Tablets
Archos have had a second try at an Android gaming tablet having some success with the first generation Archos GamePad. This time around it’s mostly all change with a re-design and some beefed up specs.
Coming with some red hot gaming preinstalled we have a look at just how gamer friendly the Archos GamePad 2 really is.
Archos GamePad 2 specification:
- 7’’: 1280 x 800 pixels, IPS,
- Quad-core A9 @ 1.6GHz
- Android 4.2
- 2GB RAM
- 8GB/16GB + micro SD
- 200.5 mm x 154 mm x 9.9 mm
- 400g
- Two analogue thumb-sticks
- Directional pad
- 6 front facing buttons
- 4 shoulder buttons
- G-sensor
- HDMI output
- Front webcam
The success of its Hudl tablet over Christmas has been confirmed by the that Tesco is set to launch not one but two new devices. A Hudl branded smartphone alongside an evolutionary update to the Hudl tablet from last year.
The smartphone is not expected to appear until the end of the year however it will keep the Hudl branding. Oddly, the BBC reports that the phone will run Android and be of a comparable specification to the Samsung Galaxy S5. Much like the Hudl tablet this phone will come preloaded with Tesco services, including Blinkbox video streaming and Tesco shopping apps. The addition of these bundled apps will allow Tesco to “aggressively priced” a higher-end smartphones.
In addition, Tesco also confirmed that the Hudl 2 could arrive as early as September. The first incarnation of the low priced, Archos built, 7-inch tablet sold around 550,000 units since launch before Christmas and was not only applauded for it’s low cost and higher than expected specifications but the ability to pay with Clubcard points helps many families justify having one.
No specifications or prices for either the Hudl phone or Hudl 2 Tablet have been confirmed at this point.
Acer has announced a large amount of new devices in New York this past week. Another tablet on their roadmap is the Acer Iconia Tab 7, a familiar looking tablet with many stylings borrowed from other tablets already on the market.
Running on Android 4.4 the Acer Iconia Tab 7 improves of some of the spercs of the Acer Iconia One 7, launched the same day. A Media Tek MT8382 Quad Core 1.3Ghz runs the show with 1GB of RAM. A 7″ IPS HD 1280×800 display looks great with 8gb and 16gb variants available. A 5MP rear camera and 0.3MP fornt facing camera round out an attractively styled budget offering.
Acer unveiled the Acer Iconia Tab 7(¹) at its “A Touch More Connected” launch event in New York. Equipped with phone functionality and 3G connectivity, the Iconia Tab 7 is the marriage of the two most used consumer devices — a tablet and phone — together in a super portable, premium-looking design with a vibrant 7-inch screen. Users can use 3G to browse, keep in touch, stay current on news, events and social networks, as well as enjoy voice calls.
A slim design with premium look and feel
The slim Acer Iconia Tab 7 has a premium look and feel with a clean and simple design of anodized silver. The 0.89 cm (0.35 inches) thin body, narrow 11.6 cm (4.6 inches) width and light 298 g (0.66 lb) weight makes the Iconia Tab 7 extremely comfortable to hold and use with a single hand for phone calls and browsing, yet it’s large enough for reading text and enjoying video.Impressive media performance and imaging
Available with two screen options(¹), the vibrant 7-inch screen delivers crisp visuals with up to 1280×800 HD resolution and IPS(²) technology for sharp, truly vivid colors from wide viewing angles. Plus, customers can do even more with their Iconia Tab 7 thanks to its powerful quad-core processor. Dual cameras ensure users can capture all the most important moments, and it features Android 4.4 (KitKat) and up to 6 hours(3) of battery life.
Tap, swipe and pinch with fewer fingerprints
With all those taps, swipes and pinches, screens can get dirty quickly, but not with the Iconia Tab 7. Equipped with an anti-fingerprint coating, messy fingerprints and smudges are reduced while also making it much easier to clean.
The Iconia Tab 7 is equipped with a MicroSD™ card slot for extended storage and easy sharing. For further storage expansion, users can take advantage of AcerCloud™ (4) and enjoy seamless sharing of videos, photos, music and documents across multiple devices.
Pricing and availability
The Acer Iconia Tab 7 will be available in Latin American markets at the end of June with prices starting at $1,990 MX Peso; in Europe, Middle East and Africa middle of May with prices starting at €149.
According to some new intel which popped up this morning, Samsung is gearing up to launch a new line of Galaxy Tab S tablets later this year. These new Android tablets will supposedly feature higher end specs than current models, including features like:
Galaxy Tab S line specification:
- 2560×1600 AMOLED displays (for the 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch models)
- Fingerprint Sensors
- An octa-core Exynos 5 (5420) SoC, including four Cortex A15 cores, four Cortex A9 cores and a Mali T628 GPU
- 3GB of RAM
- 8MP rear camera
- LTE connectivity (when/where applicable)
- IR blaster
Of course, as we have seen in the past, a high-end tablet doesn’t necessarily translate into sales or success for Android. For the most part, it’s the cheaper alternatives which have flourished in Android tablet-land. Everything depends on how aggressively Samsung prices these gadgets.
