| Samsung's Original 7-inch Galaxy Tab Now $50 at Verizon Wireless Posted: 13 Apr 2012 12:48 PM PDT  Verizon Wireless is having a fire sale on Samsung's first generation Galaxy Tab devices, presumably to make room for recently announced Galaxy Tab 2 tablets, which will be available to purchase on April 22, 2012. For those looking to save a little scratch, the first generation 7-inch Galaxy Tab is now selling for just $50 at VZW, which includes a discount for locking yourself into a 2-year service agreement with a qualifying data plan.
The full retail price for a first gen Galaxy Tab is $500, which is normally marked down to $230 with a 2-year service plan. Under the current promotion, you can save an additional $180, and that includes free shipping. What you get in return is a 7-inch Android 2.2 (Froyo) tablet with a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, 512MB RAM, 2GB of internal storage plus an additional 16GB via a preinstalled microSD card (expandable up to 32GB), 1.3MP front-facing camera, 3MP rear facing camera with autofocus and flash, 3.5mm jack, 1024x600 screen resolution, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and up to 780 minutes of usage (up to 500 hours standby). You're required to sign up for a data plan to receive the subsidized price. Data plans run $30/month for 2GB, $50/month for 5GB, or $80/month for 10GB, which adds anywhere from $720 to $1,920 to the cost of the device over the course of two years. On April 22, Samsung will roll out its 7-inch and 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 2 devices, both of which will run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and sport slightly upgraded hardware. Samsung Galaxy Tab Product Page (Verizon Wireless) Image Credit: Samsung via Verizon Wireless |
| Raspberry Pi Serves Up First Batch of Low Cost Linux PCs Posted: 13 Apr 2012 11:24 AM PDT  After spending a longer than expected amount of time in the oven, the first batch of Raspberry Pi systems have been served to a U.K. distributor. The credit card sized PC is a tiny and cheap system that costs $25 (Model A) or $35 (Model B), runs Linux, and can be used for things like spreadsheets, word processing, high definition video, and even some light gaming.
RS Components out of Oxford confirmed taking delivery of several Raspberry Pi systems, which will ship out to the first group of customers in order of when they registered their interest in the systems on the RS and Allied Electronics websites, the company said. "We are delighted to have the first batch of fully compliant products in our warehouse and to be able to invite the first wave of customers who registered for a Raspberry Pi to place their orders from this initial stock," Glenn Jarrett, Head of Electronics Marketing at RS, said in a statement. "There has been a great deal of anticipation for Raspberry Pi since its launch at the end of February, and it is important that we provide a delivery guarantee to customers when they place their order." There has been a lot of interest in Raspberry Pi systems due to their small size and ultra low cost. The Model A version ships with 256MB of onboard RAM, one USB port, Broadcom BCM2835 SoC with an ARM processor clocked at 700MHz and Videocore 4 GPU, onboard audio, HDMI output, 3.5mm jack, RCA video, and an SD card slot. The Model B version sports an extra USB port and an Ethernet port. |
| This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar Posted: 13 Apr 2012 07:54 AM PDT 
The chocolate fest is over for another year, and we've been working off our Easter paunches with some hardcore product testing. It's been a great week, too. Nothing pleases more than when we get to review genuinely excellent products, and this week it's been Panasonic's excellent new 32-inch TV and the latest HTC smartphone that have been impressing us the most. Panasonic TX-L32E5B review Perhaps it's the relatively small size of the Panasonic TX-L37E5B's panel that plays down its weaknesses, but we're struggling to think of a better value all-rounder for a living room than this almost immaculate 32-incher. Achieving greatness with almost all sources, and with no discernable weaknesses in the picture department, it asserts its all-round worthiness with some engaging smart TV shenanigans and reliable handling of digital files. With profound blacks, natural colours and impressive hi-def sharpness, and a judder-free performance with Blu-ray, this TV is a worthy addition to any living room after that extra slab of quality where it counts. It also helps prove that IPS LCD panels are at their best in smaller sizes. 
