Aakash, the $35 Tablet from India Gets Official; Specs Include 366MHz CPU, 256MB RAM, and Runs Froyo

Remember last year’s $35 slate unveiled in India and was touted as the world’s cheapest on its category? Well, it’ now official and the tablet is called Aakash.

And as we initially learned, this tablet is a project of the Indian government to address the need of a low-cost tablet computer for students. It turned out though that Aakash won’t retail as expected, ‘coz the official price at launch jumped to Rs 2,999 or $61. Nonetheless, it’s still competitive to take a share from other brands like the Apple iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab.



The Aakash tablet is designed and manufactured by a Canadian firm, DataWind, Ltd.; and it carries entry level specs like 366MHz Connexant CPU, a dedicated GPU, 256MB of RAM, 2GB internal storage (expandable up to 32GB), with 2 USB ports, Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11 a/b/g), GPRS, and flaunts a 7-inch resistive display at 800 x 480 resolution. It runs the Froyo version of Google’s Android OS, and got a 2100 mAh power source rated to last just 3 hours or less.



The country actually has similar project, the Rizal tablet; however, unlike Indian government’s effort through Aakash which is to connect educational institutions across the nation – the Philippines’ Rizal slate is truly just designed to commemorate the life and works of the national hero.



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HTC Flyer Arrives in Philippines, Priced at 37K

Listing all Android tablets available in the country, there’s no question HTC Flyer will top in the pricing metric.

HTC’s first ever tablet is finally here in the Philippines, so you guys should see this in your favorite gizmo stores in the coming days. And if you’ve been eyeing this slate since it popped up in February from the Republic of China, you’ll be surprised to know its suggested retail price is around Php 37K, or Php 36,990 to be exact.



Shocker? I don’t think so, or let me say – unless the Flyer can’t beat its contenders, specs wise.



If you have already prepped yourself to shell out extra cash, there’s an authorized reseller selling the tablet with Php 7000 less of the original price. If interested, go hit this link…



HTC Flyer Specs



Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 (for 3G version)

HSPA/WCDMA: 900/AWS/2100 MHz

1.5 GHz Single-core CPU

7-inch TFT screen, 1024 x 800 resolution

Android 2.4 with HTC Sense for Tablet

1 GB RAM

32 GB Internal Storage, microSD expandable

5 MP rear-facing camera with Auto-Focus

1.3 MP front-facing camera

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

GPS

G-sensor

3.5mm Audio jack

195.4 x 122 x 13.2 mm

415 g

4000 mAh battery

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First Look of the Rizal Tablet

The Philippines just celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of the country’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

The Rizal Tablet, aka e-Rizal i-Tablet

Part of the celebration is the formal debut of a new tablet designed to commemorate the life and works of Rizal. The slate, labeled as Rizal Tablet, also known as e-Rizal i-Tablet, is a collaborative work of the Laguna provincial government, Vibal Publishing, and the University of the Philippines in Los Banos. The tablet is being manufactured by Ionics EMS, Inc. – an electronics service provider based in the Philippines which is also currently developing 4G LTE devices for Verizon Wireless in the US.



The provincial government of Laguna plans to distribute about 1,000 prototypes of the tablet to 14 high schools in the province.



Though not much have been revealed what’s inside the Rizal Tablet, it’s said to feature a 7-inch touch screen display (with a joystick Stylus), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and will come with video and games support on its Linux OS.



I’m wondering though if this Rizal Tablet has something to do with the low-cost tablet PC reported last year. Any thoughts?

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ZTE V9 is Android Froyo Tablet from Smart Communications, Only Costs Php 12, 795

Aiming to grow the number of internet users in the Philippines, Smart Communications launched recently a low-cost 7-inch tablet device called ZTE V9.

ZTE V9 Tablet

Powered by Android 2.2 (Froyo) OS, the ZTE V9 is bundled with the telco’s wireless broadband service, Smartbro. Initially being offered for prepaid subscription, Smart says subscribers have an option to pay the tablet through a 6-month installment at 0% interest. The tablet is priced at Php 12, 795 – which I’m thinking one of the cheapest tablets already out in the local market. It comes with Smartbro prepaid SIM with 5 days of unlimited web surfing, and through the prepaid account - users can register either with Smartbro’s Unlisurf, per minute, or all-text packages.



