smartech

Looks like we have a new joiner at the soon-to-be-crowded tablets arena. This time, it’s the X9 from DigitalRise China, which offers a 10.2-inch multitouch display (tablet,you know) along a decent lineup within, that includes an Atom N270 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 1.3mp webcam, a 160GB hard drive, 3G connectivity, WiFi, GPS and the latest-greatest Windows 7 OS. It’s already up for pre-orders, in case you have an import or distribution company, but be sure you’ll be the first to know when it gets available for individuals. This way or another, it would cost you a whopping $780 at the moment, so hold your breath for couple weeks more.

[PMP Today]

It’s not a party without Dell, you know it, we know it and the guys at Dell apparently know it, as well. And that is probably the reason why the company just rolled out an Atom N450-based Inspiron Mini 10 lineup, available on Dell’s online page for $299, joining the growing batch of netbooks to include the Pine Trail platform as part of their specs. True, we’ve already seen it last month when Dell proudly announced the Mini 10 new design and features, but today, it gets official. To recall, for that very competitive price -offered, you receive a 10-inch netbook, tucked with a full fledged keyboard, a 9.5 hour battery, built-in GPS, an integrated HDTV receiver, an optional TV tuner and a powerful Broadcom Crystal HD graphics accelerator. Pick a color and ride into the future.

[Dell]

Freescale is already staring eyes towards the CES show, which goes live this coming weekend, and the way things look, there’s plenty of stuff that worth waiting for. In a nutshell, the semiconductor giant surprises with a 7-inch smartbook reference design that fits well the Smartbook Tablet gender, only with a lot more to offer. Make no mistake, it’s a sort of a prototype that Freescale wishes to develop with its OEM partners, and the list of components is admittedly, very impressive, still you should give it at least six month before it gets – this way or another – official. The most attractive thing in here is the price which stands right below the $200 mark and digging into the specs, it ain’t so much at all, considering the fact it has a 1GHz i/MX515 chipset, paired with ARM Cortex A8 processor that seats together with 1,024 x 600 touch display (and ambient light sensor), 512MB of DDR2 RAM, optional 3G WWAN module, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, 3mp camera on top, and 3-axis accelerometer support. You get between 4GB to 64GB of internal storage, expandable with a microSD, while battery suppose to work all day long at 1,900mAh. And whether you’re fond of portable devices or not, Freescale’s machine offers (for extra $50) an optional docking station fully equipped with QWERTY keyboard and identical color lot – Now that’s definitely something we’d like to have our hands on. Stay tuned for more, images and PR details are just after the slot.

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Truth is that holidays season can be very boring, tech wise, but here’s something that might catch your eye during this time of quiescency, as latest news apparently indicate the first netbook to include Google’s Chrome OS platform will presumably boast some nifty specs inside like NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset for graphics handling and Arm-based processor, instead of Intel’s popular Atom flavor. Other than that, the rumor suggests it would pack a 10.1-inch 1,280 x 720 resolution with multi-touch display(!), along 2GB of RAM, 64GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth, an integrated webcam and 3G connectivity module. Battery is claimed to offer 4 or 6-cells versions while buyers will be able to pick an optional GPS system as part of the deal, which suppose to be very attractive and stand at somewhere below $300. Stay tuned for a lot more to come.

Update: We hear that Google will be selling those netbooks directly. More on that, hopefully soon. Still, no official confirmation from Mountain View to these rumors.

[via Netbook News]

Tablets, Androids, portable devices, we keep hearing them a lot, everywhere we go, in/off cyber world. The latest, is from Camagni, a Taiwanese group that brings us the Webstation, an Android-based tablet device which sports a 7-inch 800 x 480 glass touchscreen, paired with a 624MHz Marvell PXA303 processor, 128MB of RAM, 256MB of internal storage, a microSD card slot (expandable up to 8GB capacity) and a nice slick whitish frame, that comfortably fits the palm of your hand. Communication wise, you’ll find the Webstation equipped up to date with 3G WWAN, 802.11b/g WiFi and even a GPS navigation system, that was tucked in order to guide your way out there. Price suppose to stand at $399 in Japan while availability dates are still a mystery – although we do know – that basic white flavor is not alone and Pink or Black hues will hit the shelves as well. Hands on videos were added after the jump, hit them up and catch with the updates.

