Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Archos recently came out with 3 new devices, all of which are Internet Media Tablets. These new gadgets are set to combine music/video playback, TV, and the Internet, all in one sweet device. These new Archos tablets are called the Archos 5, Archos 7, and Archos 5g.

Let’s begin with the Archos 5. This device ranges in models with storage capacities of 60GB to a massive 250GB. It comes with a 5-inch screen to display the Internet and videos as clear as possible. Next, we have the Archos 7 and the 7 stands for it’s screen size, a beautiful 7-inch display. The cool feature in this one as opposed to the Archos 5, is that it can play live TV, a nice feature to have in any handheld device. As usual, it also can access the Internet and play videos. If you have a lot of videos stored on your computer and need a big device to store it all, then the Archos 7 is the device for you as it stores from 160GB to a crazy 320GB.

Lastly, we have the Archos 5g Tablet, which is designed for people always on the go and wanting to use the Internet wherever. The Archos 5g comes with 3.5g HSDPA technology, allowing you to connect to the Internet on the way to work, or on a long car ride. It boasts a hi-res 5-inch screen, and a 30GB hard drive. All three of these Internet Media Tablets come with something unique and perfect for everyone. Unfortunately, no word on pricing or availability at this time.

Read [Archos]

It seems for Mike Arrington and the 560+ commenters that there is a desire in the market for a web tablet.  Arrington is proposing they build it as a project and bring it to market themselves in a bold bid to build traffic and a product that many seem to seek.

In truth, what they look to build is an inexpensive ($200) giant iPod touch.  My touch lives in my living room.  I use it to surf the net, play games and be connected whenever I feel like it.  The instant on, quick WiFi and fun operation make it a staple I am not sure I’d be happy living without at this point.

MORE »

Gigabyte has been teasing us with bits and pieces of information about its convertible M912 tablet PC for quite some time now. If you recall, we reported that one of its variant, the M912V was already released in Taiwan with an estimated retail price of around $892 US.

But new information about the M912 showed up via a Taiwanese poster at UMPC Fever. We learned that the Vista-powered M912V will actually have a suggested retail of around $656. It will also come with 1GB of RAM, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

We also learned that another model, the M912X which will come with Windows XP will have a retail price of around $620. And finally another model, the M912M with lower resolution display of 1024 x 600 will have a retail of around $556. Aside from the lower resolution, the M912M will also not have Bluetooth, hence the lower price tag.

So for those still waiting for Gigabyte’s convertible tablet PC to hit the market, at least you will have three options to choose from once they become available.

Via [Engadget]

Not wanting to be outdone by their competitors, Panasonic has upgraded two of its Toughbook models with the new Intel Centrino 2 chipset. These newly updated Toughbooks are the 15.4-inch CF-52 and the 13.3-inch Toughbook CF-74 and in addition to the Centrino 2 chipset they also now have Wi-Fi 802.11n connectivity.

Both machines are packed with 160GB shock-mounted hard drives, full magnesium alloy case, spill resistant keyboard and touchpad, and are mobile broadband ready for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless networks. The CF-52 also features an integrated fingerprint scanner and a DVD multi-drive, while the CF-72 boasts a durable, spill-resistant touchscreen LCD.

These upgraded Toughbooks will both be available sometime in August with retail prices starting at $1,949 for the CF-52 and $3,199 for the CF-74.

Product [Panasonic] Via [I4U]

Here’s another announcement of new PC’s loaded with Intel’s Centrino 2 processor, this time its from Fujitsu with their new LifeBook tablet PC’s, the LifeBook T5010 and LifeBook T1010. Both models have 13.3-inch widescreen displays and are said to be the lightest convertibles in the market sporting the that size display. The LifeBook T5010 weighs only 4.5 pounds while the LifeBook T1010 weighs 5.3-pounds.

Both of these Tablet PCs have a bi-directional display hinge that would let you turn the screen in both directions for added flexibility. In addition, these notebooks feature the next-generation Intel wireless draft-N or Atheros N which are touted as three times faster than the usual 802.11n-based wireless connectivity. Both notebooks also come with an option to have a Bluetooth v2.1 and optional wireless WAN for additional wireless connectivity features.The T5010 and T1010 both come with spill-resistant keyboards and are equipped with the Fujitsu Shock Sensor for protecting their hard drives from damage due to sudden jolt or drop.

