Tag Archives: specifications

Sony Ericsson makes official Xperia Play (aka the PlayStation Phone)

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Today at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Sony Ericsson made official the Xperia Play. For years the rumor mill has been stockpiled with dreams for the PlayStation Phone to come true and today Sony Ericsson finally addressed the leaks and came out with everything. At its heart the Xperia Play is an Android phone, so let’s start there. The Play runs Android 2.3 (aka Gingerbread, with SE’s TimeScape skin plastered on top) and is powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and embedded Adreno GPU (which promises to deliver games at a “silky smooth” 60 frames per second). It packs a 4-inch (854×480) multitouch display, 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, AGPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, stereo speakers, USB and headphone ports, and microSD slot (8GB card included, expandable up to 32GB). It’s a quad-band GSM/CDMA and EV-DO smartphone. The Play is set to launch in March, and it’s coming to the U.S. exclusively on Verizon in “early spring” at an undisclosed price.

With all the phone facts set aside, now let’s turn to what makes the Xperia Play a gaming device. The Play is being billed as the first PlayStation Certified device, meaning it will have access to PlayStation game content provided through the PlayStation Suite initiative which is set to roll out later this year. SE has partnered with video games publishers to bring not only PS games but also Android Marketplace gaming apps to the device. Franchises such as EA’s Need For Speed, Sims 3, and FIFA 10, Activision’s Guitar Hero, and Gameloft’s Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell will all make their way to the Play. SE promises over 50 titles will be available to download and play by launch. Many titles will come preloaded on the device, too; they include Asphalt Adrenaline 6, Bruce Lee, Star Battalion, The Sims 3, and Tetris. At the press event SE hinted that the Play would also come with a “legendary pre-installed title”, and according to Engadget that game is Crash Bandicoot. So how will you play all these on a smartphone? What makes the Play so brilliantly PlayStation Certified is its slide-out game pad that features dedicated gaming controls like a D-Pad, two analog touch pads, two shoulder buttons, and the four PlayStation buttons (circle, cross, square and triangle). In addition to using these controls to play PS-branded games, Android Marketplace game apps can also take advantage of the traditional control scheme. Other gaming related tidbits worthy of mention… Local area multiplayer can be achieved by hosting a WiFi hotspot on one device and inviting others to it. SE says the Play can handle up to five and a half hours of gameplay on a single charge. Lastly, the Play will receive exclusive bonus content such as game levels and other upgrades.

Though it’s conveniently being hailed as the “PlayStation Phone,” Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play is the first of what promises to be many PlayStation Certified Android-based devices to boast PS content. With a large screen and a slick slide-out game pad, the Xperia Play should deliver on the phone and gaming fronts. Whether or not it will be able to compete with the likes of the NGP or Nintendo 3DS, that’s another question altogether whose answer will largely depend on the Play’s software lineup and games developer support. Images below, video and PR after the break.

[Via Engadget 1, 2]

Continue reading Sony Ericsson makes official Xperia Play (aka the PlayStation Phone) →

Samsung teases Honeycomb-based Galaxy Tab 10.1

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The next Samsung Galaxy Tab is leaps and bounds bigger and badder than its Android 2.2-based predecessor. The aptly titled Galaxy Tab 10.1 features a 10.1-inch WXGA TFT LCD display with a 1280 x 800 resolution. It’s powered by a 1GHz dual-core Tegra processor and it runs atop Google’s “built entirely for tablet” Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb) OS. Unlike the original Tab, its successor does not come bundled with Samsung’s TouchWiz skin; much like Motorola’s Xoom tablet, the Tab 10.1 is being billed as a “Google Experience” device which means that you’ll find the plain vanilla stock Honeycomb OS preloaded and nothing else. Other specs include: rear 8 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, front-facing 2 megapixel camera (both cameras shoot 1080p HD video), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, USB 2.0 and 3.5mm headphone ports, accelerometer and proximity sensors, gyroscope, digital compass, Adobe Flash 10.1 support, 16GB/32GB internal storage. The tablet’s very light and thin at just 1.23 pounds and 0.4-inches thick. HSPA+ support is there, as is EDGE and GPRS. Vodaphone has been named the first carrier to carry the Tab 10.1 and it’s expected to launch in Europe and Asia this March. Pricing and North American release details have not been specified. With the Tab 10.1, Samsung has constructed a worthy competitor to enter the fray with iPad, the Moto Xoom, and the whole slew of tablets readying to make waves in the marketplace. Full PR after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading Samsung teases Honeycomb-based Galaxy Tab 10.1 →

