Tag Archives: specifications

Amazon unveils new e-Reader lineup: Kindle, Kindle Touch & Kindle Fire

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On Friday Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos introduced the e-tailer’s brand new e-Reader lineup: the $79 Kindle, the $99 Kindle Touch, and the Kindle Fire at $199.

The latest generation base Kindle is lighter, smaller, faster, and cheaper than ever. It features a new design that is 30 percent lighter than its predecessor at 5.98 ounces, 18 percent smaller, and it turns pages 10 percent faster. Its still got a 6-inch electronic ink display. The device has four buttons on its front: back, on-screen keyboard, menu, home, and a directional pad. On either side are buttons for page-turning. But there’s no physical keyboard and no touch. There’s a reason why it’s being sold at such a low price–this Kindle is the definition of bare bones. If all you need to do is read (and you don’t mind using a directional pad to navigate through menus) this is the e-Reader for you. The Kindle is available for purchase today.

An extra $20 will get you the Kindle Touch, a slightly upgraded version of the e-Reader that boasts a touch display. You won’t find any buttons or a physical keyboard on this bad boy; the user interface is solely based on touch. Like the base model, this Kindle is  lighter and smaller than before and it has an “extra-long battery life.” The Kindle Touch (also available with 3G built-in for $149) is now available to preorder, and it releases November 21.

And finally there’s the Kindle Fire, what Amazon describes as a “new class of Kindle.” It’s a tablet, really. So I betcha want to hear specs? The 14.6 ounce Fire packs a 7-inch LCD multitouch display with IPS and Gorilla Glass strength, 1GHz TI OMAP dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, and 8GB of storage. Does that number seem low to you? Worry not! Amazon promises you’ll never have to think about storage space since you can save virtually all of your content in the cloud via the Amazon Cloud storage that’s connected to your Amazon account. All Amazon digital content is automatically backed up for free. Movies, TV shows, music, magazines and newspapers, Android apps and games, and of course books can be purchased and downloaded right on the device. Though the Fire runs on Google’s OS, Amazon has tweaked Android so much that it’s totally unrecognizable. In other words, it’s an experience you’ll only get on this device. One feature users will be privy to is the Fire-exclusive web browser called “Amazon Silk.” The company describes it as a “split browser” architecture that makes for a faster web browsing experience. And just like its E-reader brethren, the tablet uses Amazon’s Whispersync technology to automatically sync your Kindle library, last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across a variety of devices. The Kindle Fire will sell for a low $199 when it hits the market on November 15.

Inspect the devices in the galleries hanging above. Read through the beefy press release after the break. Continue reading Amazon unveils new e-Reader lineup: Kindle, Kindle Touch & Kindle Fire →

Razer Blade vies to be “the world’s first true gaming laptop”

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Razer, the maker of high performance gaming products, has announced the Razer Blade–what they’re calling “the world’s first true gaming laptop.” So what makes this laptop stand out and above all of the other gamer-centric portable PCs? The fact that it is designed from the ground up for performance and portability without making any compromises. That’s what. Check out these specs. Inside a full aluminum chassis breathes a 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 2640M processor, a NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M with Optimus Technology, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, 2GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM, 320GB 7200rpm SATA HDD, built-in HD webcam, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, integrated 60Wh battery, and a 17.3″  1920×1080 LED backlit display. All of this is packed inside a managable 0.88 inch thin design that weighs only 6.97lbs. What a magnificent feat! And that’s not all. Razer has also imagined the Switchblade User Interface, a technology built specifically for gamers that is comprised of 10 dynamic adaptive tactile keys and an LCD screen. The separate mini-display (480×800) located to the right of the keyboard has two modes: (1) it displays in-game information when a mouse is in use; and (2) it functions as an ultra-sensitive, multi-touch panel designed for gaming on the go. The Switchblade tech was actually born out of the “Razer Switchblade” concept that was previewed earlier this year.

With the Razer Blade the company hopes to reinvigorate the laptop market and set a new standard for portable gaming machines. And by the looks of it, that’s exactly what they’ve done here. When it releases in Q4 2011 it’ll run for an understandably pricey $2,799.99. If you’re a dedicated gamer and need something portable and powerful enough to maintain a desktop experience on-the-go, the Razer Blade is a clear choice. Now look in the gallery below for some press shots and after the break you’ll find Razer “Chief Gamer and CEO” Min-Liang Tan talking up his latest creation.

