Tesco opens Hudl2 pre-orders
Suitably impressed by last week’s Hudl2 launch? Tesco is now ready to take your money. The supermarket giant has opened orders on its Direct store, allowing you to put aside one (or more) of its eight vividly coloured tablets for pick up tomorrow. For £129, you’ll enjoy an 8.3-inch Full HD display, 1.83GHz Intel Atom quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, stock Android 4.4.2 KitKat, 5-megapixel and 1.2-megapixel rear and front-facing cameras, Dolby-optimised rear-facing speakers, HDMI-out, dual-band Wi-Fi, 16GB of internal storage (with support for 32GB microSD) and upto 8 hours on a full battery charge. Tesco is currently offering 33 percent off Hudl2 cases if you redeem the relevant eCoupon, but make sure you cash in those Clubcard points to bring the total cost down even further.
Filed under: Tablets
Source: Tesco Direct
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SwiftKey’s first iOS update helps you start typing faster
If you jumped at the chance to try the first wave of third-party iOS keyboards, you probably noticed that they’re a little… rough around the edges. You may want to give at least one of them a second try, though. SwiftKey has just released the first update to its iOS input method, and it tackles some of the larger gripes that early adopters have noticed. The biggest deal is the improved load time, which should let you start typing faster; there are also fixes for some easy-to-reproduce crashes, like one that occurs when you backspace over emoji. Head over to the App Store if you’re eager to iron out of some of SwiftKey’s earliest wrinkles.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile
Source: App Store, SwiftKey Blog
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Leaked image purportedly shows HTC’s Nexus 9 tablet
A new image from @upleaks, along with an apparent trip through the FCC has provided solid evidence that Google is set to release the Nexus 9 tablet built by HTC. The pic clearly shows Nexus and HTC branding on the back, which appears to be made of some kind of grippy, Nexus 5-like plastic material. In addition, an HTC tablet matching recent Nexus 9 rumors just passed through the FCC in a WiFi-only variant, though a 4G model is also a given. To top it off, an NVIDIA lawsuit last month revealed that HTC would build a Nexus tablet that will have a Tegra chip, likely a 64-bit K1. Google may be prepping the Nexus 9 (and possibly a rumored Nexus 6 handset) to be the first devices to get Android L, which supports 64-bit CPUs via the ART runtime. It should be unveiled soon, and given Google’s Nexus history, expect nothing less than a cutting edge tablet on the cheap.
Filed under: Tablets, HTC, Google
Via: Android Central
Source: @upleaks
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Netflix for Android now lets you quickly spot what you’re searching for
Netflix’s Android app hasn’t made searching very easy so far. While it’ll give you thumbnails, the heavy emphasis on text in results has sometimes meant scrolling through gigantic lists. It should be much more elegant as of today, however; a just-launched update has brought visual search (previously found just about everywhere else on Netflix) to Google’s platform. Look for a title and you’ll get nothing but pictures, making it easier to find an iconic movie or TV show based on its artwork.
Prefer iOS instead? Don’t worry, you’re getting a treat as well. As on Android, visual search on the iPhone can now help you track down actors, creators and directors. You can find everything Netflix has from David Fincher (such as House of Cards), for example. Whichever device you call home, you’ll find your illustration-heavy upgrade at the source links.
Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD, Mobile
Source: Netflix, Google Play, App Store
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Google+ is the latest Android app to get a Material Design makeover
Google’s quest to bring that extra-flat, extra-colorful Material Design look to every single app is still underway, it seems. The search giant has posted an update to Google+ for Android that flattens even more of the social network’s interface and adds splashes of solid color, such as a bright red “new post” button. This isn’t just a cosmetic update, mind you. The Photos section is both simpler and better-looking, so it should be easier to share recent snapshots with your circles. At this rate, about the only software Google has left to officially Materialize is Android itself… which might happen soon.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Mobile, Google
Via: Droid-Life
Source: Google Play
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Hands-on with Tesco’s Hudl2
Tesco announced its Hudl2 tablet today, and by now you already know what it’s about and how it stacks up against the original Hudl. Well, we’ve had a chance to play around with the device, and it’s immediately clear this is a significant upgrade. Despite a notably larger 8.3-inch screen, the Hudl2 saves on width and thickness, with a taller frame accommodating all those extra pixels. The chunky bezels of Tesco’s first tablet have all but disappeared, giving the Hudl2 a much sleeker look that betrays its £129 price point.While the Hudl looked like very much like a budget, entry-level tablet (no offense intended), its successor has much more of a mid-range vibe — you could easily mistake it for something that came from a way more established brand, the likes of Google and ASUS included. Everything is just that little bit tidier this time around. What was once chubby is now slim; where bezel dominated there’s now more screen; and even the stereo speaker grilles have a flashier, ‘bubbled’ design.
Beneath a new look, pretty much every spec has been improved upon, too, just as Tesco promised. A faster processor, double the RAM, and better cameras for starters. The screen has also been given a resolution bump to match to the increase in size. In the controlled environment of the demo area, at least, the 1,920 x 1,200 pixel display certainly appeared bright, crisp and well-calibrated. The Hudl2 is a little bit heavier than the first at 410 grams, but thanks to more favourable dimensions, it’s just as easy to grip with one hand in portrait mode as it is to use with two when in landscape orientation.
We’ll have to reserve the true stress test for the review, but once out the demo mode Tesco had the Hudl2 running in, it seemed to be nippy enough when cycling through the main menus or hopping in and out of apps. Speaking of software, Tesco’s bundled the Hudl2 with what looks to be a way more robust parental control app, knowing the original Hudl was popular with families. You can set up to 7 user profiles, and control exactly how much screen time your kids are allowed on weekdays and weekends, where exactly on the web they’re allowed to go, and what’s apps they have access to.
Tesco has improved the integration of all of its services into the Hudl2, as well. You have access to a standard menu, but there’s also a Google Now-like card view that incorporates real-time information, like when your next online shop is due to be delivered. How visible all of Tesco’s blinkbox properties are on the device also throws doubt on speculation the supermarket is looking to sell them off, with a Tesco exec suggesting the ecosystem won’t be changing as much as some may believe.
Tesco is also giving customers the chance to add a more personal touch to their Hudl2, with double the colour options (eight in total), and tons of cases and other accessories to coordinate or clash. The new hues, like the pink you see above, are super bright in a way that’ll make you love some of them and detest others. A minor point, but it’s nice that there’s a good selection of colours rather than the generic monochrome palette.
We’re looking forward to using the device for more than a few minutes and getting some proper impressions together, but that enthusiasm in itself should tell you the Hudl2 is so far looking like a significant upgrade on the first, both inside and out. And with a £129 price point, Tesco could even be set to surpass what it managed to achieve with the Hudl, making a decent tablet affordable and accessible.
Filed under: Tablets
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Tesco launches the £129 Hudl2: bigger, better, faster
A popular supermarket chain isn’t the first place you’d expect to find an own-brand tablet, but with its low price and a prime spot next to the beans, Tesco’s Hudl has sold over 750,000 units since launch. While plans to also enter the smartphone racket have been put on hold, today Tesco’s spilled all the details on its second-gen slate: the Hudl2.
The first thing you’ll notice is that Tesco has stayed with what works. The Hudl2 shares a similar design with its predecessor, but is a little bit bigger. However, the bezels are vastly smaller, giving it a more premium look. It comes with a toughened 8.3-inch Full HD touchscreen, and a thinner chassis that ships in a variety of eight different colours: black, blue, purple, red, aqua, pink, orange and white.
Like the original tablet, Tesco’s Hudl2 undercuts many of its rivals at £129, and you can also bring that cost down by trading in some of your Clubcard points. While the device is being unveiled today, you’ll have to wait until October 9th to get your hands on it (although pre-orders will open the day before). Inside, there’s a 1.83GHz Intel Atom quad-core processor (which Tesco says makes it three times faster than the original) and 2GB of RAM, stock Android 4.4 KitKat, 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.2-megapixel front facer, Dolby-optimised rear-facing speakers, dual-band Wi-Fi, 16GB of internal storage (with a microSD slot taking it up to 48GB) and according to Tesco, a battery that’ll last around 8 hours on a full charge.