HP introduces three new WebOS devices: Veer, Pre3, and TouchPad

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This week HP introduced three brand new WebOS-enabled devices: two smartphones and a tablet. After gobbling Palm last March, HP has worked very closely with WebOS engineer Job Rubinstein to create innovative new products powered by the mobile and ubiquitously-connected operating system. At HP’s “Think Beyond” event they formally introduced the tiny yet powerful Veer, the next generation Pre3, and the very first tablet to run WebOS, the TouchPad.

HP Veer: The Veer is an extremely small smartphone. At just 54.5mm x 84.0mm x 15.1mm and only 103 grams, it’s about the size of a credit card and slimmer than a deck of cards. Rubinstein described the Veer like this: “The power of a large phone in a compact size.” So let’s see what this tiny beast packs inside. It features a 2.57-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. The Veer will be available in early spring. (It’s being reported that the Veer is too slim to feature actual microUSB and headphone ports, so users will be forced to attach bundled adapters to access those ports.)

Continue reading HP introduces three new WebOS devices: Veer, Pre3, and TouchPad →

Sony unveils the PSP successor, brings PS games to Android devices with PlayStation Suite

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Today Sony hosted PlayStation Meeting 2011 in Japan, and there they announced the successor to the PSP (codenamed NGP) and provided details on how they plan to expand the PlayStation brand to Android devices.

Let’s start with what you’ve been waiting oh-so-long for.  The oft-rumored PSP2 has finally been unveiled.  But don’t call it that; Sony has branded the new device “Next Generation Portable” or NGP for short.  Though at first glance the NGP aesthetically appears similar to its predecessor, additional control options and the spec sheet will blow your mind.  The NGP packs a 5-inch 960×544 OLED capacitive multitouch display (OLED screen technology allows for great viewing angles, and the screen resolution is 4x greater than the PSP’s), a powerful quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, a quad-core Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX543MP4+ GPU, dual analog sticks (as opposed to the PSP’s single analog nub), front and rear-facing cameras, built-in GPS, WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth, microphone, stereo speakers, the same Six-axis motion sensing system that’s featured in the PlayStation Move controller (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), and there’s a three-axis electronic compass.  Buttons-wise, you’ll find the usual suspects: the D-Pad, action buttons (triangle, circle, cross, square), left and right shoulder buttons, start, select, volume, power and PS buttons.  And I’ve managed to save the coolest new input implementation for last. The NGP packs a rear-mounted multitouch pad; it’s the same size as the front-facing OLED display, so the location of your finger is mapped directly to the game screen.  This new kind of input allows for “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” finger gestures and will open up a whole new world of gaming opportunities for developers.  All of this is stuffed inside a “Super Oval Design” form factor that is, again, similar to the PSP (there is no slide-up mechanism as featured in the PSP Go). Continue reading Sony unveils the PSP successor, brings PS games to Android devices with PlayStation Suite →

Motorola Xoom & T-Mobile G-Slate will run Android Honeycomb

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Motorola and T-Mobile were downright giddy to announce their upcoming tablet devices at CES 2011.  That’s because they are excited to bring Honeycomb, Google’s latest iteration of Android built entirely for tablets, to salivating consumers.  Since I already detailed Honeycomb, I think it’d be best to simply jump into specs talk.  Let’s start with the Motorola Xoom since there’s far more information about this product out there.  The Xoom features a 10.1 inch (1280×800) screen and packs NVIDIA’s latest Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of DDR2 RAM.  There’s a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with dual LED flash and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera; support for 720p video recording and 1080p video playback; 32GB of onboard storage that’s expandable with SD card support; 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth; and ports include HDMI out, micro USB 2.0, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.  There’s also a built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer and adaptive lighting.  It will ship with 3G support and eventually gain 4G LTE support on Verizon’s network.  As far as battery life is concerned, Moto’s only saying that it supports up to 10 hours of video playback.  Note that the Xoom does not pack physical buttons.  With Honeycomb, Google no longer requires hardware manufacturers to include buttons along the rim of their devices.  What used to be buttons are now illuminated icons that can be made visible on the device in landscape or portrait modes.  Motorola says they’ll ship the sexy Xoom tablet as a 3G/Wi-Fi-enabled device in Q1 2011 (we’re in that quarter now, so soon!) and they promise these devices will be upgradeable 4G LTE in Q2.  Also in Q2 Moto will introduce an all-out 4G LTE/Wi-Fi- enabled Xoom.  According to recent reports, a strictly WiFi-enabled version will also debut in the Spring.  The Xoom looks like it’s going to be a hot item when it ships; a speedy Tegra 2 processor and the tablet-optimized Honeycomb OS marriage will surely make for an enjoyable mobile experience.