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading Razer Blade vies to be “the world’s first true gaming laptop” →

Fusion Garage tries again with Grid tablet, smartphone & OS

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Chandra Rathakrishnan, CEO of Fusion Garage, hosted an intimate event yesterday afternoon to introduce a new tablet experience unto the world. The creator of the failed JooJoo tablet (2009) is back and hopes to regain consumer faith with his second attempt at creating a new kind of post-PC device. Rathakrishnan ran a lengthy and expensive viral marketing campaign leading up to yesterday’s unveiling; he invented the faux company TabCo (short for Tablet Company) and posted viral videos at the site WhoIsTabCo.com. The campaign had the public at large buzzing about who might be behind TabCo. Now that we know it’s Fusion Garage, journey downward to learn more about the forthcoming products and decide if the hype was worth it. Continue reading Fusion Garage tries again with Grid tablet, smartphone & OS →

Apple refreshes MacBook Air, Mac mini & 27-inch display

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A couple months after updating the MacBook Pros, Apple has gone ahead and reinvigorated their MacBook Air and Mac mini products. The thin-and-light ultraportable notebook now boasts faster Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, the high-speed Thunderbolt I/O port, and a backlit keyboard. The 11-inch model is available in two customizable SKUs. The base $999 model packs a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 2GB of memory, 64GB of flash storage, and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The $1,199 model upgrades the memory to 4GB and the flash storage to 128GB. Moving along to the 13-inch model, two additional SKUs are offered. The $1,299 model features a 1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB memory,128GB flash storage, and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The $1,599 model upgrades the flash storage to 256GB. Certain models can be customized to feature Intel Core i7 processors (up to 1.8GHz) and upgraded flash memory (up to 256GB). The new incredibly thin MacBook Air measures 0.11-inches at its thinnest point and 0.68-inches at its thickest. Apple claims it is is up to twice as fast as the previous generation thanks to the upgraded Intel processors. The 11-inch model (at 2.38 pounds) provides up to 5 hours of battery life, while the 13-inch model  (2.96 pounds) offers up to 7 hours of battery life. It comes with a full size backlit keyboard and an improved glass Multi-Touch trackpad. Ports include MagSafe for power, 2 USB 2.0, headphone jack, Thunderbolt, and an SD Card slot (on the 11-inch model only). WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooth 4.0 are included; the USB Ethernet Adapter ($29) can be purchased separately. Note that the $999 MacBook Air is the base laptop Apple offers today; the white plastic MacBook has been discontinued.

Like the newly enhanced MacBook Air, the Mac mini is speedier and packs Intel Core i5 and  i7 processors and the Thunderbolt port. Additionally, graphics can be upgraded to AMD Radeon HD. Three SKUs are offered. The base $599 model comes with 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 2GB memory, 500GB hard drive, and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The $799 model upgrades the processor to 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, the memory to 4GB, and the graphics to AMD Radeon HD 6630M. These two SKUs can be customized to feature upgraded memory (up to 8GB) and hard drive space (up to 750GB); the pricier SKU can be configured with a 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i7. The third and final SKU is the Mac mini with Lion Server and its specs include: 2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 4GB memory, Dual 500GB 7200-rpm hard drives, and Intel HD Graphics 3000 for $999; memory and hard drive capacities can be upgraded. Ports include Gigabit Ethernet, Firewire 800, HDMI, Thunderbolt, 4 USB 2.0, SDXC card slot, and audio in/out. WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooth 4.0 included. Notice that I haven’t mentioned anything about the Superdrive; that’s because Apple’s decided not to include a CD/DVD drive in the new Mac mini. A bold move if you ask me. BYO keyboard, mouse, and display.

Speaking of displays, in addition to updating their computers Apple has also given their Cinema Display a minor refresh. The newly branded 27-inch Thunderbolt Display features the 16:9 edge-to-edge glass design, a 2560 x 1440 resolution with IPS technology (that is, an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle), and it’s the world’s first display to include the Thunderbolt I/O port. The display also includes includes a built-in FaceTime HD video camera for video conferencing, a 2.1 speaker system for high quality audio, an integrated MagSafe charger to keep Mac notebooks charged, three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one Gigabit Ethernet port. The cost is $999.

All three products–the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and Thunderbolt Display–are all available today. The new computers come preinstalled with Apple’s latest and greatest operating system Mac OS X Lion. Get a closer look at everything in the galleries below. Official PR sits after the break.