Recognising that customers are buying Hudls for their children, Tesco has included a new range of child-safety tools. When they first turn on the tablet, parents will be asked to set up features that can block sensitive content or restrict the amount of time that a child plays on the Hudl 2, to the point where it’ll turn itself off when it’s time to go to sleep. App access can be locked down in up to seven profiles, protecting young eyes from the darker downloads on the Play Store.
Read more: Tesco’s Hudl2 vs. Hudl: what’s changed?
Tesco is also ramping up the number of accessories it offers with its tablet. This year, Tesco is offering up to 64 tablet and case colour combinations for the Hudl2, including the wonderfully-named Perky Purple & Red and Dreamy White & Bluespotted cases, as well as coloured on-ear and in-ear headphones, screen protectors and stylii.
You’ll be able to turn every £5 of Clubcard vouchers into £10 towards the hudl2 and its accessories, bringing the price down to just £65. That’ll make it a much more attractive proposition when you’re traversing the aisles during your weekly shop. Tesco will also continue to sell the original Hudl for £99, but the company says when stock is gone, it’s gone.
Via: BBC News
Source: Tesco, Hudl Store
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Deezer’s redesigned its web interface to look more like a tablet app
Excited to take advantage of Deezer’s ad-free desktop streaming, but prefer the look of the service’s tablet app? You’re in luck: the company just gave its web interface a visual overhaul, conveniently inspired by its own tablet interface. The new design puts music discovery front and center, replacing the current header with a prompt for Flow, the service’s recommendation engine. The updated UI also redesigns the sidebar to grant faster access to Deezer’s basic features and adds more feedback options for for liking or disliking suggested music. Interested? Log in to your Deezer account and check it out –the new look should be live today.
Filed under: Internet
Source: Deezer
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Test code hints at future iPads with Touch ID and Apple Pay
There have been photos and vague rumors hinting that Apple’s next iPads will involve more than just a speed bump, but there hasn’t been much in the way of hard evidence… until today, that is. Hamza Sood has uncovered code in the iOS 8.1 developer beta that alludes to unannounced iPads with Touch ID fingerprint readers and, appropriately, Apple Pay support. Don’t think that you’ll be tapping your iPad to pay for goods at the local shop, however. From all indications, this is just for in-app transactions; there’s no mention of NFC. It’s also unclear when this new iOS version will arrive, although history suggests that the new iPads (and thus the finished 8.1 update) could surface in October.
Looks like the next iPad is getting Touch ID pic.twitter.com/HuqrJrYE58
– Hamza Sood (@hamzasood) September 30, 2014
Via: Cult of Mac
Source: Hamza Sood (Twitter), Apple Developer Blog
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Tesco’s Hudl 2 tablet to be unveiled on October 3rd
In addition to announcing its smartphone plans had been put on ice, Tesco said at the start of September its second-generation Hudl tablet would be revealed in a matter of weeks. And today we’ve received a not-so-subtle invite from the supermarket chain for a morning event on October 3rd. Considering the invite is blazoned with the hashtag #Letshudl, it’s pretty clear we’ll be introduced to Tesco’s next tablet on that date, and we’ll be there to bring you the news. The supermarket’s dedicated Hudl page now has a new section where you can register for updates on the Hudl 2, and a colour-changing banner also suggests the device will arrive in multiple hues, or will at least have several vibrant cases. Tesco already let slip the second-gen slate improves “on just about every area of its predecessor, from screen size to speed, design and accessories.” One of the Hudl’s best features was its low price-point, so let’s hope this successor continues that trend and isn’t marked up so Tesco can actually make some of the money it’s been pulling out of thin air.
Filed under: Tablets
Source: Tesco
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