Poketab 6, designed for Japanese hands!

Apparently the Nexus 7 is too big for Japanese's little hands. Hence the launch of a pocketable 6-inch tablet, "familiar in the hands of the Japanese" (gotta love Google Translate).

Specs are pretty low-end with a Cortex A8 CPU, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage and a 800 x 480 display, but the Poketab 6 is available for only 8,780円 (about $90). A first on the Japanese market.

Source: Gdm.or.jp

6 tablets from Onkyo!

Renowned Japanese electronics manufacturer Onkyo launches a range of SIX affordable Android tablets.

✓ TA07C-A41X1
✓ Android 4.0
✓ 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A8 (Allwinner A13)
✓ Mali 400 graphics
✓ 800 x 480 display
✓ 512MB RAM
✓ 4GB storage
✓ 260g
✓ 10,480 円

✓ TA07C-C41R1
✓ Android 4.1
✓ 1.6GHz ARM Cortex A9 (Dual Core Rockchip RK3066)
✓ Mali 400 graphics
✓ 1024 x 600 IPS display
✓ 1GB RAM
✓ 8GB storage
✓ 355g
✓ 14,800 円

✓ TA08C-A41R1
✓ Android 4.1
✓ 1.6GHz ARM Cortex A9 (Dual Core Rockchip RK3066)
✓ Mali 400 graphics
✓ 1024 x 768 display
✓ 1GB RAM
✓ 8GB storage
✓ 450g
✓ 16,800 円

✓ TA09C-A41R3
✓ Android 4.1
✓ 1.6GHz ARM Cortex A9 (Dual Core Rockchip RK3066)
✓ Mali 400 graphics
✓ 1024 x 768 IPS display
✓ 1GB RAM
✓ 16GB storage
✓ 680g
✓ 25,800 円

✓ TA09C-B41R3
✓ Android 4.1
✓ 1.6GHz ARM Cortex A9 (Dual Core Rockchip RK3066)
✓ Mali 400 graphics
✓ 2048 x 1536 display
✓ 1GB RAM
✓ 16GB storage
✓ 660g
✓ 28,800 円

✓ TA2C-A41R3
✓ Android 4.1
✓ 1.6GHz ARM Cortex A9 (Dual Core Rockchip RK3066)
✓ Mali 400 graphics
✓ 1280 x 800 display
✓ 1GB RAM
✓ 16GB storage
✓ 610g
✓ 25,800 円

Source: Gdm.or.jp

Beats Audio tablet from HP!

It's nice to see HP back in the game, but why is the bezel so big?

"HP today announced the HP Slate7, an affordable Android Jelly Bean consumer tablet that provides customers with easy access to Google Mobile services.

With a 7-inch diagonal screen and weighing 13 ounces, the HP Slate7 is an ideal trusted personal companion, featuring a stainless-steel frame and soft black paint in gray or red on the back. It also is the industry's first tablet to offer embedded Beats Audio, for the best-sounding, richest audio experience available on a tablet.

The HP Slate7 delivers the Google experience with services like Google Now, Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive and Google+ Hangouts for multiperson video chat as well as access to apps and digital content through Google Play.Powered by an ARM Dual Core Cortex-A9 1.6 GHz processor, the HP Slate7 is fast and responsive.

The HP Slate7 is expected to be available in the United States in April with a starting price of $169."

Iconia Tab beefed up!

We played with Acer's B1, and frankly we are not impressed. The screen does look cheap and plasticky. A 16GB version is available tomorrow for €139.

✓ Android Jelly Bean operating system
✓ Mediatek dual-core 1.2GHz processor (MTK 8317T)
✓ 7-inch multitouch screen with 1,024 x 600 resolution display
✓ 512MB of RAM
✓ 16GB storage
✓ Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
✓ Bluetooth® wireless technology 4.0
✓ GPS
✓ 3.5mm headset/headphone/microphone jack
✓ MicroSD slot with up to 32GB support
✓ Front-facing 0.3-megapixel webcam
✓ Rechargeable 2,710 mAh battery
✓ Micro-USB (charging and PC connect) with USB 2.0
✓ 197.4 mm x 128.5 mm x 11.3 mm
✓ 320 g

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 full specs!