An honorable mention goes to the T-Mobile G-Slate because it is just one of the few tablets announced at CES 2011 that promises to run Honeycomb when it releases.  T-Mobile has partnered with LG to make the hardware. Aside for it being the “first 4G Android 3.0 powered tablet” from T-Mobile, we know nothing else about it really.  At the press event T-Mobile and LG execs held up the mystery tablet, and it look like standard fare–a black slate.  We’ll have to wait for a more detailed announcement in the coming weeks.

Look in the gallery below for close-ups of the Motorola Xoom, and hop after the break to read some PR and watch a couple introductory product videos.

[Via Engadget, here & here]

Continue reading Motorola Xoom & T-Mobile G-Slate will run Android Honeycomb →

More Google news: Chrome 8, Chrome Web Store, Chrome OS

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If you couldn’t figure it out by reading the post title, Google’s web browser that could is being upgraded across the board.  And when I say across the board, I really mean across platforms.  In addition to bringing a slew of updates to the standard Chrome browser in version 8, Google also spilled more details about the Chrome Web Store and its forthcoming operating system based on the browser itself.  All of the juicy details were shared at a Chrome-themed press event on Tuesday, just one day after Google dropped the Android 2.3 with Nexus S bomb.  To say the G-Men dominated this week in tech would be a nasty understatement.  Ready, set, dive…

Chrome 8: Earlier this week Google pushed out the latest update for its desktop browser.  Chrome 8 includes many welcome additions such as a speedy built-in PDF reader and automatic updates.  At the press event, Google previewed some upcoming features that will become fully integrated into the browser in the near future.  First up  is an update to the URL bar, or what the company likes to call the “Omnibox.”  Following in the footsteps of the Google search bar, the Omnibox will handle Google Instant searches.  Chrome will show search results and loading web pages as you type in the box; this saves you the step of pointing the browser to Google.com and then making a search.  Search and Instant Search have become one in the Omnibox.  On top of this, the browser will pick up on your most frequently visited sites and will direct you instantly to them as you type.  For example, if you visit ESPN.com often, when you type the letter “e” in the Omnibox ESPN will start to load up; pretty neat, eh?  Google also boasted browser speed and performance improvements.  Chrome now runs complex JavaScript programs up to twice as fast as before (they say an impending speed enhancement called “Crankshaft” will make the browser 100x faster than what IE’s speed was two years ago, and that’s mighty impressive) and there’s full WebGL support.  If you have a copy of Chrome installed on your computer, an automatic update to version 8 should happen the next time you open it.  And again, expect the Instant Omnibox and crazy speed enhancement to hit the browser soon.

Chrome Web Store: Everyone knows about Apple’s App Store, and it’s about time word of Google’s Chrome Web Store got around.  The concept is simple.  The Web Store houses Chrome Extensions, Themes, and most importantly web apps.  What are web apps and how do they differ from plain ‘ol apps?  Google describes them as “advanced interactive websites”, but essentially they are apps built specifically for use inside a browser.  And that comes with perks–the best one being that you never have to worry about updating them.  Since they live on the web in your browser, updates can be automatically pushed out from the developer at any time without you ever having to think about it.  All web app purchases are tied to your Google Account.  Perk alert!  Since that’s the case, all your purchases app live in the cloud and not on your computer, meaning they can be accessed from any Internet-connected device with a browser (i.e. another computer, a smartphone, etc.).  Google is also making it so that apps can work offline, leaving it up to the developer’s discretion.  Many developers are already jumping on board to make web apps.  At the press event Amazon showcased Kindle for the Web, an app that allows ebook readers to read their purchased titles inside a browser.  And no surprise here; your reading library, last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights will be saved and seamlessly transported to any device you have the Kindle app installed on (said devices include the iOS lineup, Android phones, and obviously a Kindle reader).  The Store also hosts some games, but don’t expect to find anything mindblowing in that genre just yet.  It’s up and running today, so head over to the Chrome Web Store and check it out.  The layout will be familiar to you; app categories on the left, top paid and free on the right, featured apps in the middle.  Go wild. Continue reading More Google news: Chrome 8, Chrome Web Store, Chrome OS →

