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Did you miss all the CTIA goodness? No worries, we have you covered! Samsung’s 2nd gen tab made its grand opening – or both of them made grand openings – if that makes sense. Sammy let loose upon CTIA the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 – yea we agree, get a better marketing department. Both are thinner than the iPad 2 (WOW) and the 10.1 is crowned the thinnest and lightest tablet on the market  - both look stunning.

Let’s talk price: The Wi-Fi only Galaxy Tab 10.1 will cost $499 for the 16GB model and $599 for the 32GB model. The Wi-Fi only Galaxy Tab 8.9 16GB will go for $469 and the 32GB model going for $569. Both are expected this summer and LTE/WiMax versions will follow later in the year. Overall, the exterior body of the tabs looks amazing, as for touchWiz…..just let Honeycomb do what it does best…..stock. Sammy has hit the price points but a summer release date allows Apple to have a 3-4 month head start. We shall see – see the Samsung Video below:

Source: Engadget.com

On the very day Rimm announced availability (April 19th) and pricing (16GB -$500) for its BlackBerry tablet, Apple counters with its own press release stating that the iPad 2 will go ahead and push into 25 more countries without delay on Friday, the 25th of March. This is what is called a ball-breaker! Apple will essentially have global distribution of the iPad 2 before the Playbook is even released in the States – Check & Mate!

Are you living in a lucky country? Have a look:

“…iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on March 25 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) the 64GB model. iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April, and in many more countries around the world in the coming months. Further international availability and pricing will be announced at a later date….”

One thing is for sure, don’t expect such low prices, especially for my brothers living here in Europe. Higher tax rates and import duties have sealed our faith and our price points but for the die hard iPad fans, I’m sure you’ve already sold your first born.

Source: Apple.com

Would you look at that! We knew about the BlackBerry PlayBook for what seemed like years (more like months) but besides some specs and the fancy QNX based OS – we never really heard anything concret concerning price or release date……until today. Set your calendar boys and girls for April 19th – the entry level BlackBerry (16GB) will cost you, an “iPad 2 matching” $500 greenbacks, the 32GB goes for $600 and the 64GB model goes for $700 – pre-orders start today.

Where can you get your hands on one of these sexy tablet – where can’t you: Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot, RadioShack, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon will carry the Tab  - along with additional online retailers. Can’t wait and just need to hand over your cash now – Best Buy is taking pre-orders, just click here.

How will the PlayBook stack up against the Xoom and iPad 2? Let’s wait and see what the sales figures and consumer reviews have to say but one things is for sure – the 7inch form factor is not going to look so good when compared to its 10inch counterparts. Consumers have a deep seeded belief that size/price ratio should be high/low – RIMM is going to have to convince a lot of people.

Source: BlackBerry.com

After countless discussions, predictions and just plain guessing – Motorola did us all a favor and released pricing on the much anticipated WiFi only Xoom Tablet. What will the 32GB wifi model cost you: $599 and it will be available in countless brick and mortar locations (Amazon.com, Best Buy, Costco, RadioShack, Staples, Walmart, Sam’s Club (select locations) on March 27th.

Let the wifi wars begin! The $599 price tag goes right up against Apple’s wifi only 32GB iPad 2 – being priced the same, will now allow potential consumers to make their minds up based on specs, ecosystem and mobile OS. Realistically, Motorola had to hit this price point, as Apple’s iPad 2 has been a massive hit with consumers. In fact, the success of Apple’s iPad 2 could help out Motorola’s Xoom, as now Apple’s website points to back-orders of 4-5 weeks for Cupertino’s slate. People not wanting to wait, could jump ship and grab the wifi Xoom and put a dent into Apple’s market share.

The one giant draw back, is the fact that Motorola doesn’t offer a 16GB wifi model for purchase. The $499 price point is well liked by consumers and is Apple’s most bought model, especially in this economy. Now that we know price, let’s wait for sales figures.

