Thursday, December 22, 2011

GameStop's Android gaming tablets hit stores

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Summary: Will you be gaming on these GameStop-moded slates this holiday: the Viewsonic Vpad 7, Asus Eee Pad Transformer, Acer Iconia Tab A500 and Motorola Xoom?

GameStop's Android gaming tablets. Image by Gloria Sin GameStop's gaming tablets. Image by Gloria Sin

Amazon’s Kindle Fire may corner the market for e-books and movies/television shows on a mobile device, but GameStop sees a future in mobile cloud gaming by rolling out its own “certified gaming tablet” to 200 select stores and on its website this weekend.

As Ricardo reported back in September, Android is the GameStop tablet’s chosen platform and comes preloaded with seven games like Dead Space and Madden NFL, access to GameStop’s own Kongregate Arcade app store, as well as Android Market for your Angry Bird fix. Most importantly, the device should make console quality gaming on a tablet possible, thanks to the retailer’s acquisition of Spawn Labs back in April.

So far, GameStop.com is listing four different Android slates with various price points and configurations: the $300 7-incher Viewsonic VPad 7, $400 10.1-inch Asus Eee Pad Transformer, $400 Acer Iconia Tab A500, and $500 Motorola Xoom. Rather than sell you a watered down slate for a reduced price like the Amazon Kindle Fire (it doesn’t have a camera, microphone, Bluetooth or SD Card slot), GameStop seems more willing to give you a full-powered tablet that serves up a wide variety of gaming content (from casual to AAA titles). With their native Bluetooth connectivity and the Acer A500’s full-sized USB port, you will be able to plug in your USB controller and or pair your Wii-mote or DualShock 3 controller for console titles not geared for tablets. Ultimately, GameStop will be offering its own wireless controller to go with its line tablets like the OnLive system, but that’s for the future as it is focused on building its user base and demand for cloud gaming first, as the retailer’s President Tony Bartel told GameIndustry.biz last month.

Judging from these tablet’s specs alone, they don’t seem very different from their Android cousins save for a few extra games and games. I hope GameStop will offer at least the app store and cloud gaming service to current Android tablet owners to expand its user base, without requiring that they purchase a slate from the retailer. I doubt serious gamers shopping for a tablet this holiday will opt for a GameStop one to replace their console/PC setup, but to enable them to play “real” games anywhere and anytime, though that means they would need to tote along their controller wherever they go. What do you think? Will a GameStop slate be on your wish list this year?

[Source: GameIndustry.biz, Gamasutra via joystiq]

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Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.


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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Personal finance tool Mint lands on the iPad

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Summary: With its native iPad app, Mint is bringing all of its best features to the touchscreen.

Mint, the personal finance website with 7 million users, has finally landed on the iPad.

The app brings much of the functionally users have come to expect from the web tool. Allowing users to see all their money in one place, Mint tracks spending, saving, credit cards and variety of other accounts.

Better, on the iPad all of that is handled via touch, making the whole experience slightly more intuitive and user-friendly than the online version of the tool. Users can also receive instant updates on bill reminders, which is one of the more helpful features Mint already offers.

Like the web version of Mint, the iPad app is entirely free, meaning that you have no excuse for missing your next credit card payment.

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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Vivitar's DVR 790HD offers 3D video recording for $99

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Summary: Vivitar is making a case for cheap cameras with its two latest devices, the $99 DVR 790HD camcorder and ViviCam VT135.

Vivitar, maker of low-end devices like the 690 HD, announced this week the DVR 790HD, a camcorder capable of recording 3D video.

With 5.1-megapixel sensor and a 4X digital zoom, the DVR 790HD can both record 3D video in 720p at 25fps and play it back on its 2.7-inch preview screen.

In addition to the DVR 790HD, Vivitar also announced the ViviCam VT135, 12.1-megapixel shooter also capable of recording images in 3D. Both devices ring in at a tempting $99, so it shouldn’t be much a surprise if the pair are a bit on the cheap side. Still, at that price, the DVR 790HD could serve as a viable starting point for those looking to experiment with 3D recording.

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Vivitar's DVR 790HD offers 3D video recording for $99

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Summary: Vivitar is making a case for cheap cameras with its two latest devices, the $99 DVR 790HD camcorder and ViviCam VT135.

Vivitar, maker of low-end devices like the 690 HD, announced this week the DVR 790HD, a camcorder capable of recording 3D video.

With 5.1-megapixel sensor and a 4X digital zoom, the DVR 790HD can both record 3D video in 720p at 25fps and play it back on its 2.7-inch preview screen.

In addition to the DVR 790HD, Vivitar also announced the ViviCam VT135, 12.1-megapixel shooter also capable of recording images in 3D. Both devices ring in at a tempting $99, so it shouldn’t be much a surprise if the pair are a bit on the cheap side. Still, at that price, the DVR 790HD could serve as a viable starting point for those looking to experiment with 3D recording.

