CES

CES
January 9, 2012
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Sony announces the Xperia S with 4.3-inch display and 12-megapixel camera

By on January 9, 2012 at 8:22 PM.

Sony announces the Xperia S with 4.3-inch display and 12-megapixel camera

Sony announced another addition to the company’s Xperia line at the Consumer Electronics Show late Monday, the Sony Xperia S. The smartphone features 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 display, 1GB of RAM, and a massive 12 megapixel rear camera, complete with Sony’s Exmor R backlit sensor. The Xperia S will be available in both 16GB and 32GB models, though unfortunately Sony has chosen not to include a microSD slot for expandable storage. Pricing is not yet available, but the Xperia S is due to start shipping sometime in March worldwide.

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CES
January 9, 2012
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Nokia Lumia 900 official for AT&T: 4G LTE, 4.3-inch display

By on January 9, 2012 at 6:19 PM.

Nokia Lumia 900 official for AT&T: 4G LTE, 4.3-inch display

Nokia took the stage at the Consumer Electronics Show and announced the company’s first 4G LTE smartphone, the Nokia Lumia 900. The device features a 4.3-inch Clearblack AMOLED display and will launch exclusively on AT&T in black and cyan color options. Similar to the Lumia 800, 710, and Nokia N9, the Lumia 900 features a polycarbonate shell that Nokia calls both bold and beautiful. The device sports a 1.4GHz processor, 4G LTE connectivity, a 1830 mAh battery, 16GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM, with an 8-megapixel rear camera that features a 28mm f/2.2 Carl Zeiss lens and a front-facing f/2.4 wide-angle camera. The Lumia 900 will be available within the coming months and will be priced aggressively, according to Nokia. Read on for the press release.  More →

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CES
January 9, 2012
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ASUS announces higher resolution Transformer Prime and the Eee Pad Memo

By on January 9, 2012 at 4:23 PM.

ASUS announces higher resolution Transformer Prime and the Eee Pad Memo

Even though the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime was only released in December, the company has announced a new higher resolution model. The older Prime — again, the unit that was available in the middle of December — featured a 1280 x 800 resolution with a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera, and was plagued with Wi-Fi and GPS issues due to a metallic back-plate. ASUS’ newer model (TF700T) will have a higher resolution 1920 x 1200 Super IPS+ display and feature a new 2-megapixel front facing camera for HD video-chatting. The backside of the device has been redesigned, which should enhance the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS performance. The device runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and sports a price tag of $600 for the 32GB model and $700 for the 64GB model respectively. Not content with one-upping their tablet from last month, ASUS also announced the new 7-inch Eee Pad Memo which focuses on entertainment, media, and light productivity. The device features a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 1GB of RAM, Android 4.0, and a stylus for enhanced productivity. ASUS’ TF700T Prime and Eee Pad Memo will ship in the second quarter of 2012. Full press release is after the break. More →

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CES
January 9, 2012
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Huawei announces Ascend P1 S smartphone, thinner than DROID RAZR, runs stock Android 4.0

By on January 9, 2012 at 3:40 PM.

Huawei announces Ascend P1 S smartphone, thinner than DROID RAZR, runs stock Android 4.0

Huawei unveiled the company’s latest Android-powered smartphone, the Ascend P1 S. The device features an incredibly slim design, measuring a mere 6.68mm — even slimmer than Motorola’s 7.1mm DROID RAZR. The device sports a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display with a 1.5GHz TI OMAP 4460 dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. On the backside, the Ascend has an 8-megapixel camera with a dual-LED flash and a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera. Huawei also announced the Ascend P1, which packs similar features in a thicker 7.69mm profile. Both devices feature Corning’s Gorilla Glass and will run a clean version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Pricing has not been announced, however we can expect to see both of these devices within the second quarter of 2012. Read on for Huawei’s full press release.  More →

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CES
January 9, 2012
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Verizon announces the Motorola DROID 4, RAZR MAXX, and Jetpack 4G LTE mobile hotspots

By on January 9, 2012 at 2:55 PM.

