ink. And, obviously, in the new year, colour e-ink is coming along.” He continued to say that they were in talks with the same suppliers as every other eReader manufacturer which could possibly mean Mirasol or even Liquidvista made screens. The Elonex COOL-ER color E-Ink eReader could arrive as early as the end of Q1 of 2011.

Read more of the interview at Pocket-lint.com.

Source: Pocket-lint

Elocity A7 Android 2.2 tablet now available for pre-order

The eLocity A7 packs Tegra 2 with Froyo for under $400

With Android tablet announcements reaching an all-time high, it’s nice to see some actually begin taking pre-orders. In this case it’s the eLocity A7 tablet which is worth mentioning due to the included NVIDIA Tegra 2 1GHz processor and Android 2.2 OS. Now, just because it’s available for pre-order doesn’t mean you’ll be getting your hands on it right away. We don’t know exactly how “pre” matches up to any sort of temporal value at this time. It could be next week, it could be next month (more likely).

Aside from sporting the Tegra 2 and the Android Froyo, the eLocity A7 has a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, 4GB of storage (bleh), 1.3MP Camera, USB 2.0, HDMI (for streaming 1080p capable video), 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, three axis accelerometer, and a battery rated for five hours of video playback. There are some very obvious weak points (battery life and internal storage) but does a price tag of $369.99 balance it out? Seems like an interesting choice for those wanting a 7-inch capacitive touch Froyo tablet with the sought-after Tegra 2 processor.

Head over to Amazon now and plunk down your digital cash if you feel it’s worth it.

Source: Electronista

New Sony Readers are here, geared, get used to it

A look at the new Sony Reader line-up

There are typically two lines of thought when it comes to selling your product to the masses. The first is to make it more affordable than your competitors while offering similar services. The second is to make it a better product than you competitors. It’s obvious which way of thinking Sony was going for in its Sony Reader refresh, but can they accomplish it?

When we first posted about the Reader refresh three weeks ago, we were hoping for a few things. First, that the new Readers would be competitively prices in relation to the Kindle and Nook. Second, that with this new upgrade in touch interface they would find a way around the murky, cloudy resistive touch screen found in their PRS-600 and PRS-900 models. Well, one for two ain’t bad.

Gone is the cloudy touchscreen. It’s been replaced with an E-Ink Pearl display that looks clear and full of contrast. The touchscreens as well have gone optical for detecting jabby little fingers. It’s something we’re excited to hear, but we’ll wait on platitudes until we see it in action — specifically direct sunlight action. The Readers have also gone slimmer and lighter, as is the trend, while increasing page turn speed significantly. What hasn’t been slimmed is the price. Instead of keeping the recently close-out prices of the Touch and Pocket Editions, the prices have been bumped up significantly (the Daily retains its previous price).

The base Sony Reader, the PRS-350 Pocket Edition, now starts at $179. Now there’s a lot that has been improved with the Reader, but it still has no WiFi or 3G connection. What it does give you is a 5-inch touchscreen and 2GBs of memory (update: we previously reported that it had a SD card slot for additional storage, but Sony’s specs show no sign of it). Will that be enough for people to buy the PRS-350 over the cheaper Kindle and Nook WiFi versions or the slightly more expensive 3G connected Kindle and Nook versions? With the popularity of Amazon’s and Barnes & Noble’s eReaders, that’s going to be a tough sell.

The refreshed Sony Touch Edition Reader, PRS-650, is now priced at $229. Weighing in at .4 pounds (which makes it nearly $36 per ounce), the Touch Edition features the new upgrades along with 2GB of storage, SD card and MemoryStick Pro (let it die Sony. Let it die) slots. Finally, the Sony Daily Edition Reader, PRS-950, keeps the same price, screen size and connection options while conforming to the upgrades. Coming out in November, it will be the highest priced eReader available in most stores. Eek?

Source: Engadget

Archos finally goes capacitive with a slew of new tablets

The new Archos tablet line-up (image from Engadget)

Archos, Archos, Archos. There are a lot of people out there that want to like you. However, in the last year they’ve been giving cringingly little in return. Hopefully, after the disappointments of the Archos 9 PC Tablet and Archos 7 Home Tablet, your new tablet line-up can reciprocate some of the love.

Ok, so the good news is that Archos has finally dropped the resistive screen on their larger models in favor of the more responsive, less aggravating, just plain mo’ better capacitive touch screen. The other news is that they’ll be shipping this new batch of tablets with Android 2.2. This new “shock and awe” group forgoes the single digits and expands into the double and even triple digit model numbers! Exciting, no?

Let’s start with the new big boy — the Archos 101. This 10.1-inch capacitive touch screened fella hopes to erase the words “Archos 9 PC Tablet” from the popular memory. It features a 1GHz processor, can play 720p video, has a front-facing VGA webcam, kickstand, USB, HDMI, is half an inch thick and weighs under a pound. While we don’t know yet what type of internal storage or mountable drives are possible with the 101, it will be shipping in mid-October for a very un-Archos-like price of $300.

Next up is the Archos 7 Home Tablet upgrade — the Archos 70 (see what they did there?). This takes that latest Archos release, which was disappointing, and attempts to fix it. Gone is the clunky resistive screen in favor of a capacitive screen. Included is an accelerometer, which the A7HT lacked for some unknown reasoning. It even goes the extra mile to include a front-facing VGA webcam, USB and mini-HDMI ports. While not as cheap as the A7HT, the $275 price isn’t bad considering what it is. Release is supposed to happen in mid-October.

