E Fun Announces New Next 3 Android Tablet, Yet Another Cheap Android Tablet

E Fun has just announced their new Next 3 Android Tablet. By now you have probably had more than enough cheap Android tablets than you need for your entire lifetime, and E Fun’s Next 3 isn’t that different from the rest of them. The Next 3 features an 8.4 inch resistive touchscreen display with a resolution of 800x600, the size of which is slightly unusual, and a 600 MHz Rockchip CPU, which is underpowered and will probably cause the operating system to lag slightly. The E Fun Next 3 also features WiFi 802.11g and Android 2.1, which isn’t as outdated as the Sharp IS01 Android 1.6 mobile internet device that we looked at recently, but still isn’t the latest and greatest version of Android. The Next 3 will also come pre-loaded with the Borders E-Book store, and this along with the look of the device and the press release lead us to think that it will be primarily marketed as an E-book reader apart from an Android tablet, although it will work perfectly as an Android tablet as well. Some other features of the E Fun Next 3 are the built in speakers, 2 GB of built in flash storage, and a microSD card slot for expanding your storage. The E Fun Next 3 is available now at the Home Shopping Network and some retailers for just $230, and also comes with a case. This is a pretty good price for what you are getting, and the E Fun Next 3 could possibly be a good low end Android tablet/E-reader. Press release below.

E FUN Bows the Next3 8.4" Android Tablet Computer

New Nextbook Model Features Wi-Fi, Borders eBook Store and Multimedia Functions

WEST COVINA, CA – DECEMBER 16, 2010 – E FUN, a consumer electronics designer and marketer of fun, easy-to-use lifestyle products, is primed to add the next model to its quickly growing Nextbook line of sleek, lightweight Android tablets. The Next3, with built-in e-reader, Android 2.1 and Wi-Fi, will be introduced on HSN today. The take anywhere/read anywhere Nextbook brand is just that: the next generation of books.

"Our first Android tablet, the Next2, exceeded all expectations, selling out on HSN in less than a week in November," commented Jason Liszewski, Managing Director and VP of Sales for E FUN. "Our new Next3 tablet continues our objective to provide easy-to-use lifestyle products filled with fun and functionality. With its large touch-screen color display, Borders eBook Store app, and multimedia capability, the Next3 delivers on all counts."

Built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) convenience allows users to browse the Internet, receive and answer e-mails, watch YouTube videos, listen to Internet music providers and get real-time weather reports. Turning pages and choosing applications is as easy as lifting a finger with the touch-screen feature. Additional functions include a calculator, clock, and alarm.

The Next3 features Google's powerful Android 2.1 operating system. It has a large 8.4" TFT color display, built-in speakers, 2GB flash memory with an SD card slot to increase storage capacity, and an MP3/photo viewer. For added fun, third-party applications are available. An elegant, removable case with magnetic closure provides protection.

The Borders eBook store is preloaded on every Nextbook making it easy to purchase and download favorite titles. Next3 users can choose from over one-million titles, many of which are free, including new releases and the latest bestsellers as well as biography, fiction, romance, etc., right from the comfort of their own home. 'Shopping' for an e-book is like shopping for a printed book, except the book is delivered instantly to the Next3 unit.

Accessories include an AC adapter, USB cable and protective pouch. The Next3 is compatible with Windows2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7, Linux and MAC OS.

The E FUN Next3 tablet e-reader will have a consumer friendly MSRP of $229.99. It will be available on HSN December 16 and 17, and then online and at brick and mortar retailers.

About E FUN
As its name implies, E FUN is a designer and markets fun, lifestyle e-products that are easily accessible. While appreciated by techies, E FUN products are primarily designed for consumers who desire the latest technological products, but are more concerned with what they do, not how they do it. E FUN's ongoing product innovation focuses on making electronics and computing more fun! Initial products offerings from E FUN include the APEN digital pen and Nextbook Android tablets. E FUN is headquartered in West Covina, California.

For additional information please visit E FUN at www.e-funusa.com, APEN at www.apenusa.com; and Nextbook at www.nextbookusa.com

Sharp Releases Sharp IS01 Mobile Internet Device, Short On Details, Yet Carrying a High Price Tag

Sharp has just released their new Sharp IS01 tablet, or mobile internet device to be more precise. The IS01 seems to have a boatload of features, but a few of them are fairly out-dated. The IS01 is a clamshell device with a 5 inch 960x480 capacitive touchscreen display and a full QWERTYkeyboard when you open it up, and a 5.2 megapixel camera on the back of the device. There is also a front facing camera on the inside of the device, which is lower resolution at just 0.43 megapixels. Apart from these external features there are also a few hardware surprises. The Sharp IS01 features a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, 4 GB of built in memory, plus a microSD card slot for expansion, a 4 GB card is also included. As for connectivity, the IS01 features WiFi 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, a 3G radio, GPS, infrared, and some sources also suggest that it has a TV tuner of some sort. As for the battery, the IS01 includes a 1400 mAh battery, but it is unknown how much use that will actually give you. The Sharp IS01 also has a built in microphone and speaker, and a microphone and speaker jack. For data transfer you get a microUSB port. One of the most important details about the Sharp IS01 is that it runs Android 1.6, which is very outdated, especially now that Android 2.3 Gingerbread has been released, and it is also unknown if it will be upgradeable or not. The IS01 measures 149 x 83 x 17.9mm and weighs 227 grams, which isn’t exactly small. Importer Conics is selling the device in the United States for $300 in black or in sky blue for about $20 more, which is a little overpriced for the features, plus the fact that they aren’t very certain. Details on the Sharp IS01 are a little short, and with the ones that we have it seems that it has some great features like the QWERTY keyboard and 1 GHz processor, but many are outdated and insufficient. Overall, the Sharp IS01 probably won’t overtake devices like the Apple iPad, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, or even some mid-range devices like the Archos line of tablets. I wouldn’t really recommend the IS01 for most, as it doesn’t exactly give you a great value. 

