WSJ: Google and HTC collaborating on Nexus tablet
Rumors about a HTC made Nexus 9 tablet have originated all the way back to earlier this summer, and perhaps before. Recently, NVIDIA accidentally leaked/confirmed its existence through legal documents; last week we heard that tell of an October 16 release date. It seems that the rumor mill is still just wants to keep spinning, as we know have an article from Wall Street Journal (WSJ) about the Nexus 9.
Though still a rumor at this point, the WSJ is a pretty significant source for a rumor. According to source, “Google selected HTC over more experienced tablet makers like Samsung to make its upcoming 9-inch Nexus tablet.”
Whether the “people familiar with the matter” are trustworthy remains to be seen so take this with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, it’s exciting to see the WSJ give some credence to these rumors.
Who’s ready for the Nexus 9?
via WSJ
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HTC will mark its return to tablets with Google’s Nexus 9
Rumors of an HTC-made Nexus device have swirled for some time, but only recently have details of a possible next-generation tablet started to become apparent. Not long after NVIDIA inadvertently leaked that the Taiwanese company is linking up with Google to launch the Nexus 9, the Wall Street Journal has added even more credibility to reports by stating that HTC engineers have been regularly flying to Google’s Mountain View HQ in order to finalize the 9-inch device. As part of a patent lawsuit against Qualcomm and Samsung earlier this month, NVIDIA revealed that it would be providing the muscle for the Android L-powered slate, which is expected to feature its Tegra K1 processor and launch within the third quarter. However, we’re now just over a week away from the end of September, so it looks increasingly likely that we’ll see something official next month. Remember, Google has a history of scheduling events in October.
Filed under: Tablets, Software, Mobile, HTC, Google
Via: The Verge
Source: Wall Street Journal
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Amazon announces new Fire HD tablet in five colors, two screen sizes and starts at $99
So far you have seen the new Fire HDX and the Fire HD Kids Edition. Here is the all new Fire HD. It packs in a lot of the same features are the Fire HD Kids Edition minus the case, worry free guarantee and 1-year of FreeTime Unlimited.
As you can see, the Fire HD this year pulls out all the stops in color choices with white, cobalt, magenta, citron and the more traditional black. It packs a quad-core 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, Corning Gorilla glass, front and rear cameras and Dolby Digital audio.
Customers have a number of choices to make beyond the main specs as the new Fire HD is offered in a 6-inch or a 7-inch option (1280 x 800) with or without Amazon special offers on the lockscreen/screensaver and in 8GB or 16GB storage. That affects your price points as well. Your basic 8GB toting 6-inch variety in any color with special offers starts at $99. Same scenario with the 7-inch is $139. Go for the larger storage and no special offers you are looking at $134 for the 6-inch and $174 for the 7-inch.
No matter what you choose though you get unlimited cloud storage for all those photos for free. You also get the ability to set up family profiles, and Amazon exclusives: X-Ray, Second Screen, Amazon FreeTime, Prime Instant Video Downloads and more. Battery wise though they list it as just 8 hours of reading. That will vary depending on your use.
Amazon is certainly pushing hard this year in the device department. Have any of the new ones caught your eye enough to buy? What will it be, the new Fire HD, the Fire HD Kids Edition or maybe the new Fire HDX? Hit the links below if the Fire HD is of interest, but don;t expect it to ship until October.
http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwandcom-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B00KC6I06S&asins=B00KC6I06S&linkId=VGDZWMGJ5CX4URXQ&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=truehttp://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwandcom-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B00IKPYKWG&asins=B00IKPYKWG&linkId=HX5K4F3JIKFQDQ5R&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=trueVia Amazon
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NVIDIA’s LTE Shield tablet is finally available for pre-order
If we were to cherry-pick one major fault from our NVIDIA Shield tablet review, it would definitely be the slate’s storage space — 16GB just isn’t enough for a device built for gaming and media consumption. If you were holding off until the company put out a larger capacity version, your day has come: NVIDIA just announced that the 32GB LTE variant of the Shield is now available for pre-order. $399 buys the unlocked LTE tablet in its own right, but NVIDIA tells us that AT&T will be offering it for $299 on contract.
We dropped by NVIDIA’s Santa Clara offices for a quick demo earlier this week and found exactly what we expected: last month’s gaming tablet with lighting fast wireless connectivity. Naturally, like most LTE devices under ideal conditions, it performed admirably — successfully streaming games from NVIDIA’s GRID and a remote PC over the cellular network. The company is also announcing the availability of three new Tegra K1 optimized games: Beach Buggy Racing, BombSquad and Broadsword: Age of Chivalry. Sounds good, but you’ll have to wait until next month to play if you’re ordering today — new tablets don’t start shipping out until the September 30th.