Acer Iconia Tab A200 review The biggest positive we can draw from the Acer Iconia Tab A200 is the price. Given that Apple has dropped the price of the iPad 2, it's going to become harder for Android devices to compete on cost, but regardless there are people who don't want an iPad or want to spend over £300/$350 on a tablet. With the Iconia Tab A200, Acer is replicating some of the policies that have made its laptops increasingly popular. That is, an unremarkable chassis with a brief smattering of necessary ports and a concentration on offering decent performance at a very attractive price. Getting a 10.1-inch Tegra 2 tablet with ICS for £280/$330 is a good deal in our book, and there are alternatives from Acer if you want a more premium device. HTC One S review The HTC One S would have had five stars from us had it not been for the ridiculous 16GB memory cap and non-HD screen. We'd have settled for 32GB in the absence of an expansion card slot, but if you're a music lover you may be better hanging about for the yet-to-be-announced-but-we-all-know-it's-coming Samsung Galaxy S3. Or check out the HTC One X if you've shovel-sized hands. And it really pains us to say that because we want to tell you this is one of the best phones we've used in recent years. Which it is. And all that aside, if you're not bothered about a massive storage capacity, you can't do much better than the One S. It's a beautiful handset blessed with beautiful capabilities and is already available at very palatable price points. Nokia Lumia 900 review If Microsoft and Nokia can tighten up the OS, beef up Marketplace selection and slap in a better camera, they'll have a real shot at dethroning one or both smartphone giants. Until then, the Lumia 900 may not be perfect, but it's plenty good enough to recommend with little hesitation for users looking ahead to The Next Big Thing. Asus RoG Maximus V Gene review This time around Asus's pint-sized MicroATX RoG Maximus powerhouse gets Intel's all new Z77 chipset just in time for the imminent launch of the 3rd Generation revision of the Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. Audio systems Magicbox Beam review Camera accessories Lastolite Brolly Grip Kit with Translucent Umbrella review Cameras Hands on: Panasonic Lumix GF5 review Compact Cameras Canon IXUS 500 HS review DSLRs Canon EOS 5D Mark III review 
Graphics tablets Wacom Intuos5 Touch Medium review Mobile phones Motorola Motoluxe review HTC Evo Design 4G review Pantech Jest 2 review Pantech Breakout review Motherboards Asus Sabertooth Z77 review 
MSI Z77A-GD65 review Routers Trendnet TEW-692GR Dual Band Wireless Router review Asus RT-N66U Dark Knight review Software Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 review Storage Elgato Thunderbolt SSD 120GB review Televisions Panasonic TX-L32E5B review |
| Sony's Android Powered SmartWatch Now Shipping in the U.S. Posted: 13 Apr 2012 07:37 AM PDT  For the Android fanatic who has everything, there's the new Xperia SmartWatch from Sony, an Android powered wristwatch that taps into your Google smartphone via Bluetooth. Why would you want to do that? Think of it as a secondary screen for your Droid or Nexus or whatever Android device you're packing in your pocket. Sony's SmartWatch vibrates in response to certain events, such as an incoming call. You can read texts and emails, and keep up with Facebook and Twitter all without ever reaching for your smartphone.
If doing such things on a 1.3-inch OLED touchscreen display tethered to your wrist (or shoulder strap or belt -- the watch face detaches from the wristband) sounds appealing, then you're in luck. Previously only available in the U.K., Sony's SmartWatch is now shipping in the U.S. for $150 MSRP. ""SmartWatch is the first of many Smart Extras that seamlessly connect and expand the smartphone's reach and user experience," said Paul Hamnett, President and Head of Customer Unit, North America, Sony Mobile Communications. "Designed to break free from the single screen experience, SmartWatch provides access to live content and entertainment on the go." Sony says its SmartWatch is dust proof and splash proof. It comes with a black rubber wristband, though you can purchase up to five additional colors (pink, white, mint, gray, and blue). It charges via USB, lasts up to 4 days, and works with Android 2.1 devices and above. Sony SmartWatch Product Page Image Credit: Sony |
| VIDEO: Upcoming Kinect Support for Skyrim Will Feature Over 200 Voice Commands Posted: 13 Apr 2012 06:53 AM PDT  Xbox 360 gamers will soon have reason to rediscover The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Bethesda today announced plans to release a free title updated later this month that will integrate Kinect support, allowing gamers to yell out over 200 voice commands, including dragon shouts. From bartering to battling, the Kinect update adds a new dimension to Skyrim that previously didn't exist, and there will also be a handful of new functionality to go along with the voice commands, such as special map features, additional hotkey options, and the ability to sort items by name, weight, and value.
