Grab a free 32-inch Sony Bravia TV with your Sony Tablet S

Posted by on September 14, 2011 No comments

If you queue up at PC World
Grab a free 32-inch Sony Bravia TV with your Sony Tablet S

If you're keen to get hold of the Sony Tablet S (the tablet formerly known as the Sony S1) but hadn't yet made your mind up whether you'd go down and queue up on launch day then maybe PC World and Currys has the goodies to tempt you.

Its Tottenham Court Road store has a 2-hour exclusive window on selling the 9.4-inch tab - meaning that it will be on sale from 7am on Friday 16 September.

And, if you're dedication to queuing is fanboy-esque then you could be in line, literally, for a nice little bonus. Actually a 32-inch sized bonus.

PC World and Currys have confirmed to Pocket-lint that the first 100 queuers to buy the tab will get a Sony Bravia 32-inch model thrown in for free (one per person).

Tempting eh? We've sent down Pocket-lint's work experience lad now. It's a bit early we know, but we really need to replace the 16-inch 1989 Grundig TV that we've got in the office.

The Sony Tablet S costs ?399.99 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version, ?499.99 for the 16GB 3G and Wi-Fi model, or ?499.99 for the 32GB Wi-Fi only model. Pre-orders are also available now as well.

Happy queuing.

Tags: Tablets Sony Tablet S Sony PC World Currys Dixons Televisions

Grab a free 32-inch Sony Bravia TV with your Sony Tablet S originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:32:00 +0100

Samsung Windows 8 tablet leaked ahead of Microsoft Build event

Posted by on September 13, 2011 No comments

Developers tab gets snapped
Samsung Windows 8 tablet leaked ahead of Microsoft Build event

If the rumour mongers speaketh the truth then Microsoft's Build conference, which kicks off at 5pm UK time, will be heavily tablet based with reports suggesting that the software giant will give away a preview version of Windows 8 and thousands of Samsung tablets to developers at the expo.

And the tablet in question looks to already have been spotted, with blog Microsoft News publishing a picture of some tablets in Samsung labelled boxes with the words "the build" displayed in the same font that Microsoft is using for the event.

The New York Times cites "two industry consultants who have been told about the plans" as its source for the Windows 8 tablet giveaway info.

Back in July Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said: "Windows 8 really does represent a true re-imagining of Windows PCs and the dawning of Windows slates."

In May he said: "As we progress through the year, you ought to expect to hear a lot about Windows 8. Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs, a variety of different form factors."

From the glimpses we've seen of Windows 8 so far, it's fairly obvious it has been built with mobile devices in mind. Compared to previous Windows iterations it boasts an extensively redesigned UI that tips its cap firmly in the direction of Windows Phone 7.

We'll be reporting all the news from the Build event, so be sure to check back later for all the updates.

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Tags: Tablets Samsung Windows 8 Microsoft

Samsung Windows 8 tablet leaked ahead of Microsoft Build event originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:23:00 +0100

NEC LaVie Touch tablet with DVD drive launched in Japan

Posted by on September 12, 2011 No comments

Hybrid design to the max
NEC LaVie Touch tablet with DVD drive launched in Japan

We've seen tablet hybrid machines that double up as laptops before. And we've seen plenty of tablets that offer keyboard, mouse and docking options, thus creating a makeshift desktop setup.

But, until now - and the announcement of the NEC LaVie Touch over in Japan - we hadn't seen a tablet option that provided a desktop dock with an optical DVD drive.

The DVD drive is part of the LaVie Touch's Multi-station dock - one of three accessories it comes boxed with; the others being a keyboard and a mouse.

It's a Windows 7-flavoured tab, with a 10.1-inch IPS LCD panel (1280x800) all powered by an Intel Atom Z670 1.50GHz CPU.

It's got 2GB of RAM onboard, 64GB of storage courtesy of its SSD and there's an Intel SM35 Express chip set too. Connectivity is via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, two USB ports, a HDMI port and an SD card reader, and battery life is a pretty reasonable 10.6 hours.

It measures in at 263 x 183 x 15.8mm and weighs 729g.