Dell Inspiron Duo available to purchase now, ships December 17

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Dell’s Inspiron duo convertible tablet is finally available to order.  And a final spec sheet reveals its guts: 10.1-inch HD (1366×768) capacitive multitouch display; Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator; Intel Atom N550 dual core processor (clocked at 1.5GHz); 2GB of RAM; 320GB (7200RPM) HDD; 1.3 megapixel camera with digital microphone; two USB ports and one headphone jack; and it comes preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium and Dell’s custom “duo Stage” software.  The Stage software comes into view when the laptop is transformed into a tablet form factor.  Dell is pimping its ability to “provide quick and easy access to your music, movies and photos” using touch input.  The Inspiron duo is on sale now for $549.99 with a preliminary ship date set for December 17.  Right now it’s available in “Foggy Night” (black), but Dell promises “Fastback Red” and “Marlin Blue” will be available at additional cost at an unspecified date.  For $100 extra Dell is offering the attractive hybrid netbook/tablet with an Audio Dock that features an integrated speaker and subwoofer, two USB ports, a 10/100 Ethernet adapter, and a 7-in-1 card reader.  So if you’re planning on hooking this bad boy up to the Internet and want it to double (erm, triple) as a digital photo frame, the splurge is worth it.  Full PR after the break.

[Via Dell; Engadget] Continue reading Dell Inspiron Duo available to purchase now, ships December 17 →

Dell Inspiron Duo to ship in early December for $549

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It’s official: Dell’s netbook/tablet hybrid is coming to market in the first week of December.  Underneath that conventional, super cool swivel design lies a dual-core Intel Atom N550 processor, 2GB of RAM, a Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator, and 250GB of storage.  In standard laptop mode, Windows 7 Home Premium is your OS.  Transform it into a tablet and you’ll be introduced to Dell’s Duo Stage UI made for fingers.  The 10.1-inch, 1366×768-resolution display can be backed with a coat of blue, black, or red.  The Inspiron Duo is priced at $549.  A JBL speaker dock will ship alongside it; you can get it bundled with the Duo and bring the grand total to $649.  Antsy to get your paws on this slick lookin’ lappy?  This teaser should hold you over ’til it’s sweet release.

[Via Engadget; Dell]

E-ink, shme-ink, says Barnes & Noble; meet Nook Color

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Yesterday Barnes & Noble unveiled the next version of their Nook e-reader.  Nook Color is more than a simple e-reader, proclaims B&N; they call it a “reader’s tablet.”  Let’s run through the impressive specs and features, shall we?  The new Nook was designed in collaboration with industrial designer Yves Behar and it packs a 7-inch (1024×600) LCD color touch display (from LG) that can show more than 16 million colors and has a wide viewing angle thanks to integrated IPS screen technology.  The “VividView” display is covered with a lamination screen film that promises to minimize glare.  E-ink is no where to be found here–this is LCD all the way.  Liken this to iPad reading, not Kindle reading.  It’s light and portable at 8.1” (height) by 5” (width) by 0.48” (depth) and 15.8 ounces.  Built-in 802.11 b/g/n WiFi is used to explore, purchase, and share content.  A 3G model was not announced.  There’s 8GB of internal storage, and that can be expanded up to 32GB thanks to the microSD slot.  B&N claims it has an eight hour battery life with WiFi turned off–a steep price to pay for color support (the original Nook boasts a 10-day battery lifespan).  Nook Color runs Android all across its 7-inch touchscreen (the original Nook features a large E-ink screen with a small Android-powered touch display below it).  Swiping through books and pinch-to-zoom are present and accounted for.