Verizon announces the Motorola DROID 4, RAZR MAXX, and Jetpack 4G LTE mobile hotspots

At the Consumer Electronics Show, Verizon Wireless and Motorola announced the much-anticipated DROID 4, the fourth installment of Verizon’s original flagship device. The DROID 4 comes in at only half an inch thick and includes the expected 5-row keyboard with a 4-inch qHD display. The device features a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4G LTE connectivity, 16GB of internal storage, a microSD slot, and an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p video. The DROID 4 will be released with Android 2.3.5 and receive an update to Ice Cream Sandwich in the future. Verizon’s popular DROID RAZR will be adding the color purple to the lineup of black and white models, and have its priced dropped to $199. Additionally, Verizon announced the DROID RAZR MAXX designed for customers who are looking to push things to the limit. The device features a larger battery with an estimated 21 hours on a single charge. As the longest-lasting smartphone available, the MAXX is still only 8.99 mm thick. The DROID RAZR MAXX comes equipped with 32 GB of total memory and will be $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Verizon, ZTE, and Novatel also announced Verizon Jetpacks, two global ready 4G LTE mobile hotspot. Both Jetpacks allow up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices to share Verizon’s blazing fast 4G LTE network and come with an OLED screen and interactive keypad to manage connection settings and to display data alerts. When using the Jetpack, international travelers will have access to the Web in more than 205 countries, including more than 125 with 3G speeds all from their Wi-Fi-connected devices. Verizon’s 4G LTE network reaches more than 200 million people in the United States covering a total of 190 markets. Pricing hasn’t be announced, however all announced devices will be available with in the “coming weeks.” Read on for Verizon’s press release. More →

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CES
January 9, 2012
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Sony Xperia ion with 4G LTE heading to AT&T

By on January 9, 2012 at 2:17 PM.

Sony Xperia ion with 4G LTE heading to AT&T

Sony and AT&T have announced the Xperia ion, a name we saw trademarked last week. The Xperia ion features a 4.6-inch 1280 x 720 HD Reality display with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a massive 12-megapixel Exmor-R rear camera that can capture 1080p video. Additionally, the device sports LTE connectivity, 16GB of internal storage, and a 1.3MP front-facing camera that can record 720p video. The smartphone follows in the footsteps of the Xperia Play and comes “Playstation-Certified.” The ion will be released running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, in the second quarter of this year, with an Ice Cream Sandwich update in the future. Read on for Sony’s full press release. More →

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CES
January 9, 2012
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Sprint officially announces LG Viper and Galaxy Nexus

By on January 9, 2012 at 1:31 PM.

Sprint officially announces LG Viper and Galaxy Nexus

Sprint has updated the company’s website to officially include the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper, the Now Network’s first two 4G LTE smartphones. The details around the Galaxy Nexus are slim, with Sprint only indicating that the device features 16GB of internal storage and will include Google Wallet, a feature not found on Verizon’s variant, though we’re guessing there aren’t many other differences between Verizon’s handset and the HSPA+ version. The LG Viper is the second LTE device announced, and it features a 4-inch WVGA display with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and a 5-megapixel rear camera. The Viper comes with an NFC chip and will come with Google Wallet, while running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Sprint’s LTE network is expected to launch in mid-2012 in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta. More →

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CES
January 9, 2012
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Corning announces tougher and thinner Gorilla Glass 2

By on January 9, 2012 at 11:40 AM.

Corning announces tougher and thinner Gorilla Glass 2

Corning has officially announced Gorilla Glass 2, the company’s next generation of damage-resistant glass. Gorilla Glass 2 is 20% thinner than its predecessor and will be featured on slimmer and sleeker devices, while producing brighter images, greater touch sensitivity, and the same toughness we all love. “We knew Corning Gorilla Glass could get even better,” said James R. Steiner, Corning’s senior vice president and general manager. “In response to our customers’ drive toward thinner form factors, we designed this new glass to enable meaningful reduction in thickness without sacrificing the outstanding glass performance for which Gorilla Glass has become highly recognized.” The second generation of Gorilla Glass will be first featured in Windows-based PCs early this year. Introduced in 2007, Corning’s Gorilla Glass has become the most widely deployed glass for mobile devices and is currently featured on more than 575 product models, spanning more than 500 million units worldwide. Corning is expecting reach more than $700 million in 2011 sales, nearly triple the company’s 2010 results. The full announcement is after the break. More →

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CES
January 9, 2012
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USB 3.0 coming to smartphones and tablets by the end of 2012

By on January 9, 2012 at 10:22 AM.

USB 3.0 coming to smartphones and tablets by the end of 2012

On Sunday, the USB standards setting organization announced that USB 3.0 ports will be coming to smartphones and tablets by the end of the year. Mobile devices will feature a microUSB port based on USB 3.0 technology to fit the small size of the devices, said chief technology officer of the USB Implementers Forum Rahman Ismail. Currently smartphones and tablets use the older and slower USB 2.0 technology, but upgraded devices will sport data transfer rates as fast as 800Mbps. “What takes 15 minutes will roughly take 1 minute and 10 seconds,” said Ismail. USB 3.0 mobile transfer speeds will be considerably slower than their PC counterparts, though, which can reach up to 5Gbps. However, smartphones and tablet will feature faster charging due to faster power flow through USB 3.0 ports. On the flip side, Intel has also announced that the company intends to integrate its rivaling Thunderbolt technology into mobile devices. Luckily for us, PCs that have been recently introduced have featured both Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports, showing that both technologies can coexist. More →

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CES
January 9, 2012
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Acer to launch iCloud knockoff in the second quarter of 2012

By on January 9, 2012 at 9:01 AM.