Source: NVIDIA
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‘SimCity BuildIt’ brings urban planning back to phones and tablets
SimCity hasn’t been on mobile devices for a while — the last title surfaced way back in 2010. You’ll get another crack at metropolis building pretty soon, though, as EA has quietly teased SimCity BuildIt for Android devices, iPhones and iPads. Details are scarce right now, but it’s already apparent that this will be a big, big visual upgrade over the last incarnation; you’ll see 3D graphics that more closely resemble SimCity‘s recent reboot than a cut-down phone release. We’ve reached out to EA for a launch date and more info on the game mechanics. However BuildIt works, we’re just hoping that it fares a lot better than its desktop counterpart.
Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Tablets, Mobile
Via: Joystiq, cbob3000 (Twitter), NeoGAF
Source: EA
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NVIDIA hints at an HTC Nexus 9 tablet coming within weeks
Remember those hints of HTC returning to tablets? Yeah, the cat’s out of the bag. As part of its patent lawsuit against Qualcomm and Samsung, NVIDIA has revealed that it expects a Tegra K1-powered “HTC Nexus 9″ sometime within the third calendar quarter of the year. That would theoretically put the launch sometime before the end of September. However, don’t get your hopes up for a release that soon. HTC just sent out invitations for a “double exposure” media event on October 8th, and there’s still no guarantee that the Nexus 9 will surface at that gathering. Given that the slate is supposed to be running Android L, any unveiling will likely hinge as much on Google’s progress as it does HTC’s.
Filed under: Tablets, HTC, Google, NVIDIA
Via: Bright Side of News, Droid-Life
Source: NVIDIA (PDF)
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Dell’s new stick lets you share your tablet’s screen with bigger displays
If you happen to own one of Dell’s Venue tablets, you now have an easy way to put its content on a bigger screen. Dell has just launched the Cast, a simple stick that lets you link your slate to any HDMI-equipped display. You can either mirror your screen directly (much like Chromecast) or use the larger panel as a makeshift desktop, including multiple web browser windows. Shades of Motorola’s Webtop, anyone? The add-on is available now for $80, although you may need to be patient depending on your choice of platform. Only Android-based Venue tablets can use the Cast right away. You’ll have to wait until later this year to pair it with Windows-based models like the Venue 8 Pro.
Filed under: Peripherals, Tablets, Dell
Source: Dell
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Intel’s building a reference tablet for Android developers
Looking for a new, stable and regularly updated slate to develop on? Intel has your back. The company says it’s been working with Google to create the “Intel Reference Design for Android,” a developer tablet designed to help device manufactures and developers get their products to market as fast as possible. “What we’ve done with Google is defined a list of components,” Intel’s Doug Fisher explained. “And then Intel builds a complete operating environment, a complete stack on top of that device.” The partnership and pre-approved components allows Intel to promise that its reference tablets will pass Google Media Services standards, making it easy for OEMs using the device as a base to do the same.
Intel is dedicated to keeping the program’s software up to date, too — every device in the program will receive the latest ASOP updates within two weeks of release. Intel is using the platform to push its own technology forward too: reference tablets will feature the same RealSense camera technology Dell is putting into the Venue 8 7000 series. Intel didn’t say when developers will be able to get involved in its reference program, but mentioned that the RealSense technology will be available in Dell’s slate this fall. Check out our hands-on with that device right here.
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Tesco shelves its smartphone plans to focus on Hudl 2 tablet
Tesco makes its own affordable range of everyday products for penny-conscious consumers, and last year the supermarket extended this concept to tablets. The Hudl slate wasn’t just cheap, but also the perfect vehicle for showcasing Tesco’s various streaming services. Despite a few hardware teething problems, the Hudl has gone on to sell over half a million units, prompting the commission of a sequel earlier this year. Alongside the Hudl 2, Tesco also said it would launch an affordable Android smartphone, but now the chain’s announced those plans have been shelved while it focuses on the new tablet, which is due out “in the next few weeks.” As Robin Terrell, Group Multi-Channel Director at Tesco explains, since the plan was revealed “the mobile market has become even more competitive,” leading the supermarket to “put the phone on hold.”