Though there’s no word what’s inside this tablet, the ZTE V9 is said to feature a 3 MP camera, Wi-Fi and USB connectivity options, expandable memory of up to 32GB, and of course the apps Android 2.2 brings. I’ll try to uncover the entire specs of this tablet so just stay tuned for more updates.



We can recall that PLDT (owner of Smart Communications) also launched another 7-inch Android tablet later last year, the TelPad, which is also bundled with PLDT myDSL broadband internet; and I’m wondering if anyone of you here have already tried it?



If you have something to say about the ZTE V9 tablet, just hit the comment section below.



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iPad 2 Available in Philippines this Friday, April 29?

Oh, some tidbits of the iPad 2 release here in the Philippines continue buzzing the web.

I was actually informed by a friend of mine last Saturday when the first report came in to verify if the news is legit or not. But since I had limited web access in the province while having my Holy Week vacation, I wasn’t able to update this blog about the news. My apology for that, again! J

Apple iPad 2

The rumor is Apple will apparently include the country on its promised release of iPad 2 this April. If you can recall, iPad 2 was officially announced in the US back in March 2 and it went on sale in March 25th in 25 more selected countries, excluding Japan (due to the series of disasters in the region). And from the March 25th release, Apple also announced that the tablet will be available to Asian countries this month, though from the official press release - only Hong Kong, Korea, and Singapore will have it. No words from the Cupertino company regarding the iPad 2 launch here in the Philippines.



It turned out the premiere Apple reseller in the country, the Power Mac Center, apparently posted exciting news on its Facebook fan page (though the plug had been removed already). The iPad 2 is said to hit the local Apple stores this Friday, April 29th! The news seems to be true after receiving personally a separate info from a friend over at another local Apple store here in Cebu that they are also expecting the second-gen iPad this Friday, or if not, by the first week of May.



If you guys are waiting for this tablet, just hold your breath for a while, because we’ll let you know once the availability here in the country becomes official. I’ll just wish the entire inventory won’t really hold up in a day or two after the release, so you’ll be accommodated. And if you’ve been throwing your wild guesses how much the tablet will be priced, so be it. Just don't make it too much. J But if Apple follow the same pricing of the first-gen iPad in the Philippines, like what they did in the US and other regions, we can expect the following price schedule as we've talked here before.



16GB WiFi – Php23, 990

32GB WiFi – Php28, 990

64GB WiFi – Php33, 990



16GB 3G + WiFi – Php30, 990

32GB 3G + WiFi – Php35, 990

64GB 3G + WiFi – Php40, 990



And expect grey markets to bring down their expensive prices as well. Right? Just stay tuned for more updates.



Update 1: iPad 2 Philippine Launch this Friday, Official!

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HP Slate 500 Arrives in Philippines, No Touchpad Yet [Updated]

Okay. So I sat in front of my computer table early this morning and have this tip from a reliable source of mine whom I trust ‘coz he is actually working for HP Philippines.



I got a word that the HP Slate 500 is already here in the Philippines and will be launched officially showcased (see update below) in Manila this Friday, April 8th. If you can still remember, the HP Slate 500 is a Windows 7 Tablet PC that was announced late October, last year.

HP Slate 500

Characterized by the Palo-Alto based company as the ideal tablet device for “professionals who don’t usually work at traditional desk”, what would make this slate win over other tablets is its operating system – which of course a preferable choice for those who always want working in Windows environment they are accustomed with. Of course, that will also depend on its price point, which until now I’m still waiting for my source’s updates. What we know so far is it’s priced at $799 in the US. But I’m expecting Philippine price would be cheaper due to the tight competition.



Just in case you forgot what are from within the HP Slate 500, it actually features:

• 32-bit Genuine Windows 7 Professional OS


• 1.86 GHz Intel Atom Processor Z540


• Intel SCH US15W Chipset


• 2 GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM


• SSD Storage up to 64GB


• CD/DVD R/RW via External USB 2.0


• 8.9-inch WSVGA touchscreen display


• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500


• Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerator


• Integrated 3MP Camera; Integrated VGA webcam


• HP Slate Digital Pen


• HD Audio, Integrated Stereo Speakers,


• Integrated Mic, Combo Stereo Headphone/Mic Jack


• USB 2.0


• WiFi 802.11 b/g/n


• Bluetooth 3.0


• 2-cell (30 WHr) polymer battery, with 5+ hours life

Hopefully, I can take my hands on this slate; probably when HP follows its event schedule here in Cebu, which is set on the last week of April. By the way, my source also mentioned the HP Touchpad probably won't hit the local shelves until next quarter. So that's going to be a long wait until we see that first webOS tablet. Surely, we'll let you know once we get more updates of its release. So, just stay tuned!