Archos 101 Now Shipping, One Of The Best Android Tablets Out There

The Archos 101 that we reported on a couple of weeks ago is finally shipping for just $300 for the 8 GB version and $350 for the 16 GB version, which is a relatively good price considering all of the the other features of the Archos 101, which include a 10.1 inch screen with a resolution of 1024x600, 802.11n WiFi, a front facing camera, the capability to play 720p HD video and a wide variety of video formats and codecs, an HDMI output, and a pretty good battery life of up to 10 hours of web browsing, up to 7 hours of video playback, and up to 36 hours of music playback. You can see all of the features of the Archos 101 in our previous post about it. The Archos 101 is currently shipping with Android 2.1 but Archos has said that it will be updated to Android 2.2 Froyo by the end of the month. The only drawback of the Archos 101 is the lack of the Android Market, but that can be easily fixed with the multitude of Andorid Market hacks that are out there. The Archos 101 is shipping now and it is one of the best Android tablet choices out there.

Coby Releases Kyros Tablet, Overpriced And Low On Features

Coby has just released its new Coby Kyros internet tablet, and it doesn't seem to have any great features, especially considering its high price point. The Coby Kyros features a 7 inch resistive touchscreen display with a resolution of 800x480, WiFi 802.11g, 4 GB of built in flash memory, a microSD card slot supporting up to 32 GB cards, a built in microphone, a built in speaker, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a USB host port for a keyboard or mouse, and a mini HDMI output supporting up to 1080p HD video. The Kyros runs Android 2.1 on a 800 MHz ARM processor, which doesn't exactly make it fast or up to date. As for battery life, the Kyros has a 3600 mAh battery, but there is no word on how long it will last you. The unit is also pretty bulky; Coby's site says that it measures 7.59x4.52x60 inches, but we find it hard to believe that this tablet is 60 inches thick, so we are assuming that that was supposed to be 7.59x4.52x0.6 inches. As for weight, the Coby Kyros is pretty heavy at 0.97 pounds. As you might have guessed, the Coby Kyros doesn't support the Android Market, but it does come preloaded with the AppsLib app marketplace.The Coby Kyros is currently available for $300 on the Home Shopping Network, which is extremely overpriced. The Kyros doesn't really have any of the features that you might want including Android 2.2 Froyo, a faster processor, a thin and light design, a capacitive touchscreen display, or some other connectivity options. The fact that there is very little information on it also makes it kind of shady. Overall, we would not reccommend getting the Coby Kyros, and instead you might want to get one of Archos' new tablets, which are cheaper yet better featured.  

Creative Announces Two New Android Tablets, Don't Look Very Promising

Creative has just announced two new Android tablets; the Creative ZiiO 7 inch and the Creative ZiiO 10 inch. The Creative ZiiO 7 inch features a 7 inch resistive touchscreen display with a resolution of 480x800, Android 2.1, a ZiiLabs ZMS-08 processor, WiFi 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.1, and a microSD card slot. Aside from this the ZiiO 7 inch also features a front facing VGA camera, a mini USB port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a built in microphone, and a built in speaker. All this is in a 207.4x133x13.7mm package that weighs 400 grams, pretty heavy for a tablet with these specifications. As for storage, the Creative ZiiO 7 inch comes in two different capacities, 8 GB and 16 GB. They are priced at €249, or $349 (8 GB) and €269 or $378 (16 GB), will both come in white, and should be shipping some time in December. The Creative ZiiO 10 inch features many of the same specifications, and the main difference is the screen, which is a 10 inch resistive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024x600. The ZiiO 10 inch features the same ZiiLabs ZMS-08 processor, Android 2.1, Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi 802.11g, a front facing VGA camera, a built in microphone, a built in speaker, a mini USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Creative ZiiO 10 inch, like the ZiiO 7 inch, also features memory expansion, but this time in the form of an SD card slot instead of a microSD card slot. As for size and weight, the Creative ZiiO 10 inch measures 262x173x13.7mm and weighs a hefty 650 grams. Also like the ZiiO 7 inch, the ZiiO 10 inch will be available in both a 8 GB capacity and a 16 GB capacity, and will cost either €299 ($420) for the 8 GB or €319 ($450) for the 16 GB. The Creative ZiiO 10 inch should be shipping sometime in December and will be available in black. Neither of the tablets will have access to the Android Market, which is another big downside. Looking at the specifications of these tablets it doesn't exactly seem like they will be competitors to the Galaxy Tab or the iPad. The Creative ZiiO 7 inch and the ZiiO 10 inch might not even fit into the lower end tablet market as they are so overpriced. They also don't have some of the specifications that some other lower-end Android tablets do, including Android 2.2 Froyo or a capacitive display. You would think that the lack of features would make the Creative ZiiO tablets more portable, but it has actually made them more bulky and heavy. You would probably be better off looking at Archos' new line of tablets if you are looking for a lower end tablet, or the Galaxy Tab or iPad if you are looking for a higher end device. Some more images of both the ZiiO 7 inch and the ZiiO 10 inch are below.