Where Tesco previously saw space for “an affordable, quality 4G handset,” it’s clearly no longer confident it can deliver a competitive product. Since it announced the phone, of course, we’ve seen the arrival of several budget handsets that fit that description, like the Moto G with 4G and Lumia 635. Perhaps it’s also a case of Tesco being too ambitious with its hardware. Former CEO Philip Clarke said the Hudl phone would be comparable to Samsung’s Galaxy S5, which makes us wonder whether hitting the right price point was simply unachievable. Clarke was all but sacked recently, leaving new head Dave Lewis with the task of clawing back lost market share. While Terrell states he decided to put the phone on hiatus in early July (before the new CEO stepped up), the move fits nicely with Lewis’ plan to refocus on being the best supermarket around. We doubt money-hungry projects like creating a own-brand smartphone fit with this policy, and it could mean the team at Tesco Labs might have to spend less time on fun stuff, and more stacking shelves.
The Hudl tablet line is surviving for now, however, and the next one is launching imminently. Terrell has spilled a bean or two on the upcoming device, saying it’s “improved on just about every area of its predecessor, from screen size to speed, design and accessories.” He also said the sequel has the potential to “take its place as customer’s primary tablet,” but regardless of how much more powerful it ends up being, we expect the price will remain the slate’s most important spec, and its biggest selling point.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile
Via: Marketing Week
Source: Tesco
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Send SMS with your Android smartphone from any device with EndlessJabber (Review)
For years, one of the things I’ve always wanted was an easy way to be able to send text messages while on different devices, especially my laptop or desktop computer. This is one of the main reasons why services like Facebook Messenger and Google Hangouts have always been my go to messenger services since I could just pickup where I left off chatting, whether I was on my desktop at work, laptop at home, tablet or my smartphone.
While I’ve tried a few apps in the past, none were perfect. One of the first that I remember trying many years ago was Koush’s DeskSMS, which to me, wasn’t as reliable and didn’t have as nice an interface as EndlessJabber does.
“To setup the app, it’s extremely simple. All you have to do is head to their website, www.endlessjabber.com, and click install, which will take you to Google Play where you can download the app on your Android smartphone. On your smartphone, go through the setup on the app, which the company says, “takes just 1 tap.” All you’re doing here is connecting the app to your Google account and granting the app access to your text messages, which will then sync all of your text messages to the app. Although they recommend using EvolveSMS from Klinker Apps, whom they partnered with, it works fine with other SMS apps, such as Google Hangouts, my default SMS app. With that done, all you need to do is go to www.endlessjabber.com/web on any other device and sign in to your Google account, then you can chat just as you would on your smartphone but through this web interface seen below.
All of the text messages on your device will show up when you head to the web interface. Besides just sending messages, you are able to attach photos from the current device you’re using to the SMS, view all your contacts on your smartphone, view a Gallery of photos you’ve been texted and view statistics such as how many texts you’re sending in a day, who you’re texting the most, etc. EndlessJabber will also tell you the current time and how much juice is left in your phone’s battery, just so you can be sure it doesn’t die on you.
The app is very well polished and I think the only issue I noticed is that emoticons didn’t always show up as pictures as they would on your smartphone. They would show up while accessing the web interface on Mozilla Firefox, but didn’t always show up in Google Chrome, although they were unique ones like beer mugs and fireworks. It would also be nice if you were able to access the gallery on your smartphone, but that’s not a deal breaker at all.
EndlessJabber also has a few extras that I wanted to mention. Along with the Android app and web interface, EndlessJabber also has Chrome and Firefox Extensions which will give you a notification whenever you receive a message so you don’t always have to be on that tab to see the messages you receive.
One of the best things about the app is that it is free to use, unlike DeskSMS that was about $5 a year. Although I didn’t get to test it out, there is a paid version of the app, EndlessJabber Pro, that’s $1.99 a month after a free 7 day. It extends the experience with some “pro” features including JabberMode that enables you to instantly send and receive SMS messages by bypassing the free Google Cloud Messaging infrastructure, Search, so you can search for a specific text or bit of info you received, themes, the ability to schedule texts in advance to send at a later time, more analytics as well as XMPP integration to use it with other chat clients such as Pidgin and Trillian, among other features.
One last thing, EndlessJabber is currently seeking to raise funds through Kickstarter to help its app grow, since they are a small startup. Check out the campaign here.They note that funds from the campaign will be used to determine the appropriate marketing strategy to achieve their goals, find an appropriate marketing firm and execute on the marketing strategy. If you do decide to contribute, you can get nice rewards such as EndlessJabber Pro subscriptions, visibility on their site and social networks and even a t-shirt. Some of these rewards are pretty nice, especially since most will give you a discount on a pro subscription.
If EndlessJabber sounds like something you’ve been waiting for, don’t hesitate to check it out! If you need a little more help using EndlessJabber, here’s more info on their blog.
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AIVAnet 