Motorola Tablet Spied And Specced?

It was just earlier this week that Google’s Andy Rubin decided to show off Android 3.0 on the Motorola Tablet only known as the Motopad, and now it appears that someone else has gotten their hands on the device. But they’re being a little more forthcoming.

The posts at a Chinese forum seem by someone claiming to have gotten a hands-on also drop some spec bombs. There will be a 10″ version and a 7″ version; the former is probably what we saw Rubin using, though 10″ at 16:10 looks smaller than 10″ at 4:3 for some reason. The processor is the dual-core Tegra 2 T20, not a common chip, but very capable. The model the guy looked at had 32GB of internal storage, a 2MP camera on the front, and a 5MP camera on the back. And yes, thank god, there’s a MicroSD slot.

There will be UMTS, CDMA, and LTE versions of the device, apparently, which of course points at Verizon, but I’m sure there will also be a wifi-only version, and that’ll be the one I go for.

WMware virtualization being used to deploy Android handsets by LG

I won’t tag this move as big but it surely is different and is going to go a long way. WMware has been recently trying hard to get in the mobile phone market by some means or the other and it looks like LG has finally made the VMware dream come true. The big Android push of LG in upcoming 2011 could well be a boost for VMware in the smartphone market.

“The enterprise and SMB markets are key areas of focus for LG,” said Ki S. Kim, Vice President of Global Enterprise Solutions at LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Our partnership with VMware is part of LG’s global strategy to develop smart mobile devices for businesses. Enterprise IT organizations are looking for a way to embrace the growing trend of employee-owned mobile devices at work, while still maintaining control over their corporate data. VMware’s industry leadership provides a platform for LG to extend its presence in enterprises and deliver compelling solutions that address the challenges raised by the convergence of IT and mobile communications.”

Once this concepts takes shape then people will be able to use two phones from one handset which actually means two numbers and completely two environments on the single smartphone.

Latest Archos 101 Android tablet will come with Android 2.2

Archos has been well known for dishing out handheld devices and more recently Android based tablets and portable media players and this time Archos has a brand new Android OS tablet, so let’s have a closer look at it.

This model is named Archos 101 Android Internet Tablet and it comes with a 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen. This tablet is powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor and a 3D OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics accelerator, and as for operating system, you’ll be pleased to hear that Archos 101 Android Internet Tablet will be using the latest Android OS, Android 2.2 firmware – Froyo.

This tablet comes with 8GB or 16GB of internal storage space but you can easily expand its storage space by popping in a microSD/SDHC memory cards. The Archos 101 comes with a USB port and an HDMI output and it has a built-in camera, microphone, and speaker. Besides that, this model has bluetooth and WiFi support and it supports a wide range of multimedia formats such as MPEG-4 HD, H.264 HD, WMV9, MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, OGG, FLAC.

The new Archos 101 Android Internet Tablet is available in two versions and the 8GB model will be priced at $299.99 while the 16GB will cost $349.99.

LG T280 – new thin and compact notebook

LG introduces its compact, thin and light notebook powered by Intel CULV processor referred as LG T280. With this newest LG notebook, manufactures offer you with a choice of 1.3 GHz Pentium SU4100 dual core CPU or a 1.3 GHz Duo SU7300 (marginally powerful) processor. Its graphics are handled by Intel GMA 4500MHD chipset.

LG T280 incorporates a wide 11.6 inch display screen with high picture resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. In addition to the stable processor and powerful graphics support, this thin and light notebook by LG offers 2GB of RAM for fast processing and multi tasking. With a 500 GB hard drive capacity, you can seamlessly save data onto your computer.

A notebook without enough connectivity options is nothing more that trash in this cyber world. LG T280 offers Bluetooth, LAN, 802.11b/g/n Wi Fi and multi format card reader. It even features a HDMI output and a VGA output which helps you to relish its video on bigger screens. This compact notebook by LG has got 6 cells. And keeping its specifications in mind, LG T280 will surely offer a decent battery life. This compact notebook weighs just about 3.1 pounds.