Archos 43 And Archos 70 Now Shipping, Still No Android Market

The Archos 43 and the Archos 70 that we posted about previously have finally been released. The Archos 43, featuring a 4.3 inch touchscreen display, Android 2.2 Froyo, WiFi, and HDMI output, and 16 GB of storage, is finally shipping for $250. This seems like a fair price to pay, but unfortunately there is still no Android Market support. The Archos 70, as you might have expected, features a 7 inch touchscreen display with a 1 GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 8 GB of storage, a microSD card slot, Android 2.2 Froyo, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a front-facing camera. All this comes in an 11 ounce package that is just 0.43 inches thin. Unfortunately, as with the Archos 43, the Archos 70 does not have Android Market support. The Archos 70 has been released and is selling for $280, which seems like a great price to pay considering that the smaller screen Archos 43 is going for $250. A 250 GB hard drive version of the Archos 70 should also be released shortly for $350. If you would like to see the full specifications of the entire line of new Archos tablets, please visit our previous post. Overall, at these price points and boasting the specifications that they do, the Archos 43 and the Archos 70 seem like pretty good competitors in today's tablet market, except for the lack of Android Market support, of course. 

Viewsonic Introduces Two New ViewPad Android And Windows 7 Tablets

Viewsonic has just announced that they will be releasing two new tablets in the United States; the ViewPad 7 and the ViewPad 10. The ViewPad 7, as you might have already guessed, features a 7 inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 800x480 and will run on Android 2.2 Froyo. The ViewPad 7 also features WiFi 802.11g connectivity, Bluetooth, USB connectivity, and two built in cameras.On the back you will find a 3 megapixel camera with autofocus, while the front features a 0.3 megapixel camera, presumably for video conferencing. For storage you get a built in 512 MB of memory, which is expandable to up to 32 GB via a microSD card slot. As for battery life, Viewsonic is saying the the ViewPad 7 will be able to give you up to 10 hours of use. The ViewPad 7 will also feature 3G connectivity, although there is no word on which carrier, and will have access to the Android Market, an impressive feat for a tablet considering all of the cheap Market-less tablets that have been released lately. The ViewPad 7 will be released sometime in November, and will be available for the hefty price of $480. This seems like a huge price to pay for a device like this, considering that you could get a decent netbook or even a cheap laptop for this price. The second device that Viewsonic has announced is the ViewPad 10, which features a 10.1 inch capacitive multitouch display with a resolution of 1024x600. Unlike the ViewPad 7 the ViewPad 10 will dual boot Windows 7 Home Premium and Android 1.6. The Windows 7 option is great, but Android 1.6 is extremely outdated. Aside from these features the ViewPad 10 will also feature a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom processor, 1 GB of RAM, a 16 GB SSD, a microSD card slot, an accelerometer, and a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera with a built in microphone for video conferencing. The ViewPad 10 will be launching in the first part of 2011 at a price of $630, which is overpriced in our opinion. The features of both the Viewsonic ViewPad 7 and the Viewsonic ViewPad 10 seem great, but the prices are immense and way too high for tablets in this range. Of course, we don't know exactly what the tablets will be like so we can't say anything about their performance, but unless they are something amazing the ViewPad 7's price of $480 and the ViewPad 10's price of $630 are too much to pay for a tablet with these features. The official press release and another image are below.

Viewsonic Unveils Android™-Based ViewPads®

Thousands of open-sourced apps available for 7” Android 2.2 3.5G capable ViewPad 7 and 10.1” dual-boot Win 7 and Android 1.6 ViewPad 10

WALNUT, Calif. – November 1, 2010 – ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today announced its ViewPad line of Android-based devices, featuring the ViewPad 7 and ViewPad 10.

“Leveraging our 20-year display heritage, these new ViewPad solutions provide users with anytime anywhere connectivity,” said Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager for ViewSonic Americas. “With access to the universe of Android apps, our new ViewPads are perfectly suited for enjoying digital entertainment and social media. Office productivity is also a snap with robust web browsing functionality.” 

ViewPad 7 – The Android 2.2 ViewPad 7 combines a powerful processor with 3.5G capable data technology in a lightweight, pocket-sized 7” form factor. With an 800x480 WVGA LCD screen, this device is one of the only 7” tablet solutions with Android Google Mobile Services (GMS). As a result, consumers can connect to a selection of more than 100,000 apps and games along with Gmail, YouTube and more for a superior and convenient entertainment solution that fits today’s mobile lifestyle.
 