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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Charge your Mac and iPad at the same time with PlugBug

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Summary: Have both a MacBook and iPad? The PlugBug lets you charge them both.

At a time when more and more people seem to have every Apple gadget under the sun, the question of how to keep all the devices charged has become more and more important. Enter the PlugBug, a simple accessory that tackles two charging jobs at once.

The 10W PlugBug attaches to the top of the MacBook power adapter, allowing any gadget capable of charging via USB to use the PlugBug’s USB port. Providing the fastest charge possible for the iPad and iPhone, the PogoPlug also functions as an international power converter, converting internal MacBook adapters into ones compatible with North American power sockets. That’s sure to be a big help for frequent travelers.

As for a non-Apple focused device that offers something similar, consider the Kensington Triple Charger, which is compatible with a large number of devices.

The PlugBug retails for $34.99.

[TwelveSouth]

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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Monday, December 19, 2011

Nintendo makes Zelda 3DS bundle official, $199.99

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Summary: This Black Friday, it’s all about nabbing one of these limited edition Nintendo 3DS bundles with either The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, or Super Mario 3D Land.

When images of the originally Europe-only Special Edition Zelda 3DS was revealed in Black Friday flyers last week, it seemed too good a deal to be true. Limited edition hardware just don’t make it to our shores very often.

Thankfully, Nintendo America just confirmed that both the gold-trimmed Zelda 3DS with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, and the Mario bundle with the recently released Super Mario 3D Land will indeed be in America on Thanksgiving (November 26).

Although the suggested retail price for both bundles is $199.99, GameStop is offering quite a discount on the box set if you trade-in your DS Lite (or later device) at the same time — you could pay as little as $99.99 for the bundle if you have a DSi XL. Now, if you have a number of Game Boy Advance titles that you would like to play every so often, then you should probably keep your DS because the 3DS is not backwards compatible with GBA titles.

Best Buy, on the other hand, is offering either box set for just $179.99, which is a great deal given that most 3DS games cost $40 each, and the device usually costs $169.99. Judging by the Black Friday flyers I’ve seen so far, no other retailer beyond GameStop and Best Buy is carrying the Zelda bundle. Most stores are just stocking the Mario bundle due to its festive color and new title, so check the product descriptions carefully before lining up on Friday.

Which gadgets/deals are you eyeing this Black Friday?

[Source: BusinessWire]

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Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.


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ZDNet's Ultimate Black Friday 2011 guide to deals and steals

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Summary: Drill down on the latest and greatest gadget deals with our guide to Black Friday 2011.

ZDNet 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

[Last updated on November 24: Microsoft Store, Sony Store; Panasonic]

Black Friday is almost here!

This year’s Black Friday may fall on November 25, but more and more retailers are starting their sales on Thanksgiving (Nov. 24), and even making some offers exclusive to the weekend. Not only that, but a sneaky few are also splitting their bargains between their brick-and-mortar and online stores.

To help you navigate this increasingly complex, multi-platform shopping extravaganza, we’re sifting every ad from retailers across America for the latest tech deals available to you this year. Where possible, we’ll also make note of the start times and dates so you won’t miss out on those brag-worthy bargains. We’ll be updating this post multiple times a day right up until Turkey Day to serve you all the hottest gadget steals and deals, so be sure to bookmark this page or subscribe to our feed.

But before you rush out to buy the first tech toy you see on sale, here are some quick tips to help you avoid buyer’s remorse:

Read up on ZDNet reviews before splurging on anything. (You never want to buy a gadget just because it’s been marked down.)Always search multiple sites/retailers for the best price (factoring in shipping costs and taxes) for a particular item. It certainly beats driving around to various stores only to find out it’s out-of-stock everywhere, or that you paid too for it when there is a better deal elsewhere.Keep an eye out for the increasingly popular pre-Black Friday sales (Amazon, Walmart, Newegg, Sam’s Club and Target all have them this year) in the event what you’re looking for sells out before the 25th hits.There is a glut of Android tablets and smartphones on the market this year so you may find some sweet deals for them, as long as you don’t mind the build of Android they are running. DealNews is also predicting some competitive prices for 60-inch HDTVs and 15.6-inch laptops this “Black Friday Season” (including Cyber Monday).Apple isn’t known for great deals on Black Friday (or during the holiday season in general) so those items can wait if you’re maxing out your budget.Research/ask about the return/exchange/price match policy before you buy. Many time-sensitive and door crasher items could be final sales so don’t assume you’ll be eligible for a full refund or price match should you find a better deal later.

Note: Items and prices will be published on a rolling basis as we receive the circulars, so be sure to come back regularly and check for new listings. If you think something should be added or a deal isn’t correct/available anymore, please let us know in the TalkBack section and we will update this guide.

