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Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 announced, joins the Android tablet line-up with a 7-inch screen

Posted by Gsurface on April 29, 2013 No comments

If an 8-inch stylus-enabled Galaxy Tablet wasn’t your cup of tea, perhaps Samsung’s new seven-inch model will do the trick. The Galaxy Tab 3 has gone official and the third iteration of the company’s first Android tablet arrives with a 1.2GHz processor, 8GB or 16GB of storage (with expansion up to 64GB), a 3- and 1.3-megapixel camera array and a substantial 4,000mAh battery. That 7-inch WSVGA (1,024 x 600) TFT display suggests it’s likely to be a keenly-priced slate, although we’re still waiting to hear on specifics. Samsung’s loaded up the Galaxy Tab 3 with Android 4.1 and says that the WiFi version will launch “globally” in May, while an incoming 3G model (no LTE at this point, but it’ll be able to make calls) will follow in June.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3

Filed under: Tablets, Samsung

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Source: Samsung Mobile

7-inch tablets are the most popular Android tablets

Posted by Gsurface on April 14, 2013 No comments

In an unsurprising report, it looks like 7-inch tablets are the most popular Android tablets. While some people prefer the bigger screen real estate of a 10-inch tablet, or the perfect screen balance of a 8.9-inch tablet, neither sized tablets have the affordability of a 7-inch tablet. According to Animoca, an app publisher for entertainment

Xbox SmartGlass nabs Android update, now supports 7-inch or larger tablets, stops screen sleep

Posted by Gsurface on April 11, 2013 No comments

Microsoft’s SmartGlass for Android app has just hit version 1.5 thanks to a fresh update on Google Play. The app, which lets users control their XBox via a smartphone or tablet, will now be optimized to work on 7-inch and larger Android tablets. Other new features include an (unfortunately-worded) “always-on” Smartglass Experiences state, which actually just prevents your handset or slate from sleeping while they’re running, along with bug fixes and “numerous design and usability improvements.” We’ll have to give it a further play to see if there’s anything juicy buried in the latter, but meanwhile, you can grab it at the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Tablets, Microsoft

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Source: Google Play

7-inch Ematic Genesis Prime brings Jelly Bean to you for only $79.99

Posted by Gsurface on April 2, 2013 No comments

The Ematic Genesis Prime is another budget Android tablet hoping to break into the market. It boasts an affordable price tag of only $ 79.99, while still offering you the joys of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. However, we all know that there has to be some dealbreaker when it comes to these “too good to be

Hands-on with the smaller, less expensive 7-inch Wikipad (video)

Posted by Gsurface on April 2, 2013 No comments

When the Wikipad went from 10.1-inches to just 7-inches earlier this year, subsequently cutting its price in half alongside the size reduction, the gaming-centric Android tablet went from riskily priced potential failure to affordable item of interest in one swift move. $ 500 for a 10.1-inch tablet with a proprietary gaming controller peripheral? With a Tegra 3, no less? That already sounds outdated, and at $ 500, it sounds outright crazy. Though Wikipad promises a 10.-1-inch version is still in the works, the 7-incher is headed for retail in the coming weeks, with the aforementioned Tegra 3 quad-core SoC, a 1,280 x 800 IPS screen, Jellybean 4.1, and that enormous detachable game controller (12 buttons in all!). At last week’s Game Developers Conference, we had a chance to check out the latest version of the Wikipad just ahead of its retail launch — for more on that meeting, join us beyond the break.

Gallery: Wikipad hands-on (7-inch, GDC 2013)

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Tablets

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Windows 8 hardware requirement update hints at 7-inch tablet

Posted by Gsurface on March 29, 2013 No comments

A recent change in Microsoft’s hardware requirements for Windows 8 is creating a lot of speculation on what Microsoft has planned in the future. Previously, Windows 8 could only run on displays with a resolution of at least 1366×768. However, that requirement has been lowered to only 1024×768, which means that we could see smaller

Asus launches Memo Pad 7-inch Android tablet for $149

Posted by Gsurface on January 14, 2013 No comments

Asus has announced the launch of a new tablet running the Android operating system that promises to be one of the cheapest offerings on the market. The tablet is called the Memo Pad and has a seven-inch screen. The tablet runs the Android 4.1 operating system and offers full support for Google Play. That means