Recently, in New York, Acer announced a few new devices. Amongst them was this low end, wallet friendly slab. The Acer Iconia One 7 is a reasonably priced and stylish alternative for the budget market. Combining an attractive display with a grippy rubberised rear. Priced competitively the One 7 looks like it will be able to handle the rougher lifestyle as the user will have increased grip with the rubber covering alongside a little more protection if dropped.
Whilst the specifications are hardly anything to write home about, there is enough to keep this tablet as a contender. An Intel Atom based Z2560 Dual-core processor running at 1.6ghz should keep most happy along with a modest 1gb of RAM. Both 8gb and 16gb models will be available allowing more storage by way of microSD card expansion. The 7″ IPS display 1280×800 provides a bright front end. However, two cameras, a 2MP rear shooter and 0.3MP front faced, seem quite underwhelming. No details of the battery size have been revealed however 7 hours have been quoted, this will hopefully change one Android 4.4 makes it’s way onto the tablet as it is currently running 4.2.
On April 29, 2014 Acer unveiled the Acer Iconia One 7 at its “A Touch More Connected” launch event in New York. The incredibly portable 7-inch tablet, with Intel® dual-core processor, is the ultimate device for anyone who wants to enjoy mobile entertainment in a stylish device with multiple color options. The affordable price makes it even more compelling for families and anyone on a budget.
“Since the beginning, Acer’s mission has been to break down the barriers between people and technology and make the latest technologies accessible to all people,” said Maverick Shih, president of Acer’s BYOC and Tablet Business Group. “The new Iconia One 7 is a great example of how we continue this heritage by offering mobile devices with great functionality, unique designs and excellent value.”
“Congratulations to Acer on delivering the Intel Atom-powered Acer Iconia One 7 to market. It offers superb gaming and entertainment performance, long battery life and a sleek form factor,” said Hermann Eul, vice president and general manager of Intel’s Mobile and Communications Group. “We look forward to continuing our close work with Acer to bring additional innovative mobile devices to market that meet the ever-increasing demands of today’s consumers.”Smooth motion and true-to-life visuals
Games and video run smoothly on the Acer Iconia One 7 thanks to the Intel® Atom™ Z2560 processor. The 7-inch LED-backlit display has 1280×800 HD resolution and IPS(1) technology to ensure games, websites, e-books and all visuals are clear and vibrant. The 16:10 display is the ideal format for video, and users can enjoy up to 7 hours battery life(3) when viewing 720p video. It runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean), upgradeable to Android 4.4 (KitKat).Design to be seen
The Acer Iconia One 7 comes in a wide-array of delightful color options(2) to suit any lifestyle including, but not limited to, red, white, black, blue and pink. The rear case features a sophisticated textured pattern that gives it a unique look and feel while also providing anti-slip properties for a comfortable and reliable grip. The slim profile of the Iconia One 7 not only makes it stylish, but also easy to use on-the-go with a single hand. It measures just 8.9 mm (0.35 inches) thin and is a lightweight mobile companion that is fun to use and share.
The Iconia One 7 is also equipped with front and rear cameras for capturing all the most important moments, two speakers for clearer audio, and MicroSD™ card slot that allows for extended storage and easy sharing. For further storage expansion, users can take advantage of AcerCloud™ and enjoy seamless sharing of videos, photos, music and documents across multiple devices.Pricing and availability
The Acer Iconia One 7 will be available in Pan American markets at the end of June with prices starting at US$129.99; in Europe, Middle East and Africa middle of May with prices starting at €139.
It may look like an iPad Mini however the Archos 79 Xenon falls at the other end of the price spectrum. At £170 the Archos 79 Xenon is a good looking, good feeling Android tablet with a few eyebrow-raising specs.
This is one tablet to check out if you are looking for a cheap second option, one for the kids or family member who isn’t terribly fussy.
Archos 79 Xenon review specification:
Processor
- A7 Quad-Core 1.2GHz
Memory
- 1GB DDR3 RAM
- 8GB Flash
- Expandable to 64GB
Software
- Operating system: Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
- Google Maps,
- Google Maps Navigation (beta)
Display
- 7.85″ IPS TFT Multi Touch
- Resolution: 1024 x 768
Multimedia
- Supported Digital Video Formats: MPEG-4,AVI,H.264
- Audio: Microphone, stereo speakers
- Supported Digital Audio Formats: MP3,WAV,OGG,FLAC,Vorbis,PCM,ADPCM
Networking
- Cellular Technology 3G
- Cellular Protocols HSPA
- Wireless Connectivity Bluetooth,Wi-Fi
Power Supply
- Lithium polymer Battery
Dimensions
- Width 13.4 cm
- Depth 0.8 cm
- Height 20 cm
- Weight 320 g
Interfaces
- 1 x microSD
- 1 x SIM card
- 1 x headphones
- 1 x Micro-USB
Archos 79 Xenon review video:
Go online anywhere with the ARCHOS 79 Xenon – specially designed for an on-the-go experience with both 3G and WiFi. Un-Sim-locked it accepts any 3G Sim card and has no provider restrictions.