Update: I received another update after the said HP event in Manila earlier today and the HP Slate 500 has just been showcased, but was never launched. No, not yet in Asia-Pacific; just in the US for the time being.

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ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101: Price, Specs, and Features Get Official

ASUS in an announcement today just made the Eee Pad Transformer TF101 tablet official.

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is one of the tablet devices unveiled ahead of CES early this year from the Taiwan-based company. Featuring a 10.1-inch IPS (in-plane switching) panel display, powered by a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor; the Transformer is a Honeycomb device that is, well – a unique slate that behaves converting itself into something we’re familiar with: a notebook. With an optional docking station with integrated keyboard, the Transformer let you access functionalities of a full QWERTY set of keys for your typing pleasure. In-house with the Eee Pad Transformer include a 1GB memory, 16GB or 32GB of storage with unlimited access to cloud-based ASUS WebStorage, both front and rear-facing cameras, and the ASUS’ Waveshare UI which melds with Android 3.0 for a unique user interface.



ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Specs



Android 3.0 (Honeycomb)

1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual-core processor

10.1-inch IPS (In-plane Switching) 1280 x 800 resolution touchscreen display

1GB RAM

16GB / 32GB Storage, Unlimited cloud storage with ASUS WebStorage

1.2MP Front camera for video conferencing

5MP Rear AF camera, HD video recording and playback

Optional Docking Station with integrated Full QWERTY keyboard

Wi-Fi, 802.11 b/g/n

3G (optional)

Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR

Mini-HDMI

3.5mm audio jack

USB 2.0 (2x)

Micro-SD Card

Stereo Speaker

Sensors (G-sensor, Light, Gyroscope, Compass, GPS)

10.6 x 6.9 x 0.51”

1.49 lbs (with battery)

24.4 Wh Li-Polymer battery



Reports say ASUS has a planned launch of Eee Pad Transformer next week; however, initial announcement says the tablet will be priced between $399 and $699, and will be available next month. Stay tuned as we’ll update this post if we got the official pricing details next week.



Update: ASUS Eee Pad Transformer: Philippines Price and Launch Update

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BlackBerry PlayBook Gets Official Price, Available April 19th in US and Canada

The Canadian Telco, Research In Motion (RIM), finally announced the availability together with the official price of the much-anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook.



The PlayBook is the company’s first tablet set to retail comes April 19th in more than 20,000 sales outlets in the US and Canada.

The BlackBerry PlayBook with Wi-Fi will come in three models, featuring 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage priced at $499, $599 and $699 respectively.



Just in case you didn’t notice, the official price for every PlayBook variant is actually just the same of the WiFi-only versions of the iPad 2. That means, if you’re going to choose between the PlayBook and iPad 2 – you probably don’t need to look at the price schedule.



Best Buy online stores in the US and Canada are already accepting pre-orders starting today. If you think of getting one, just head over here and here. Don't forget to check this demo to help you decide.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9: Price, Specs, and Features Announced!

Oh, boy. This could be a huge surprise, really!

If Samsung just introduced only the Galaxy Tab 10.1 at the recent MWC, then that’s probably because the company don’t want us to know they have something more to bet in the competition.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

Just today in the on-going International CTIA Wireless event in Orlando, Florida – Samsung announced its third tablet in the Galaxy Tab line-up, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9.

The Galaxy Tabs (7-inch, 8.9-inch, 10.1-inch)

And if you can still remember when Steve Jobs said the iPad 2 will send its rivals back to the drawing board, then Samsung could ask you to think again. Bringing almost the same specs as its bigger brother, including the Honeycomb taste and the blazing performance of a dual-core 1GHz processor, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 could be another perfect choice if you want to stay between the 7 and 10-inch form-factor.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Specs and Features



Android 3.0 (Honeycomb)

8.9-inch WXGA 1280 x 800 display

1GHz Dual-core processor

16GB, 32GB, 64GB memory with microSD up to 32GB

3MP Rear-Facing Camera with Auto-Focus and LED Flash

2MP Front-Facing Camera

1080p Full HD Video Playback @ 30fps

720p HD Video recording

Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync

Quick Office HD Editor

Samsung TouchWiz UX (4.0)

Google Services (Talk, Chat, Maps, Books, etc.)