✓ HSPA＋ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100
✓ 1.6GHz A9 quad-core processor
✓ 8” WXGA (1280x800, 189 ppi) TFT
✓ Android 4.1.2 (Jellybean)
✓ Rear 5 Megapixel Camera
✓ Front 1.3 Megapixel Camera
✓ Video: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV, DivX (1080p @ 30fps)
✓ Audio: Codec: MP3, AAC, AAC＋, eAAC＋, WMA, AC3, FLAC
✓ A-GPS ＋ GLONASS (3G Version)
✓ Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 & 5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, AllShareCast
✓ BT4.0, USB2.0
✓ Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity sensor
✓ 2GB RAM
✓ 16GB / 32 GB storage
✓ microSD (up to 64GB)
✓ 210.8 X 135.9mm, 338g (3G Version)
✓ Standard battery, Li-ion 4,600mAh

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 is real!

 

Samsung's pen-enabled Note series is about to expand. A 8-inch Note is definitely coming at MWC 2013.

What we know so far:

✓ 1280 x 800 display IPS display
✓ 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos
✓ 2 GB RAM
✓ 32GB / 64GB storage
✓ 1.3-megapixel front / 5-megapixel rear cameras

Source: Engadget

Install Ubuntu Touch Preview on a Nexus 7!

Brad from Liliputing just posted a step by step guide for installing Ubuntu Touch Preview on your Nexus 7. We're still at an early stage, but we do believe that this could be big.

KDE Plasma Active on the Nexus 7!

The Muktware team just published a step by step procedure to install KDE Plasma Active on Google's 7-inch tablet.

Granted it's slow, and by slow we mean painfully slow and laggy as hell. But things look promising, and yay for diversity.

Source: Muktware

Ubuntu for tablets!

Best tech news of 2013 so far, Ubuntu is coming to tablets!

Key features :

✓ True multitasking
✓  Multiple secure user accounts
✓ Effortless navigation (no physical button)
✓ Full screen content and apps
✓ Voice control (Ubuntu HUD)
✓ Instant share and cloud connections
✓ Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps, Gmail, Spotify, available from day one

Hardware requirements for entry level consumer Ubuntu tablet :

✓ Dual-core A15
✓  2GB RAM
✓ 4GB preferred Flash storage
✓ 7-10 inch size
✓ 4 fingers multitouch

Hardware requirements for high-end Ubuntu enterprise tablet :

✓ Quad-core A15 or Intel x86
✓ 4 GB RAM
✓ 8GB minimum Flash storage
✓ 10-12 inch size
✓ 4-10 fingers multitouch
✓ Full desktop convergence

More details should be available at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Source: Ubuntu

Iriver WOWtab!

MP3/PMP pioneer Iriver launches its own Tegra 3 tablet, at a more affordable price than the Nexus 7 (about $180). It's nice to see 7-inch tablets everywhere. We believe it's the perfect size for everyone, including children. A rear camera would be even nicer tho.

✓ 7" IPS display
✓ 1280 × 800 display
✓ 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8960
✓ Android 4.1
✓ 1GB RAM
✓ 16GB storage
✓ 1 x micro SDHC slot (up to 32GB)
✓ 1 x micro USB port
✓ Bluetooth® v4.0
✓ Wifi 802.11b/g/n
✓ 10.6 mm thick
✓ 338 g

Souces: Kbench, Iriver via Minimachines

The world's lightest 7-inch tablet in Barcelona!

Japanese exclusive MEDIAS TAB UL N-08D to reach global audience at Mobile World Congress 2013. Its 249 grams could be a selling point as well as its processor, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 reportedly faster than Nvidia's Tegra 3.

✓ 7" IPS display
✓ 1280 × 800 display
✓ Gorilla® Glass
✓ 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8960
✓ Android 4.1
✓ 1GB RAM
✓ 16GB storage
✓ 1 x microSDHC slot (up to 32GB)
✓ Bluetooth® v4.0
✓ Wifi 802.11b/g/n
✓ 3G / LTE
✓ 7.9 mm thick
✓ 249 g

Source: NEC

Samsung's Tizen tablet is coming!

It makes sense that Samsung would want its own OS. And plans are definitely underway to ditch Android.

If a phone is indeed released this year, how long until a Tizen Edition of the Galaxy Tabs?

Sources: Cnet and AllThingsD