[Via Apple] Continue reading Apple refreshes MacBook Air, Mac mini & 27-inch display →

Verizon picks up Droid X2, Xperia Play, and first Windows Phone 7 handset

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The month of May is a big one for Big Red. Shortly after introducing the 4G-powered Droid Charge in late April, Verizon Wireless is adding three more intriguing smartphones to its arsenal. First up is the long-awaited successor to the Droid X, the appropriately titled Droid X2. This Droid packs a giant 4.3-inch scratch-resistant and anti-reflective qHD display and a speedy dual-core 1GHz processor–this is the first VZW phone to carry such a chip. Other specs include an eight megapixel camera with autofocus and HD video capture (a front-facing cam is noticeably absent here), HDMI output, and mobile hotspot capabilities with up to five WiFi-enabled devices. The X2 will come preloaded with Android 2.2, and the carrier promises an upgrade to 2.3 is coming soon. It lands on Verizon this Thursday the 26th of May at the usual $199.99 price point under a new two-year contract.

Let’s breeze through handset #2. We already know all about the Xperia Play, aka the “PlayStation Phone.” The phone released earlier this spring internationally, and come May 26 the PlayStation Certified Android 2.3-powered device will be available for US consumers for $199.99. It will come preloaded with seven game titles including Madden NFL 11, Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, The Sims 3, Star Battalion, Crash Bandicoot, and Tetris. Available for preorder today. Read all about Sony Ericsson’s gaming-oriented phone right here.

So many firsts for Verizon, let’s recap: The Charge became the inaugural device to bring 4G speeds to the Droid brand, the Droid X2 is the carrier’s first dual-core phone, and Verizon is the first US carrier to offer the Xperia Play. And now there’s this: later this month HTC’s Trophy drops on Big Red to become the first Windows Phone 7 device to run on the nation’s largest network. Want specs? Got ’em. The ruggedly designed Trophy features a 3.8-inch screen, 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, five megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash that captures 720p HD video, 16 GB onboard storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, and SRS WOW HD surround sound built in. The world phone’s loaded with Microsoft’s Metro-infused OS and HTC’s customizable Hub. On sale May 26 for $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and if you climb aboard Verizon’s ‘waves for 2 years, of course.

[Via Engadget 1, 2, 3]

HP Veer 4G comes to AT&T May 15 for $100

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Back in February, HP formally introduced three new WebOS-enabled devices imagined by the Palm godfather Job Rubinstein. The HP Veer, the smallest of the bunch, is hitting the market first and it’s coming to AT&T. Described to be the size of a credit card and no thicker than a deck of cards, the newly branded HP Veer 4G goes a little something like this: 2.6-inch (320×400) glass touch display, an 800MHz Snapdragon processor, 5 megapixel camera, full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, built-in GPS, WiFi 802.11b/g, and Bluetooth, 8GB of storage, accelerometer, proximity, and light sensors, Adobe Flash Player support, it can act as a mobile hotspot supporting up to 5 WiFi-capable devices, HSPA+, one USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It runs WebOS version 2.1 and comes in black and white variants. When it drops May 15 the palm-sized handset will set you back an affordable $99.99, two-year contract with AT&T required. Full PR after the break, as is an image that shows you just how pint-sized this thing really is.

[Via Palm] Continue reading HP Veer 4G comes to AT&T May 15 for $100 →

Apple refreshes iMac with Intel quad-core processors, next-gen AMD graphics, and Thunderbolt

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This week Apple temporarily shut down their online shop and when it came back it was freshly stocked with the brand new iMac. Just like the last product refresh, things look the same on the outside. On the inside, however, Apple has raised the bar for the all-in-one package. The new iMac features “Sandy Bridge” Intel quad-core processors across the line, next-gen AMD graphics, and it joins the MacBook Pro in sporting the speedy Thunderbolt port. Pricing starts at $1,199 for the base 21.5-incher and $1,699 for the 27-inch model.

Hop on after the break for the full rundown.