Social Hub, Music Hub, Readers Hub

Adobe Flash Player 10.2

Bluetooth 3.0

USB 2.0

WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n

HSPA+, EDGE, GPRS

Gyroscope

Accelerometer

Digital Compass

Ambient Light Sensor

230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6 mm

470g

6000 mAh battery



Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Price



Samsung says price of Galaxy Tab 8.9 is $469 and $569 for 16GB and 32GB versions, respectively. No words yet on the price of 64GB version and the availability of the tablet.

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Samsung Philippines SRP for Galaxy Tab Drops to Php 21,990

It’s very obvious. Sammy won’t be competitive enough in the tablet warfare if the company won’t cut the current price point of its first tablet – the Samsung Galaxy Tab.



We expect this year to see more tablet devices from other brands coming into the competition, mostly are built with decent specs trying to outperform the likes of Apple iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab. HTC Flyer, Motorola XOOM, BlackBerry PlayBook, ASUS Eee Pad Tablets – just to name few are all first iteration of the big players in the tablet arena. And yes, those low-cost models from the French company Archos and our homegrown Cherry Mobile still count and they do have a share of the pie.



But for the pioneers, it’s just the beginning. In fact, Apple just released its iPad 2 more than a week ago; while Samsung is still prepping the official launch of its 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab. The tight competition dictates the price direction and for companies to stay competitive (and perhaps dominative?), they have to look back at the original price points of its devices. There should be a markdown. Apple already did that. Here in the Philippines, the first-gen iPad is already priced Php 4K less than the original price. And for Samsung to implement the same marketing strategy, the Korean company is also slashing the original price of the 7-inch Galaxy Tab. Interesting!

Just got a word that Samsung Philippines already have a new suggested retail price for the Galaxy Tab, model GT-P1000. How much? Well, expect to have it for Php 21,990. That’s Php 13K less than the official price when it first sells here in the country. If you are thinking of buying one, go check out my first impression before you visit your favorite Samsung reseller. But make sure the tablet already have the reduced price tag, because the final word from the person I talked with was- the company is still ironing everything to see every store in the country is selling the tablet with the same markdown price. Not bad, eh?



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Apple Philippines iPad 2 Price

When Apple released the first generation iPad models last year, it started at $499 to $699 for the Wi-Fi only version; while the one which supports both 3G and Wi-Fi are priced at $629 to $829 depending on the storage size.

The 2nd-gen iPad which has already been released in the US few days ago comes with a price tag similar to its predecessor, regardless of the model.

Though the Philippines is not included on the list of selected territories to have the tablet available by March 25th, the country seems to show huge interest of the iPad 2 slate over other tablets; despite seeing a significant drop of the original iPad price. And what’s more interesting to see is how iPad 2 prices vary from several resellers in the grey market. This is perhaps due to a high demand, yet only few units are available in the supply chain. The cheapest I’ve seen at Sulit.com.ph is at Php 27,500 for a 16GB Wi-Fi Only iPad 2, or as high as Php 31,500 for the same model from another vendor. Expect to see higher prices for other models though.



When the 1st-gen iPad landed here in the country, Apple Philippines posted an entry level price tag of Php 23,990 for a 16GB Wi-Fi only version, or Php 30,990 for Wi-Fi with 3G version of the tablet. Add Php 5K or Php 10K more and you get the 32GB or 64GB versions, respectively. Though there are really lots of factors to consider in pricing of goods here in the country, for the case of Apple, I’m expecting to see iPad 2 priced not far from that of its predecessor. Should I say just around Php 24,500 for a 16GB Wi-Fi model? Well, with the constant fluctuation of the exchange rates – I’m not really sure. But with the strong competition of the tablets, I don’t think iPad 2 would be too pricey for Apple to win.



If Apple follows the same roadmap of the 1st-gen iPad in the country, we can expect an official release of iPad 2 by Q4 this year. And if that sounds too long for you before you can take your hands on the tablet, I think you have the reason to take the bait of the quite expensive slates in the grey market. Should you?



Anyway, I’ll just let you know once we got the official price of iPad 2 here in the Philippines.



Update 1: iPad 2 Already Available in Philippines

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All First-Gen iPad in the Philippines is Now Priced Php 4000 Less, Ships in 24 Hours

It looks like Apple wanted to clear their inventory as fast as they can, while the recently announced iPad 2 will be out in the US comes March 11th and in some countries in the coming months.