Content and apps time.  The NOOKbook Store includes over two million books for Nook owners to preview and purchase.  NOOKnewsstand brings a whole slew of newspapers, periodicals, and magazines to Nook; they include The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA TODAY, Rolling Stone, Esquire, US Weekly, National Geographic, Martha Stewart Living, Cosmopolitan, and Elle.  Periodicals will be available by subscription and single copy.  Reading is optimized for the touchscreen; ArticleView allows you to customize the reading experience to your liking.   NOOK kids brings over 130 digital picture books and 12,000 chapter books aimed at children.  AliveTouch enables children to interact with words and pictures; it also gives them the option for the device to read a story aloud (death to parenting!).  The Read In Store program allows Nook owners to read Nookbooks for free one hour at a time inside B&N stores only.  With the LendMe app, owners can lend their friends books and request to borrow books from friends; sharing books is free and books can be lended for up to 14 days.  Books can be recommended and shared with friends over Facebook, Twitter, and email; yes, the Nook has gone social.  Since Nook Color technically is a tablet too, developers can now create engaging apps for the device.  B&N calls them “extras” and those available at launch will include Pandora (for music streaming), Quickoffice (for reading Microsoft Office files, PDFs, JEPGs, and more), and games (crossword puzzles, Sudoku, chess, etc.).  Though it runs Android, users will not have access to the Android Market or Market apps.  The upswing?  A full browser is included to surf the web (Flash is not supported).

Nook Color hits store shevles November 19 for $249.  You can preorder today at the B&N website.  It will go on sale at Walmart, Best Buy, and Books-a-Million in late November.  Full PR after the break.

In addition to announcing Nook Color, B&N took time to share details about a pending software update for the original Nook (WiFi) and Nook (WiFi+3G) models.  Expect faster page-turn speed, improved search functionality, customized B&N Library organization, password protection, and continuous reading across all NOOK devices and software.  Firmware update 1.5 will be available as a free download via WiFi this November.

[Via B&N; Engadget]

Continue reading E-ink, shme-ink, says Barnes & Noble; meet Nook Color →

HP gives in, officially unveils Windows 7 powered HP Slate priced at $799

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After almost an entire year of teases, demos, random resurfaces, and handlings on YouTube, the once mysterious HP Slate has been formally announced and detailed.  What was originally intended for the consumer market has been tailored and made destined for “business, enterprise and vertical customers.”  (You can thank HP’s aquisition of Palm and their current plans of designing webOS tablets for this slight shakeup in marketing.)  By now you should know the Slate’s specs by heart, but let’s run through them anyway, you know, for fun.  Weighing in at 1.5 pounds, the Slate features a 8.9-inch (1024×600) capacitive multitouch display, 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z540 processor, 2GB of RAM, 64GB SSD, 802.11n WiFi, rear-facing 5 megapixel camera (for taking still images and video), front-facing VGA camera (for video chat), and a Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video accelerator to help provide 1080p video playback.  Ports-wise there’s 1 USB, a headphone jack, an SD card slot, and a mic.  A myriad of buttons surround the bezel; there’s a home button, a keyboard button that brings up and hides the on-screen keyboard, volume up/down buttons, and a Ctrl-Alt-Delete key.

The Slate 500 runs a clean version of Windows 7 Professional; you won’t find any kind of HP skin here, which can be a good or bad thing depending on your preferences.  Unlike Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android Froyo platform, Windows 7 was not designed from the ground up for touch input.  A capacitive screen and a fairly speedy Intel processor will get the job done, but just barely.  If you are willing to learn how to navigate a made for mouse-and-keyboard OS using your fat fingers, go for it.  All I’m saying is that it might be hard to justify dropping $799 for a tablet of this kind.  A worthy iPad contender this is not.  If you’re anti-Apple, I’d recommend purchasing the Samsung Galaxy Tab over the Slate any day.

But enough of my gripes.  Let’s talk Slate accessories and release details.  It ships with a Wacom active digital pen to use for note taking and writing emails.  It also comes with a dock fitted with an HDMI port for video out and a “portfolio” case.  Again the Slate will ship for $799 and it’s coming to the U.S. first (at an undisclosed date) and will then be “evaluated for further market expansion.”

