Android Community |
- Motorola DROID XYBOARD tablets in stores and available now [Pics]
- Long-lost HTC Merge appears in Verizon holiday ad
- Android Market experiencing issues, 10 cent apps most likely the cause
- Notion Ink’s Adam tablet gets Ice Cream Sandwich port
- 10 Billion Apps promo, day 4: Need For Speed, Jelly Defense, Farm Frenzy for 10¢
- DROID XYBOARDs go on sale at retailers December 12th
- UK pre-orders for Asus Transformer Prime launch at Clove
- Quid pro quo: Motorola granted injunction against Apple in Germany
- Schmidt says Google could do nothing to stop Carrier IQ
- Droid Xyboard 10.1 and 8.2 land in Verizon stores
- Panasonic outs new Android smartphone with 4.3-inch OLED headed to Europe
- Samsung Galaxy Nexus boxes arriving at Verizon and RadioShack. Still not for sale.
- Facebook for Android now looks amazing: Hands-On
- Apple loses final Australia appeal, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is ready for a retail return
- DROID XYBOARD tablets arriving at Verizon, Launch date unknown
- ZTE pushes for the high end, starts with 7-inch V66 Verizon LTE tablet
- Veyl ePillow is the perfect gift this Holiday season for tablet users
- Samsung 11.6-inch tablet with insane 2560 x 1600 resolution rumored for February
- International users can get in on Google’s new Currents app with leaked APK
- Android Community and SlashGear on Google Currents — A new way to view your favorite site
| Motorola DROID XYBOARD tablets in stores and available now [Pics] Posted: 09 Dec 2011 10:52 AM PST Verizon officially announced the new Motorola DROID XYBOARD tablets finally and we are happy to inform everyone that they are in stores and available for purchase right now — not the 12th like reported by Verizon. After strolling by our local Verizon Store they were out and available to demo and the employee said they are available in stores starting today nationwide. Here’s some pictures.
Verizon’s statement informed us the new 4G LTE tablets are available now via Verizon’s online store and that they’d be available in retail stores starting Monday, December 12th. Unless this store was confused, not to mention a few tips we’ve received in our inbox this morning I’d say these tablets are in the wild and available in stores at this very moment.
For full details and pricing be sure to read over this information. These tablets are loaded with Verizon Wireless 4G LTE so will need to be purchased on-contract or with a new 2-year plan although you could probably pay the outrageous off-contract price if you really want one without the handcuffs. Prices start at $429.99 for the 16GB 8.2-inch version, all the way up to $729.99 for the 64GB 10.1-inch version with a new contract. These 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor powered slates rocking 4G LTE should be a great gift for the holidays. One interesting spec on the images below is both sizes come with an included stylus for taking notes — neat. More pictures and full specs are available below. Let us know if your local store has them out and available for purchase too.      Device Info
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| Long-lost HTC Merge appears in Verizon holiday ad Posted: 09 Dec 2011 10:22 AM PST Well there’s something we didn’t expect to see. You might remember the HTC Merge from early this year, when it was announced in February and briefly stopped by the FCC with Verizon bands. While a few regional carriers picked up the QWERTY phone, its debut on Big Red has been long delayed -until now. The folks at AllTechEverything spotted the phone at the bottom of a Verizon Christmas tree in a recent ad, alongside the Samsung DROID CHARGE and the LG Revolution.
This isn’t a confirmation by any means – it could simply be a mistake on the part of the advertising team. In any case the Merge is quite outdated at this point, as it’s essentially a slightly updated version of the G2 with a Sense suite. Just to refresh your memory, the Merge comes with an 800Mhz processor, a 3.8-inch 840 x 480 LCD screen and Android 2.2 Froyo. Assuming the Verizon release is imminent, it might be upgraded to Gingerbread and it might not; AT&T released the brand new Samsung DoubleTime running 2.2, after all. The phone in the ad is yours for $49.99, and comes with two free Merges to boot. That’s an impressive deal for families, if you can actually find somewhere to redeem it – the ad in question was found in North Carolina. It might be worth considering if you live in a non-LTE area and don’t feel like upgrading to the similar Samsung Stratosphere for $50 more. But once the Motorola DROID 4 is released, probably some time between now and Christmas, it’ll be hard to reccomend any other QWERTY phone on Verizon’s lineup. [via Android Central] )
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| Android Market experiencing issues, 10 cent apps most likely the cause Posted: 09 Dec 2011 10:21 AM PST If you live under a rock and didn’t know, Google is giving 10 apps away for just $0.10 ¢ for the next 10 days to celebrate the milestone of 10 billion applications downloaded from their ever growing and popular Android Market. We’ve been hearing random tips that the Market is experiencing problems for some but today they’ve been flooding in.