Source: BGR.com

Well, that didn’t take long at all. Hackers have successfully gotten root access to the Xoom (Android 3.0), which has allowed USB storage and peripherals to be used/connected to the Moto slate.

“Once performed, the Xoom will be able to plug in USB drives and play any multimedia files contained on them. Storage can also be added this way, and wired USB keyboards may also be supported by the hack.”

While the hack requires a OTG cable, root access into the XOOM (Android 3.0), will most certainly lead to so many great and creative hacks. It’s kind of funny really, that USB storage access isn’t enabled on more tablets and I don’t mean to single out only the XOOM – the same can be said about the iPad 2. It would seem like a fundamental feature for backup – outside of stock bundled software.

Source: Electronista.com / Image Source: Xoomout.com

Hot on the heels of Jobs and Company’s iPad 2 unavailing, Samsung is hosting an event of its own on March 22nd and many believe it’ll be for the next Galaxy Tab. Sammy has done its best to get our mouth watering, with teaser posters and graphics, especially a new one (shown after the break) showing an ultra slim bezel, most likely from the Tab. While Sammy hasn’t hinted at specs or further details, we have heard that it was second guessing itself, especially after the ipad 2 unveiling. See for yourself and let us know what you think.

Source: Engadget.com

You know them from such classic leaks as iPhone 4: “Big Trouble In Vietnam” and countless other gadget blockbusters but it looks like Tinhte.vn has got their hands on a Hp TouchPad prototype. While little is know about this specific device and since the above video is in Vietnamese, we don’t really know what stage this TouchPad is in: Market Ready or R&D Prototype? What we do know is that it has a SIM card slot, so GSM carriers are a go. Oh and we also know that the boys at Tinhte love manhandling their next gen products – easy guys.

Source: Engadget.com

“….The BBC’s international iPlayer iPad app will cost less than $10 (£6.13) a month when it launches later this year, according to director general Mark Thompson…”

There you go – this year….sometime… Still, for all those expats out there, having BCC content for less than $10 a month is a great price point, especially if the content is not rebranded or reformatted - as it sometimes is. While we’ll wait for more details, the pending make-or-break issue still remains, the release window for TV shows and movies. How will they be released across multiple channels before iplayer customers get their hands on that fine content? We shall see.

Source: Guardian.co.uk

Still not convinced you need the newest and greatest – Now is the perfect time to pick up Apple’s flagship – first gen iPad at a great price! $399 will get you the 16GB wifi model, plus you’ll be able to play with the big boys, as it will get iOS 4.3 next week. Great for older folks and young kids – Click here for the Apple Clearance Page.

Source: Apple.com

Everyone was waiting, speculating and predicting but Apple made it so at 10am Wednesday morning at their San Francisco iPad event. iPad 2 is official and what an update it was! Same display 9.5in x 7.31in but only .34in thin – dual cameras – AT&T and Verizon versions – 16GB/ 32GB/ 64GB Storage Versions – A5 Dual Processor – 10 Hour Battery Life – 1080p Video Out - Video Mirroring & Video Out Support & so much more..

720p video recording at 30fps from the iPad 2′s back camera with still camera 5x digital zoom – yes please. Front camera does video recording, VGA up to 30 frames per second with audio; VGA-quality still camera. That not enough, how about having your iPad essentially turn into an Apple TV – throwing audio/video from your TV to the iPad and from the iPad to the TV. Huge!

While storage stays the same 16GB/32GB/64GB – the new A5 dual processor is twice as fast and has 9x the graphics power. That’s perfect for the new iMovie, Photo Both, Garage band and ibooks apps coming in with the new iOS 4.3, which will ship in 11 days, when the iPad 2 is available. Still not that impressed and just want the first iPad, you’re in luck, especially since the price has dropped to $399 for the 16GB wifi model. Check out the full specs at Apple.com – just click here.