With its wireless 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth® connectivity the ViewPad 7 supports instant messaging, VoIP, and all the web browsing and USB connectivity functions of a capacitive multi-touch device. The ViewPad 7 features 2 built-in cameras: a 3-megapixel, auto focus camera in the rear and a 0.3 megapixel camera in the front. In addition to the integrated 512MB of memory, the ViewPad 7 offers up to an additional 32GB of storage capacity via the micro SD card slot, along with battery life of up to 10 hours. The result is the ultimate device for connected fun and multitasking – in a compact size easier to carry than a netbook and with better media performance than a smartphone.

The ViewPad 7 will be available in late Q4 2010 for an ESP of $479. Third-party accessories and ViewCare™ extended warranties will also be available at launch.

ViewPad 10 – Innovative and productive, this 10.1” dual-boot Wi-Fi device gives users a choice between Windows® 7 Home Premium and Google Android 1.6 within the same device. With a high performance, high speed Intel® Atom™ 1.66GHz processor, integrated 1GB of memory, 16GB SSD hard drive and expandable micro SD slot, the ViewPad 10 is ideally designed to view Flash-based content and Office programs with Windows, and for an optimized mobile entertainment experience with Android. Additionally, the 1024x600 LED backlit panel includes a G-sensor and capacitive multi-touch for intuitive navigation across multiple applications. Teamed with a 1.3-megapixel webcam with built-in microphone, the ViewPad 10 is great for videoconferencing as well.

The ViewPad 10 with dual-boot OS will be available in Q1 2011 for an ESP of $629. Third-party accessories and ViewCare™ extended warranties will be available at launch.

For further information on ViewSonic products, please visit ViewSonic.com or follow ViewSonic on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. 

T-Mobile Introduces Their Latest And Lowest Cost Android Device Yet, The T-Mobile Comet

T-Mobile has just announced their new T-Mobile Comet, their latest and lowest cost Android device yet. This is quite a feat considering they recently released their new LG Optimus T for just $30, and that it is available from some third part retailers for free. The Comet is pretty much T-Mobile's version of the Huawei Ideos. Although the T-Mobile Comet is T-Mobile's lowest cost Android device, it doesn't mean that it isn't fully featured. The T-Mobile Comet features a 2.8 inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 240x320, a 3.2 megapixel camera, 3G connectivity with HSDPA speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps, a microSD card slot supporting cards of up to 32 GB, an FM radio, WiFi 802.11n connectivity, aGPS, and a Qualcomm processor with a clock speed of 528 MHz. This is all on top of Android 2.2 Froyo. Another feature on the software side is built in Swype. The big and perhaps only downside of the T-Mobile Comet is the 2.8 inch display, and perhaps the 528 MHz processor, which could cause Android to run slowly on the device, but we are not sure on that one yet as the device has not been released. Aside from the small screen the T-Mobile Comet has all the features you could ever want, and at a price point that is sure to fight off most dumb phones. Now, the moment that you have all been waiting for, the price. The T-Mobile Comet will be available for just $10 with a two year contract and a smartphone data package. The required data package is the only thing standing in the way from of T-Mobile Comet and beating off dumb phones completely. Of course, now that T-Mobile is offering a 200 MB smartphone data package for just $10 a month more customers might be willing to pay that small fee for the benefit of a decent Android device for a low price, plus 200 MB of data. The 200 MB data package could also appeal to those users who would like a higher end Android device, but are planning to use it mostly on WiFi or just don't want to dish out a hefty sum of cash for a data package. Now, back to the T-Mobile Comet. The Comet launches on November 3 for just $10, and is available in black. The Comet will also be available prepaid for less than $200. The press release is below.



T-Mobile Kicks Off the Holidays With a Compelling Lineup of Affordable Android-Powered Smartphones and new Low-Cost Data Service Plans

T-Mobile Is Making It Easier for Families to Stay Connected This Holiday Season and Beyond

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Nov. 1, 2010 PDT T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced new products and service plans designed to help families stay connected without busting their holiday budgets.  Beginning Nov. 3, T-Mobile is planning to offer a variety of new Android™ smartphones, including the T-Mobile® Comet™, LG Optimus T™ with Google™ and Motorola DEFY™ with MOTOBLUR™, each for less than $100. 
 
“We’re heading into this holiday season with our strongest and most affordable lineup ever of Android-powered smartphones,” said Cole Brodman, chief marketing officer, T-Mobile USA.  “Combine that with low-cost data service plans and even easier ways to give T-Mobile products as gifts, and we believe families will make the move to smartphones -- enriching how they communicate in the new year.”