Kinect support is limited to voice commands only (boo!), representing a missed opportunity for Bethesda to turn an awesome April Fool's prank into an actual thing. So while you won't be face-planting into the coffee table and taking a wooden splinter to the knee, you will be able to issue follower commands, navigate menus, and create and load saved games using only your vocal cords. Another missed opportunity here is for PC gamers. It appears the update will only apply to Xbox 360 gamers, which is unfortunate now that Kinect is officially available for Windows, not to mention the fact that many PC gamers already have access to a microphone, be it a headset or via a built-in mic on their laptop. Bethesda will roll out a full list of voice commands in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out this teaser video. Image Credit: Elderscrolls Wikia |
| Windows 8 Metro on the iPad? Splashtop Has an App for That Posted: 13 Apr 2012 06:16 AM PDT  When is an iPad not exactly an iPad? Answer: When it's running Windows software. Turns out that if you want want to run Windows 8 with native Metro UI touch gestures on a tablet, you don't have to wait until later this year to do it, there's already an app for that. Splashtop, makers of a remote desktop application for iPad devices, released a new version that plays nice with Windows 8 Consumer Preview testbeds.
Provided you own or have access to an iPad, this is an intriguing update that can potentially offer more than a glimpse of what it will be like to use a Windows 8 tablet. From a developer standpoint, this allows them to test native Metro UI touch gestures on an iPad while coding and compiling new apps on their Windows PC. "Since Apple's App Store generates over 80 percent of all tablet app revenue, nearly every software developer that writes apps for tablets has an iPad," noted Mark Lee, Splashtop CEO and co-founder. "With Windows 8 Metro expected to ship on over 400 million new PCs and tablets annually, these developers have high expectations for an enormous new market. Splashtop lets them turn their iPad into a development testbed to evaluate touch gestures and functionality of their app in a Windows 8 environment." I've played with a previous version of Splashtop and was impressed with how responsive it was. There wasn't any discernible lag or irritating quirks to put up with. I haven't spent any hands-on time with the new version, but according to Splashtop, the 'Win8 Metro Testbed' enables native access to all the touch gestures such as swiping from the right to view the Charms menu, swiping down to bring up additional menus, pince to navigate, and more (see video below). Splashtop's Win8 Metro Testbed is currently selling for a special 'launch promotion price' of $25; the regular price is $50. Image Credit: Splashtop |
| Barnes & Noble's Newest Nook Glows in the Dark Posted: 13 Apr 2012 05:52 AM PDT  Barnes & Noble is going into the weekend having launched a new eBook reader that allows you to read scary stories under the covers at night without any third party accessories. It's the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, the first and only E-Ink based eBook reader that lets you read in the dark, B&N claims. The adjustable GlowLight is said to produce uniform light across the Nook's display, and will do so "without disturbing a sleepy spouse" the way reading with a light on does.
"To date, readers have had to compromise: either buying black-and-white E Ink reading devices to optimize their outdoor reading or color LCD devices to be able to read at night in bed with the light off. Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is like two Readers in one," said William J. Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble. "With our new GlowLight technology and the most advanced E Ink display available, we've created the most versatile, high-utility Reader ever; as exceptional for reading in the darkest bedroom as on the brightest beach." The obvious drawback to having an integrated night light is battery life, but remarkably, B&N claims nighttime bookworms can squeeze more than a month of reading time on a single charge, with the light on. In addition to adding a GlowLight, B&N managed to lighten the Nook in another way. The new Nook weighs less than 7 ounces and is B&N's lightest eBook reader to date, weighing a full 5 percent lighter than the standard Nook Simple Touch. Otherwise, it's the same device with a 6-inch touchscreen, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and 2GB of internal memory (1GB for content) expandable with a microSD card up to 32GB. The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is available to pre-order now for $139 (ships May 1, 2012), compared to $99 for the non-GlowLight version. Image Credit: Barnes & Noble |
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