MORE »

Recent reports are now surfacing with details that Asus is currently prepping a touchscreen tablet version for their highly successful Eee PC lineup. This news stems from a recent conversation that Emmanuele Silanesu, the Australian national retail manager for Asus had with Current and stated they have been “obviously looking at other form factors rather than just a clamshell”.

The big question that remains is whether or not this tablet would be able to meet the low pricing that is found within the Eee lineup. While Asus may indeed be working on a tablet, its yet to be determined if it will wear the Eee badging or Asus badging.

Although this is still far from official, there were hints at an unveiling during Computex, which seems a little unlikely due to the timing. While this is an early report of a device like this from Asus, Computex begins in just a little over a week from now.

Read [Current] Via [Gizmodo]

Fujitsu has just made available two of its flagship ultra-portable computing machines, the U810 mini notebook and the T2010 tablet PC. Both machines boast of built-in AT&T BroadbandConnect HSDPA, which simply translates to a fast wireless data connection experience for users. Individually, both machines are equipped with good features as well, here’s what you can expect on these two new Lifebook’s.

The LifeBook U810 mini-notebook brags of being the world’s smallest convertible notebook with its 5.6-inch LED backlit touchscreen display and works like a traditional notebook with its ultra-slim QWERTY keyboard or by swivelling its VSVGA Crystal View illuminated screen. It also functions as a handheld tablet PC with a touch screen for finger or pen input. Other features of this mini notebook include an Energy Star compliant 800MHz A810 Intel processor, fingerprint reader, automatic BIOS lock, integrated webcam, 1GB DDR2 400MHz SDRAM memory, 60GB hard drive and Bluetooth.

While the LifeBook T2010 convertible notebook boasts of a 12.1-inch LED backlit display and a slim 1.3-inch chassis. This notebook is packed with an Intel Core 2 Duo 7600 ultra low voltage processor, 2GB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM memory, 120GB SATA hard drive, Wi-Fi link and Bluetooth. The T2010 is also Energy Star compliant like the U810.

Both the U810 and T2010 are available now with retail prices starting at $999 and $1,499 respectively.

Product [Fujitsu] Product [Fujitsu] Via [SlashGear]

We first saw the tx2000 back in early January with a nice video and full set of specs. So while there not much else to mention, the tx2000 is now available and is retailing for $1,299.99. As expected the tx2000 has a 12.1-inch touchscreen display, 2.1GHz AMD Turion processor, 2GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 graphics card, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth and a LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW drive. There are also options to upgrade and add a 250GB hard drive, bump the RAM up to 4GB and also add a Verizon Wireless V740 ExpressCard. The tx2000 weighs in at just 4.35-pounds.

Read [HP.com]

SSD storage is still far from mainstream, but with more and more companies beginning to offer an option it will eventually become a little more popular and hopefully become a lot more reasonably priced.

HP has recently added a 64GB solid-state-drive option on their 2710p Tablet PC. Similar to the other options out with SSD installed the price seems to be a barrier for a good amount of people. To have the 64GB SSD installed in the 2710p you have to be willing to part with an additional $919. Of course with time it will come down, while its expensive its still very nice to see it being offered. In addition to the optional 64GB SSD, the 2710p Tablet also has an option for an 80GB 4200rpm drive for $60 or a 100GB 4200rpm drive for $120.

Via [jkOnTheRun]

HP has just announced the Pavillion tx2000, which is the latest, and best, of their tablet PC line. Features include:

• An active digitizer for improved hand-writing recognition.
• 12.1-inch display that rotates and folds flat.
• Powered by AMD processors.
• Graphics are provided by an integrated NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 graphics card that shares up to 128MB of RAM.

The base model will have a 120GB drive, with 160, 250 and 320GB upgrades available. You get a chose of Vista Home Premium, Vista Business or Vista Ultimate and HP Imprint Finish with optional HP webcam, integrated microphone, and fingerprint reader. The tx2000 is expected to retail for $1299. At 4.5lbs it isn’t the lightest tablet on the market, but it is loaded up pretty well feature wise.

Via [Notebooks.com]