The Archos 5 Internet Tablet has definitely been Archos’s most popular tablet model. Now the Archos 43 looks to usurp the King of Portable (non-Apple) Media with it’s 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor and rear-facing 720p video camera. Sadly, no capacitive touch on this model, but for $199 we’ll be interested to see what storage is associated with a $200 price tag. Release will again be in mid-October.

The Archos 32 fills in the small-screened PMP portion of the group with a 3.2-inch screen, 8GB of internal storage, 720p recordable camera on the back composite port all for $149.99. Finally, if you really want to squint, the Archos 28 will give you a 2.8-inch 320 x 240 resolution screen with 4GB of storage and 800MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor. It will cost $99.99 and both the Archos 32 and 28 will be hitting shelves at the end of September.

So how can (will) Archos mess this all up? First, no Android Market support. All tablets come with Archos AppsLib and there are no preloaded Google apps. Second, what storage ability will the Archos 101, 70 and 43 have? Typically that’s where the major price differences happen in Archos products. Will we see a $149.99 Archos 32 with 4GB of storage and a 16GB model for $229.99? We’ll find out shortly. Archos has a long way to go before climbing back into bed with most of us. Maybe this is their way of telling us that they were listening the whole time, want to start over and take it slow.

Source: Engadget

The Tegra 2-running Hannspree Android tablet debuting at IFA

The Hannspree Android 2.2 tablet with Tegra 2

Here’s a preview of one of the (sure to be) many tablets that will be on display at this year’s IFA show. The Hannspress tablet does have quite a few things going for it though. To start, it offers a 10.1-inch capacitive multitouch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 600. Second, it’s running Android 2.2 from the get-go. Finally, and perhaps the most interesting, it will use a 1GHz Tegra 2 processor all for the iPad-beating starting cost of €399.

The Hannspree tablet doesn’t stop there. Other fleshed out specs include a 16GB SSD, SD card slot, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, mini-USB 2.0 port, mini HDMI, a 3500mAh battery rated for 8 house of video playback, and access to the official Android Market. It measures 10.24 x 6.73 x 0.55 inches and weighs about 1.75 lbs. Internal goodies comprise of a Chrome browser, calendar, email, media players, YouTube, social media and other pre-loaded applications.

Hannspree will be shipping their tablet in November, but we’ll probably see some hands-on video demonstrations within a few days.

Source: ZDNet (Germany)

Realease Shogo Linux tablet now taking pre-orders in Japan

Shogo now available for pre-order in Japan

Remember the Shogo tablet? If not, allow us to refresh your memory. The Shogo is a 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 resolution capacitive multitouch tablet running a Freescale iMX-37 processor with 4GB of SSD storage, 256MB of RAM, and the usual assortment of connection options (WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G). What sets the Shogo apart from the rest is that it’s designed to be a 100% open-source tablet. It runs Linux, supports Flash and HTML5, and can even be loaded with Android.

The Shogo was previously only available for bulk orders from Realease (who crafted the kitchen-centric QOOQ tablet), but now Redstar is selling the tablet at the consumer level in Japan starting today. Those living in the Land of the Rising Sun who wish to order it can for 56,800 yen (roughly $670 U.S.) from Redstar.

Source: Akihabara News

Apple stops business relationship with SurfaceInk over tablet prototype

Is greed, for lack of a better term, still good?

Look no further than this story if you need proof of Apple’s possessive nature. SurfaceInk, who showed a 12.1-inch Ubuntu-running tablet prototype in June, has been dumped by Apple presumable over the fact that they can make a decent looking tablet. The founder of SurfaceInk, Eric Bauswell, confirmed yesterday that Apple had decided to split with the Californian design firm over “Apple’s growing awareness of our turnkey capabilities.” The firm had worked with Apple in the past on multiple design projects.

SurfaceInk originally developed their prototype tablet to meet clients needs who were interested in the tablet format. The result, which was five years in development, was created as a testing platform and shown off in this video by Charbax of ARMDevices.net.

So why would Apple dump a long-standing business relationship over a piece of hardware? According to Bauswell, they viewed SurfaceInk’s capabilities as a competitive threat. That seems to be a stretch, not Apple seeing everyone as being a competitor, but that this prototype and the rumored 7-inch and 8.9-inch models in development could pose a threat to the iPad. However, this is Apple’s modus operandi: move into a new niche category, claim it as your own, and consider everyone else — even if their project has been in development longer than yours — as a threat. Some would call that frugal business sense while others, a bully pulpit.

Whatever the case, you can’t deny Apple performs clandestine business moves against friend of foe. It places what would normally be considered borderline conspiracy theories like that of Mike Cane in a whole new light. If Apple is willing to sever a business relationship over a tablet by a design firm, wouldn’t they be calculated enough to interrupt another major electronic manufacturer’s entry into the tablet market? That may not be the focus of Apple’s music-centric September 1st media event, but it certainly could be “one more thing…” away from taking the spot light off Samsung’s new Galaxy tablet — potentially with a new iPad announcement.

Apple hasn’t protected themselves in this case though. Their move may have opened up the door for another, larger competitor to swoop in and begin a new relationship with SurfaceInk — who now looks like the little mouse that scared the large Apple elephant.

Source: New York Times

SmartDevices SmartQ T7 Android tablet review and hands-on video

Once again Chippy is here with the goods on the SmartDevices SmartQ T7 Android tablet. It comes with Android 2.1, 3G connection and an ARM11 processor and will be shipping at the end of the month. Check out the 15 minutes video for an indepth look at the device.

The 3G version (minus Bluetooth) costs $289 from HotMid.com and the WiFi/Bluetooth version costs $235.

Source: CarryPad