Retailers posted so far: Bealls Florida, BJ’s, Costco, Blain’s Farm & Fleet, Fred’s, Gander Mountain, Gordmans, JC Penny, Kohl’s, Marine Corps Exchange, Rite Aid, Hastings, Military BX (AAFES), Cabela’s, Macy’s, Radio Shack, Staples, Walmart (updated in-store/online discounts), Sears Outlet, Office Max, Best Buy, Toys “R” Us, GameStop, Target, Kmart, Sam’s Club, Sears, Office Depot, Best Buy Doorbusters, BestBuy.com (Red Hot Deals), Amazon (new items/prices), Fred Meyer, Target’s Surprise Doorbusters, Newegg; Meijer, hhgregg, Barnes & Noble, Adobe, Kobo, Verizon, AT&T, Microsoft Store, Sony Store, Panasonic

Retailers expected soon: Apple

Skip to: E-book readers & tablets; Video game consoles & games; Digital cameras & camcorders; MP3 players & portable media players; GPS navigation devices; Home theater, music & movies; Televisions & HDTVs; Laptop & desktop computers; Printers; Hard drives, flash media & storage; Monitors, peripherals & PC accessories; Cellphones & accessories, miscellaneous electronics & software; Circular ad scans; Related links & resources

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Apple starts selling unlocked and contract-free iPhone 4S

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Summary: Apple is finally selling unlocked versions of the iPhone 4S — with a few caveats.

Consumers looking to pick up the iPhone 4S without a two-year contract finally have the news they’ve been waiting for. Apple has begun selling the unlocked, contract-free versions of its latest device, offering owners the freedom from two-year contracts.

That freedom, however, comes at a price. The unlocked iPhone 4S is only compatible with GSM networks like AT&T’s own, and won’t work with CDMA networks like the ones used by Verizon and Sprint. This is good news for regular travelers (not to mention T-Mobile subscribers), who can swtich networks simply by swapping out the device’s micro-SIM card.

Without a carrier subsidy, prices for the unlocked versions of the iPhone 4S are predictably high. $650 will get you the 16GB model, $750 for the 32GB, and $850 for the 64GB version of the phone. Apple estimates that the devices will ship between one and two weeks from time of order.

[Apple]

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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Nook Simple Touch with 'no annoying ads' to drop to $99

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Summary: Leaked documents suggest Barnes & Noble could be cutting the Nook Simple Touch’s price to match the ad-supported Amazon Kindle Touch next week.

It looks like Barnes and Noble will not only be unveiling the Nook Tablet on Monday, but also dropping the price of its Nook Simple Touch to $99, as well as releasing an update (version 1.1) for the e-reader. According to leaked Nook documents obtained by Engadget and The Digital Reader, the update will bring about “25% faster page turns,” a 2-month battery life, and “no annoying ads.”

Is a price cut for the Nook Simple Touch coming next week? Image from Engadget Is a price cut for the Nook Simple Touch coming next week? Image from Engadget

At $99 and with no ads, the Nook e-reader is definitely not bowing down to the new, ad-supported $99 Kindle Touch ($139 for the ad-free variant). And it looks like the Nook Color will be discounted to $199 and be given a software update that brings the likes of Hulu Plus and Pandora to the last-gen device.

A comparison of all Nook devices. Image from Engadget A comparison of all Nook devices. Image from Engadget

But keep in mind this information has not been confirmed by B&N yet so this is all just speculation at the moment. Regardless of the specs and price, deciding between the B&N and Amazon device will come down to the type of content you consume — do you usually read e-books in ePUB format from your public library, or do you tend to purchase new e-books from Amazon?

One way or another, we will find out just what B&N will really do with its Nook lineup next week. Tune into ZDNet’s coverage of the press event on November 7!

[Source: Engadget, The Digital Reader]

Updated: Mentioned the Nook Color’s price drop as detailed in the specs comparison chart.

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Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.


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Saturday, December 17, 2011

With the Rezound, will HTC's $300 million Beats Audio gamble pay off?

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Summary: HTC has invested over $300 million in its Beats Audio efforts. But will the project ever bear fruit?

When HTC announced that was buying a majority stake in Beats Electronics for $300 million back in August, most were, understandably, confused. It seemed a dubious partnership, fueled not by any real vision, but rather by HTC’s desire to become an Apple-esque technology/lifestyle brand. And what better way to accomplish that than via Beats Audio, which had become successful for improving the relationships people had with music, their most personal of lifestyle choices?

But from a marketing perspective, the move made a whole lot of sense. Beats Audio has never been about just headphones and technology. The Beats Audio brand is infused with a certain amount of coolness and price-induced exclusivity. It’s hip, it’s music-focused, and though Dr. Dre himself isn’t very young anymore, the prime consumers of Beats Audio devices are young people with (hopefully) a lot of cash to burn.