Source: Apple.com

Apple has started sending out invites for a March 2nd event in San Francisco and from the image above – it’s all about the ipad 2. We knew this was coming, we just didn’t have a date and from the ridiculous amount of rumors over the last two weeks, there were even chances of a release push back. Now that we now when, we still need the specs and……whom is going to host the event? My guess is that Jobs will not be there and that the iPad 2 will come in wifi – 3G – CDMA flavors with storage starting at 16GB. If they can hit a $499 price point – lights out Android. NEXT!

Remember when RIMM bought TAT (The Astonishing Tribe) and everyone said, “Yes. Your UI needs help.”  Ok, no one really said that but everyone was thinking it. Well, that little purchase was shown off today at MWC in the form of photo and weather apps for the PlayBook. (Videos Below)

The picture app shows off a beautiful 3D looking UI that reminds me of Microsoft surface – where pictures are thrown about and manipulated through multi-touch. Aura, (the weather application) enables the user to manipulate the weather in different ways – by touch or by the built in accelerometer. Hours of fun!

Source: BGR.com

Breaking News: Motorola has just announced Xoom pricing and it looks like the leaked pricing was about right – $799 for the 32GB+3G tablet running Honeycomb. How does that stack up against the iPad? Well, the 32GB iPad+3G is $629 – I’ll let you do the math. Plus, while we know AT&T’s iPad “Pay as you Go” figures, we don’t really know what Verizon’s going to do.

The real damage comes from Motorola deciding that they wouldn’t have a lower cost, lower entry point Xoom. This is going to kill the sales figures, especially if Apple releases an iPad 2 at more competitive prices. Anyway you look at it, $600 is a lot of money for something that doesn’t quite replace your computer. Additionally, as the post below this one stated, Tegra 3 tablets are coming out in Aug – way to cut the life span of your hardware Moto – choice is good but you don’t want your customers feeling burned. I see Samsung tab sales figures – maybe a bit higher. NEXT!!

Image Source: Motorola.com

MWC is off to a quick start with Samsung announcing a new line of mobile devices, including phones and a Tablet. Let’s start with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 – I know, super catchy name! Much like the tabalanche of slates coming out this year, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 runs on a Tegra 2 processor - 1GHz dual core. The display is a 10.1 inch TFT 1280×800 WXGA screen, Gyro-Accelerometer-Compass-proximity included and comes in 16GB or 32Gig flavors. Stock Android 3.0 is the OS and while it comes as a surprise to some (No Skin) I’d bet that either Sammy didn’t have proper time to skin 3.0 or Google has started tightening the reins on OEMs.

The rest of the specs are below but two things that we were not told were release date and…oh course…Price! This is not a good sign and I don’t buy into all the “Priced Competitive” crap! If they can sell it for $500, trust me, they’d be singing it from the top of Park Guell in barcelona. Of note, if Android 3.0 – Tegra 2 – 10 inch display – Dual cameras is the default spec sheet for all future 2011 tablets (first half), how are companies suppose to be unique – ground breaking or even original? NEXT!!

Source: Samsung.com

Missed Google Android event this last Wednesday, no worries as the video just went up on youtube. The event centered around Honeycomb 3.0 which is the next version of Android and is specifically suited for tablets. The event showcases several features, demos games and shows the overall navigation and performance of Android 3.0, which looks really good. Enjoy:)NEXT!!

Source: YouTube.com

Get out your wallets, book your tickets and get ready to stand in line  because rumor has it that Apple’s having an iPad 2 preview event next week. What could this event tell us, well the rumors so far hint at the same resolution display, front/back cameras, 720p video recording, 1.2 Ghz A5 chip Dual core, larger speaker, new iOS, NFC, face time, mini display port and possible dual core graphics. It’ll need to be able to hang with the tabalanche of slates coming out and those specs sound about right. When can this possible event happen, how about Feb. 13! NEXT!!

Source: Appleinsider.com / Image Source: Devicemag.com

HP, we like foreplay too but that’s because usually it leads to something else and we all know what happens if it doesn’t That said, Hp Palm or whatever they’re calling themselves now, has released a teaser trailer of something, which is somewhere and that will be released sometime. Got it? Just a heads up HP, next time……just release one of those stupid blurry pictures we’re all accustomed to – less frustration.