Update1: Turns out you can pre-order the Webstation Android tablet right now from Camagni’s online store, equipped with that 7-inch glass touchscreen, a 624MHz Marvell PXA303 and 256MB of flash storage, for $389 in case you’re one of those “early birds” or $399 if you decide to do a thorough market research before getting now.

Update2: Looks like Camangi’s Android-based Webstation has finally landed on US shores and the guys at Gear Diary have taken it for a series of unboxing shots. Hit the break to see the results (third video).

Update3: It seems the guys at Laptop aren’t pleased with Camangi’s  performance, stating it’s sluggish and a bit limited at the moment. Design wise, they were very satisfied.

[via engadget]

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Still in development, the Zii EGG prototype – which hopefully will go live somewhere next year – is one desirable media device we’d like to see floating around. With a 3.5-inch multi-touch display, WiFi, GPS, and 1080p HD support – it just can’t go wrong. In fact, it seems to be walking the right directions, with its mother company, Creative, choosing the Android 1.6 path, and making it look pretty promising on this new nifty portable bud. Too bad the entire UI is a bit sluggish and the integrated webcam is not exactly functional (not to mention the inaccurate signal marks at the top). Yet, it’d surely improve in the next build, we’re positive, very very positive. But ’till then, hit the jump and watch the video.

[via anythingbutipod]

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Details scarce on specs, Chinese corp Teclast has recently rolled out a new PMP device, which technically sports 5 inches of 800 x 600 screen resolution, on one side, but in practice can output any video file to 1080P, from the other – that, of course, cannot be achieved without the built-in HDMI socket the player boasts. Out of the box, the T56 seems to offer the usual integrated voice recorder, paired with an FM tuner radio support, a USB host, and a card reader slot , all stuffed into a nice solid metal case. Other than that, the company impressively added a  GPS navigating system, to ease your way out wherever you are. Storage capacities haven’t been disclosed , while price and availability are yet to be determined, so stick around to get’em out.

Update: Now it’s said there’s a T58 version on the prep, which presumably includes the Android OS inside, that suppose to run under a dual-core ARM9 RISC processor, with an RK2808 chipset, WiFi, GPS, 1280 x 720 touchscreen, 720p support and common formats compatibility. Still no word on price or availability, but a teasing image is right after the break.

[via iMP3]

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Care for yet another tablet pc to run your stuff? Looks like Sinchun Electronics might have something for you, as the Chinese company has just released the 5-inch UMPC-501 A tablet, which apparently boasts a Z510 Intel Atom processor, with a cool removable battery inside and 800 x 480 touchscreen display, placed beneath a 6.3 x 3.75 x .87 inches frame which practically weighs around 350g. Next, we have the SiRF Star III GPS navigation antenna, that seats right next to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections (3G HSPA is optional), with 1G of RAM on the board and storage capacity which gets up to 32GB SSD at your choice. Windows XP Home is expected to operate the entire system when this MID comes up this month for 3000 Yuan ($440).

[Via SlashGear]

So, what do we have in here? It’s Archos, hitting the online scene again, this time with a brand new Android-based Internet Tablet device, which apparently gets exactly the same looks and specs its 5-inch Archos 5 predecessor packs, only this one unsurprisingly runs a Google Android trendy OS – all over the place – while design wise, it gets darker than ever with a whole black body color, covering both the media tablet itself and its optional $130 DVR docking station. Other than that, it seems that Archos’ new kid on the block just grew up bigger, and now being offered with storage capacities starting at 160GB HDD priced at $320 or a whopping 500GB HDD for merely $420. However, in case you’re into the SSD flavor, you can choose either going with the 16GB SSD version that is listed at B&H for $294 or the 32GB SSD option that will run you back for $370. Stay tuned for even more. Meanwhile, hit the jump to see the rest.