This is a pretty big deal and they’ve been offering some amazing apps for just $0.10 ¢ and today is day four of the 10 days of apps fun. To see all the current and past applications on sale just hit up our 10 billion link. As you can see from the image above we’re having a few issues getting said apps to install. We’ve had numerous tips and a few of our team members have had similar problems recently. Today’s deals include Shazam Encore and Jelly Defense — two apps we have been having an extremely hard time getting to install. This is more of a public service announcement than anything to inform our readers to keep trying because most likely the servers are slightly overwhelmed with the huge response from buyers. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve snatched up most of the $0.10 ¢ apps each day although I own at least half already. While Google could be making changes, or getting ready to push another update for the Android Market most likely the problems being seen from various users is simply because so many people are downloading these awesome deals at the same time. If it doesn’t work give it a try in a few more minutes and most likely you’ll be fine. We’ve since been able to download every app we’ve wanted so things could be calming down too. Let us know if you are experiencing similar problems, as this could be something else. )
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| Notion Ink’s Adam tablet gets Ice Cream Sandwich port Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:39 AM PST Remember that revolutionary Adam tablet that launched early this year? The one that ran a customized Gingerbread interface over a Pixel Qi display, and changed the way we used technology forever? The one that was almost universally panned after months of delays failed to deliver a satisfactory tablet experience? Well, that tablet just got a little better: an intrepid modder has loaded up an Ice Cream Sandwich ROM on the Notion Ink Adam, instantly making it about 200% more desirable.
The early build is of course unfinished, and it’s a long way from stable at this point. But given the ultra-geeky target market for the Adam, it shouldn’t be long before it’s more complete. Of course you’ll have to go without Notion Ink’s custom Eden interface. I’ll give you a moment to get the tears out. The Adam tablet uses a Tegra 1 SoC and a 1024 x 600 resolution screen, so while it isn’t ideal for Ice Cream Sandwich, it should run it well enough once all the kinks are out. See for yourself below: There’s still no word on an updated model of the Notion Ink device. We had heard that the company would be showing off the Adam 2 in December, but obviously that doesn’t seem overly likely at this point. The company had promised an update to Honeycomb by the summer, but that never happened either – it might have been promised before they realized that Google was keeping a tight lid on the open source code. What say you, readers, is an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich enough to rekindle you interest? [via Liliputing] )
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| 10 Billion Apps promo, day 4: Need For Speed, Jelly Defense, Farm Frenzy for 10¢ Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:23 AM PST If you haven’t gotten your 10¢ apps from Google’s 10 Billion Apps promo yesterday, do it now: the new batch of apps for day 4 is already discounted. Google is helping some of the top developers in the Android Market slash their prices on paid apps to just 10 cents/pence in celebration of 10 billion app downloads, and there’s still ten days left in the promotion. Highlights for today include EA’s Need For Speed: Shift and unique tower defense game Jelly Defense.
The full list of apps is as follows: Shazam Encore, Need for Speed: Shift, Sentinel 3: Homeworld, Baseball Superstars 2011, Spirit HD, My Beach HD, Paper Camera, Jelly Defense, Game Dev Story, Farm Frenzy and Toddler Spanish: 100 Words. Paper Camera and Shazam were offered on Tuesday, so if you didn’t pick them up then you’ve got a second chance now. The ad banner on the Market home page hasn’t updated just yet, so use the links above if you’re the impatient type. You’ll no doubt notice that Google is focusing on games in the promotion. That’s no surprise, as games represent the largest download category on the Android Market, with more than 25% of total downloads. If you’re more the utilitarian type, be sure to check out yesterday’s deal on ADWLauncher EX; it should be available for a few more hours. And even if you’d never thought of purchasing any of these apps before, snap ‘em up if you think you even might like ‘em – what’s ten pennies, after all? That might yet you a thimble of coffee at Starbucks. [via Reddit] )
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| DROID XYBOARDs go on sale at retailers December 12th Posted: 09 Dec 2011 07:40 AM PST Good news if you’re one of the half-dozen people who really, really wants a Motorola DROID XYBOARD and doesn’t know how to order electronics via the Internet. While you can pick up one of Motorola’s new 10. or 8.2-inch tablets from Verizon’s website now, you’ll be able to get one in person on Monday, December 12th. The pricing, and the unfortunate prerequisite of a two-year contract, remain the same.