Bloomberg: HTC will introduce 7-inch and 12-inch Windows RT tablets in 2013

Posted by Gsurface on December 21, 2012 No comments

Well, it looks like Microsoft has changed its tune about HTC’s “experience” when it comes to churning out tablets. Today, Bloomberg reports that the Taiwan-based manufacturer will introduce 7-inch and 12-inch tablets that are based on Qualcomm chips with Windows RT. This news directly contradicts a previous report that suggested HTC would be excluded from the Windows tablet world. If the stars align, we can expect each of these devices to hit the market in Q3 of 2013, although pricing remains up in the air. Curiously, the 7-inch iteration is also said to make phone calls, which sounds eerily similar to the the Android-based Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7. One thing you won’t find, however, are Windows 8-based tablets from HTC, which the company is said to have abandoned due to high costs. Sources speculate that HTC’s entry into the fray is based on Microsoft’s desire for more manufacturers and greater diversity in the tablet lineup. No doubt that a miniature RT device will accomplish just that.

Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft, HTC

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Via: Techmeme

Source: Bloomberg

Engadget

Xbox SmartGlass for Android updated with official 7-inch tablet support

Posted by Gsurface on November 30, 2012 No comments

Microsoft brought its SmartGlass Xbox 360 second screen app to Android last month, however official support was limited to smartphones. While many found that sideloading got the app running on their other devices, an update today has officially added support for tablets of the 7-inch variety. There’s also fixes for specific crashes tied to the achievements and settings screens, but not much else. If you’ve been waiting to bring your Nexus 7 along as GPS in Forza Horizon or control tracks in Dance Central 3, hit the source link to install the app straight from Google Play.

Filed under: Gaming, Tablets, Microsoft

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Source: Google Play

Engadget

Lenovo sees 7-inch tablets to vie with phones, not PCs

Posted by Gsurface on November 9, 2012 No comments

The burgeoning 7-inch tablet market will do battle with large-screen smartphones, says Lenovo. [Read more]

CNET News

Microsoft reportedly working on 7-Inch Xbox Surface tablet

Posted by Gsurface on November 7, 2012 No comments

New reports suggest that Microsoft’s tablet hardware strategy may just be taking a distinctly mullet-like approach designed to appeal to professionals and casual users alike.

FOX News

Xbox Surface 7-inch tablet rumors reappear ahead of Xbox 720

Posted by Gsurface on November 6, 2012 No comments

Chatter of a 7-inch Xbox Surface tablet has reawakened, with sources claiming Microsoft is currently working in the initial hardware planning stages for a gaming-centric slate built on a custom Windows OS. The planned tablet is broadly in line with leaked specifications back in June, so insiders tell The Verge, though whether it runs a custom

Continue reading Amazon Kindle Fire HD review (7-inch)

Ahead of Apple event, Sharp reveals 7-inch tablet with IGZO display

Posted by Gsurface on October 17, 2012 No comments

Japan's Sharp said Wednesday it will soon launch a small 7-inch tablet with its new IGZO displays, a week ahead of an Apple press event that is widely expected to reveal a mini tablet also linked to the new power-saving technology.
Computerworld News

Sharp’s 7-inch AQUOS Pad SHT21 brings low-power IGZO LCD tech to tablets in Japan

Posted by Gsurface on October 17, 2012 No comments

The AQUOS Phone Zeta SH-02E was first with Sharp’s new IGZO LCD technology a few days ago and it’s been quickly with another device, the AQUOS Pad SHT21. Scheduled to debut on Japanese carrier KDDI in mid-December, this 7-inch slate claims battery life of up to two and a half times greater than the previous model thanks to the low-power characteristics of its display, and weighs just 280g. It’s powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 CPU, and features a 1280×800 screen resolution, pen input, 1GB RAM, 16GB built-in storage, microSDXC slot, Bluetooth 4.0, MHL, NFC, 3,460mAh battery and 4G LTE capability. Hit the source link for more details courtesy of Engadget Japan.