Source: YouTube.com

Whom better to get leaks about the upcoming Hp Tab then the guys over at Pre Central. Above and below, your looking at “official” images and specs for the forthcoming Topaz Tab – or so we’re told. Why have me tell you about it when you can just hit up the list below – reads like a romance novel! Motorola, take a hint from HP – the Xoom needs different versions.

It looks like Motorola hasn’t learned from Samsung about pricing tablets. Engadget is reporting that internal Best Buy documents are showing a February 17th release for the android tab and with a price tag of $700. So what does $699 get you, well the slate has 32g of internal storage and……Honeycomb! All jokes aside, I’m sure the hardware will be good, if the droid line of phones is any indication of Moto’s ability to put together hardware. Yet, the main sticking point for me is the entry point – $699 is way to high, any way you look at it.

Yea, Apple’s iPad is in a similar price range for the 32g version but the point remains that you can pick up an iPad for $499 and that’s the version that is selling the most (by far). You can’t expect folks (in a down economy) to fork over $699 just because the hardware is great – they could just as well turn around and buy a great notebook.

$699 for the Motorola Xoom is D.O.A. – Mark my word. Remember what Sammy did after a month – Price Drop. NEXT!!

Source: Engadget

As they always do, the boys over at Engadget have dugg deep into their bag of sources and have unearthed this beauty! These are suppose to be actual shots of the mythical Hp Web OS tablet, yes the one we’ve been waiting for ever since Palm was…..well…..Palm. Anyway the info on the Hp Tabt gets better, as now it seems that there will be not one but two variants of the slate. One, code named Topaz, will ship this spring (March?) and the other (Opal) will have a fall release (September). Hope more info is released at Hp’s February event but let’s all welcome another Tab to the family or the Tabalanche that is 2011.

On a side note, the look of the tab is nice – very modern/minimal and the plastic shell should cut down on weight but Hp has to match the grace of Web OS with the hardware that will make it compete. Remember the Pre? Awesome OS, brutal physical design and hardware. Let’s hope Hp learned from Palm’s mistakes. I think they will:) NEXT!!

Source: Engadget

Yesterday Motorola officially split in two companies and today it flexes it’s mobile muscle with the unveiling of its Android Honeycomb Tablet. We don’t really know specs yet but I’m sure this is only a matter of time. More updates on the way.

Straight up nutz! That’s what I’m calling Black Berry’s strategy if the following excerpt from 9 to 5 Mac is true:

“The question is: Who, besides BlackBerry users, is going to want to buy it? The core email and calendar apps are completely tethered to a BlackBerry. Without your BlackBerry, there is no native email or calendar app—just access through the (admittedly good) web browser.”

I hope to (Enter any God’s Name here) that this isn’t true. There is no reason on earth that having the BB phone and Tab linked in such a way – no reason. BB…..the only thing stopping you from getting back in the game is……yourself. Check out the whole article by clicking here.

NEXT!!

Update: RIM’s Playbook coming to Sprint Summer 2011.

Let the “Tabalanche” begin. CES 2011 hasn’t even officially started yet but that hasn’t stopped some heavy hitters from sneaking out their goods. LG, Lenovo and ASUS have shown off their hardware in one way or another already and the trend has been established: metal unibody look, minimal buttons on the face (one) camera and the all too familiar black border around the screen. Sound familiar? It should because these are essentially copies of Apple’s iPad that has not made an appearance in body but in spirit, well it’s made a huge impact. Check out some of the pictures below.

As if this wasn’t enough, Engadget has stumbled across China based case maker, Dexim at CES. They had something interesting – a machined piece of aluminum somewhat shaped like what they “believed” the iPad 2 would look like. This included 2 cameras, massive bottom speaker and a tapered back, much like the ipod touch. Want more, check out the story over at Engadget by clicking here.

NEXT!!