For the uninitiated, the DROID XYBOARD (AKA the XOOM 2) features a 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor, a gig of RAM and between 16 and 64GB of storage. The headaches experienced by Verizon customers waiting for a 4G LTE update to the XOOM can be safely avoided, since both XYBOARD models have it built-in. Aside from some remodeled styling, a lack of a MicroSD card slot and a few Motorola and Verizon additions to the software, the XYBOARDs are very similar to the original XOOM. Prices start at $429.99 for the 16GB 8.2-inch version, all the way up to $729.99 for the 64GB 10.1-inch version. Both tablets run Honeycomb 3.2, and while an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich wasn’t mentioned, it’ll probably be scheduled for sometime next year. Those eager for new Motorola tablets without the reins of a carrier contract should wait it out – the manufacturer is likely to start selling generic XOOM 2 models in the US within the next few months. Device Info
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[via Phandroid] )
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| UK pre-orders for Asus Transformer Prime launch at Clove Posted: 09 Dec 2011 07:20 AM PST When we reviewed the Transformer Prime tablet not long ago it was one of the better Android tablets out there, and it still is. If you are in the UK and have been counting the days until you could buy the Transformer Prime for yourself, this is your day. You can now hop over to Clove and pre-order the Transformer Prime tablet in two different packs.
You can get either the Prime in 64GB flavor with no keyboard accessory or you can opt for the 32GB Transformer Prime with the keyboard accessory for the same price. Either of the tablets will set you back £459 or £550.80 with VAT. One big benefit of that 32GB version with the keyboard accessory is that the battery life is 18 hours with that keyboard attached. Other than the storage and keyboard, both are the same. Both versions rock a 64GB of internal storage, they both have 10.1-inch screens, and WiFi. The processor is the NVIDIA Tegra 3 and there is a mini HDMI output too. The pages for both versions show January for stock to come in with a ship date somewhere in that area. [via SlashGear] )
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| Quid pro quo: Motorola granted injunction against Apple in Germany Posted: 09 Dec 2011 06:52 AM PST There are all sorts of appropriately snarky comments one could place here. But we’ll stick to the facts, ma’am, just the facts: FOSS Patents reports that Motorola Mobility has been granted a preliminary sales injunction against Apple in Germany, based on one of its wireless communications patents. Unless Apple can get the ruling overturned or stayed, it may face a sales ban on the iPhone and iPad in that country.
It isn’t overly likely that the ban will be put into place. For one, Motorola would need to post a 100 million Euro bond if it wants to hold up the sales injunction. Moreover, these decisions are often overturned on appeal, as we saw with Apple’s case against Samsung in Australia. But weaknesses in Apple’s historically crack legal team are starting to show: the sales injunction against Samsung in Australia was overturned, the company failed to secure an injunction against the same company in the US, and now Motorola’s found a weakness in their patent portfolio in Germany, where a sales ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is still in place. When Samsung introduced a revised Galaxy 10.1N model, specifically designed to avoid infringement on Apple’s patents, Apple promptly filed suit on the new version. I’m a die-hard Android fanboy, but that doesn’t mean I want Germans, or anyone for that matter, to be denied the choice of Apple products. The worldwide patent wars are getting ridiculous – IPCom, considered a patent troll even by corporate standards, has won a preliminary injunction against HTC that could force the company to exit Germany completely. There’s clearly something rotten in Deutschland when it comes to the world of intellectual property, and in the end consumers get the raw deal. If anything positive comes out of all this, it’ll be that Apple begins to think twice about firing patent lawsuits from the hip. It’s likely that if they can’t get today’s German ruling overturned, the case will be settled with Apple licensing the relevant patent from Motorola for lots (and lots and lots) of money. [via SlashGear] )
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| Schmidt says Google could do nothing to stop Carrier IQ Posted: 09 Dec 2011 04:49 AM PST According to Google’s Eric Schmidt, there is nothing the search giant could have done to stop Carrier IQ because of the open nature of the Android operating system. Schmidt condemned Carrier IQ at the Google hosted conference on internet freedom held in the Hague reports the Telegraph. According to Schmidt when a platform is open people can make software that is bad for the users.