Look in the gallery below for stills and after the break for official PR.

[Via Engadget]

RIM unveils a tablet of its own, the BlackBerry PlayBook

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On Monday Research In Motion (RIM) CEO Mike Lazaridis unveiled a BlackBerry tablet device called the BlackBerry PlayBook at the 2010 BlackBerry Developer Conference.  So what exactly is the PlayBook, you ask?  Let’s start with the hardware specifications.  The 7-inch LCD display (1024 x 600, WSVGA) dominates the device in a form factor we’ve all come to know and love in the Apple iPad.  It’s a capacitive touch screen with full multitouch and gesture support.  For a modern tablet, this thing is a beast.  It packs a Cortex A9-based 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM.  Ports around the edges include microHDMI, microUSB, and charging contacts.  802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR support is there as well.  Various video (1080p HD Video, H.264, MPEG, DivX, WMV) and audio (MP3, AAC, WMA) playback formats are supported, as is HDMI video output.  There are two HD webcams, a 3MP cam on the front and a 5MP cam at the rear; the back-facing cam supports 1080p HD video recording.  The PlayBook measures at 5.1″x7.6″x0.4″ and weighs less than one pound, making it smaller and lighter than the iPad.  3G & 4G models will be issued, and although capacity was not formally announced, 16GB & 32GB units were on display.

Next let’s talk software.  No, the PlayBook does not run the recently announced BlackBerry 6 operating system.  Instead it runs BlackBerry Tablet OS, an operating system built with a touch-based interface in mind.  It’s built upon the QNX Neutrino microkernel architecture.  QNX is a software company RIM bought earlier this year, and they are respected in the industry for their reliable, secure, and robust operating system architectures known for powering planes, trains, automobiles, medical equipment, and large core Internet routers.  In other words, RIM is messing around with Tablet OS.  So what’s RIM pushing with their new OS?  The combination of the 1GHz dual-core processor software-based symmetric multiprocessing promises “true multitasking” and a highly responsive, fluid user experience.  You can look forward to “uncompromised web browsing” thanks to support from Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Mobile AIR, and HTML5 in the mobile WebKit browser.  The PlayBook also touts BlackBerry integration and enterprise-ready support.  This is where RIM is really looking to stand out in the competition.  If you have a BlackBerry smartphone you can pair it to your PlayBook over a Bluetooth connection to view “email, BBM, calendar, tasks, documents and other content” on the larger tablet display, no syncing required.  The PlayBook comes BlackBerry Enterprise Server-ready and compatible out-of-the-box, so this’ll surely make the suits a happy bunch.

Lastly it’s time to bring up developer and app support.  The PlayBook will have access to the BlackBerry App World.  RIM claims that the Tablet OS is “built for developers” and wants the app-makers to start pumping out consumer and business-friendly apps ASAP.  Apple has one leg up on the competition due to the uber-success of the App Store and all its contents and RIM is ready and willing to heat up the competition.  “The [Tablet] OS is fully POSIX compliant enabling easy portability of C-based code, supports Open GL for 2D and 3D graphics intensive applications like gaming, and will run applications built in Adobe Mobile AIR as well as the new BlackBerry WebWorks app platform.”  In addition to announced the PlayBook, RIM pleased developers in attendance with the announced of the WebWorks platform and other dev tools.  In short, WebWorks will allow devs to quickly and efficiently write code for a BlackBerry app that’s tightly integrated with BB 6 and Tablet OS functionality.  A new Advertising Service allows “simple” and “rich media” ads to be easily transposed into an app.  The Payment Service SDK will allow for in-app purchases for third-party devs over over credit card, PayPal, and carrier billing.  Last, RIM is finally opening up BMM to the devs with the BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform.  App devs will have the ability to use BBM to relay messages, files, user profiles, and invitations to end users.