Update1: Apparently, the Android-based Archos 5 Internet Tablet just turned official and is now available with prices ranged from $259 – $430 (depends on storage configuration). Other than that, it seems the French have taken the vanilla Android OS and managed to hover it on top of Archos’ own Linux platform. Surprisingly, the combination of both systems works pretty smooth and flawless, then we may have expected. Additionally, Archos also included some neat third-party apps, like ThinkFree Mobile for document editing, Internet browser for net surfing, and some cool navigation features that suppose to take advantage of the full-fledged GPS system inside and help you find your way with local maps, voice over guidance and even 3D landmarks. And while the new Archos 5 doesn’t seems to have any mobile phone pretensions, it still packs some very advanced specs that make it such a fun and usable device for users. You get a 4.8-inch 800 x 480 resistive screen, which responds pretty well but not as fast as a multi-touch display. You can also find a 802.11n WiFi connectivity, paired with 800MHz OMAP3440 processor, storage drives which can go up to 500GB capacity, and an optional docking cradle that lets you record your favorite shows into the Archos unit or watch your 720P video files whenever connected to an  LCD TV through the HDMI port. Press release is right after the break, along with three walk-through videos.

Update2: Looks like Amazon has finally listed the Archos 5 “Internet Tablet” device on its online store, running for either $390 (160GB) or $370 (32GB)at your choice (and pocket size).

Update3: Radio Shack seems to have a cheaper version of Archos 5′s Android-based tablet – just $249.99 -  in case those $390 bills are too heavy for you to carry. Besides those 8GB of storage, that the new version packs, you get all the good things its bigger brother has, only with 1/20 of the capacity, but that for itself shouldn’t bother anyone who uses Archos’ device mainly for emails and internet.

[via Archos]

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AT&T has finally released a turn-by turn iPhone navigator app which can be downloaded through Apple’s App Store for a monthly fee of $9.99 or somewhere around $240 for a perpetual l subscription [iTunes link].The new application, that was developed by Telenav, offers traffic alerts and full 3D mapping, both verbal and on-screen guided, with Yellow Pages access, online trip planning capabilities and automatic map updates, supporting street names and business listings. Full press release is after the break.

[via Slashgear]

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Looks like GPS navigation giant, Mio is making its first steps at the overcrowded netbooks market with the new 8.9-inch N890, which packs Intel’s Atom N270 processor, along with a 3.5G module, integrated GPS system, Mio navigation software, an accelerometer for landscape mode (on a netbook?) and a revolutionary MagSafe power connector – all to be available in Q3 of this year for an undetermined price. Stay tuned for even more details to show up.

[engadget china]

Those who own Archos 5/7 devices should be pleased knowing the French company has finally uploaded a new firmware update (v1.6.03) that adds the long awaited high-def video support, which includes MPEG-4 ASP and WMV / VC-1 playback compatibility at 720p (24fps, 6Mbps maximum). Besides that, the new firmware also fixes some pesty bugs within the GUI, MP3 tags and few other TV recording slips. To get this one, just hit the link below and start watching your favorite films in sharp mode.

Update: Only two weeks after releasing firmware v1.6.03, which added high-def video compatibility to the Archos 5, the French corp launches another update (v1.6.53) that brings GPS car holder support, so you can use your media tablet device as a navigation system via Archos’ cradle, and find your way in Europe, North America or Russia through TeleAtlas maps, which are included as well. Further more, with the new firmware update you’ll be able to navigate your way from the inside, thanks to the new file browser, coming with drag n’ drop and multi-selection capabilities. The firmware can be downloaded from here.

[Archos]

It’s a new day, It’s a new dawn and US-based company Trimble has a new UMPC device, which answers the name Yuma. This latest muscular unit sports a 7-inch sunlight readable touchscreen display, together with a surprising 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 32GB HDD storage, 2 integrated cameras, a built-in GPS system and a rugged outdoor design. Aside from that, the Yuma comes with ExpressCard/SDIO slot expansions and WiFi/Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, to let you handle your stuff perfectly on the go, as weight stands at merely 2.6 lb. No word on pricing, but shipment is set for April this year.

[Trimble]

We keep saying that media players future should hold GPS navigation systems, and apparantely Cowon thinks the same, as the Korean company officially announces the L3 PMP/PND release, without any pricing or availability details. Nevertheless, we do know the new L3 features 480MHz dual-core processor, a 7-inch 800 x 480 WVGA touchscreen, an FM tuner, 4GB of storage, 128MB of SDRAM and SD card slot. Naturally, this PMP-Navigation device includes a GPS system with Eco Drive module that indicates your fuel consumption on the go. Regretfully there’s no wifi inside, but you can still enjoy wide codecs support like MP3, WMA, ASF, WAV, OGG, AVI, ASF, and WMV files – all packed in 318g of solid sleek design.