Likewise, Beats Audio headphones are very distinctive, and emerged in full force at a time where nearly everyone had white earbuds plugged into their ears. So it was, from the beginning, a fashion statement, a literal and metaphorical self-statement that “I am different. I appreciate music on a higher level.”

That last bit resonates strongly with Jimmy Iovine, the music executive, producer, and founder of Beats Audio. Iovine laid out a bit of the Beats Audio philosophy during the unveiling of the HTC Rezound on Thursday. The Beats Audio project, Iovine said, emerged out of frustration with “the destruction and degradation of sound caused by the digital revolution.”

Indeed, the digital revolution did more than just degrade the sound quality of music: It unseated a whole industry, placing free music on countless hard drives and catching music executives with their pants at their ankles. They had no idea what was going on. And they needed technology companies to help them out, which companies like Apple did in a big, big way.

Enter Jimmy Iovine. Iovine realized that the best way to improve the music industry’s stakes was to reverse that relationship: Technology companies had to need the music industry.

That’s the the rationale behind Beats Audio, which Iovine says brings the music industry into the technology world. That relationship has gone a lot further with deals with companies like HP and HTC, which have more closely combined the worlds of technology, music, and mobile.

And that’s a good thing for music. While some music producers have argued that the audio profiles of Beats Audio headphones are far from accurate, the devices certainly do a better job than the run-of-the-mill earbuds phones and MP3 players tend to be packaged with.

And for that Iovine and HTC deserve some credit: Alerting consumers to the sad reality of their personal sound technology makes them more likely to improve it. That, in the end, can only result in people enjoying their listening experience more and subsequently investing more money in it. And that, undoubtedly, will be music to record executives’ ears.

That’s good news for HTC as well. In HTC, mobile and music have found an interesting marriage. As devices like the Rhyme have shown, becoming a lifestyle brand is clearly the company’s goal. While attaching itself to the Beats brand is a risky investment, its very likely that the momentum will be in HTC’s favor, especially if the Rezound does as well in North America as the Sensation XE and XL have done abroad.

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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Leaked photo of BlackBerry 'London' with BBX OS

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Summary: Could this be the first BlackBerry smartphone running BBX, the fusion platform combining the best of the PlayBook’s QNX and BB OS?

The Verge is reporting that Research In Motion’s first BBX smartphone — a fusion of the BB OS and the PlayBook’s QNX platform — could be the BlackBerry “London” (pictured below).

Although this new BB won’t be rolling out until June 2012, specs that are already floating around on the Interwebs about the London this morning:

Processor: TI OMAP dual-core CPU clocked to 1.5GHzRAM: 1GBStorage: 16GBCameras: 8-megapixel rear camera; 2-megapixel front-facing camera

Like the Nokia N9, the London is all touchscreen with no physical buttons on the front. Its angled corners actually remind me of the Motorola Photon 4G (I did a double-take on the branding), but no doubt follows the lineage of the Porsche-designed BlackBerry P9981 that The Verge noted. The tech site’s source even went so far to say the new BB will be “thinner than the iPhone 4? and “roughly the same size as a Galaxy S II.”

Now, it’s not clear whether this is just the photo of a concept phone that will never make it to market or just a rendering of what the London may look like, but it’s interesting to get a preview of BBX and possibly a new BB form factor nonetheless. I’m glad to see RIM is keeping the thumbnail UI design from QNX/PlayBook because that’s what made the tablet easier to navigate than its Android competitors. But I’m surprised RIM would doing away with its famous QWERTY keypad because that, more than BBM, is why users continue to carry a BB. Perhaps this model is targeted at consumers tired of a shrunken touchscreen, versus business professionals who need BB for work?

Is BBX and more design-conscious handsets what RIM need to compete with Windows and Nokia for the third spot in the smartphone market? Give us your two cents below.

[Source: The Verge, Engadget]

Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.


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Friday, December 16, 2011

T-Mobile customers get the gift of free Google Music tracks

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Summary: T’is the season for sharing music for T-Mobile customers with Android devices and Google Music, from now till the end of 2011.

Now that Google Music is live, T-Mobile Android customers will be getting exclusive and free access to full-length select songs via Google Music, every week until the end of the year.

As long as they have a smartphone running at least Android 2.2 (Froyo), T-Mobile customers will be able to find the T-Mobile Free Tracks (pictured right) within the Google Music app, and download the featured artists’ music for free in the remaining weeks in 2011. This week, they can download some new tunes from Drake and Maroon 5.

According to the T-Mobile Blog announcing the carrier’s partnership with Google Music, its customers will soon be able to charge impulsive song purchases to their monthly phone bills too. That will just make it a little too convenient for finger-tapping users to add to their music collection, but that’s precisely the idea.