No word on a UK release, just a Japan launch is planned at present.

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Tags: Tablets NEC NEC LaVie Touch

NEC LaVie Touch tablet with DVD drive launched in Japan originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:20:00 +0100

Jelly Bean touted as the next Android update

Posted by on September 12, 2011 No comments

With big change flavours included
Jelly Bean touted as the next Android update

The next version of Google's Android OS (or rather the next version, after the next version) is going to be called Jelly Bean. Probably. Possibly.

That's the message from a report by This is My Next who, on the one hand, has a "trusted source" telling it that it's definitely the chosen moniker, and on the other hand has a "well-regarded source" saying that the Jelly Bean label is simply in the running.

It's not exactly Watergate, we know, but we know that many of you are as nerdy as us, so any whispers of possible Android future versions have to be reported.

The report does contain some juicy details though, save for the dithering over the naming rights. Apparently the J version of Android will come packing the "game changing stuff" that we hoped would arrive with Ice Cream Sandwich.

No word on what number will come attached to this game-changing OS though - heck, we don't even know what version Ice Cream Sandwich is yet.

Back to the name issue and if Google does continue down its dessert based alphabetical path then we'd be surprised if Jelly Bean wasn't chosen as the label. After all, what else is there? Jaffa Cake is a brand, jelly in the States means jam, jello is not universal and Jamaica cake is a bit specialist.

Version K has to be Key Lime Pie though, surely? It's bound to be in the running at least.

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Tags: Phones Tablets Android Jelly Bean Google Android Jelly Bean Operating Systems

Jelly Bean touted as the next Android update originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:16:00 +0100

Apple enforced Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban upheld

Posted by on September 9, 2011 1 comment

German court agrees to preliminary injunction
Apple enforced Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban upheld. Tablets, Apple iPad 2, iPad 2, Apple, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10-1, Samsung 0

The ban on selling the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany is to continue after the D?sseldorf Regional Court once again upheld the preliminary injunction against the tablet based on the alleged infringement of a Community design.

A Samsung spokesperson confirmed that the company will appeal the decision and stated that "by imposing an injunction based on this very generic design right, this ruling restricts design innovation and progress in the industry."

Apple originally sued Samsung back in April due to claims that the South Korean manufacturer had copied many elements of its iPhone and iPad designs and user interface with the Galaxy range of phones and tablets.

The issue escalated back in August with the news that Samsung had been told that it has to withdraw the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 from sale in Europe including the UK, just days after it went on sale, following orders by the D?sseldorf Regional Court. Samsung appealed and the preliminary injunction was lifted everywhere but Germany.

That's it then on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 front for the Germans. Apple has seemingly won the battle, and bar any Samsung successes in the appeal process, looks to have won the war as well.

It's a sad fact that electronic companies want to emulate the success of Apple's products by simply copying what it has on offer.

But it is an even sadder fact when Apple flexes its muscles to get a rival's product to cease trading, despite it being an excellent standalone device in its own right and one whose only similarity to the iPad is the form.

And what tablet doesn't look like the iPad? Was the iPad the first tablet to adopt this shape? The HP Compaq tablet PC or a Lenovo X61 probably beg to differ.

With a 13 October Samsung Galaxy device banning date also set by a Dutch court recently, and other legal wrangles still taking place between the two tech giants - we doubt this is the last of this sorry tale.

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Tags: Tablets Apple iPad 2 iPad 2 Apple Samsung Galaxy Tab 10-1 Samsung

Apple enforced Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban upheld originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:27:00 +0100

HP TouchPad fire-sale set to continue with one more batch coming

Posted by on September 7, 2011 No comments

And then it's done
TouchPad fire-sale set to continue with one more batch coming

If you thought that the HP TouchPad fire-sale was over, then think again as the company has confirmed that one more batch of the webOS-powered tablet will go into production.

And, although HP's Mark Budgell doesn't state how many units will be made in the final batch, online rumour mongers estimate that it will be around the 200,000 mark.