[via akihabaranews]

Reincomm has announced the release of the iriver NV mini, a new personal navigation device, running Windows CE 5.0 with multimedia capabilites. This 3.5-inch 320 x 240 touchscreen Nav-PMP device packs a SiRF Star III GPS system, together with SDHC slot, to load Atlas maps into the unit. In addition, the NV mini supports wide range of media codecs, including MP3, WMA, OGG, WMV, JPEG, PNG, BMP file formats, and available in a sleeky-metal design, housing 4GB of flash-based capacity.To get this one, you’ll have to shell out around $130.

[iriver via Aving]

From personal knowledge, I know there’s a great demand for third party GPS system that will be able to upgrade the iPhone and the iPod touch devices with full navigation capabilities. Regretfully, since Cebit 2008, we haven’t seen anything tangible, making its way to the market, until today, as Orange 360 has decided to change the game by announcing a state of the art iGPS360 module, that will be able to hook up to your iPod touch players or your First Gen. iPhone handheld, in order to bring a GPS hardware system and answer the very basic needs of navigating. Despite the fact it’s still in production, the iGPS360 will be available only for the first 1000 buyers, for a reasonable price of $75, so If youcan’t wait anymore, it’s up for pre-order at the company’s website.

[Orange360]

The new Porient H12 UMPC can easily compete head-to-head with the latest Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet, as it comes with a 4.8-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen and a strong 520MHz Intel XScale PXA270 processor. However, the 300gm device packs only 2GB of flash storage, so i guess there’s an obvious winner between the two, having the Archos 5 housing 60/120/250GB capacities onboard. Notwithstanding, the H12 features an SD/MMC card slot, mini-USB port, 802.11b/g WiFi connectivity, built-in GPS navigation system, DAB/DVB-H/DVB-T tuners and assimilated capabilities, including a web browser, RSS reader, multimedia player, voice recording, email, PDF viewer, office software, etc. Still, no word on price or availability, but it seems you can place your order for a bulk of units.

[via pocketables]

The new Video Touch PMP from Quantum has been officially announced, featuring GPS navigation capabilities, including traffic and weather updates, plus a built-in digital TV with up to 30 channels, using Siano DVB-H receiver inside. In addition, the new PMP supports mp3 audio files – to listen to your favorite music, images  – to collect your entire digital album and video – to watch your movies on the go. The touchscreen is compatible with gesture interface so the UI is expected to work smoothly. Still no word on price or availability.

[via techfresh]

LG has decided to jump into the netbooks trend, introducing the X110 UMPC at the IFA 2008 in Berlin, coming up with almost an identical MSI Wind design, but also with some pretty neat features, including built-in 3G HSPDA and GPS capabilities (optional) that can make our internet life much easier when it comes to out-of-wifi places. In addition, the new X110 packs a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 8.9-inch display (1024×600), 120GB storage capacity (optional 6GB SSD), WLAN 802.11 b/g, 1GB of RAM and more. It runs Windows XP operating system and expected to be released in Europe at the end of September for €399 up to €499 ($590 up to $740), not so cheap prices, compared to the competitors, but with a top-notch technology.

[via jkkmobile]

The new Lenovo IdeaPad U8 MID makes a debut right on time, as the Beijing Olympic games take place these days and new world records are getting smashed. Official specs include a 4.8-inch touchscreen, Intel Atom Z500 800MHz processor, GPS navigation system, front/rear cameras, 802.11 b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, EDGE, 3G and even Wimax support (wow!). In addition it has 1GB of RAM, 6GB flash storage and a place for a dongle, to receive China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting signals, in order to watch the Olympics for free, if you happened to be in China, all for the size of 21 x 173 x 84mm and 350 grams. No word on price, but you should expect a smartphone costing, so start saving.

Update: Price is set to be around $730 (4,999 yuan) which is not that cheap, considering you can get a laptop, but sometimes you have to pay for light portability.

[Via Pocketables]