Schmidt was very specific in saying that Google does not work with or support Carrier IQ. Carrier IQ has been in the news ever since a security researcher posted video showing the extent of the tracking the software carries out. The use of Carrier IQ software has landed the company, Samsung, and HTC in the center of class action suits. One US Senator is also calling for answers to questions about what the software tracks by December 14. Carrier IQ says that its software is currently installed on 140 million mobile phones around the world. The company denies that it tracks anything personal and is only helping make networks better. Many users and consumer advocate groups feel that no matter what the software tracks the permissions it gets from users is inadequate. Most users had no idea the software was on their mobiles. [via SlashGear] )
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| Droid Xyboard 10.1 and 8.2 land in Verizon stores Posted: 09 Dec 2011 02:46 AM PST Yesterday the Xyboard slates landed at Verizon Wireless locations, but we didn’t have a launch date for the devices. Today we have learned that the Xyboard 10.1 and 8.2 slates are now available to purchase. Both of the tablets have similar hardware inside with the screen size being the only difference. They pack 1.2GHz dual-core chips.
We aren't seeing good things in the future for the Xyboad slates with the prices that Verizon has strapped them with. It looks to us like Verizon has again overpriced its wares. The smaller 8.2-inch tablet is $429.99 and the larger 10.1-inch tablet is $529.99. Both of those require a new 2-year data agreement. Those are hard prices to swallow for many users. The tablets will have three different storage capacities with 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions. That Media Edition tablet with the smaller screen isn't offered in the US. We already know the hardware, but to refresh you a bit the tablets have WiFi, front and rear cameras, and the screen resolution is 1280 x 800. I wish Verizon would price one of these new Android tablets at the same rate that the iPad goes for and then go with a similar data plan needing no contract. I think some Android tablets would compete much better if the pricing were changed. [via SlashGear] )
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| Panasonic outs new Android smartphone with 4.3-inch OLED headed to Europe Posted: 09 Dec 2011 02:27 AM PST Panasonic has shown off a very cool looking new smartphone that will be headed to Europe next year. We heard that Panasonic was going to move outside Japan with its smartphones last month. The new smartphone will hit in March of 2012 specifically and it looks very nice with rounded edges. One of the key features of the new smartphone is that it has a 4.3-inch qHD OLED display. That screen has a resolution of 960 x 540.
The rounded edges give the phone a D-shape profile. Panasonic hasn’t offered a smartphone outside the Japanese home market in a long time so this device will be the first time many Europeans are able to get their hands on a smartphone from Panasonic. Other interesting features of this smartphone include that it is somewhat rugged with some water resistance and the phone is dustproof. After the phone hits Europe next March, it will head to other countries as well. The device will make it to Asia and North America. We don’t have all the specs right now on this phone, but we expect to see them in the coming weeks, as the launch date gets closer. Panasonic will need to have a well rounded device because the brand name along won’t cut it in the competitive Android market. [via SlashGear] )
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| Samsung Galaxy Nexus boxes arriving at Verizon and RadioShack. Still not for sale. Posted: 08 Dec 2011 09:30 PM PST It’s almost cruel running this story, but news is news. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has already begun shipment to a few Verizon and RadioShack stores – and there’s a picture to prove it. The bad news is – we’re not getting one. Another leaked email states retailers must not under any circumstances sell these units unless they receive word from corporate.
It’s really starting to look like December 14th as the final launch date, but lets not kid ourselves – we still haven’t a clue. Yet, we have come away with some very important information from all this. One, we know the device exists – and two, we know precisely where it is! The fact may be that Verizon didn’t want to launch three superior phones in such a short timespan. The Motorola DROID RAZR and HTC Rezound are amazing devices, and they may just want our Galaxy Nexus to shine on the pedestal it rightfully deserves. However, there’s no excuse for the lack of advertising and absence of information.