While I doubt the promise of several free songs would convince anyone to switch carriers (how much could a few songs cost?), it is a nice perk for current T-Mobile customers to give Google Music a whirl. Non-T-Mobile customers take heart: you can still access these free songs as long as your T-Mobile friend shares his loot on Google+ (assuming you’re a part of his “circle”), you’ll be able to download the entire track via the social network. T’is the season for sharing, after all.

[Source: T-Mobile's Blog]

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Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.


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RIM drops Blackberry PlayBook to $199 for "limited time"

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Summary: Confirming previous rumors, RIM is dropping the price of the PlayBook to $199.

RIM’s perpetually struggling PlayBook tablet may have a lifeline this holiday season.

Confirming rumors, RIM announced today that it plans to drop the price of the 16GB PlayBook to $199. The drop, however, isn’t a permanent one, and is limited to retailers Best Buy, Wireless Giant, Staples, OfficeMax, Office Depot, Radio Shack and Wal-Mart.

With the price drop, the PlayBook finds itself at the same price as Amazon’s Kindle Fire, which is a big deal. The Kindle Fire’s price is considered one of its strongest assets, and RIM may steal away some potential buyers of Amazon’s tablet with the PlayBook’s almost impulse buy-worthy price.

But the price drop is bad news for the PlayBook, whose price has dropped a full $300 since its release earlier this year. While RIM says that PlayBook’s new price is only a temporary one, it would come as a big surprise if RIM didn’t cut its losses make the price drop stick.

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Best 5 Black Friday 2011 tablet and e-reader finds

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Summary: You won’t regret buying an Asus Transformer, BlackBerry PlayBook, Toshiba Thrive, HP TouchPad or Barnes & Noble’s Nook Simple Touch Limited Edition this Black Friday.

Let’s face it: you’re shopping for an e-reader or a tablet on Black Friday because you want to get the best bang for your buck and are willing to forgo the latest specs and OS for the savings. You’re simply not going to find something as recently released as the Amazon Kindle Fire on sale on November 25 — at the most you may get a gift card to lessen the sting of paying regular price for the device, but that’s hardly worth fighting Black Friday crowds for. Thankfully, there are better deals out there than mere gift cards, which is why these five e-reader and tablet deals deserve your time and money this Black Friday.

10.1? Asus Eee Pad Transformer 16GB $249.99; $349.98 with Keyboard Dock

With the next-gen quad-core Asus Transformer Prime tablet due in stores any time soon, the current Transformer (TF101) is suddenly quite the steal this Black Friday. Best Buy is pricing the Transformer at just $249.99 or $349.99 with the optional dock, which is basically the same price as the Toshiba Thrive (see below) but with the added functionality of a laptop. As a stand-alone tablet, the 10.1-inch Transformer has a textured back that is less prone to slipping and fingerprints, a micro-SD slot and micro-HDMI port on-board, and runs Android Honeycomb with Flash support. When combined with the keyboard dock, the device gains about 6-7 hours of battery life, 2 USB ports, 1 SD slot and of course physical keys for extensive typing.

7? BlackBerry PlayBook 16GB for $199

Considering the Amazon Kindle Fire only offers 8GB of on-board storage, 512 MB RAM, lacks Bluetooth and cameras, the 7-inch BlackBerry PlayBook makes up for all the Fire’s hardware shortcomings without adding to the pricetag (at least for the 16GB version). For $199, you get 16GB of storage, a great looking and multitasking OS in QNX, a micro-HDMI-out, video chats with a 3-megapixel camera, and can pair your BlackBerry phone to a larger 7? screen. Native BBM email support is coming in the February 2012 update so critics’ last gripe with the tablet should finally be put to rest. Both Best Buy and Staples are marking down their PlayBooks this Black Friday so keep an eye out for it (Staples has the 32GB and 64GB variants for $249 and $399 respectively.)

10.1? Toshiba Thrive Tablet for $349.98

Speaking of Staples, it is also shaving $50 off the 10.1-inch Toshiba Thrive (pictured above), a sleeper hit of a tablet for those looking for more native ports and connectors on their slates that will fit right in with their current tech set-up. Although this model only has 16GB of internal storage, it comes with a  full-size SD slot, USB and HDMI ports and has a removable battery so you can swap in a fresh one when you can’t plug into a socket. The Thrive also runs Honeycomb, which means it has a robust app store out-of-box. While it’s not the cheapest Black Friday tablet out there, it also means you’re not buying into a dead/dying system or an outdated model. (Toshiba’s most recent launch was a 7-incher.)

9.7? HP TouchPad 32GB for $229.99 with accessories $149 with HP Computer Purchase

Updated @ 11:14PM PST: Tipped by @Peter Perry, CompUSA is selling just the 32GB TouchPad (no need to buy a HP computer) but comes with accessories for $229.99. Not only will you be able to bring home one of the few remaining TouchPads around, you’ll also get a Belkin Tablet Desktop Stand, Belkin Tablet Sleeve and a pair of Creative Labs Wireless Bluetooth Speakers. This sale starts at 5:00AM PST in stores only so you want to start lining up now.