LG will offer Windows 7 Home Premium with T280. LG is planning to release in Korean markets first with a price tag of $1000. And those who found LG T280 a real worth, keep your fingers crossed for its release in other parts of the world.

The latest Sony VAIO NW Series 1.2-inch notebooks

Sony has announced the upcoming release of the VAIO NW series PC notebooks. The new VAIO NW series is only 1.2-inch thick, making it a direct competitor against thin laptops such as the Macbook Air.

The new VAIO NW series notebook computer features a quick web access button so you can get online without fully loading up your PC. It is also designed with unique tactile features such as a subtle textured surface applied across the cover and inside, and has an HDMI output for easy HD entertainment. Its environmental credentials are hard to miss with a one-touch “DISPLAY OFF” button and compliancy to the stringent ENERGY STAR 5.0 standard.

Gallery and more details after the break.

The basic Sony VAIO NW Series model will be powered by 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB DDR2 RAM, 400GB hard drive and ATI Radeon HD 4580 graphic card. It has a 15-inch LCD display with a resolution of 1366 x 768, and a Blu-Ray drive and built-in WiFi. It is pretty good!

Sony VAIO NW series laptops will start at $800 for the above spec model. The upgraded model with a Blu-ray Disc drive costs just $80 more.

ASUS ultraportable U36 laptop announced

Though ASUS hasn’t yet completely announced all the features of its upcoming U36 ultraportable laptop, it has given us more than just hints to understand what the new laptop could be like. The laptop will weigh around three pounds and will come loaded with Core i3 or i5 processors (as per your choice).

The laptop will have NVIDIA Optimus graphics and four cell battery that promises ten hours of battery life. All this gets packed inside a 0.75 inches thick magnesium shell available in choice of silver or black.

The laptop will be loaded with 2 gigs of RAM and 500 gigs of hard disk drive that runs at 7200 RPM. The machine will have its own USB 3.0 port and one HDMI port. It will come loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium Operating System and should cost users around $1400 whenever it is launched in the market.

Amazingly, the still to be launched ASUS ultraportable U36 laptop might looked just a bit overpriced when you take a first look over its specs yet it actually won’t be overpriced due to its small size and extreme specifications on which this machine will be running.

Trio of Toshiba tablets may turn up at CES 2011

CES 2011 is only a few weeks away now, and reports are already emerging that Toshiba is planning to debut three tablet computers with three different operating systems.

According to DigiTimes (which is also reporting about a big potential iPad development), there will be one tablet for each Microsoft Windows 7, Google Chrome OS and Android. (No word if that will be Gingerbread or even Honeycomb just yet.)

Furthermore, two of the tablet display sizes will be 10.1-inches wide, and one will be framed at 11.6-inches. However, sizes haven't been assigned to the respective operating systems just yet. There are reportedly plans for new 7-inch slate PCs, but DigiTimes hasn't provided any further details on that front.

Read more of Toshiba possibly unveiling trio of tablets at CES 2011 from ZDNet.

Dell launches Vostro V130

For SMB and SOHO users, laptops are business tools as well as personal entertainment devices. As such, notebooks which target these segments have to provide a reliable platform along with consumer features at an affordable price point. The latest Vostro V130 from Dell is not only inexpensive, it comes with an attractive chassis for the fashion-conscious.

This ultrathin notebook sports an aluminum body with a choice of red or silver shades. Running on the ultra-low-voltage Core i3/i5 processor, this model comes with an anti-glare display and harddisk accelerometer to satisfy the business crowd. The machine also offers HDMI and an optional external optical drive for entertainment needs. A pity that Dell does not offer security features for this Vostro, so sensitive data is best stored elsewhere.