Affordable Android Smartphones for All

T-Mobile’s compelling suite of affordable Android smartphones appeals to each member of the family, even first-time smartphone users. In addition to providing access to the mobile Web while on the go, Android-powered smartphones provide customers with one-click access to their favorite Google services, such as Google Maps™, Gmail™, YouTube®, and over 100,000 applications in Android Market™. For less than $100 with qualifying rate plan on a two-year agreement (plus taxes and fees), T-Mobile customers can purchase any of the following devices during the holiday season:

The T-Mobile Comet offers a compact form factor, 528 MHz processor, 2.8-inch full touch screen display and a 3.2 megapixel camera. Perfect for customers who are ready to make the affordable transition to their first smartphone, the T-Mobile Comet is also available for prepaid customers at less than $200 (plus taxes and fees), the lowest-priced 3G Android smartphone in the T-Mobile portfolio. The T-Mobile Comet is available in a black finish.
The LG Optimus T is an easy-to-use smartphone with a user customizable home screen, 600 MHz processor, 3.2-inch full touch screen display and a 3.2 megapixel camera with video capture. Featuring Voice Actions for Android pre-loaded on the device, the LG Optimus T allows customers to perform commands through voice entry, such as calling, texting, e-mailing and navigating to a specific destination. The LG Optimus T is available in a burgundy or titanium finish.
Slim and pocket-able, the Motorola DEFY is equipped to withstand all that life throws your way. The DEFY is scratch- and water-resistant, as well as dust-proof, combined with MOTOBLUR™, an 800 MHz processor, a 3.7-inch full touch screen and a 5-megapixel camera with flash and video capture. The Motorola DEFY is available in a black and linen finish.
The Motorola CHARM with MOTOBLUR features a full QWERTY keyboard for easy messaging, a 2.8-inch touch screen paired with a BACKTRACK™ pad for simple navigation, and MOTOBLUR, making it easy to keep up with family and friends. Also featuring a 600 MHz processor and a 3 megapixel camera, the Motorola CHARM is available in a golden bronze or cabernet finish.
Services Families Can Afford

In addition to affordable Android-powered smartphones, T-Mobile is delivering new low-cost data service plans expected to be available this holiday season, making data even more accessible for families. New value offers include these:

Mobile data plans. With T-Mobile data plans, customers will have two options for data: the Web – 200MB plan or the Web – Unlimited plan. The Web – 200MB plan will be available for $10 per month with a new two-year service agreement or contract extension for a limited time or for $15 per month, which will not require a two-year contract extension. The Web – Unlimited plan will be available for $30 per month. Both data plans will be sold paired with a new or existing voice and text message plan. 
Tethering and Wi-Fi Sharing service plan. T-Mobile is offering a new tethering service plan that enables select smartphones to function as wireless modems for connecting devices, such as laptops, tablets and netbooks to the Internet through the T-Mobile network. Customers can add the Tethering and Wi-Fi Sharing plan to their Web – Unlimited $30 monthly plan for an additional $14.99 per month. 
Availability

The T-Mobile Comet, LG Optimus T and Motorola DEFY are expected to be available starting Nov. 3 at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers and online at http://www.t-mobile.com. The T-Mobile Comet will also be available as a prepaid Android smartphone at Best Buy, Radio Shack and Target. T-Mobile expects its new mobile data plans and tethering service plan will be available this holiday season.

Making it even easier for consumers to give T-Mobile devices and accessories to their friends and families this holiday season, T-Mobile Gift Cards can be purchased and redeemed at select T-Mobile retail stores nationwide.

For more information on T-Mobile products and services, visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

LG Optimus T Priced At Just $30, Hitting T-Mobile on November 3

T-Mobile has just announced the release date and pricing of their newest Android device, the LG Optimus T. Our previous post had all the specs but for those of you who haven't seen it the Optimus T features a 3.2 inch HVGA touchscreen display, which is most likely capacitive, a 3 megapixel camera, and Android 2.2 Froyo. $30 for a decent device like the Optimus T is a pretty good price, especially since it is probably the cheapest Android smartphone available. Of course, to qualify for the $30 price of the LG Optimus T you have to sign up for a qualifying data plan and wait for the $50 mail in rebate to come in. The Optimus T could be a huge contender to dumbphones with its low price point. You can get the LG Optimus T for just $30 on November 3, available in black or burgundy.

Huawei Ascend Coming to Cricket, One of The Cheapest Android Smartphones We've Seen

The Huawei Ascend is one of the cheapest smartphones we have seen at just $150, no that is not with a contract or a two-year agreement, the Huawei  Ascend actually costs $150 without a contract. The Ascend will be Cricket's second Android device. Surprisingly the Ascend actually has some pretty good features, despite the extremely low price. The Ascend features a 3.5 inch capacitive touchscreen display with a 320x480 resolution, 3G connectivity (EV-DO rev.A), a 600 MHz processor, 256 MB of ram, a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, Android 2.1, GPS, WiFi 802.11g, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, a compass, a 1500 mAh battery, and last but not least a microSD card slot. The Huawei Ascend has a surprising amount of features for a cheaper low-end Android device. While it does have many features a lot of them are very low quality. For example, the 600 MHz processor will most likely be unbearably slow and the camera is reported to only shoot CIF video. There are also reports that the device has very low build quality and feels cheap and fragile. The screen resolution is also pretty bad. If you compare the Huawei Ascend to Cricket's current Android smartphone, the Kyocera Zio, you will find that you are probably getting a much better value with the Zio. First of all, the Kyocera Zio has a screen resolution of  480x800, which is amazing compared to 320x480. The Kyocera Zio also records VGA video versus the Ascend's CIF. These are just of few of the advantages of the Zio, but there are many more. Of course, there are some advantages of the Ascend over the Zio. For example, the Ascend runs on Android 2.1 versus the Zio's 1.6. The Zio is also slightly more expensive, and goes for just $230. If, for some reason, you do want to get the Huawei Ascend, it should be available mid-October for just $150.