Acer to launch iCloud knockoff in the second quarter of 2012

Acer recently announced the company’s intent to enter into the cloud game with the introduction of AcerCloud. The service will be available for Android devices and bundled with Acer brand computers starting in the second quarter of 2012 with worldwide availability in the fourth quarter. With AcerCloud’s PicStream, users can take a picture with their smartphone and have it automatically backed up to their computer to share with other connected devices. Additionally, AcerCloud Docs, a cloud-based documents service, allows users to update documents and save them to the cloud to stream them to other devices. Both of these services permanently back up the respective contents on a user’s PC and allow files to be temporarily accessed for 30 days from your personal own cloud account. With Acer’s clear.fu Media application you’re also able to access your multimedia at anytime, again, from your own cloud account. AcerCloud shares numerous similarities with Apple’s iCloud, which will be the service’s main competition. Read on for Acer’s full press release.

More →

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News
January 8, 2012
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Lenovo introduces new tablets, first Android 4.0 smart TV

By on January 8, 2012 at 11:14 PM.

Lenovo introduces new tablets, first Android 4.0 smart TV

Ahead of the company’s Consumer Electronics Show keynote, Lenovo announced a flurry of Android-based devices on Sunday evening. First up is the new S2 smartphone, and while it doesn’t feature a much anticipated quad-core chipset, the specs are more than suitable. The S2 sports a 1.4GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor with a VGA front-facing camera and 8-megapixel rear shooter. The device will run Android 2.3 on a 3.8-inch display with Lenovo’s custom skin on top. The company also announced a new Android 4.0 tablet, the IdeaTab S2, featuring a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB of RAM and a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 IPS display. The IdeaTab will be released with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and have a docking ability similar to what ASUS has done with the company’s Transformer tablets. When connecting the tablet to the keyboard dock, the IdeaTab gains 9 hours of battery life for a total of 18 hours, access to two USB 2.0 ports, a multitouch trackpad and an SDHC card reader.

Lastly, the company announced the 55-inch 3D K91, the world’s first smart TV running Android 4.0. The K91 features a dual-core Snapdragon processor, HDMI, Wi-Fi, an SD card slot, and a 5-megapixel front facing camera. The K91 is not considered a Google TV device, however, but it has access to the Android Market and Lenovo Store for thousands of apps. The IdeaTab S2 tablet, S2 smartphone and K91 smart TV are currently available in China, with worldwide availability coming at a later date. Lenovo’s press release can be found after the break.

More →

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Tablets
January 6, 2012
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Toshiba to unveil affordable 7-inch tablet and world’s thinnest 10-inch tablet at CES

By on January 6, 2012 at 10:15 PM.

Toshiba to unveil affordable 7-inch tablet and world’s thinnest 10-inch tablet at CES

Toshiba’s tablets never took off like the company wanted, but according to Notebook Italia, Toshiba will soon launch an entry-level 7-inch Android tablet that will debut at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show. The black and blue slate features a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 1024 x 600-pixel display, a rear camera, a microUSB port and a microSD slot. A leaked image also reveals three capacitive buttons, leading us to believe it will not be running Android 3.2 Honeycomb or Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. With the recent success of the Kindle Fire, numerous low-priced tablets are slated to appear at this CES and Toshiba’s new 7-inch model will be among them. Additionally, according to Toshiba’s Japanese website, the company will be showcasing the “world’s thinnest and lightest 10.1-inch tablet” at CES next week. Toshiba introduced the AT200 tablet last fall, which measured at just 7.7mm thick, however the company never announced a release date. More →

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mobile
January 6, 2012
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Corning to showcase Gorilla Glass 2 at CES

By on January 6, 2012 at 8:45 PM.

Corning to showcase Gorilla Glass 2 at CES

Corning, the company behind the popular Gorilla Glass used on hundreds of smartphones and other devices, announced on Thursday that it will be at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show to unveil Gorilla Glass 2. According to the company, Gorilla Glass is currently featured on more than 30 major brands and designed into more than 575 product models, spanning more than 500 million units worldwide. As manufacturers move to thinner handsets, Corning’s second-generation of damage-resistant glass will be slimmer than before in order to accommodate the new breed of slimmer devices. Read on for Corning’s full press release. More →

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