How many of those will reach the UK is unclear, as is the time frame in which they'll arrive with HP being anything but forthcoming.

"We don’t know exactly when these units will be available or how many we’ll get, and we can’t promise we’ll have enough for everyone," said Budgell in a blog post. "We do know that it will be at least a few weeks before you can purchase."

It was also confirmed last week that the TouchPad is in-line for a OTA update, making the ?89 device even more attractive.

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Tags: Tablets HP TouchPad HP webOS

HP TouchPad fire-sale set to continue with one more batch coming originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:56:00 +0100

Medion Android smartphone and tablet unleashed

Posted by on September 3, 2011 1 comment

IFA 2011: We go hands-on. Sort of
Medion Android smartphone and tablet unleashed

Medion used IFA 2011 as a platform to announce its new Android tablet and smartphone, packing proper (i.e. not old) versions of Google's OS and looking anything but budget.

Pocket-lint took a trip over to the Medion booth to see the new toys in action, but sadly we weren't allowed to take pics of the tablet and the phone was chained to a desk, so you'll just have to take our word for it when we say that they didn't look half-bad.

The tablet - the Medion Lifetab P9514 - is the latest 10-incher to join the Tegra 2 chip, packing Nvidia's chip to run Honeycomb 3.2. It weighs 720g and will initially come in just one storage size flavour - although it hasn't yet been decided if that's 16GB or 32GB.

It comes pre-loaded with Docs to Go, which is a Pocket-lint favourite, has HDMI and USB connectivity, along with Wi-Fi and UMTS / HSDPA, and will even play nicely with your home network thanks to its DLNA capabilities.

The smartphone is an Android 2.3 Gingerbread device and has navigation firmly at the forefront of its raison d'?tre.

This 4.3-inch device comes loaded with Medion's GoPal satnav app, and also offers a 5-megapixel camera. Apart from that not a lot else is known at this point.

Both devices are expected to land in Q4 - no word on pricing as of yet.

Tags: Phones Tablets Medion IFA2011 Medion Lifetab P9514 Medion Smartphone

Medion Android smartphone and tablet unleashed 

Medion Android smartphone and tablet unleashed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:28:00 +0100

Toshiba AT200 hands-on

Posted by on September 1, 2011 24 comments

IFA 2011: The skinniest tab in town
Toshiba AT200 hands-on

Over in Berlin at IFA, Toshiba has been walking round with its chest fully pumped out, telling anyone who'll listen that it's got the skinniest tab in town with the Toshiba AT200.

Samsung may have come along all guns blazing with its Galaxy Tab 7.7 measuring in at a super slim 7.89mm, but the Japanese electronics giant has shaved 0.19mm off of that - and on a tablet with a 10.1-inch screen too.

So Pocket-lint was extremely keen to get its hands on Tosh's third crack at the Android tablet market - so we sought out that skinny-minny to give it the once over at Europe's largest tech expo.

The first thing we noticed is that, although without doubt extremely thin, the fact that the edges don't curve as much as more fruity tablets makes it appear bigger than it is. But once you get used to it, and realise just how light it is, at 558g, you soon realise this is a tab with serious one-hand ambitions. Although it was hard to judge the weight accurately as the couple of AT200s that Toshiba did have freed from perspex cages were under lock and chain.

The display, which is a capacitive LCD with a HD 1280x800 (16:10) resolution, is noticeably radiant. It's bright, and even under the glare of the show floor lights and hundreds of flashing cameras (not to mention the abundance of smeared finger prints) it looked good. Very good in fact, and the viewing angles were superb.

We can't really comment on the sound of the AT200, with its Adaptive Sound Device Enhancer, as it was difficult to even hear ourselves think in a room choc-a-block with tech hacks.

Android 3.2 is on board and is a stock version by the looks of things - no sign of a Toshiba UI, at least on the models we saw, as of yet.

Port-wise you're looking at a micro-USB, micro-HDMI and a microSD port - it's also got a docking port for those sure-to-come accessories.

We couldn't really put the AT200 through its paces due to the attention it was getting on the show floor, so we can't comment too much on how the 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4430 performs. But it seemed to breeze through the browsing and photo viewing tasks that the assembled press presented to it.