Filed under: Tablets, Mobile

Sharp’s 7-inch AQUOS Pad SHT21 brings low-power IGZO LCD tech to tablets in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 01:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source Engadget Japan, KDDI, Sharp Japan | Email this | Comments
Engadget

Amazon Kindle Fire HD review (7-inch)

Posted by Gsurface on September 12, 2012 No comments

More Info

It was 10 months ago that we had a doppelgänger in our midst. Amazon unleashed the Kindle Fire to the world and we spent much of the beginning of our review comparing and contrasting it to the (even then a bit long-in-the-tooth) BlackBerry PlayBook. Now, finally, we can stop making that comparison — at least for this, Amazon’s current top-shelf tablet.

It’s the Kindle Fire HD and it quite handily addresses nearly every concern that we had with the original Fire. It’s thinner, lighter, faster and, yes, better looking. It’s a huge step forward from that which came before and yet it still follows very much in the footsteps of its predecessor, existing as a physical portal to a digital marketplace with an alluring selection of premium content. Is it enough of an improvement to topple our current king of budget tablets, the Nexus 7? You’ll just have to read on to find out.

Gallery: Amazon Kindle Fire HD review

Filed under: Tablets

Amazon Kindle Fire HD review (7-inch) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Kindle Fire HD 7-inch hands-on

Posted by Gsurface on September 6, 2012 No comments

As expected, the big news at today’s gadget-filled Amazon event is the successor to the Kindle Fire, which was launched in New York, roughly this time last year. It’s not the Fire 2, however — this is the Kindle Fire HD. It’s clear the minute you grab hold of it that Amazon wanted to start over with this device in a number of ways. There’s none of that OEM build quality from the first go-round. This is a nice, slim device that really feels as though it can stand up to some of the nicer Android tablets out there — we’d certainly put our initial impressions of build up there with the Nexus 7.

The corners of the tablet are more rounded than its predecessor, with a glossy bezel going around the display — a little bit of the rubberized backing creeps out on top of this. There are no buttons here, however. If you want to effect the screen, give it a tap and you get a small virtual menu on the side. As advertised, the display is quite vivid. Amazon talked up the decrease of glare, though it was a bit hard to tell just how successful the company was, given the fact that we’re indoors. The device has a matte rear, with that stereo speaker going down a line in a middle, vents on either side.

Performance-wise, this seemed pretty snappy, and we got the pre-loaded (at least on Amazon’s own tablet) Hunger Games movie to load quite quickly, thanks no doubt to all of the investment the company put into the WiFi side of this device. Interestingly, there was a little lag as we were flipping through the pages of a book, with the Fire doing a little loading every few pages or so.

Gallery: Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7-inch

Filed under: Tablets

Kindle Fire HD 7-inch hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Amazon reportedly unveiling two 7-inch Kindle Fires on September 6

Posted by Gsurface on August 31, 2012 No comments

Many of you have already heard the rumors that claim Amazon will be revealing a new Kindle Fire next week at a press conference, and when it does, most were expecting to see a larger tablet on offer, similar to Apple’s iPad. A new report is shedding some doubt on that, as CNET‘s anonymous sources

Continue reading Archos unveils 7-inch GamePad with physical controls, Ice Cream Sandwich for ‘less than €150′

Archos unveils 7-inch GamePad with physical controls, Ice Cream Sandwich for ‘less than €150′

Posted by Gsurface on August 29, 2012 No comments

Archos already has its hands in the kiddie-tablet market, with its 7-inch Arnova Child Pad, and it’s taking on the productivity-minded crowd with its keyboard-toting 101 XS. Now the company is going after another niche segment with the just-announced GamePad. The 7-inch slate runs Android 4.0 with a dual-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz and a quad-core Mali 400 MP GPU, and it sports physical gaming controls in addition to the standard touchscreen. Archos includes its own “game recognition and mapping tools,” which ensure that the physical buttons are compatible with Android games that use virtual controls (some 1,000 titles are apparently compatible with the GamePad at this point). Of course, this is an internet-enabled device as well, and it will include full access to the Play market and WiFi connectivity when it goes on sale at the end of October. Other specs include 8GB of internal storage, plus a microSD card slot that adds up to 64GB. There’s also a mini-HDMI connection for outputting content to your TV. For now, Archos is only announcing pricing as “less than €150″, and the device will drop in the US and Europe at the same time. For now, the below-the-break press release will have to satisfy your curiosity.

