Web Buzz » tablet

Desktop apps may run on Win8 for ARM after all… maybe

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:24:00 +0000

The issue of whether or not the ARM edition of Windows 8 will support both desktop and Metro-style apps has been pretty hazy. Some have claimed it would, others that it wont and, even when they've issued denials of the nay-sayers, Microsoft has stopped short of saying that ARM hardware would offer a desktop mode for non-Metro apps. Well, buried in a post about improving power efficiency over at MSDN blogs was a passing reference to "both desktop and Metro style apps" running on "System on Chip (SoC) architectures." Some, including the well regarded Mary Jo Foley, have read this to mean that desktop apps will indeed work on ARM-powered Windows tablets. Now, this seems to make sense since all of the SoC coverage has been focused on the powerful new RISC chips getting crammed in new slates and smartphones, and we've heard that Win8 and Windows Phone 8 will share the same kernel. But, there is one tiny wrinkle in this narrative -- Intel will have its own SoC solutions soon enough thanks to Medfield, so the passage could simply be a reference to those x86 chips. You'll find the relevant excerpt at the via link.

Desktop apps may run on Win8 for ARM after all... maybe originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink ZDNet | MSDN | Email this | Comments

Sony Tablet P’s product manager shows off prototypes, tells the clamshell story

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:20:00 +0000

Still baffled by the Tablet P's existence? Well, Sony's here to help! Earlier today, our brethren over at Engadget Chinese met up with Takeshi Goto, the head honcho of VAIO and mobile product producing, to learn how the Android clamshell went from several mockups (one of which was made out of a $4 wallet) right after the PDA era to the final product today. Between those two pivotal points on the timeline, Sony explored screen sizes between five to seven inches before settling on 5.5 due to hardware limitation; though the entire device ended up being about the same size as the 7-inch mockup. Later on, the manufacturer hooked up a couple of VAIO UXs to power a Nintendo DS-like dual-screen prototype -- that was when Windows and x86 were under consideration, before Sony eventually went with Android on ARM. Intrigued? Hit the link below to take a look at the aforementioned goodies.

Sony Tablet P's product manager shows off prototypes, tells the clamshell story originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Engadget Chinese (translated) | Email this | Comments

Refresh Roundup: week of January 30, 2012

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:32:00 +0000

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of January 30, 2012

Refresh Roundup: week of January 30, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Spark Linux tablet specs updated, going up for pre-order next week

admin — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:29:00 +0000

We already got a brief introduction to the Spark Linux-based tablet, but details were a little sparse. Since then, a few more key bits of info have been added to its Q&A page, which might help sway your purchasing decision. That KDE Plasma Active UI we knew it'd be sporting will stare out at you via a modest 800 x 480 screen, and there's a 1.3 megapixel snapper tucked in alongside for video calling. The 1GHz / 512 MB internals we initially reported remain unchanged and the two USB ports and 3.5mm audio jack we saw in the pre-release picture above also get the official seal. There's talk of GPS making it into the next iteration, but for now you'll have to find your own way. The main news, however, is that pre-orders are pegged for next week, and shipping set for May. The initial focus is on Europe, but plans for it to arrive in US retailers are apparently underway. If that's suitably tickled your fancy, head on over the break and tap the source for more info.

Spark Linux tablet specs updated, going up for pre-order next week originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Netbook News | Aseigo | Email this | Comments

The Engadget Interview: the EFF’s Mitch Stoltz talks the legality of jailbreaking

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

The work of a non-profit advocacy group is never done. It seems like just yesterday that the Electronic Frontier Foundation was waging a battle to put jailbreaking rights into the hands of consumers, much to the chagrin of manufacturers intent on maintaining control over their devices after they leave store shelves. With the looming expiration of an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that has made such hacks legal, the organization is once again taking up the cause. And this time, it's added tablets and gaming consoles to its proposal. We sat down with EFF staff attorney Mitch Stoltz to discuss the state of the law and how users can help in the fight.

Continue reading The Engadget Interview: the EFF's Mitch Stoltz talks the legality of jailbreaking

The Engadget Interview: the EFF's Mitch Stoltz talks the legality of jailbreaking originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Fujitsu announces Stylistic Android tablet for taking care of business, working overtime (updated)

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:28:00 +0000

The BlackBerry PlayBook blues got you down? Fujitsu thinks you should consider riding the Android train to work. The company today announced the awkwardly named Stylistic M350/CA2 Android tablet, a seven-inch enterprise-focused slate aimed at folks looking for a sales terminal, catalog displayer or e-reader. The Stylistic has a WSVGA display and a battery that should give you around six hours on a charge. You can pick one of these guys up in mid-February, if you're in Japan. An equally exciting press release can be found after the jump.