The ARCHOS 79 Xenon features a powerful Quad-core processor and runs Android Jelly Bean with complete access to Google Play and all the Google Mobile Applications.
NB: This Archos 79 Xenon review is the first of our new video-review format. There’s a bit of work to be done yet but let us know what you think!
Amongst a slew of new laptop’s Acer have added to their road map are a couple of interesting little 11″ Windows 8 machines. The Acer Aspire E 11 and V 11 are distinctively designed laptops with a very small footprint.
Powered by an Intel Pentium with the option of up to 8gb of memory and various storage options too from 320gb all the way up to 1tb. Unlike the smaller Aspire E 11 the V manages 2 extra hours of battery life at 7 hours and a full touchscreen experience.
The V11 has a rather distinguishing rear end curve to distinguish it from the rest and operates without a fan.
The E11 and V 11 have been priced at $269.99, no UK pricing has been made available.
The star of Acer’s global press conference today was the launch of the Acer Apsire Switch 10, a Windows 8.1 tablet with clip on keyboard. The most exciting aspect of this is the “Snap hinge,” this would really feels durable without being overly heavy. Others have tried this in the past however Acer looks to have nailed it with the combination of two exposed clips and some heavy magnets that hold everything snugly together.
In addition to this Acer are also bragging of the 10″ display featuring a “Zero Air Gap” meaning there is no gap between the display and the protective plastic over the top allowing for a better viewing angle and less glare from sunlight. Running on an Intel Atom Z3745 quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM performance seemed pretty snappy. You have the choice of 32 or 64GB of storage.
Like many multi-positional devices before it, the Switch 10 can switch into four typical forms, laptop, tablet, tent and stand.
The Snap hinge mechanism is interesting as it sits at a perfect right angle, as you tilt further back the keyboard rises and tilts toward to making a more natural typing position.
Undeneath the machine is not affected by the hinge as the mechanism is contained within the profile of the Switch 10.
The bottom of the tablet has two holes for the clips and some connections for the keyboard input. The magnets are not visible.
The clips are fairly simple and are angled to help guide the tablet into a lock position. The magnets tend to do all the work.
The rear of the device benefits front the positioning of the hinge. A nice unbroken line gives the Switch a more elegent look instead of the clumsy visible hinges on most other devices.
Elsewhere the tablet has some decent specs for the proposed £299
- Screen 10.1″ HD 13666×768
- Intel Atom Z3745
- 2GB Ram
- Intel HD Graphics
- 32/64gb storage options
- 2mp front facing camera
The tablet as a wealth of connections on either side.
This rumour has been heard before, however this is supposedly “supply chain” intel to corroborate them. According to this newest report, Google is still considering teaming up with HTC on a new Android Tablet. This may be an 8-inch device. The second part of this rumour suggests that Google is considering eliminating the Nexus line of Android tablets altogether after this device.
There are two possible reasons why Google could be using HTC instead of Asus for a future tablet. First, Google is apparently looking for a new outer design for the Nexus tablet. Second, according to the report, Asus has not been very motivated to try and push the Nexus tablet line, instead they are trying to build up its own brand cache. Ironically, this is exactly what Google wanted. They specifically put restrictions on how Asus could push the Nexus line. This was meant to spur the company to create its own line of Android products.
Apparently, Google’s whole purpose with the Nexus tablets was simply to jump-start the industry so that Android tablets could compete effectively with the Apple iPad. Since that has been mostly successful, Google is considering pulling back to let the various OEMs run the show now. Asus is a good example of the outcome that Google was aiming for.
Very soon the first Snapdragon 805 equipped device will be available, but it won’t be for the average consumer. Qualcomm will soon release their next developer tablet so that the engineers of the world will have their first crack at the silicon.
Here’s the full breakdown of specs for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805:
- Android 4.4 KitKat
- Qualcomms unreleased Snapdragon 805 processor – quad-core CPU clocked at 2.7 GHz with Adreno 420 GPU
- Hexagon QDSP6 V5A (600MHz) DSP chip – for inerpreting sensor data
- 3 GB of RAM
- 64 GB of internal storage
- 2560 x 1440 10-inch Display
- 13 megapixel rear camera – with 4K video capabilities – and included front facing 3D infrared gesture camera
- 2 megapixel front camera
- 802.11ac WiFi radios, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, NFC
- A microSD card slot
- HDMI port
- USB port
- Its microphones can record sound from an ultrasound stylus
- Fingerprint scanner on the back
- 3,400 mAh battery – small because the device is meant to be used on a desk dock
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