Filed under: Gaming, Tablets

Archos unveils 7-inch GamePad with physical controls, Ice Cream Sandwich for ‘less than €150′ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 08:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Steve Jobs: 7-inch tablets ‘DOA’ — yeah, right

Posted by Gsurface on August 5, 2012 No comments

The 7-inch tablet is dead on arrival. Oh, wait, let me take that back.
[Read more]
CNET News

Alleged images of 7-inch iPad shell appear from the east

Posted by Gsurface on August 4, 2012 No comments

Hey, did you hear… Apple is making a 7-inch iPad. Well, the top brass at least thought about it, this much we know. What might it look like if it ever comes to be? Well, if you’re willing to be a bit skeptical, it might look like the above. These images — claiming to be legit iPad parts — popped up on Chinese social media site Sina Weibo. There’s little other activity on the account to back up the source, and the omission of a camera hole might irk some, but if these were early parts, then that could be something that is added later. For now, we’re left to fill in the gaps with out imagination, which also includes hoping other recent teases might also make the leap into reality.

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Alleged images of 7-inch iPad shell appear from the east originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Aug 2012 14:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechnoBuffalo | source Mark (Sina Weibo) | Email this | Comments
Engadget

Trial with Samsung reveals Apple's 7-inch iPad vision, 'Purple Project'

Posted by Gsurface on August 4, 2012 No comments

Apple considered developing a car or a camera after seeing the iPod's success, and in early 2011 one of its top executives recommended making a 7-inch iPad, Friday's testimony and documents revealed in the company's patent suit against Samsung.
Computerworld News

Here’s Apple’s e-mail thread about a 7-inch iPad

Posted by Gsurface on August 4, 2012 No comments

Apple may not have a 7-inch version of the iPad available, but a newly unearthed piece of evidence shows the company’s top brass was into the idea.
[Read more]
CNET News

ViewSonic ViewPad E72 hits FCC: ICS in a 7-inch package

Posted by Gsurface on July 19, 2012 No comments

This year has already seen a fair share of ViewPads — with ViewSonic outing the E70 and 10e tablets at CES and introducing three more slates ahead of MWC — but the more the merrier, right? According to the company’s latest FCC filing, the ViewPad E72 will be fleshing out the already well-padded lineup. The E72 runs Android 4.0 on a 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 display, and packs a 1GHz Cortex A9 CPU under the hood. Storage is limited to 8GB, but that’s expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card. The 0.86-pound slate has a 0.3-megapixel camera (no rear-facing shooter here) and is rated for up to four hours of battery life. Think this might be the budget-priced serving of ICS you’ve been waiting for? Click through to the user manual, or hit up the source link for a rundown of the E72′s specs.

Filed under: Tablet PCs

ViewSonic ViewPad E72 hits FCC: ICS in a 7-inch package originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 05:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink FCC | source ViewSonic | Email this | Comments
Engadget

A Very Giveaway Fourth: Win One Of Four 7-inch Samsung Galaxy 2 Tablets From Rebtel

Posted by Gsurface on July 4, 2012 No comments

The charming folks at Rebtel wanted you and yours to have a great July 4th (even if you’re British, South African, Chinese, or any other nationality that doesn’t celebrate the Fourth). That said, they’re offering four 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 tablets with $ 100 in calling credit from Rebtel. Fireworks!
TechCrunch

Hulu Plus Android app tweaked for 7-inch, high res screens, officially supports more devices

Posted by Gsurface on June 25, 2012 No comments

The Hulu Plus app for Android has been updated, and after adding tablets in the last update it now officially supports a few more devices, most notably the Galaxy S II family, Galaxy Tab 2 and HTC One S, among others. While sideloading the APK previously worked for some unsupported hardware, now they can be directly installed from the market. Also noted in the changelog for this version are improved support for 7-inch tablets, and high resolution screens. Hey, we wonder if any new 7-inch Android tablets with high resolution screens might be arriving soon?