We shouldn’t have to piece together info for months that could easily be conveyed to the public in a matter of seconds. To give you a rundown, this is how crazy it has actually become (and just from the month of December): On the 1st we saw an internal Best Buy flyer for a possible December 11th release date. Next, on the 3rd it was rumored we may see the Nexus December 17th. On the 5th it was confirmed for December 9th through an internal leaked email, and later that day we saw phones arriving in Best Buy stores. The 6th, more internal documents had confirmed the December 9th launch – and the the very next day we’re told it’s going to be a no-show. And alas, here we are. With the Galaxy Nexus in stock, and no way to buy it.
[via Phandroid] )
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| Facebook for Android now looks amazing: Hands-On Posted: 08 Dec 2011 08:16 PM PST The new Facebook application for Android has the same features but a completely revamped UI. If you’ve ever used Facebook for iOS, then you may find it nearly identical. They completely did away with the home screen from the previous version, and replaced it with the slidebar pictured below. It’s more fluid, and I found it much more responsive when navigating through pages.
Instead of having to return to the main menu to view friend requests, messages, and notifications – the new interface incorporates a pop-up that overlays the currently viewed content. That alone makes it feel speedy. Changing your status or even uploading a photo/video can now be done from their respective static locations at the top of your News Feed section.
Oddly, after using this application today it was easy to stop using Facebook Messenger altogether. The messaging within the updated application works extremely well, and the only feature not included is the ability to see when a friend is typing. Games or applications you had access to on the desktop version of Facebook are now available for viewing directly from the newly included navigational pane as well.
Before this update I found the mobile version of Facebook accessible through the browser much easier to navigate, but these unexpectedly added improvements have definitely converted me. Surprisingly enough, there haven’t been any noticeable bugs in this version – and it’s no doubt the most polished one to hit Android yet. UPDATE: On the Galaxy Nexus, the application tends to retain previously read messages as unread. Post any other bugs you may have in the comments below. UPDATE 2: As of now, it seems when trying to change your profile picture within the application it results in a nasty force close. Thanks Jwhap! [Facebook in Android Market]      )
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| Apple loses final Australia appeal, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is ready for a retail return Posted: 08 Dec 2011 05:46 PM PST Early news out of Australia indicates that Apple has lost its appeal of a decision made in an Australian federal court, dismissing their patent case against Samsung and its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet. AusDroid reports that the decision came early Friday morning. The two companies have been locked in a legal battle for months, culminating in a rejection by an Australian Federal court after a long period of injunction against Samsung. The High Court denied the appeal, meaning that there is basically no way for them to continue with the case on its current merits.
The High Court chastised the original ruling granting a sales ban against the Samsung tablet, calling the judicial decision “replete with error” and saying that Apple won the original suit “by the skin of its teeth”. Android fans would agree, and this certainly puts a cramp on Apple’s worldwide crusade against Android and Samsung. Apple is still continuing its legal battle against the South Korean manufacturer in Germany. Samsung issued the following statement after the news broke:
The good news from Down Under follows a US Federal Court decision to reject Apple’s case against Samsung last week. In the United States, Apple failed to achieve a sales injunction, as the district court judge rules that the continued sales of Samsung’s tablets and phones did not damage Apple’s core iPad business. The decision is being appealed by Apple, and Samsung may still be liable for infringement of design patents, but it’s unlikely that a ban will be put into place. A leaked court document laid out some colorful requirements that Apple suggested to Samsung to avoid infringement, including non-symmetrical designs, thicker devices, and tablets that used shapes other than rectangles. Apple’s fight continues in many territories, and with billions of dollars in reserves, they’re unlikely to be too discouraged. But with two major countries essentially rejecting Cupertino’s patent trolling, sanity seems to be returning to civil courtrooms worldwide. )
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| DROID XYBOARD tablets arriving at Verizon, Launch date unknown Posted: 08 Dec 2011 05:10 PM PST Just like the popular Galaxy Nexus we are now hearing the Motorola DROID XYBOARD tablets are also starting to arrive in stores and on the shelves at Verizon Wireless — only on shelves in the back room of course. Neither of these devices have an official launch date and are chillin in what I’d like to call “Verizon Limbo” because you know as much as we do at this point. Same probably goes for all the retail employees.