CherryPal Announces Cheap New Android Tablet, The CherryPad America

CherryPal, the company that brought you the $100 netbook, has just announced a cheap new Android tablet. The CherryPad America is a 7 inch tablet running Android and has plenty of features, despite the low price point. The CherryPad America features a 7 inch resistive touchscreen display with a resolution of 800x480, Android 2.1 (An upgrade to Android 2.2 is planned to be released later), 256 MB of RAM, 2GB of memory, a microSD card slot, WiFi 802.11g, an 800 MHz ARM processor, and an accelerometer. The device will also feature a built in microphone and speaker. As for battery life, the CherryPad America runs off of a 3200 mAh battery, which should give you six to eight hours of use. The device also has an aluminum case and weighs just 1.1 pounds. Another great feature of the CherryPad America is that it will have access to the Android market, unlike other cheap Android tablets. CherryPad is saying that the CherryPad America is by no means a competitor to the iPad, but insists that it is "neither an iPad killer nor an iPad clone, it's a completely different product designed for a different market". The CherryPad America is available now through online retailer Zecozi, and will cost you just $188. Overall, the CherryPad America seems like a great tablet for the lower-end tablet market. Below is another image of the CherryPad America and the full press release. 

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct 07, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cherrypal, a California-based manufacturer of high quality, low-energy consuming and affordable personal computers, today announced the availability of its new sub $200 tablet computer, the CherryPad America.

The CherryPad was designed for consumers who are looking for an affordable, powerful, high quality, and low energy-consuming tablet computer with the ability to run the Android operating system. CherryPad is powered by the fast Samsung ARM11, (CPU + GPU + DSP, OpenGL 2.0) 800 MHz processor and runs Android 2.1 and all Android applications. An upgrade option to 2.2 is planned for the fourth quarter 2010.

The CherryPad America features a 7-inch resistive touch widescreen display (no stylus needed) at 800x480 resolution with built-in gravity sensor. Memory, storage and wireless functions include 256 MBs of DDRII RAM; 2 GB NAND Flash; Micro SD (1x) reader, and WiFi 802.11 b/g.

Standard I/O ports include USB 2.0 supported by an external adapter; 3.5 mm headphone jack, built-in speakers and microphone, DC port, optional external 3G modem. The CherryPad America's Polymer 3200 MAH battery has a run time of 6-8 hours. The device weighs just 1.1 pounds and is housed in a sturdy aluminum case. MSRP of the CherryPad America is $188.

"The CherryPad America does not compete against the Apple(C) iPad. The CherryPad addresses the sub-iPad market," said Cherrypal CTO Max Seybold.

According to Seybold, CherryPad has been designed for consumers who seek a lower cost, more compact tablet PC with the ability to run Android.

"The CherryPad is neither an iPad killer nor an iPad clone, it's a completely different product designed for a different market," Seybold said. "The screen of the CherryPad is only 7-inches big, the processor is slightly less powerful, and the CherryPad comes with Android 2.1 and not Apple's iOS." At a MSRP of $188, the price for a CherryPad is also less than half of the iPad.

"Early user tests confirmed the CherryPad user experience has been extremely positive. Users appreciate full access to the Android Market, its powerful processor, battery run time, and high quality," Seybold said.

Cherrypal Partners With Zecozi Cherrypal also announced a strategic partnership with Zecozi (www.zecozi.com), a new online shopping site for conscious consumers. All Cherrypal products will be exclusively sold through Zecozi in the United States, with the exception of volume buyers. Every Cherrypal comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, as well as a 1-year replacement warranty.

"We are a hardware manufacturer first and need to focus on our core competence in order to drive down costs and offer quality products that consumers can afford. We can offer our products for such a low price because we are frugal with non-product related costs. When we looked for a strong partner who shares our green, open and fair corporate value system, Zecozi was the obvious choice," said Cherrypal CEO John Collier.

About Cherrypal Corporation Cherrypal (http://www.cherrypal.com) is a Palo Alto, California based manufacturer of high-quality, energy-efficient and low-cost computers with worldwide sales operations. Cherrypal's products are designed in Palo Alto, California and manufactured in Asia.

About Zecozi Zecozi (www.zecozi.com) is a community-driven marketplace for conscious consumers, that enable users to shop with friends and come together in real-time with the community to collectively define sustainability. The Zecozi community is the next generation of sustainable commerce.

iPad and Apple are registered trademarks of Apple. Other products/company names are either trademarks or trade names of their respective holders.