HP may be out of all TouchPads, but a couple of retailers like Staples and hhgregg are enticing shoppers this Black Friday with their remaining 32GB units for $149.99 — but only if you buy a HP computer as well. This may make sense if you’re shopping for a laptop or desktop this year and want to gift the TouchPad or vice versa. I personally find all the derision directed at webOS and the increasingly rare TouchPad unwarranted because the device works just fine for basic consumption needs (email, web surfing, music). It sure beats a similarly priced Pandigital or generic-brand me-too tablets that seem to fill Black Friday circulars.

Barnes & Noble’s 6? Nook Simple Touch Limited Edition e-Reader for $79

For one day only this Black Friday, Barnes & Noble will be cutting the price of its 6-inch Nook Simple Touch e-reader by $20 to just $79. The only caveat is that you must drop by your local B&N to get this limited edition device with a white edge (pictured right). Unlike the $99 Amazon Kindle Touch (or the $79 Kindle Wi-Fi for that matter), this Nook Simple Touch has no “annoying ads,” is compatible with ePUB format for library books, plus you can walk into any B&N store to get help on your e-reader and purchases. So if after-market service is important to you, then this the e-reader to get on Friday.

Keep us up to date on the availability of these mobile devices by commenting below.

[Source: CompUSA}

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Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.


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Altec Lansing's Custom Series ear buds are built custom to fit your ears

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They aren't the first company to make these. Do a search for custom made earbuds.

That being said, the cheap ones are still around $275 (last time I checked anyway) where they send you the mold kit and create the molds yourself.

Another option, and the route I took, was to get a cheap set of in ear buds off ebay $3, and a couple packs of sugru... Some moldable silicon from Europe.
Seat the buds in your ears with the best fitting tip on them, stuff sugru around the bud itself, filling the outer ear.
Let it set for about 30 min (you won't be able to hear much outside noise during this period), then gently remove them and let them harden over night.
Quick, custom ear buds for around $12... With a microphone.
Just be sure you get a good sounding pair of buds to start with; I got lucky with the ones I got. Most of the cheap buds on ebay are too bass heavy, or have a lousy balance. Depending on the type of music you prefer, the proper balance will change.

I've had these for about a year now, and the cord is starting to fray close to the earbuds, but they still sound amazing, with near perfect sound isolation, even on the subway.
But for $12, it won't hurt nearly as much to replace them, and a year of abuse from being shoved in pockets is about all any headphones can take anyway.
It also wouldn't be a disaster if they got lost.

As good as the real things? Maybe not. But for the price, they are a billion times better than non customized earbuds.


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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Galaxy Nexus U.S. release pushed back to December, confirms Samsung

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Summary: One of the bigger concerns surrounding Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus is the all-important matter of its U.S. release date. Announced in October, the device was set to be released at an undefined date in late November. But with a week left in the month, Verizon has still been pretty mum on when the device will see [...]

One of the bigger concerns surrounding Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus is the all-important matter of its U.S. release date. Announced in October, the device was set to be released at an undefined date in late November. But with a week left in the month, Verizon has still been pretty mum on when the device will see the light of day.

Fortunately, things are becoming a bit more clear. Samsung has confirmed, via Business Insider, that the Galaxy Nexus will drop in December. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s still no word on an exact release, nor is Samsung or Verizon giving the device’s precise U.S. price.

Already available in the U.K., the Galaxy Nexus is set to be available in Canada on December 7th. That makes its lack of a U.S. release date that much more significant and also makes it pretty clear that the delay is on Verizon’s end, not Samsung’s.

[Business Insider]

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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Apple's iPhone 4S issues show the problem with being an early adopter

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@jhughesy No, you are BOTH wrong.

First we need to clearly define the parameters of what we are talking about here.

THIS BATTERY PHENOMENON IS **NOT** AN iPHONE 4S ISSUE. There, now that we understand that, let's call it what it is--a bug in iOS, that also happens to affect other, non-4S iphones that upgraded on release day.

Now, Siri, a "beta" product by definition and clear announcement, is certainly going to have outages as servers are moved and load balancing takes place. That said, I find it to be very poor planning to have ALL voice recognition offloaded to the cloud--especially when the 3GS and 4 had speech recognition for commands that were processed IN-DEVICE. I hope they eventually see that as a step backward and not forward.

Now, people want to compare this to things like the "red ring of death" from the X-Box? The two are hardly comparable.