No release date or cost details yet but, if Toshiba prices this right, then we're quite confident that it could be third time lucky in its quest for Android-tab mainstream acceptance.

Tags: Tablets Toshiba Toshiba AT200 IFA2011 Photos

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Toshiba AT200 hands-on originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:23:00 +0100

Sony Tablet S and Tablet P release dates confirmed

Posted by on August 31, 2011 2 comments

IFA 2011: Sony tab details unveiled
Sony Tablet S and Tablet P release dates confirmed. Tablets, Sony Tablet S, Sony Tablet P, Sony S1, Sony S2, ifa2011, Sony, 0

Sony's tablets have been doing the rounds for a while now, first hitting the rumour mill back in February and then getting official recognition from Sony in April.

Curiously though, they are not hitting the shops with the monikers that you may be familair with - the S1 and the S2. Oh no, Sony has shaken it up and come up with the Sony Tablet S and the Sony Tablet P - both of which have been officially detailed over in Berlin at IFA.

The S1 is the S. You know, the fairly normal looking one but with the curvy bit on the back. It features a 9.4-inch WXGA (1280x800 pixels) TFT colour LCD display and is powered by a 1GHz Tegra 2 chip from Nvidia. It has a 5-megapixel camera on the back and a 0.3-megapixel one on the front for video conferencing.

It'll come in three flavours, 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi only, and 32GB with Wi-Fi and 3G. The Wi-Fi one weighs in at just under 600g, the 3G functionality adds around 27g.

The P is the new name for the S2 and will feature dual 5.5-inch displays (1024x480). It is a 3G and Wi-Fi number with 4GB of storage. The cameras are the same as the S1, as is the processor.

Both Sony Tablets are running Android 3.1 for the Wi-Fi versions, which we're told is upgradable to 3.2. The 3G versions will come boxed with 3.2. Both tabs are also PlayStation certified as well. The Sony Tablet S includes infra-red technology, and can be used as a fully customisable remote control for all your Sony home cinema machines.

Release dates, but not prices have been confirmed. The Tablet S Wi-Fi version will land in the UK in September, with the 3G one coming in November - the same month that the Tablet P arrives.

Pre-orders for the S being now direct from Sony and also Currys and PC World.

Tags: Tablets Sony Tablet S Sony Tablet P Sony IFA2011

Sony Tablet S and Tablet P release dates confirmed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:53:00 +0100

Samsung Slate PC Series 7 Windows hybrid tab unleashed

Posted by on August 31, 2011 No comments

IFA 2011: The tab for the desktop
Samsung Slate PC Series 7 Windows hybrid tab unleashed

If you agreed with us that the Samsung Series 7 700Z premium notebook looks magical then prepare for your second Samsung Series 7 related gasp of the day as, over at IFA in Berlin, Sammy has unleashed a tablet with a twist - the Samsung Slate PC Series 7.

The twist is, this isn't the Korean giant's latest Android tab foray - it's a Windows 7 based 11.6-incher, designed to be equally at home docked on your desk as it is on your lap.

It packs quite a punch too - an Intel Core i5 chip is on board (there are Core i3 and a Pentium versions too), backed up with 4GB of RAM. Storage is 32 or 64GB of the SSD variety and connectivity is pretty good with Wi-Fi, WiMAX and HSPA+, as well as USB, microSD and HDMI.

Cameras are 3-megapixel on the back, 2-megapixel up front, and there's a 170-degree viewing angle on the 16:9 HD display.

The dock adds full sized ports for USB and HDMI as well, plus Gigabit Ethernet. The keyboard hooks up using Bluetooth. Battery life is given as 7 hours, which is pretty good for a Windows tab. It weighs in at 0.86kg and is around 12.7mm thick.

No prices or release dates yet - we'll keep you posted.

Tags: Samsung Samsung Slate PC Series 7 Tablets Windows 7 IFA2011

Samsung Slate PC Series 7 Windows hybrid tab unleashed originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:58:00 +0100