T-Mobile Introduces Their Latest Android Device, The LG Optimus T

T-Mobile has just introduced their latest Android device, the LG Optimus T. The Optimus T is supposed to be an affordable and easy to use Android device. T-Mobile hasn't released many details but we do know that the LG Optimus T will feature a 3.2 inch HVGA touchscreen display, which is rumored to be capacitive, a 3.2 megapixel camera with video capture, Android 2.2 Froyo, and much more. The Optimus T will also come pre-loaded with a 2 GB microSD card, but will support cards up to 32 GB. From the pictures it looks like the UI isn't stock Android, but it also isn't changed beyond recognition. There are no pricing details available yet, but T-Mobile has said that the Optimus T will be released sometime in the holiday season. No exact date has been released, but hopefully it will be soon. The device will be available in black and burgundy. The LG Optimus T should be a great device for those of you looking for a budget Android Device on T-Mobile's network. Below is the official press release and a picture of the burgundy version.

Exclusive to T-Mobile customers, LG Optimus T offers Android 2.2, Voice Actions for Android and one-touch access to popular Google services to keep customers connected while on the go

Bellevue, Wash. — Oct. 6, 2010

T-Mobile USA, Inc. and LG Mobile Phones today announced the latest easy-to-use and affordably priced smartphone to join T-Mobile’s extensive Android™ portfolio, LG Optimus T™. Equipped with the latest Android platform, LG Optimus T features a responsive touch screen sleek form-factor and deep integration of Google™ services, including Voice Actions.

LG Optimus T makes staying connected to friends and family while on the go a quick, one-touch process. Using Voice Actions for Android, customers can control their Android-powered phone by speaking commands to call, text, e-mail and even find directions on a map, among other tasks. LG Optimus T also offers customers close integration with popular Google services, such as Google Search™ (also by voice), Gmail™, Google Talk™ and Google Maps™.

“This holiday season, Android smartphones will be at the top of the wish list for multiple members of the family,” said Saj Sahay, director, product management, T-Mobile USA. “With the LG Optimus T, T-Mobile is helping customers who have not yet made the transition to the world of smartphones with an easy-to-use and affordable option.”

With access to Android Market™, LG Optimus T customers can download and personalize their phone with thousands of free and paid applications. In addition, the customizable home screen, expandable up to seven panes, on the Optimus T keeps life simple by bringing what matters most upfront and center, including favorite applications and widgets. The Optimus T comes equipped with a 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera with video capture, as well as pre-installed 2 GB microSD card and support for up to 32 GB of removable memory.

“LG Optimus T allows T-Mobile users to create a smartphone experience unique to their lifestyle and everyday needs,” said Ehtisham Rabbani, corporate vice president of marketing and innovation for LG Mobile Phones. “With Google features and a stylish design, LG Optimus T is the ideal device for first-time smartphone users ready to explore the Android world.”

Availability

Offered in a Burgundy or Titanium finish, the LG Optimus T is expected to be exclusively available to T-Mobile customers this holiday season. For more information about T-Mobileproducts and services, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com.

Virgin Mobile Launches The New Samsung Intercept, Priced Pretty Well Too

Virgin Mobile has just released their new Samsung Intercept, their first Android device. They are launching the Intercept for just $250 with absolutely no contract or commitment, which is pretty good for a mid-range Android device, off contract, of course. The Samsung Intercept also has some pretty good features with a 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen display, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and much more. You could argue that $250 is too much to pay for a device that you could get for a lot less on contract, but the freedom and low rates of Virgin Mobile will probably save you more than the cost of the device in the long run. The new Samsung Intercept will use Virgin Mobile's current Beyond Talk plans, which range from $25 per month to $60 per month, and the Intercept is available today at Target stores nationwide. The Intercept will also be launching at a number of other major retailers throughout the month, and will be available online sometime in mid October. For now, the Samsung Intercept looks like a promising device. The press release and some more images are available below.

Virgin Mobile Energizes Mobile Marketplace by Introducing Android Handset on a Nationwide, No-Contract Plan
Samsung Intercept Delivers Smartphone Luxuries with Monthly Unlimited Plans

WARREN, N.J. – Oct. 4, 2010 – The line between prepaid and postpaid mobile offerings has become even more blurred as Virgin Mobile USA enters the Android™ smartphone market. Beginning today at Target stores nationwide, Virgin Mobile adds the Samsung Intercept™, running on the Android mobile operating system, to its affordable, no-contract lineup of handset and service offerings. The Intercept will roll out to other major retailers throughout the month and will be available for purchase at virginmobileusa.com by mid-October for $249.99.

“As smartphone users come up for contract renewal and examine their monthly costs, they will start to wonder why they are paying more each month when they can get similar services from Virgin Mobile at a fraction of the price,” said Bob Stohrer, vice president-Marketing, Virgin Mobile USA. “With the Samsung Intercept on Android, Virgin Mobile is leading its customers into new, eagerly awaited territory while expanding our potential customer base.”

The Android device gives Virgin Mobile customers full integration of social networking apps, Microsoft Outlook Exchange e-mail and advanced messaging capabilities. Users of the Samsung Intercept also have access to more than 80,000 applications currently available on the Android Market™, and can sign up for one of Virgin Mobile’s Beyond Talk™ plans which include e-mail, data and Web along with 300, 1200 or unlimited voices minutes per month and are perfect for the person always on the go.