Continue reading Apple refreshes iMac with Intel quad-core processors, next-gen AMD graphics, and Thunderbolt →

HTC’s Droid Incredible 2 hits Verizon April 28 for $200

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A new day, a new Droid. A little over a year after its original incarnation, the Incredible gets an upgrade. So what does the sequel bring to the table? It packs Qualcomm’s latest 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 4-inch super LCD display (the original featured a 3.7-inch screen), eight megapixel with dual LED flash capable of 720p HD video capture, 1.3-megapixel front facing camera (a new addition!), and it runs Android 2.2 with the latest version of HTC Sense. The world phone can act as a 3G Mobile Hotspot that can connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Unfortunately the Incredible 2 does not support Verizon’s new 4G LTE network. 3G’ll have to do. 200 bucks is the fee (with a new 2-year contract, of course), and it goes on sale the 28th of this month–that’s tomorrow! Full PR after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading HTC’s Droid Incredible 2 hits Verizon April 28 for $200 →

Samsung details its first foray into the Honeycomb tablet market with 10.1″ & 8.9″ Galaxy Tabs

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In mid-February Samsung teased the followup to its first major tablet the Galaxy Tab. The 7-incher is loaded with Android 2.2 and honestly it just doesn’t compete with the king (Apple’s iPad, duh). So Samsung went back to the drawing board to come up with a new version of the Tab, designing it around Google’s made entirely for tablets OS called Honeycomb. The result is the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Since February, however, Sammy has retooled the slate making it thinner, sleeker, and adding a customized software layer to it. Also, they’ve introduced a slightly smaller version dubbed the Galaxy Tab 8.9 (yep, it’s got an 8.9-inch display).

Instead of running through all of the specifications here (most of them remain the same since the February tease), I will list the changes that have been made. First and foremost, the Tabs have been redesigned and made incredibly thin. They both measure 8.6mm (or .33-inches) thick. Sammy touts them as “the world’s thinnest mobile tablets.” And it’s true; comparatively the iPad 2 is 8.8mm thick. They are also extremely light; the 10.1 and 8.9 weigh just 595 grams and 470 grams, respectively. Because of the thinner design the Tabs have been forced to ditch the 8 megapixel rear camera for a slightly lesser 3 megapixel variant; the front-facing 2MP camera remains in tact, as does the ability to shoot 1080p HD video. Another change lies in the software. Previously Samsung was contemplating shipping the Tab with plain ol’ Honeycomb. This time around they’ve decided to incorporate a new version of their customized skin called TouchWiz UX. The software layer brings a Live Panel menu and Mini Apps Tray to let users browse and manage apps in new ways.

Competitive pricing and availability have been spilled, too. The one with the bigger display will hit the market first on June 8; the 8.9-incher will arrive shortly thereafter in “early summer.” Strictly WiFi-enabled models have been detailed. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will go for $499 (16GB) and $599 (32GB) and the Galaxy Tab 8.9 will also come in 16GB and 32GB SKUs at $469 and $569, respectively. For those of you in the market for a tablet, the Galaxy Tab just became a hot item worth anticipating. Jump after the break for the official PR.

Update: According to Pocket-lint, the original (thicker) Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will ship afterall in the UK only on Vodafone. It will be known as the Galaxy Tab 10.1V.

[Via Gizmodo] Continue reading Samsung details its first foray into the Honeycomb tablet market with 10.1″ & 8.9″ Galaxy Tabs →

iPad 2 coming March 11: faster, lighter, thinner w/ iOS 4.3 & cameras

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On Wednesday Apple revealed the next generation iPad. The iPad 2 is very much an evolutionary iterative device. It is faster, lighter, and thinner than its predecessor, packs back and front-facing cameras, and comes preloaded with a new version of iOS. Take my hand and let’s discover everything that makes iPad 2 the next extraordinary tablet, or as Steve Jobs calls it the “third blockbuster post-PC product” joining the iPod and iPhone.

Specs are important to you, hm? Then let’s start there. iPad 2 is faster. It features Apple’s new 1GHz dual-core A5 processor that is up to 2X faster than the A4; it boasts up to 9X faster graphics and somehow still maintains the same low power as the A4. Battery life remains the same at 10 hours with over a month of standby. iPad 2 is lighter and thinner. It is a mere 8.8mm thick, that’s 33% thinner than the original iPad (13.4mm). In fact, it is even thinner than iPhone 4 (9.3mm). It also lost some weight dropping from 1.5 to 1.3 pounds. On the front you’ll find a VGA camera that takes pictures and records video at 30fps; the camera around back shoots video in 720p HD also at 30fps and can do 5x digital zoom. The built-in gyroscope will assist the device in locating itself in space and orientation; higher precision in gaming will result. Last, Apple has hooked up with AT&T and Verizon to bring 3G data to the tablet.

iPad 2 is coming sooner than you think. It will be made available for purchasing March 11 in two color options: black and white (thankfully the latter ships “from day one”, teehee). Pricing remains the same, too; iPad 2 will come in various capacities (16, 32, 64GB) and models (WiFi, WiFi + 3G) starting at $499. After releasing on the 11th in the U.S., the new iPad will make its way to an additional 26 countries (including Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, and the UK) on March 25.