Here in the Philippines, prices of the first generation iPad models, regardless of storage size, drop Php 4K less than the original prices. And they committed to ship ordered items in 24 hours. This might probably the best time to get your iPad if you don’t have any plan of buying the iPad 2, which until now still has no official ETA in the country. You may check the latest pricing schedule below for your perusal, and if you think of buying one, just head over to Philippine Apple Store to place your order. J

First-Gen iPad, Philippines Latest Price Schedule

So, are you buying?



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Apple iPad 2 Announced: Specs, Features, Price and Availability

As expected, Apple announced today its next iteration to the original iPad slate called iPad 2.



iPad 2 comes with better specs and features that include the new dual-core A5 processor for faster performance and strikingly impressive graphics, built with both front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime and rear-facing camera capable of 720p HD video recording and playback, built-in gyro for advanced gaming, HSUPA support, HDMI Video Mirroring that lets users mirror their iPad screen on HDTV, and would run on iOS 4.3 with the Personal Hotspot feature first seen on the Verizon iPhone 4.

iPad 2

It’s thinner and lighter than the original iPad, and while retaining the same 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD display- iPad 2 can still delivers up to 10 hours of battery life.

iPad 2 Playing Movie

Apple also announced the availability of the Smart Cover accessory which is actually a protective option designed uniquely for iPad 2. It’s built with self-aligning magnetic hinge allowing users an alternative option to wake or put the tablet to sleep, while safeguarding the screen and keeping it clean.

iPad 2 with Smart Cover

iPad 2 Prices and Availability



Apple iPad 2 will be available on March 11 in the US both black and white models, through the Apple Store, its retail stores and authorized resellers. Check out pricing schedules for both Wi-Fi only model and Wi-Fi + 3G model below.



iPad 2 Wi-Fi Only Model

16GB $499

32GB $599

64GB $699



iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G

16GB $629

32GB $729

64GB $829



iPad 2 will be available to selected countries on March 25 including: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.



Here in the Philippines, I’m not yet safe saying it would be available sometime on Q3 – but let me guess it will land here not later than October this year. Anyway, I’ll just let you know once we got more info about iPad 2 release here in the country.



Update: iPad 2 Already Available in Philippines



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HTC Flyer Tablet, Run Android 2.4 Gingerbread Version!

Talking about this year’s new Tablet revelations, you’ll be surprised having one with an indistinguishable version of the Gingerbread.

HTC just announced its very first tablet called HTC Flyer, and it’s the first tablet we’re seeing around to savor with Android 2.4, which I think a little optimized version of the original Gingerbread flavor. Next to ASUS Eee Pad MeMO, the Flyer will come with a capacitive stylus as an alternative to the usual multi-touch capability on its 7-inch landscape. Touting a 1.5 GHz single-core processor, a distinct 1 GB of memory is on board on top of its 32GB flash storage and this device will flaunt a 1024 x 600 resolution display.

HTC Flyer

HTC says they introduced new technologies and services packed on Flyer including HTC Watch (a video download service), HTC Scribe (for onscreen writing using the stylus or pen), and OnLive Cloud Gaming (allowing users to play video games directly on TV and PC), and an optimized version of Sense, that is HTC Sense for Tablet. We’re going to experience these new features as soon as HTC released the tablet comes Q2 this year. Since the company will be making this tablet available globally, I’m pretty sure we’ll be seeing this in the local shelves. For the meantime, check out full specs and features after the break.



HTC Flyer Specs and Features:



Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 (for 3G version)

HSPA/WCDMA: 900/AWS/2100 MHz

1.5 GHz Single-core CPU

7-inch TFT screen, 1024 x 800 resolution

Android 2.4 with HTC Sense for Tablet

1 GB RAM

32 GB Internal Storage, microSD expandable

5 MP rear-facing camera with Auto-Focus

1.3 MP front-facing camera

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

GPS

G-sensor

3.5mm Audio jack

195.4 x 122 x 13.2 mm

415 g

4000 mAh battery

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Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 (P7100) is Official: Just Another Honeycomb Tablet Unveiled in Barcelona!

Well. Oh well. The second tablet iteration by the Korean phone and tablet maker is now official, finally, after being showcased at the on-going MWC 2011 in Barcelona.



We’ve been teased a lot in the past few days regarding its hardware specs, features, or even what moniker it gets; but no, Samsung won’t be calling it as Samsung Galaxy Tab II. The new tablet by Sammy is called Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1, Model P7100. Oh, that’s pretty obvious why, at least by now. That’s because it dons a much bigger and wider display, to be specific, a 10.1-inch WXGA TFT LCD display. I can actually feel the intuitive interface of this tablet, thanks to its Honeycomb OS. Hopefully it will land here in the Philippines the soonest, so we can take our hands on this bad boy.

The Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is powered by a dual-core application processor and will be available both with 16GB or 32GB internal storage. Every specs of this new tablet is obviously better than the first Galaxy Tab.

And to be honest, you have to look on this considering new entries for this year’s competition of Honeycomb-based tablets like the Xoom or even those using other platforms in the name of TouchPad, PlayBook, or the much anticipated second generation iPad from Apple.

Like the Samsung Galaxy S II, this Tab will be launching before Q2, most probably by March, in Asia and Europe. Surely, we’ll get to see this tablet here in the Philippines anytime soon. For the meantime, you may check out full specs after the break.



Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 (P7100) Specs



Android 3.0 Honeycomb

1GHz Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor

ULP GeForce GPU, Tegra 2 T20 chipset

10.1-inch WXGA (1280 x 800 pixels) TFT LCD display

Full HD (1080p) video playback @ 30 fps

16/32GB internal storage

1GB RAM

8MP AF rear camera (3264x2448 pixels) with LED Flash, 1080p HD recording

2MP front camera

3G (HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps)

EDGE/GPRS

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct

Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP, EDR

USB 2.0

GSP, A-GPS

Sensors (Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Compass)

Dual surround-sound speakers

3.5 mm Ear Jack, Stereo Speaker

6860mAh Li-Po battery

246.2 x 170.4 x 10.9mm

589g



Update: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Philippines gets official.



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Globe Telecom Latest Smartphone and Tablet Deals

Geeks will start peeping later today the happenings in Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress while the whole circle of players in the Smartphone and Tablet arena are going to tout their latest product line-ups.

I’m pretty sure you, too, would like to know the best gadget deals for this year or probably in early 2012. But for “Pinoy” techies who can’t wait, in all probability, to get their hands on the latest handsets that made its way here in the Philippines; you’ll be glad to hear that Globe Telecom got new deals for you to check.



Among of the latest devices now available at Globe include the Huawei Ideos U8150, Samsung Galaxy 5 i5503 Europa, Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570, Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830, and Huawei Ideos S7. And the good thing is, these devices are being offered with free 30-day trial of Globe SuperSurf on top of the Plan.

Huawei Ideos U8150

The Huawei Ideos U8150 is a Froyo device flaunting a 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen with resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. It’s powered by a 528 MHz ARM 11 processor and Adreno 200 GPU in a MSM7225 Qualcomm chipset. Built with a 200MB internal storage, 256 MB RAM, and 512 MB ROM – the Ideos u8150 specs is pretty decent for entry-level handsets. This is a quad-band GSM phone, so basically a good choice as secondary handset (next to your high-end smartphone) if you’re the type of user who frequently travel anywhere in the planet. For those CTB readers who are new to Huawei Ideos, this is actually the first phone from Huawei launched here in the Philippines. What you would like with this curvy phone is its capability to be used as internet-sharing device as it’s coupled with functionality to act as a Wi-Fi hotspot - similar to Globe MiFi, the Smartbro Pocket Wi-Fi, or the Huawei’s E5 Pocket MiFi. Globe Telecom’s Huawei Ideos U8150 is free with My SuperPlan 499 and comes with free 30 days of SuperSurf.

Samsung Galaxy 5 i5503

Samsung Galaxy 5 i5503 Europa is also a quad-band phone running Android 2.1 (Éclair), packed with a 600 MHz processor, 2.8-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen display, with TouchWiz 3.0 interface, and support for basic and popular wireless connectivity options. The only drawback though for this entry-level handset is the 2 MP camera, and to be honest – if you’re a cam-wh*re type, you probably have to consider other units with higher camera resolution. But considering this is going to be free with Globe MySuperPlan 499, plus a free 30-day trial of SuperSurf – that would seemingly a good choice, too.



Among the newest handsets you should also check are Samsung Galaxy’s, that is – the Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 and Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830. Just as early as first week of this month, Samsung has already released these handsets in the country ahead of global release. Sounds flattering, huh?

Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570

The Galaxy Mini S5570 is also an Android Froyo device powered by a 600 MHz processor. Flavored tasty for young techies, this mid-range phone shows off its 3.15 MP camera (although it doesn’t have Flash) and its sexy full capacitive touch screen display. There’s nothing more notable specs on this phone except the basics that are usually built in a Froyo device. Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 is free at MySuperPlan 999, and Globe is offering free 30 days of SuperSurf once you signed up for the Plan.

Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830

And if you want the feel and looks of Apple’s iPhone 4, the Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830 could be a another choice. Though it doesn’t exactly resemble the build of the iPhone 4, the price for its decent specs and features should be in consideration. Available for free at Globe MySuperPlan 1799 and also comes with free 30 days of SuperSurf – the Galaxy Ace runs on Android 2.2 (Froyo) and is powered by an 800 MHz ARM 11 CPU and Adreno 200 GPU in a MSM7227 Qualcomm chipset. It also has 158 MB internal storage, wireless connectivity support, TouchWiz 3.0, and 5MP camera with auto-focus and LED Flash.

Huawei Ideos S7

Globe’s new Tablet offering in addition to Samsung Galaxy Tab is Huawei Ideos S7 which is free at Plan 999 and like with the other new devices, it also comes with free 30-day trial of SuperSurf. Ideos S7 is a 7-inch entry-level Éclair tablet powered by 768 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and can offer 720p HD video playback on its 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen display, on top of its GSM voice support. And oh, it does have a front-facing camera, too!



So which deal you’re interested in?

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HP to Unveil Topaz and Opal webOS Tablets, February 9th

With a bunch of tablets lined up for this year, you would probably forget about the HP Slate 500, or even the PalmPad which until now still keeps on hiding J.

I guess the latter won’t even come out or get official until the HP event next month. But the good thing is, or perhaps worse at some points- the internet is there to ruin HP and Palm’s event, leaving everyone of us a closer insight of what we have to expect on the webOS announcement this February 9th.

Engadget is reporting that HP and Palm are set to unveil two webOS-based tablets; though we’re quite sure it will run on an upgraded webOS 2.0, a webOS 2.5 perhaps. The first is a 9-inch tablet codenamed Topaz, and the other one is a 7-inch model codenamed Opal. The smaller Opal webOS tablet is said to get three variants – a Wi-Fi only version, AT&T 3G, and Verizon LTE. There are no official specs yet, but it looks like both will have a decent builds, giving the fact that it will get a direct encounter with those strong contenders we’ve seen during the recent CES like the ASUS Eee Pads and Android 3.0 Motorola Xoom. It’s still unclear if HP will launch an international version of these slates, but it’s just exciting to see the merger will finally have webOS-based tablets. Let’s have more on this while we’re still waiting for the official announcement next month. Stay tuned! [via]



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ViewSonic ViewPad 4 is an Android Tablet and a Phone, too

Don’t think ViewSonic is just in the corner at the CES showcasing their upcoming lineup of LED display solutions because they had also unveiled a 4-inch Froyo tablet with cellular voice and data capabilities.



The device is called ViewPad 4, and to be honest - it's a smartphone at your first glance, considering its form-factor. But ViewSonic is claiming it as a Tablet, expanding its ViewPad lineup together with the older siblings - the ViewPad 7 and ViewPad 10.

ViewPad 4

• Android 2.2 (Froyo) OS


• 4.1-inch WVGA Capacitive multi-touch, 800x480 Resolution


• 1GHz Qualcomm MSM 8255 processor,


• 2GB ROM, 512MB RAM


• 5 MP Rear camera with auto-focus


• 0.3 MP Front camera


• Full HD 720p Video Recording / Playback


• HDMI 720p display output


• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n


• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR


• GPS/A-GPS built-in


• G-sensor, E-compass, ambient light, & proximity sensors

ViewSonic says the ViewPad 4 will be available in the middle of 2011 (probably in the US only) and pricing will be dependent upon carriers. It's still uncertain if this new toy will make its way here in the Philippines. I'm just wondering though why ViewSonic would release it as a Froyo device by mid-2011 instead of Gingerbread. I highly doubt it would win the competition with more and more Gingerbread devices coming out in the next quarters. The specs suggest it's upgradeable to Android 2.3 via OTA, so that would explain the reason I guess. Any thoughts?



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Motorola XOOM, the first Android 3.0 Tablet Exclusively for Verizon

Don’t think of it as the money transfer service, Xoom, ‘coz it’s not. It’s the first device that will run the delicious Honeycomb flavor of Google’s Android OS.