My iPhone 4S isn't having battery trouble, and if it were, I'd turn off the error reporting and contact syncing that is clearly causing the abundance the problems. But still, that in no way renders my device unusable, a la "red ring"

I'm not an apologist. I'm a little annoyed with these problems from a perception point a view. But the device still ranks, and will continue to rank, as the highest mobile device--on record--in consumer satisfaction.

This is tech, and things go wrong. These are small things, not halting usability.

You want a REAL failure? A sense of scope? Just ask the Canadians, whose non-beta, "mission critical" email services went offline for almost half a week.


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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Asus rolls-out quad-core Tegra 3 Transformer Prime this December

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Summary: Add the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime to your holiday wish list now, gadget hounds. Here’s why.

After Asus CEO Jonny Shih oh-so-casually showed off the world’s first quad-core tablet, the ultra-slim Eee Pad Transformer Prime, at AsiaD last month, we’ve been hoping Santa the Taiwanese company would deliver the slate in-time for this holiday season.

Well, Asus just made the next-gen Transformer official by announcing its North American pricing, and answered a bunch of questions we had about this drool-worthy tablet.

First of all, both Engadget and The Verge are reporting Asus will be shipping the Transformer Prime globally by early December, so go ahead and add this device to your 2011 wish list.

But don’t expect the Transformer Prime with industry leading specs to come cheap. The 32 GB version starts at $499, with the 64 GB setting you back $599. (The first-gen 16 GB Transformer was only $399, which was part of its appeal.) Though the keyboard dock retails separately for $149, it’s what sets this tablet apart from other Android devices: it adds 6 hours of juice, a keyboard, a touchpad, a full SD Card slot and USB port, which turns the Transformer Prime into a mighty productivity powerhouse.

Sharing the same “spun metal” finish of the Asus Zenbook, the Transformer Prime is certainly a looker but its innards are even more impressive. As the the world’s first tablet to use Nvidia’s quad-core Tegra 3 chip (formerly the Kal-El), the Transformer Prime is five times as fast as Tegra 2 devices but can last up to 12 hours on its 22Wh battery (18 hours with dock), putting most dual-core slates to shame. Other technical specs are as follows:

Display: 10.1? 1280 x 800-resolution Super IPS+ display with 178° viewing angleCameras: HD 8MP rear auto-focus camera with LED flash, large F/2.4 aperture, back illuminated CMOS sensor, touch-to-focus depth of field and low-light noise reduction; 1.2MP front cameraGPU: 12-core GeForce GPU and vSMP technologyRAM: 1 GBSensors: GPS, a gyroscope1080P HD video playbackConnectivity: Wi-FiPorts/Connectors: micro-SD slot, micro-HDMI connector, 3.5mm mic/audio jack

Although the Transformer Prime won’t be shipping with Ice Cream Sandwich — it will run Honeycomb (Android 3.2) — Asus is already promising a free over-the-air update to ICS “at a later date,” according to its press release. Out-of-box, the tablet will also have SuperNote for taking/drawing notes, and Polaris Office for editing/creating Word, Excel and PowerPoint files to complement its workhorse identity. But its built-in micro-SD slot also makes the Transformer Prime easy to side-load media files like photos and music, so it can be as much a content consumption as creation device.

At just 8.3mm (0.33-inch) thick and 586g (1.29-lbs without dock), the new Transformer manages to pack a lot more power and functionality into a compact package, without raising its price tag to a ridiculous level. The Transformer Prime it even comes in two colors that are neither black nor white (Amethyst Gray and Champagne Gold) and sounds like a dream; I hope I can get my hands on one to make sure it’s the real deal. Sadly, Asus did not provide any details on how to lock down a Transformer Prime this year in its announcement so stay tuned.

[Source: The Verge, Engadget, Asus press release]

Related:

Gloria Sin is a freelance journalist based in New York City.


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Karuma's PlayBase is a capable and durable tablet for kids

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Summary: Tired of sharing your iPad with your kids? Karuma may have your solution.

As the iPad has become more popular, parents have become a lot more interested in alternatives for Apple’s tablet that are made especially for kids.

The PlayBase is one of those tablets. Designed by Singapore-based company Karuma, the PlayBase is an Android-powered 7-inch tablet built to withstand even the most sizable beatings. Its durability comes from PlayCover, a silicone wrap that protects the tablet from water, scratches, and damage from falls.

Featuring a 1.2GHz processor, 8GB of flash memory, and an upgradable SD card slot, the PlayBase is pretty capable for a tablet aimed at kids. The device also features a front-facing camera and a 5-hour battery life. Though its still running a skinned version of Gingerbread, Karuma gave the PlayBase’s 1GB RAM with the intention of offering upgrades to later versions of Android, including Ice Cream Sandwich.

But the PlayBase is not especially cheap. Karuma is asking $270 (£169) for the thing, and while thats roughly the range that 7-inch tablets sell for, its hard not to shake the feeling that the tablet could had been a tad bit cheaper. Available December 1st.