Dell Vostro V130

Core i3/i5 ULV processor

13.3-inch anti-glare display

Integrated graphics

Up to 4GB RAM

Up to 500GB HDD

802.11n, Bluetooth and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity

Optional external DVD writer

Six-cell integrated battery

Two USB 2.0, eSATA/USB combo port, HDMI, VGA and memory card reader

330 x 230 x 19.7mm

1.59kg

The Vostro V130 is available in Asia with a start price of S$1,019 (US$779.35).

The return of the Stowaway keyboard

Thanko's new product is an exact replica of the Stowaway keyboard. (Credit: Thanko)

The Think Outside Stowaway was a product from about 10 years back. This foldable keyboard was designed for PDAs, in the old days when Palm ruled the electronic organizer world. It was an amazing bit of equipment--a full-sized ThinkPad-esque keyboard which folded to a quarter of its footprint when not in use. I remember watching with envy whenever someone whipped it out in school to take notes.

Imagine my surprise when I saw an article on Gizmag about an identical product made by Japanese peripheral maker Thanko. There's no mention of the brand "Stowaway" in the article, but from the pictures, it's obvious this is the same product. Everything about it is the same, right down to the design of the release catch. Of course, in this day and age, it no longer works with proprietary PDA connectors, but has a USB cable instead for PCs and notebooks.

Here's what it looks like when folded. (Credit: Thanko)

On iGo's support page (that's what Think Outside is called now), it's clearly stated that the Stowaway keyboard's intellectual property (IP) was sold. So now we know where that IP ended up. Thanko has chosen a perfect time to reintroduce this product. With the popularity of the iPad and other upcoming slates, the company should introduce a Bluetooth version of this keyboard to capitalize on that.

Universal wireless charger ElectroHub to debut at CES 2011

The ElectroHub wireless charging station comes with compliant batteries to replace your electronics' originals. (Credit: ElectroHub)

Wireless charging stations for electronics have been a hot topic ever since the introduction of the Powermat and the universal wireless charger standard was established. These methods, however, require the battery-operated devices to be compliant with the wireless charging standard they use. This means other products, namely the majority of all electronics, won't be able to take advantage of them.

The ElectroHub, which will debut at CES 2011, is a new wireless charging station that's designed to work with virtually all electronic devices. Though the details are still a little sketchy, basically this new charging station works similarly to the way the Powermat does, but instead of requiring the electronic device to be complaint (i.e., by using a special case), it provides ElectroHub batteries, which come in standard sizes like AA and AAA.

By swapping the device's original battery for an ElectroHub battery, you'll turn it into one that's ElectroHub-compatible, and now you can charge it just by putting it on top of the ElectroHub. The hub--measuring 9.2 inches by 6.1 inches by 0.8 inch (233 x 155 x 20mm) and weighing only 11 ounces (312g)--is designed to charge up to six devices at a time.

Obviously, there are devices that have nonreplaceable batteries. In this case, the user can get a protective case that works as a converter to charge the device's internal battery with the hub, similar to how the Powermat works.

The ElectroHub is slated to be available during the first quarter of 2011 and will cost US$39, which includes one set of ElectroHub batteries. Other battery sets can be purchased separately and are estimated to cost another US$10, which is about the same price as a set of generic rechargeable batteries.

Study: Wi-Fi radiation is killing trees

Unlike trees in urban areas, trees in wooded areas remain happy and healthy, the study says. (Credit: Crave UK)

Enjoying reading the latest technology news and reviews here on Crave? Hope you're pleased with yourself, because you may be killing a tree. Researchers from Wageningen University in the Netherlands have discovered the sad news that Wi-Fi makes trees sick.

The tree-loving folks of Dutch city Alphen aan den Rijn commissioned the study, whose results have not yet been published, after finding abnormalities on trees that couldn't be explained by known viral or bacterial infections.

Over the last five years, the study found that all deciduous trees in the Western world are affected by radiation from mobile phone networks and wireless LANs

Xi3 Modular Computer wins CES 2011 Innovations Award

Xi3 has unveiled its simply-named Xi3 Modular Computer, a cube-like machine that measures less than 4 inches (101.6mm) per side.