Update: Residents of Hong Kong may recognize this 1GHz Gingerbread slate as the MH350, which was launched way back in September. To be honest, the build quality isn't that impressive in real life, but given that this new version weighs a tad more than its Hong Kong counterpart (420g vs. 385g), there may still be hope. Oh, but it is still Gingerbread.

Continue reading Fujitsu announces Stylistic Android tablet for taking care of business, working overtime (updated)

Fujitsu announces Stylistic Android tablet for taking care of business, working overtime (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Fujitsu (Japanese) | Email this | Comments

Yahoo unveils app search page for Android and iOS, because we need it

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:16:00 +0000

Yahoo may be sliding down the search engine totem pole, but the company is doing its best to climb back up, with a new space dedicated to apps. This week, Yahoo added a new "Apps" tab to its search page, giving users a new portal into both the Android Market and iTunes App Store. Results can be filtered by both price and category, with iOS and Android apps aligned in separate tabs. Once you select an app, you can download it by scanning a QR code, sending a download link to your handset, or by simply clicking through to iTunes or the Android Market. There's also a "trending now" interface, as well as a full list of Yahoo user reviews, displayed directly within the page. Check it out for yourself, at the source link below.

Yahoo unveils app search page for Android and iOS, because we need it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Android Central | Yahoo | Email this | Comments

Develop an Android app, get a free Blackberry PlayBook

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:15:00 +0000

Still wary of dropping $200 on a BlackBerry Playbook? How does "free" sound? That's what RIM is offering to Android developers today, as part of an overt attempt to spur interest in its App World platform. RIM VP of developer relations Alec Saunders announced the offer yesterday via Twitter, reminding devs to submit their apps by February 13th in order to qualify. On the one hand, it seems like a great way to push the PlayBook out on the market. On the other, it's sort of sad. Interested parties can find all the tools they need at the coverage link below.

Develop an Android app, get a free Blackberry PlayBook originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear | @asaunders (Twitter) | Email this | Comments

Apple broadens Australian patent lawsuit with 278 claims against Samsung

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:51:00 +0000

Its legal fortunes may be souring in Germany today, but that hasn't stopped Apple from launching an all-out assault in Australia, where the company has just ramped up its ongoing patent battle against Samsung. As the Australian reports, Cupertino has expanded its complaint to 278 claims, covering 72 patents and a full ten products -- including some smartphones and tablets that have yet to launch in Australia. (Apple's original suit, by comparison, involved only three patents, concerning the Galaxy Tab 10.1.) Apple won an injunction against Samsung's tablet last year, but that was overturned in November. With its subsequent appeal shot down, Apple now appears to be ramping up its forces, though it's unlikely that we'll see a conclusion anytime soon. Samsung's lead lawyer Neil Young said the Korean manufacturer received short notice of its rival's latest suit, which means it won't be able to file a defense until mid-May.

Apple broadens Australian patent lawsuit with 278 claims against Samsung originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Next Web | The Australian | Email this | Comments

ConnecTV social companion beta launches for iPad, PC and Mac (hands-on)

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:04:00 +0000

The old guard's attempt at a social TV companion just got real with the launch of ConnecTV in open beta for iPad, PC and Mac -- smartphones and Android tablet versions are coming soon. The idea is you'll load up this app while watching TV and find a whole new way to discover details of your favorite content while at the same time share with your friends. The app uses a mic to detect what you're watching just like IntoNow and links up with both Facebook or Twitter (it'll also work on its own). Overall we were underwhelmed and quickly realizing that the other startups are way ahead in both release date and functionality. For starters, there are plenty of channels missing and not a single channel number. You can't even search for your favorite shows or channels. But even when it did manage to figure out what we were watching, we felt like we were being forced fed useless data like trivia and ads rather than having useful information like actors or players names at our finger tips. There's no doubt in our mind that the app was designed more to make us discover certain content rather than discover shows based on our actual tastes. Then again, this is the first version out of the gate, but somehow we think ConnecTV's business model will get in the way of ever making anything truly useful.

Gallery: ConnecTV social companion launches for iPad, PC and Mac (hands-on)

Continue reading ConnecTV social companion beta launches for iPad, PC and Mac (hands-on)

ConnecTV social companion beta launches for iPad, PC and Mac (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | ConnecTV, iTunes | Email this | Comments