Verizon announced the tablets with 4G LTE earlier this week but failed to give any sort of launch or availability date with the slates. They also haven’t said a peep regarding the Galaxy Nexus. We have heard from our leakster the new date since the latest “delay” is December 15th, next Thursday (by the way). Between these tablets, the DROID 4, and the Galaxy Nexus they might be trying to figure out the best way to roll all these products out and that could be the cause for delay, but no one really knows except for the big boys from Verizon. So while we still don’t have a release date for the new Motorola Xoom 2 tablets — named the XYBOARDS that rock 4G LTE at least they are in stores and should be available to demo shortly. Early rumors pointed the XYBOARD’s to a December 12th launch but with Verizon’s recent activities lately I’ll just go ahead and say that you probably shouldn’t hold your breath. Device Info
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| ZTE pushes for the high end, starts with 7-inch V66 Verizon LTE tablet Posted: 08 Dec 2011 05:00 PM PST At the moment, ZTE is one in a field of Chinese hardware makers that do well enough on low and mid-range devices here in the US. Like Huawei, the company hopes to change that in the upcoming year, and it looks like their first attempt will be with Verizon. The G-men at the FCC have got their hands on said device, and it looks promising.
The V66 was previously announced with a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, plus a 1280 x 800 resolution screen – an absolute must for a tablet that wants to be considered high-end. Android 3.2 will provide the software end, and while an Ice Cream Sandwich update before launch is technically possible, it would be much more likely to come afterwards. You can see from the filing and the logo that it uses Verizon’s LTE network. All these specifications add up to a device that just slightly beats the T-Mobile Springboard, AKA the Huawei Mediapad. That tablet didn’t fare well at all in our review, but not because of the hardware. Verizon doesn’t currently offer and of ZTE’s Android devices, so a branded tablet could help bump up the company’s mindshare in the US… if it is ZTE branded. There’s nothing in the FCC filing to show the ZTE logo, and carriers have a nasty habit of simply ignoring smaller manufacturers, as in the Springboard, or even larger ones, as in LG’s “T-Mobile” G2x. And of course, it’s got to sell, but then there’s room in Verizon’s lineup for a smaller tablet device. We’ll see when the V66 launches, likely in Q1 2012. [via Engadget] )
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| Veyl ePillow is the perfect gift this Holiday season for tablet users Posted: 08 Dec 2011 04:16 PM PST This awesome tablet accessory and stand is called the ePillow by Veyl Products and at first glance you might be thinking it’s pretty wild. Although being able to take a comfortable pillow on the airplane that also doubles as the most ergonomic tablet stand at the same time is pretty ingenious — even though the idea seems simple. The ePillow comes in tons of different colors and we have all the details and a short video below.
It fooled me at first but I quickly started thinking about all those times I wish I had this product. From watching football on the couch and needing a nice stand, to those long drives last month to visit family for Thanksgiving. Using my ASUS Transformer Prime tablet comfortably then use the same stand for a quick nap is epic. I actually already bought one and you can expect a full review coming soon from yours truly (me).
From standard black, brown, and many other wild colors like seen above there will most likely be something for anyone in your family. They have a soft suede finish and the stand portion is double stitched synthetic leather making it sturdy and durable. The ePillow features an easy to carry handle around back that also slides over any luggage handle, and even sports a pocket on the side for glasses or some headphones. The more I read about this tablet accessory the more I want one. If you’ve ever got tired while holding a tablet this is the absolute perfect solution and more details are available at epillow.net — they are priced at $29.99 and the standard black/brown is on sale now for just $15.99. This wont fit in the stockings but would sure make a great Christmas present along with a new tablet. Check back soon and we’ll have a review for those considering the purchase. Enjoy the demo video below even though sadly they are using that weird thing we call an iPad.    )
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| Samsung 11.6-inch tablet with insane 2560 x 1600 resolution rumored for February Posted: 08 Dec 2011 03:54 PM PST Samsung’s flagship tablet the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a fine tablet. In fact, until the Transformer Prime came along, I would have argued it was the best out there, yes, even beat that other one. But the hardware is getting a little long in the tooth, and lots of Android users are wonder what Sammy’s got up its sleeve for the next generation. According to BGR, it’s a new tablet with Samsung’s own Exynos SOC architecture and an incredibly dense screen.