Given the tininess of the Xi3 computer, the motherboard has been divided into three separate parts, each of which can be "quickly" removed: A board that houses the processors and RAM and two additional I/O boards for connectivity and input/output requirements.

As for what else is in that lightweight aluminum cube, the base model will include an AMD Athlon 64 dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 8GB flash storage drive. Linux is the preinstalled operating system, but there are plenty of Windows 7 OS choices (and many other customizable options) available. Mac users need not apply.

LG to slash greenhouse gas emissions with eco-magnesium

LG Electronics has committed to replacing conventional magnesium used in its mobile phones to a more environmentally friendly magnesium alloy dubbed eco-magnesium. To be rolled out by 2012, this would effectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 4kg for every handset manufactured.

"Eco-magnesium is one of LG's key strategies in our ongoing effort to transform LG into a leader in more environmentally responsible manufacturing," the president and chief technology officer of LG, Skott Ahn, said in a press release statement.

LG claims that almost no sulphur hexafluoride used in the casting of magnesium is produced during production, which the Korean company cites from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as one of the most potent greenhouse gases.

The world's third-largest phone-maker in terms of unit sales after Nokia and Samsung, according to IDC, has already removed lead, cadmium, nickel, halogen substances and other EU RoHS materials from its production of mobile phones. Standby power has also been reduced in portable chargers and a reminder feature lets users know when the handset is fully charged.

According to LG, the eco-magnesium alloy was developed by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology with funding from the Korean Government. Korean-based firms HK High-Tech, Keumgang Coen and Hallacast have signed a memorandum of understanding with LG to produce the eco-magnesium alloy. As part of the agreement, the chaebol will provide these companies with technological support and training in carbon credit trading.

LG shipped 27.5 million handsets globally and had a market share of 6.6 percent in Q3 2010, according to a recent report from information technology research and advisory company Gartner.

The Samsung Zeal's morphing e-Ink keyboard

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

It's hard not to look at the Samsung Zeal for Verizon without feeling some reaction to its unique e-Ink keyboard. Instead of characters printed on the topside, the gel-like buttons are lit from below, and morph from numbers to letters to symbols at the flick of a hinge or press of a button. However, we've seen this exact keyboard before in the Samsung Alias 2, along with the Zeal's dual-hinge, two-way flip phone.

Now, whether the phone's convertible design and interesting display grab you or feel gimmicky is the judgment at hand. I happen to be a fan myself, but it's true that the e-Ink display requires several concessions to the dialpad and navigation design that take some getting used to.

Even if the Zeal is exactly your cup of tea, there are some disappointments with the phone's design and some other considerations to take into account before you decide to snatch up the feature phone. While almost everything about the design is likable, Samsung and Verizon could have kept up a bit better with the times. Read the full review here.

Click for more images

Dexim Super Juice Power Case drives iPhone for 40 hours

There are plenty of iPhone cases on the market, with a growing number doing more than just protecting the device from drops and scratches. Dexim has added to the pile of charging cases with the introduction of the Super Juice Power Case, a protective cover that charges youriPhone 4 in style.

Sporting a 2,000mAh lithium-polymer battery, the Super Juice Power Case extends an iPhone's life in the following ways:

• Talktime: Up to 6 extra hours
• Video/gaming: Up to 10 extra hours
• Audio playback: Up to 40 extra hours

Sony Showcases Flexible Electronic Paper

Sony has just unveiled its new flexible electronic paper creation, for the first time to the public at Eco-products 2010 in Tokyo. The 13.3 inch sheet of flexible E-paper is much larger than previous examples shown by Sony that measured just 4.8 inches.

However Sony has been very careful not to disclose to much information about the make-up and resolution of the E-paper at this time. Just stating that the sample is merely an example of proof of concept for E-paper.

We do know though that the prototype is equipped with E Ink Corps E-paper using microcapsules. But again Sony would not reveal if the new 13.3 inch paper used the same technology as their previous smaller creations, exhibited in the past.