Learn all about iPad 2’s accessories, iOS 4.3, and new apps after the break. Continue reading iPad 2 coming March 11: faster, lighter, thinner w/ iOS 4.3 & cameras →

Apple rewards MacBook Pro line a deserved refresh

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It has been close to a year since Apple rejuvenated its MacBook Pro line of laptops with fresh processors and graphics chips. This go around the engineering team decided not to change the lappy’s aesthetics but instead upgrade only the internals. Neatly hidden inside the aluminum unibody MBPs are Intel’s latest Core i5 and Core i7 “Sandy Bridge” dual/quad-core processors, Intel HD Graphics 3000, and AMD’s beefier Radeon HD graphics, depending on the screen size (13, 15, and 17 inches). Take note that Apple has ditched NVIDIA’s mobile graphics cards for AMD’s latest and greatest.

Another new addition to the MacBook Pro lineup is a port called Thunderbolt I/O. Apple teamed up with Intel to invent a rehashed version of the DisplayPort with dual copper wire-based Light Peak technology; it doubles as a video out port and a way to transfer data with speeds up to 10 gigabits per second. For comparison’s sake, Thunderbolt can move data to and from peripherals up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) and more than 12 times faster than with FireWire 800. It also happens to best Intel’s next-gen USB 3.0 which promises to reach speeds of up to 5 Gbps. With existing adapters Thunderbolt can support all kinds of throughput including DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, and VGA; Mini DisplayPort support is native. Thunderbolt can daisy-chain up to six peripherals; and speaking of which LaCie and Promise are currently developing Thunderbolt-ready RAID arrays and high capacity external hard drives. Though the MBPs are the first products to include the Thunderbolt port, Intel expects other manufacturers to build it into their computers by early 2012. It’ll be interesting to see if Apple can pioneer the adoption of yet another new display/transfer port. They did it with FireWire way back when, so we’ll see. With Intel on board, they’ve got a fighting chance.

New processors, graphics, Thunderbolt I/O, higher capacity hard drives, and an improved FaceTime 720p HD camera find their way into the refreshed MacBook Pros. Hop after the break to find a full rundown of the new 13, 15, and 17-inchers, including specifications and price. They are all available to customize and purchase today.

[Via Apple]

Continue reading Apple rewards MacBook Pro line a deserved refresh →

LG lets loose G-Slate specifications, spring release window

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In early January at CES 2011 Motorola and T-Mobile took their respective stages to announce the upcoming Honeycomb-powered tablets. While Moto’s Xoom was almost fully fleshed out (exact release date and price are still up in the air), T-Mobile did not provide any details surrounding LG’s G-Slate besides saying it will be the “first 4G Android 3.0 powered tablet.” Well I happy to report that since then both the carrier and the manufacturer of the mysterious tablet have come out with hard specs and a release window. Lets get to it. The G-Slate (otherwise known as the LG Optimus Pad across the pond) packs a 8.9-inch (1280×768 WXGA) multitouch display and runs on a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor. Other specs include 32GB of internal memory, built-in WiFi, gyroscope, accelerometer, and adaptive lighting, and Adobe Flash support. But don’t let me bore you to death; the G-Slate features something the other Honeycomb launch tablets don’t have–2 cameras at the rear for stereoscopic 3D video recording. Working together the two rear-facing camera can capture 1080p HD content that can be viewed on the slate itself (the display is in fact 3D-capable, limited to 720p HD, however) and 3D video (in 1080p resolution) can be pumped out to an external 3D-capable HDTV through HDMI output. One of the rear cameras doubles as a 5 megapixel camera for standard photo capture (with flash) and there’s a third 2 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. It’s important (and rather unfortunate) to note that pesky glasses are required to view 3D content on the slate’s display. Oh well–but it still remains a differentiating factor when it comes to making a purchasing decision between this, the Xoom, and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The G-Slate will release this spring (likely in March) exclusively on T-Mobile’s network in the States, and as mentioned before it will take advantage of T Mo’s “4G” HSPA+ speeds. To end things on an even brighter note, the slate’s expected to ship as a Google Experience device, meaning it will come preloaded with a fresh version of Honeycomb, free of any LG and T-Mobile bloatware. Cheers to that! Pics below, video and PR after the break.

[Via Engadget 1, 2]

Continue reading LG lets loose G-Slate specifications, spring release window →