Besides letting loose details about the hardware specifications, glossing over the software capabilities, and getting developers excited to produce content for a new platform, RIM unfortunately did not give an in-depth preview of the the Tablet OS, so it’s hard to say how simple or intuitive the device actually runs.  Definitely peek after the break to watch a preview video that hints at a CoverFlow/WebOS hybrid UI.  It’s interesting to look at how RIM wants to market the PlayBook.  They are calling it a “professional-grade” tablet that is “perfect for either large organizations or an “army of one.””  They are certainly distancing themselves from King iPad by touting the Flash/ HTML5 Webkit browser and true multitasking from the start.  I get it–business suits love their BlackBerrys for the phenomenal enterprise support and the PlayBook would make a sensible companion.  Thing is, I’m not so sure if BlackBerry can bank on the “professional” demographic to gain much market (and more importantly) mind share with the PlayBook.  (What? Is Apple’s approach too fun and playful for serious buyers? I think not.)  Two things need to happen for the PlayBook to become a breakout hit.  The device needs to be competitively priced (pricing has yet to be disclosed) and the App World needs a big backing from developers.  The latter requirement is essential; super resourceful apps make all devices (cell phones, tablets, etc.) enticing for consumers and business professionals alike.  RIM has to prove the worthiness of the PlayBook, devs need to jump onboard the platform, and consumers will respond when it comes time to buy.  The PlayBook has tons of potential and people are excited; Twitter was beeming with positive feedback after the announcement was made.  If RIM can properly execute on this, a worthy competitor to the iPad might finally arrive.  The PlayBook is expected to release in “early 2011” in the US; international rollouts will begin in Q2 2011.

[Via Engadget, here & here]

Continue reading RIM unveils a tablet of its own, the BlackBerry PlayBook →

Boxee Box: Internet video on your TV coming this November for $199

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Today Boxee CEO Avner Ronen announced that the Boxee Box by D-Link will cost $199 when it releases this November.  But what is the Boxee Box, you ask?  Let me tell you.

The Internet is packed with tons of video.  There’s YouTube, Hulu, Netflix, and so on.  All of these portals host all kinds of video ranging from movies, TV shows, and user-generated content.  Some of these sites feature video in high definition (up to 1080p) and they look great on our desktop monitors and laptop displays.  Boxee’s aim is to bring the abundance of video found all over the Internet from your small computer screen to your large HDTV.  For years the Boxee software has been available to download for free on the PC, Mac, and Linux and for those who own Boxee-compatible hardware (ie. Apple TV).  After years of development, Boxee is almost ready to release the Boxee Box into the wild.  The hardware is collabortively made by Boxee and D-Link and the software is developed in-house by the Boxee team.  With the Boxee Box, the company is going to bring the ultimate Boxee experience to the living room–they are going to tailor the Internet for the TV 1080p, 5.1 surround sound style (where available).

In essence, the Boxee software aggregates video content from all over the Internet into one place, making it extremely simple to find a TV show, movie, or really any kind of streaming video that is available on the web.  The Boxee Box will feature a streamlined user interface to make accessing any streaming video on the ‘Net a snap.  For example, let’s say you want to watch an episode of ABC’s Modern Family.  You can search the keyboard “Modern Family” and Boxee will scour the Internet for all legal outlets that are streaming episodes from that show.  Thanks to the Boxee Box’s built-in Mozilla-based Webkit browser with Flash & HTML5 support, you will have access to so much content you won’t know where to start.  And the best part is that the Boxee service is f-r-e-e free!  Once you pay for the hardware, there are no additional costs, no subscription fees, no nothing.  Stream free video content from the Internet to your TV.  That’s it.  (Keep in mind that you can also stream Netflix, Hulu Plus, MLB.tv, and other paid content as long as you are a paying subscriber.)

Besides streaming video content from the Internet to your TV, the Boxee Box will also support social networking and all kinds of apps.  You can attach your Facebook and Twitter accounts to the Box to keep a tab on what your friends are watching and give recommendations.  (Boxee calls this the “first “social” media center”, get it?)  In the app center, you can download Internet-streaming applications like Pandora and MLB.tv and run them straight from Boxee.  You can take things one step further by wirelessly connecting the Boxee Box to your home network, enabling you to access “virtually any file type” from your computer (think pictures, music, video) to view on your HDTV.  If you can view it on your computer, chances are you can view it on your TV if you have the Boxee Box–get it?

Let’s talk products specs. Continue reading Boxee Box: Internet video on your TV coming this November for $199 →