Motorola Introduced MC55A0 Series Mobile Phones

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Motorola, an America based Multinational Telecommunication company has introduced MC55A0 series mobile phones which comes in two different models i.e. Motorola MC55A0 and Motorola MC55A0-HC respectively. Both these models runs on Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system and powered by an 806MHz Marvell PXA320 chip.The Motorola MC55A0 mobile phone allows users to take photo, scan bar codes, access business applications, view a video etc. The Motorola MC55A0 series mobile phones support external memory through microSD card slot.

Motorola MC55A0 Series Mobile Phone Features

• 3.5-inch PenTile VGA display
• MicroSD card slot support
• Bluetooth 2.1encryption protocols
• Powered by an 806MHz Marvell PXA320 chip
• Runs Windows Mobile 6.5 OS
• 1GB Flash memory
• WiFi connectivity
• 256MB of RAM
• 2,400mAh battery
• Dimensions 5.8 x 3.0 x 1.06 inches and weight 11.1 oz

The Motorola MC55A0 Series Mobile Phones measure 5.8 x 3.0 x 1.06 inches and weight 11.1 oz. They have 2400 mAh battery and supports encryption protocols for Virtual Private Networks (VPN). There is no information about the Motorola MC55A0 Series mobile phones. Stay tuned for more update information.

Duracell myGrid USB Charger extends Kindle life by 100 hours

Looking for a cure-all battery for your mobile gadgets? Duracell hasintroduced the myGrid USB Charger, a Lithium-ion rechargeable battery that is compatible with “virtually” anything that can be connected with a USB cable.

Also compatible with Duracell’s myGrid charging pad, users can add extra juice to MP3 players, smartphones, portable gaming devices, and GPS systems, just to name a few items.

Some sample maximum times include:

• iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones: 4 extra hours
• Bluetooth headsets: 10 extra hours
• MP3 Players: 30 extra hours
• E-book readers (i.e. Amazon Kindle): 100 extra hours

The Duracell myGrid USB Charger is available now for $34.99.

Toshiba adds NB520, NB500 to netbook family; includes Harman Kardon speakers

Toshiba has expanded its netbook offering with the NB520 and theNB500. One has frills, and one doesn’t.

Let’s go over the similarities first. Both of the new Toshiba netbooks include:

• 10.1-inch LED-backlit, TruBrite displays (1,024 x 600 resolution; 16:9 aspect ratio)
• Windows 7 Starter (32-bit)
• Up to 250GB of hard drive space
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• VGA webcam with microphone
• Connectivity: Three USB 2.0 ports, 2-in-1 Card-Reader, Ethernet
• Dimensions: 10.3- x 7.5- x 0.7- (front)/1.4-inches (back)
• Toshiba Media Suite: Media Controller, Eco Utility, Life Space, ConfigFree

However, something has to come between these two. The NB520 has been spruced up with embedded Harman/Kardon stereo speakers featuring 2 x 2 watts output and Dolby Advanced Audio technology for listening along to an HD video. The NB500, however, is a meant for those looking for a basic netbook for basic computing. It isn’t too shabby being that it will be “one of the thinnest and lightest netbooks.” Here’s a closer look at both:

mini NB520

• Intel Atom N550 processor
• Up to 2 GB of DDR3 memory
• Bluetooth 2.1 (Upgradeable to Bluetooth 3.0 later)
• Sleep and Music via microphone port
• Battery life: up to 10 hours with 6 cell battery
• Weight: 2.9 lbs. with 6-cell battery

mini NB500

• Intel Atom N455 processor
• 1GB of DDR2 memory (Can support up to 2GB)
• Battery life: Up to eight hours with 6-cell battery; Up to 4.5 hours with 3-cell battery
• Weight: 2.9 lbs. with 6-cell battery; 2.5 lbs. with 3-cell battery

Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but we should know more soon when these netbooks are rolled out during the first quarter of 2011. Given that the NB500 is being touted as the more basic model, I think it’s a safe bet to say that one will be cheaper.