In addition to a 3.2-inch touch-screen display, a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a 3.2 MP camera and video, the Samsung Intercept also comes preloaded with multiple applications, including such favorite social apps such as You Tube®, Facebook® and Google Talk™ as well as the Virgin Mobile Live app used to access Virgin Mobile’s branded music stream.  Additional features include:

Contact and calendar sync via ActiveSync
Android Web browser
Access to the Amazon® MP3 store
Full integration of Google Apps™, such as Google Maps™, Google Talk, Gmail™ and Google Navigation™
Document file viewer
Portrait and landscape screen orientation
Dedicated keys for quick access to social networking
Numerous video and music file types supported
Built-in music player

The Samsung Intercept, paired with Virgin Mobile’s no contract Beyond Talk service options at $25, $40 and $60 a month, offers one of the best smartphone values in the industry.

About Virgin Mobile USA
Virgin Mobile USA, one of Sprint's prepaid brands, offers millions of customers control, flexibility and connectivity through Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk™ plans for mobile phone service and prepaid Broadband2Go high-speed Web access. Virgin Mobile branded handsets are available at more than 40,000 retail stores, including Best Buy, Radio Shack, Target and Walmart. Top-Up cards are available at approximately 150,000 locations nationwide and can be used for Broadband2Go services. Purchase and experience Virgin Mobile on the Web and at Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and www.virginmobileusa.com.

Virgin Mobile Getting The New Samsung Intercept, Its First Android Device

Virgin Mobile USA has just announced that they will soon be adding the Samsung Intercept to their lineup. This will be Virgin Mobile's first Android device, and according to the preliminary specifications it will be a good mid-range device device. The Samsung Intercept is a mid-range Android Smartphone, but it still has a ton of features including a 3.2 inch display with a WQVGA resolution of 240x400, a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 3.5mm headphone jack, WiFi 802.11g, a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and geotagging, assisted GPS, an accelerometer, and a 1500 mAh battery that will give you up to 300 hours of standby time and about 5 hours and 30 minutes of talk time. The Intercept also has 3G connectivity with EV-Do rev.0, which isn't as fast as rev.A, but is still okay. The Samsung Intercept runs on Android 2.1 Eclair, which will probably be upgraded to Froyo in the future. Overall, the phone is a mid-range device and doesn't have that great of specifications, but it is still a great device for class. Now, back to the release information. Virgin Mobile USA hasn't exactly given us any details, except for a post on their Facebook page:


"The question of an Android coming to Virgin Mobile has been a hot topic lately here on Facebook. Well, we're happy to confirm that our next handset launch will be the Samsung Intercept. Check out the photo below, get excited, & stay tuned over the next few weeks for more information! "


This leads us to believe that an announcement about a release or launch date will be made within the next month. The Samsung Intercept will be a great addition to Virgin Mobile USA's lineup, even if it isn't the latest and greatest Android device, and with their great plans and limited selection of devices it will probably be a big hit. 

The Lack of Tablets Available Readily for Consumers to Purchase

Let’s say you want to buy an internet tablet, a MID (mobile internet device), or whatever you want to call it. You go to the usual technology stores and some other stores, but guess what, you are only going to find two tablets, that’s right two. Currently there are only two tablets available for consumers to just go out and buy from the store, at least that I know of. Those are the iPad, and the new Augen Gentouch 78. Those are about the only two you will find. Let’s say that after your little scavenger hunt for a tablet you decide that the iPad is too expensive for you, but you still don’t want something as crappy as the Augen Gentouch 78, so you decide to expand your search online. You go to Google and search for “internet tablets”, you will find two more internet tablets, the Archos line of tablets, and if you delve a little deeper, the Fusion Garage JooJoo. That totals your tablet tally to four. Let’s say none of these tablets meet your needs either, so you look some more. You will most likely find the Nokia N900, and maybe some Vilivs. Other than that, there is nothing, nothing! At least this is what I have found in my experience of searching for a good internet tablet. Then you will decide to spend another 3 hours looking for an internet tablet. At the end of those two hours, you find yourself looking at you computer about to crash because of all of the tabs you have open. The tabs are mostly full of Chinese wholesale sites offering you strange tablets with manufacturers you have never heard of, unclear specifications, and you will have absolutely no sense of wanting to buy any of these tablets. You have never heard of the manufacturer, the OS is probably something you have never seen, or a hacked version of Android, and you are extremely depressed because you just spent about 4 hours of your life looking for a normal internet tablet, which, in the end, you did not find. Thinking of this will probably cause you to start yelling at your computer. This, sadly is how the actual tablet market is these days, and I have experienced this myself. You will only find a few, or five in my case, internet tablets that you have actually ever heard of or you can trust even a little. The rest is Chinese (no offense to the Chinese, they actually make some pretty awesome stuff) craptablets from sites that will probably steal your identity and never even send you the tablet. This is not how the market should be. In my opinion the tablet market should be like the laptop market, except for with a little less confusion. And I think that it is a shame that tablets are nowhere to be found now, but I think that in the next couple of years the tablet market will experience rapid growth. This is mostly because people have a growing need for devices and tablets that they can take anywhere and actually be productive with. So, I hope this has shortened those tablet lovers’ searches for a new internet tablet, and I really hope that tablets become a lot easier for consumers to purchase.