Motorola XOOM

Touted at the CES as the “real” iPad killer, the Motorola XOOM boasts a 1 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor, providing a combined processing power of 2 GHz (1 GHz each core). There’s 32 GB storage on-board, a 1GB DDR2 RAM, a 10.1-inch high definition display, and a 5 MP rear camera with support for 720p HD video recording. What’s more is the support for the latest LTE network standard or 4G. Do we have to say “hello” to ASUS Eee Pad Slider as well as the Transformer? Perhaps we really need to have a close look at the spec sheet. And if the price of this Motorola XOOM won’t break the $700 mark, I guess we have even more reasons to say that it’s indeed an iPad killer. Check out the concept after the break.







Loved it? Here's another one:







Motorola XOOM Specs:



Android 3.1 (Honeycomb)

1 GHz dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor

10.1-inch widescreen HD display, Full 1080p HD support

1 GB DDR2 RAM

32 GB on-board storage, with SD card support

5MP rear camera with dual LED Flash, support 720p video recording

2MP front-facing camera for video chat

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

3G connectivity (Verizon Wireless)

4G LTE compatibility with external modem attachment

Available Bluetooth keyboard and docking accessories

A-GPS

Sensors (Proximity, ambient light, barometer, gyroscope)

HDMI port

Bluetooth 2.1

USB 2.0

3.5 mm audio jack

Microphone

24 W-hr battery

708 grams (WiFi); 730 grams (3G)



The Motorola XOOM will be exclusively launched for Verizon Wireless subscribers in the US as a 3G/Wi-Fi enabled tablet by Q1 with an upgrade to 4G LTE in Q2. Motorola said the XOOM will already be a 4G LTE/Wi-Fi enabled when it ships in Q2. I highly doubt we are going to see this here in the Philippines before Q2 ends, but who knows? Unless Motorola has word about it. Let’s see… [via]



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ASUS Eee Pad Tablets: MeMO, Slider, Transformer and Slate EP121, Unveiled Ahead of CES 2011

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is about to start (as of this writing), but some players in consumer electronics industry already unveiled what they will showcase during the event.

We already have been seeing some of those coherent predictions from various tech news channels as early as last month, and of course we won’t let you behind with what’s going on at the entertainment capital of the world. We are just silently sneaking here for the latest tech announcements at the event, so just stay tuned for updates.



First up is ASUS. The company just unveiled four tablet computers on the line which will obviously compete with Apple’s iPad, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, Archos’ line of tablets, and etc. These tablets designed for a wide-range of users and applications include The Eee Pad Slider, Eee Pad Transformer, Eee Pad MeMO and Eee Slate EP121. The first three devices mentioned will run on Android 3.0 or Honeycomb, and the last one will run on Windows 7 platform. Initial prices have also been announced ranging from $399 to $999 and will be available early this month until June this year. Of course the pricing and availability will vary on every region. We will be eyeing on this when it reach the Philippines, surely we’ll keep you posted. For the meantime, you may check the full specs below and as usual, don’t forget to let us know what you think about.



Update: ASUS Eee Pad Transformer gets official.



ASUS Eee Pad MeMO

ASUS Eee Pad MeMO

• Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) OS


• 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display


• 1024 x 600-pixel resolution


• Capacitive stylus included


• 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8260 Snapdragon processor


• 5-megapixel camera with LED flash


• 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat


• HD video playback


• Starting at $499, available in June

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

The Transformer with docking station as Keyboard

• Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) OS


• 10.1-inch IPS touchscreen display


• 1280 x 800-pixel resolution


• NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor


• 5-megapixel camera with LED flash


• 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat


• Unique docking station with integrated keyboard and 16-hour battery


• Priced between $399 and $699, available in April

ASUS Eee Pad Slider

ASUS Eee Pad Slider

ASUS Eee Pad Slider (Rear)

• Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) OS


• 10.1-inch IPS touchscreen display


• 1280 x 800-pixel resolution


• NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor


• 5-megapixel camera with LED flash


• 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat


• Sliding full QWERTY keyboard


• miniHDMI, miniUSB ports


• microSDHC support


• Priced between $499 and $799, available in May

ASUS Eee Slate EP121

• Windows 7 OS


• 12.1-inch IPS touchscreen display


• 1280 x 800-resolution


• Wacom digitizer pen


• Core i5-470M processor


• Up to 4GB of RAM


• 64GB SSD


• 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat


• Included Bluetooth keyboard


• HDMI port


• Starts at $999, available later in January

Watch the Slate EP121 preview after the break.







[via]



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