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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Monday, December 12, 2011

Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Gadget gifts under $100

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With the holidays approaching, attention once again has shifted to the wallet and the general emptiness therein. Wall Street’s occupied, the 99% is upset, and just about everyone is broke. That’s why no one can

do without this guide, which details a few compelling gadgets that sell for under $100. After all, an empty wallet is no excuse to arrive this Christmas empty handed.

PadPivot

Steve Jobs and company may have designed the iPad to be a more intimate experience, but device’s designers forgot one thing: Using tablets is sometimes really difficult, especially in certain sitting positions. Enter the PadPivot, an ingenious little contraption that uses your thigh to hold your tablet in a comfortable position. Compatible with a variety of tablets and eReaders, the PadPivot is both useful and versatile - so much so that it’s a wonder Apple didn’t create it itself. $30

Fitbit Ultra

The Fitbit Ultra is the latest in a lengthening line of products aimed at tracking - and hopefully improving - your fitness. With the ability to track the number of steps you take, the number of stairs you climb, the number of calories you burn, and even how well you sleep, the Fitbit Ultra is pretty robust for a device its size. Even better, the device also wirelessly syncs your data with the Fitbit website, allowing you to visually map how far you’ve come and how far you intend to go. $99.

Kindle

Aside from all of the enticing Kindle Fire news, the biggest move Amazon made in 2011 was dropping the price of its massively popular Kindle eReader to $79. But though it is nearly $40 cheaper than it was previously, the now-cheaper Kindle does have a few potential downsides. Not only does it lack both a physical keyboard and touch screen, but to get it to its current price Amazon had to infuse the Kindle with advertisements. But it’s still a pretty great deal.

Sandisk Sansa Clip Zip

For those not of the Apple persuasion, Sandisk offers the Sansa Clip Zip, a thinner version of its Sansa Clip MP3 player. Available in multiple colors and in two memory configurations (4GB, 8GB), the Sansa Clip Zip offers 15 hours of  of battery life and supports all the major music formats. Did we mention it comes in a variety of colors? Red looks nice. Starts at $50.

Roku LT

For a chapter alternative to the Apple TV, look no further than the Roku LT. This purple box is the cheapest one Roku has ever created, and offers many of the same features found in more expensive models. Capable of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu Plus in 720p, the Roku LT is a pretty robust offering for a product that sells for just $50.

Pogoplug Mobile

The mission of the Pogoplug Mobile is simple. Acting as a hub for all of your movies, music, and photos, the PogoPlug liberates your mobile devices from their relatively paltry storage limits. Pogoplug has even gone as far as to offer the ability to stream content from outside your home network, allowing you to access your files even when you are not at home. For $29, Pogoplug also offers PC software to takle the same task, removing the need for a dedicated Pogoplug device.

Obol Bowl

Though far less hi-tech than the other items here, the Obol Bowl solves a fundamental problem: Keeping your cereal from getting soggy. Dubbed “the original crispy cereal bowl”, the Obol works by storing your milk in cereal in two separate compartment connected by a spiral slide. Users simply slide their cereal into the milk compartment to eat. Genius. $20

iPod Shuffle

The world may be slowly turning its back on dedicated MP3 players, but that doesn’t make Apple’s iPod shuffle any less compelling. The pitch for the Shuffle should by this point be clear: 5 colors, 15 hours of battery life, 2GB of storage. That’s plenty for a device that sells for just $49.


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Kindle Fire nabs support for ESPN ScoreCenter and Hulu Plus

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Summary: Joining the Kindle Fire’s robust app catalog at launch are two major additions: Hulu Plus and ESPN ScoreCenter.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is going to have quite the entertainment line-up when it launches later this month.

Joining Amazon’s announcement earlier this week is the news that the Kindle Fire will feature support for both Hulu Plus streaming television and ESPN’s ScoreCenter, which allows users to monitor scores and news from a variety of sports leagues and teams. The two services join apps like Angry Birds, Pandora, QuickOffice Pro, and many, many more that Amazon announced on Wednesday. Amazon says that the Kindle Fire will support “several’ thousand apps” when it launches next week.

But the news is also interesting for Barnes & Noble. During the announcement of the Nook Tablet earlier this week, the company made quite a big deal over the device’s support for Hulu Plus, a feature that it noted was notably absent from the Kindle Fire line up.  With the addition, B&N loses a valuable (but perhaps expectedly short-lived) marketing point.

With the Kindle Fire launching on November 15th, and the Nook Tablet landing two days later, it seems like the first battle will be fought over which device offers a more robust content offering. That may be a bit hard to discern, however, seeing as the app line-up for the two tablets seems to be awfally similar currently.

Ricardo Bilton writes for ZDNet's The ToyBox. His work has appeared in The Japan Times, The New York Observer, and The International Business Times, among other publications.


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