Archive for the ‘Tablets’ Category
Verizon Wireless announced three new prepaid plans that are now available for its customers. Beginning today they are offering unlimited talk and text messaging–as well as 1GB of data–for $80 per month (the monthly plan is available on the prepaid Samsung Illusion without an annual contract). Customers can also buy the prepaid Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot and choose from $15 for 250MB, $60 for 3GB, or $90 for 10GB of monthly data. The prepaid package is available in stores (as well as online) for $129.99, and will soon be available at Best Buy, RadioShack and Walmart.
If you’ve been waiting to hear about the official dates (which we now know are June 11-15) and then purchase tickets to Apples World Wide Developers Conference this year, you may be out of luck–tickets went on sale this morning and sold out in under 2 hours (tickets sold out in under 12 hours last year). Always a popular event within the tech community, WWDC has become increasingly more mainstream every year as Apple’s popularity has grown–perhaps this is why Apple required that this year, only developers registered in one of Apple’s developer programs were allowed to purchase passes. The fact that the event sells out so quickly every year is impressive on its own–but when you factor in the price per ticket ($1599), you really get a stronger sense of just how much interest the event draws. While some may be hoping for new product announcements, the one thing we do know is that this year’s event will be focused on OSX Mountain Lion.
Stay tuned…
We love our mobile devices–but mobile phones and media players were never known for their high-fidelity sound. Enter, Satechi’s Audio Cube. Aside from its clever design, this portable bluetooth speaker offers wireless sound courtesy of its dual channel speaker system and enhanced bass; the Audio cube also delivers 6 hours of continuos use, thanks to its built-in rechargeable battery. For those of you who are also looking for a sound solution for your computer or MP3 player, the Audio Cube’s auxiliary port allows you to use it with non-Bluetooth devices as well. The Satechi Audio Cube retails for $44.99; click past the jump for more info as well as links to retailers…
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Canadian airline WestJet has announced their intent to swap their in-seat entertainment for 8.9-inch Galaxy Tabs, courtesy of Seattle’s Skycast solutions. Skycast has customized the tablets for use as in-flight entertainment, rebranding it with the company’s custom content-management software which can be rented by passengers for in-flight enjoyment. The initial contract will see 68 tablets per plane on only four planes; pricing for rentals has not yet been revealed, and the service will also be available on WestJet’s two new Boeing 737s in June.
Verizon’s high speed 4G LTE is about to launch in 27 new markets; which means as of today, their LTE service will be available to more than two thirds of the US population–a big thing for the big red…especially with AT&T’s newly launched LTE service getting some attention. For a completely updated list on their network expansion, you can check out their website.
If you’ve been looking for a car mount for your new Kindle Fire or Samsung Galaxy Tab 7″, the wait is over. Satechi has launched the CR-3605 car holder designed to give you a hands-free solution in-vehicle. Designed with easy reach, safety, and convenient use in mind, the mount features a secure adjustable pivoting head that gives you up and down as well as left and right control, with a super-strong adhesive smart pad for mounting anywhere. Check the full release after the jump. +Continue Reading
Paper is a new app for the iPad that lets you draw, write, and even sketch using a variety of colors and tools. The app (designed by FiftyThree) is the company’s first, and designed to separate itself from other note taking apps. The app was built as an internal tool and went public only recently in the App Store, hitting 1.5 million downloads. In the two weeks since its launch, over seven million pages have been created inside the app. Do check it out. The basic app is free, while add-on tools mostly sell for $1.99 (the “essentials” pack sells for $7.99). You can download the app here.
So a little while back I wrote an editorial on the state of audio recording on Android, and it got me thinking.
As an owner of an Android tablet (A Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9) , would I be able to go on a trip, leave my laptop at home, and still record, edit, and send audio files? Would I still be able to do my work?
If you read my first editorial, then you already know that Android does not support any kind of USB mic. They can be powered, but Android doesn’t know what to do with them–so that’s out.
Also, the DAC built into the Galaxy Tab is pretty crappy, so even in quiet environments, using the built-in mics or the mic on a wired headset, you get a lot of hiss–so that’s out.
However, I do have a Zoom H4n, which is perfectly capable of recording audio all on its own. The drawback to using the H4n is having to move the audio to a computer to edit and send.
If the Tablet can pull the files from the H4n then it’s peanut butter jelly time.
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Though you may not be familiar with the company known as Ematic, it’s probably time we all paid a bit more attention to it–thanks to their new eGlide Prism. This new 7″ tablet not only features Android’s latest 4.0 (a.k.a. Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system, but also features a display capable of displaying 3D videos at up to 2160p (we did the math–that’s twice the current 1080pHD standard). At 9mm thin and a little more than half a pound, you’ll also get 8GB of built-in memory, a MicroSD expansion slot, front-facing camera, and 5GB of cloud storage–the package even includes 3D glasses,a protective sleeve, headphones, USB cable and charger. Of course the eGlide Prism’s most impressive feature may be its price–it retails for $216, but can be found ShopNBC.com for a mere $157. We’ll have a full review once we get our hands on one–but for now, you can check out the full PR after the break…
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Canadians love their hockey (and so do Americans – we know). With the 2012 NHL Playoffs kicking off tonight, hockey fans can stream CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada coverage with a mobile app from Rogers. From the playoff opener all the way to the finals, you can catch the games right at your fingertips–and starting today, the Rogers Live Mobile app will live stream CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada coverage right on your smartphone. Start picking your fantasy playoff roster as Ottawa and Vancouver prepare to take on the Rangers and Kings…and let us know what you think!
13.3-inches is a dimension for tablets that we have yet to see–until today. Toshiba has introduced the Excite 13 as being a carry-about home media consumption device. Scheduled to ship in June, the retail price begins at $649 for the 32GB and $749 for the 64GB variant. Alongside the 13.3″ introduction comes an Excite 10 and 7.7 (with the Thrive tablet brand being retired). All of the Excite models will run Android 4.0 and will be powered by an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core processor that includes GeForce graphics and 1GB of RAM, as well as HD resolution. The 13.3″ Excite weights 2.2 pounds, and is 0.4 inches thick with a 13-hour battery expected on board; the 7.7″ model is also the first Toshiba tablet to feature an AMOLED display. For more details and specs, check the full release after the jump. +Continue Reading
As much as we love playing a good time killer when out and about, we love to see mobile technology being put to more practical use; and GreatCall, a leader in virtual medical assistance products, is doing something important with their new LiveNurse app for iPhone. This app goes hand-in-hand with a $3.99 per month service that gives users access to a registered nurse–24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The app is designed to be easy to use, with a registered nurse responding with a simple tap of an icon–the user will then be instructed on how to proceed depending on the situation. For the less tech-savvy, a simply shake of your iPhone will also open the app, and simple instruction will follow on how to use the app. LiveNurse also includes access to the A.D.A.M. medical encyclopedia, should you need to look up information on your own. Obviously an important app for those with existing medical issues, LiveNurse is also a great option for anyone looking for a bit of peace of mind while traveling. Click past the jump for all of the details…
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Verizon Wireless announced three new prepaid plans that are now available for its customers. Beginning today they are offering unlimited talk and text messaging–as well as 1GB of data–for $80 per month (the monthly plan is available on the prepaid Samsung Illusion without an annual contract). Customers can also buy the prepaid Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot and choose from $15 for 250MB, $60 for 3GB, or $90 for 10GB of monthly data. The prepaid package is available in stores (as well as online) for $129.99, and will soon be available at Best Buy, RadioShack and Walmart.
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