The anonymous source claims that the 11.6-inch screen will have a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. That’s a format most commonly associated with 30-inch computer monitors, and it’s considerably higher than even the best high-definition TVs. If the rumors are true, it’ll have a pixel density of 260, much, much higher than any comparable device on the market. The source claims that even though the screen is bigger, the tablet itself is about the same size, with a smaller bezel making up the difference. And the screen isn’t the only thing eye-popping. A claimed Exynos dual-core processor will run at 2 Ghz, making it competitive with the latest quad-core attempts from ARM and derivatives. Android Beam is on board, so we assume that means Ice Cream Sandwich at launch, and a wireless media dock will make it a movie powerhouse. Specs are often inflated early in a release cycle, so to put it bluntly, don’t get your hopes up. But with quad-core, 1920 x 1200 devices rumored from Lenovo and Acer, and Asus already making waves with the Transformer Prime, Samsung needed something to stay on top of the Android tablet game. This device, if it is indeed real, would do nicely. )
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| International users can get in on Google’s new Currents app with leaked APK Posted: 08 Dec 2011 03:30 PM PST We’re just now starting to get a peek into Google’s new Flipboard-style news service, Currents, but unfortunately non-United States users can’t download the app from the Android Market. Luckily, they don’t have to: a kindly XDA-Developers member has posted a leaked version of the international app. It looks like just about anyone outside of the fifty states can get in on the action, so head on over there to give it a try.
In case you haven’t already, check out our initial impressions of Currents, with a hands-on video. It’s basically a new style of aggregation engine that adds support for paid sites, though all the content that’s already in Currents is free. That means that international newshounds should be to access everything at the moment. The app plays out like a grown-up version of the Android Genie widget, which is almost certainly already installed on your smartphone under “News & Weather.” The magazine-style layout is exciting, and while it doesn’t display as much raw information as something like Pulse, it does it in a very organized, readable way. Will Currents remain as an essential Google service, or fall by the wayside like so many others? (I’m looking at you, Google Listen.) Only time will tell, but it’s sure got a promising start. [via SlashGear] )
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| Android Community and SlashGear on Google Currents — A new way to view your favorite site Posted: 08 Dec 2011 03:09 PM PST Google has just announced their new Google Currents project. In case you aren’t familiar with Currents that link should have all the details. This is basically a magazine-esque format RSS reader application only with a better UI and an overall awesome experience. It’s a new way to browse and read your favorite sites and RSS feeds and hey, Android Community and SlashGear are both already in Currents — Check us out!
So far I must admit, Google Currents is pretty darn awesome. I’ve been viewing so much content and our awesome reviews like the one on the Transformer Prime that I’ve hardly been working. If you’ve been looking for a better and easier way to view your favorite sites (Android Community and SlashGear) then this is your solution. This isn’t your average reader or app like Flipboard, this is a full on all in one solution and Google’s done a fantastic job. It is simply, easy to understand, has a beautiful UI, and is highly customizable for both readers and publishers alike. Not only that but it works for Android phones, tablets and even iOS.
One awesome feature is publishers can create custom pages, change the layout, and even pull from multiple sources all at once. Take our sister site SlashGear for example. We have everything from our webpage to Twitter, Google+, and even our YouTube channel for all of our hands-on videos and reviews neatly in one place. Check out the screenshot below of SlashGear YouTube in Google Currents.
The user interface is fluid and brilliant and makes the entire browsing experience quite pleasurable. Being able to swipe left and right through all the content is very fast and easy. Click on an image in any of our many reviews and you can swipe through the entire photo gallery with pinch to zoom and more. Then hit the YouTube source to view the hands-on and walkthrough coverage for said product. Enjoy my hands-on video below for a better idea of Google Currents, then head to the market and give it a try today. Don’t forget to add Android Community and SlashGear to your front page!         )
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