[Thanks, Lee]

Hulu Plus Android app tweaked for 7-inch, high res screens, officially supports more devices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 08:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source Google Play | Email this | Comments
Engadget

ASUS MeMO 370T 7-inch tablet clears the FCC, leaves no trace of Ice Cream or Jelly behind

Posted by Gsurface on May 30, 2012 No comments

The 7-inch ASUS Eee Pad MeMO ME370T we saw in early prototype form during CES just passed through the FCC. It’s still only showing WiFi radios with no trace of a cellular connection, although if it’s going to be the $ 249 standard bearer NVIDIA and ASUS were so excited about, that’s to be expected. A juicier rumor that has surfaced in the intervening period however, suggests this device will actually be released as a Google Nexus 7-inch tablet (or just sold from a Google store), and could even feature the next version of Android, codenamed Jelly Bean. It could also sell for as low as $ 149, although the cheaper reworked version might swap out a Tegra processor for one from Qualcomm. We didn’t spot anything in the filings to back that up, but you can paw through the PDFs yourself at the link below, or just get an idea of what it looks like in non-line drawn form with our gallery of pics from CES 2012.

Gallery: ASUS Eee Pad MeMO 370T hands-on at CES 2012

Gallery: Asus Eee Pad MeMO 370T

ASUS MeMO 370T 7-inch tablet clears the FCC, leaves no trace of Ice Cream or Jelly behind originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 02:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source FCC | Email this | Comments
Engadget

Rumor points to 7-inch Google tablet shipping in June

Posted by Gsurface on May 24, 2012 No comments

A rumor has surfaced claiming that Google has a 7-inch tablet set to ship in June. The source of the rumor is a DigiTimes “source” in the upstream supply chain. According to the source, initial shipments will reach about 600,000 units. The tablet isn’t supposed to be in user hands until July. Asus has offered

Continue reading Archos unveils 7-inch Child Pad slate: $ 129, Ice Cream Sandwich on board

Google 7-inch tablet imminent, says report

Posted by Gsurface on May 24, 2012 No comments

Heads up, Google 7-inch tablet incoming. It could be released as soon as July.
[Read more]
CNET News

7-inch Google Tablet Coming From ASUS

Posted by Gsurface on March 10, 2012 No comments

First time accepted submitter Sez Zero writes “Google and ASUS have been collaborating on a co-branded 7-inch Android tablet, with a launch as early as May, according to sources, challenging low-cost rivals and the iPad with a $ 199-249 price tag. The fruits of the partnership, whispered to the runes readers at DigiTimes by industry sources, will take on the NOOK Tablet and the Kindle Fire, with ASUS selected for its willingness to flex to Google’s requirements.”

Google, Asus to hook up on 7-inch Android tablet, says report

Posted by Gsurface on March 9, 2012 No comments

Google will partner with Asus on a 7-inch tablet. Another in a string of reports on the rumored tablet.
[Read more]
CNET News

Archos unveils 7-inch Child Pad slate: $129, Ice Cream Sandwich on board

Posted by Gsurface on March 2, 2012 No comments

We know you’ve already added the Fisher Price DVR to the list of gadgets that may withstand the physical trauma your kid’s about to put it through. But how does an ICS-equipped, 7-inch slate with parental controls sound? Dubbed Child Pad, this sticky finger-friendly tab isn’t just flaunting the fact it’s tasting Android’s freshest treat before most of you, it’s doing so with a rather modest 1GHz CPU and 1GB of RAM. In theory, that should be enough to handle your little one’s multitouch doings. Speaking of, Archos is pairing up the $ 129 machine with access to the AppLibs Kids App Store, which offers a portfolio of over 10,000 games, books and apps. Unfortunately, there’s no word on what kind of ports or internal storage the Child Pad’s packing. The good news is Archos isn’t saying you need to be in first grade to use it, so feel free to grab one for yourself (or your kid) when it hits shelves at the end of the month.

Archos unveils 7-inch Child Pad slate: $ 129, Ice Cream Sandwich on board originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 04:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.