Acer seems to be very active within the mid-range tablet market lately, with most of the attention given to its Android-powered lineup. That, apparently, is about to change in the upcoming months, though, as the Taiwanese corp has quietly launched an 8-inch WXGA slate with Windows 8 as the main OS platform. You got that right, ladies and gents, a mid-range device running Microsoft’s latest Windows 8 Pro onboard. Sheesh, that sounds awesome. But more importantly, it looks so great. And by “it,” we refer of course to the new Iconia W3 slate, which has just been introduced online on the company’s Finnish website. In terms of its technological specs the W3 is nothing out of the ordinary with an Intel Atom Z2760 chip running under the hood, as well as 2GB of RAM, a 1,280 x 768 display, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless connectivity. Other than that, it sports a 2-megapixel front-facing cam, a microHDMI output, USB 2.0 hub, and up to 64GB of internal storage. The battery pack, if you wondered, is rated to provide up to 8 hours of battery life, and the picture in the info source link also indicates a bunch of accessories like a portable keyboard dock and a cover case that doubles as a stand.

If you are in the market for a new mid-range tablet, but don’t feel like spending too much money on it, the new 8-inch slate from Archos, dubbed Xenon 80, is probably a very good option for you. Why you might ask? Because for $200 not only do you get the usual specs like a 1,024 x 768 IPS display, 4GB of internal storage (expandable up to 64GB via microSD slot), 2 megapixel rear camera shooter, and Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) operating system along with a layer of Archos own suite of multimedia software, but you also get a strong 1.2GHz Qualcomm quad-core CPU under the lid, plus 3G capabilities to surf the internet while travelling. That sounds like a lot of performance for less money than other hot slabs in the market, right? I guess we’ll have to check it out ourselves, when this one comes out next month (June). 

The mid-range segment has already become the mainstream of the tablet market. All of a sudden, it seems that everyone wants to get involved and be part of it, and so does Japanese telecom giant NTT DoCoMo that has recently revealed a 7-inch chap, known as the Sharp Aquos Pad SH-08E. And if you think this machine isn’t powerful that’s just not true. Well, for starters this isn’t your average Android 4.2 device, but a super-fast Pad, you’re looking at, with a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor under the lid, a 4,200mAh battery, and native 1,920 x 1,200 of high-res IGZO display. Not enough? you’re also getting an 8.1-megapixel rear facing camera, tucked with a 2.1-megapixel shooter on the front. There’s also WiFi, NFC, an integrated TV tuner, and LTE band support. The body itself is made out of waterproof material, so you don’t have to worry about dropping it in water. What you may have to worry about, though, is the price, but it hasn’t been disclosed yet. What we do know, however, is that it will be available in Japan, sometime before the end of July.

Earlier this weekend in New York City, Acer unveiled the Iconia A1, a 7.9-inch Android Jelly Bean tablet with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor under the hood, a very sharp IPS panel, and 1024 x 768 pixels screen resolution for high definition display. This isn’t Acer’s first foray into the popular mid-range tablet market. The company announced another 7-inch device, with Android’s latest 4.1 version, only four months ago. And while the first iteration (also known as the Iconia B1-A71) packs a dual-core processor, the new product boasts a quad-core technology onboard. In other words, a lot more power and a lot more speed that you get in here. Other than that, this 11.1mm thick slate, which is going on sale in the US of A later this month, also comes with WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, a 5MP rear-facing camera, and your choice of either 8GB or 16GB of data storage, with an expandable microSD slot. The forthcoming tablet will retail for a very competitive price tag of $169 and $199, respectively.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video, courtesy of phoneArena

I have heard this question quite a lot lately — “If you can tag people on Facebook, why can’t you do that on Instagram?” It actually makes plenty of sense, doesn’t it? Well, it all depends on who you ask. But thankfully, they finally just added this cool new feature into their latest and greatest mobile phone version (v 3.5). It took more than a year though (after Facebook acquired the popular photo-sharing platform). Still, we are always continually looking for any new and interesting updates, and this one, which you can now download both for iOS and Android apps, is definitely a top priority. Why, you are asking? Because it adds an option that will let you tag friends, brands or any other people for this matter, into your day-to-day digital photos. In addition, there’s a new Photos of You tab, added to a user profile page, where you can see all photos on Instagram that you’re tagged in. Clearly you can preview tags before they get to be published and shared, but there’s a way to make it happen automatically, as well. Finally, the company has posted a new video that explains some simple facts about this latest neat update.

Another day, another Samsung Galaxy tablet. That’s right folks, the S.Korean corp has just announced the official release of yet another mid-range Android Jelly Bean device, also known as the Galaxy Tab 3 model. After the previous 8 incher this 7 inches (1024×600) slate looks pretty much the same, only with about 1-inch less of your fancy touch-screen real estate. Other than that, we’re basically looking at a tad thinner and lighter Sammy version (compared to the Galaxy Tab 2 iteration), with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor under the lid, either 8GB or 16GB of internal storage (expandable up to 64GB via microSD card slot), a 3 MP rear camera and 1.3-megapixel front camera for video calling, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth 3.0, and GPS + GLONASS navigation system. There’s also a 4,000 mAh battery pack inside this slab, and an optional 3G HSPA+ capable baseband. While pricing information is still largely unknown, Samsung has announced that it will begin selling the Tab 3 WiFi -Only brand sometime in May, and the 3G edition about one month later.

Microsoft Surface tablets have in fact been around for more than six months already, but they’re now expanding into several new markets. According to a recent announcement by the Redmond giant, the company will have both its Windows 8 Surface Pro and Surface RT available worldwide, in 29 different markets (all in all). Launch is scheduled for April 25th, when the first batch of Surface RT devices is expected to hit the beautiful country of Malaysia and then, about a month later, to Mexico, and by the end of June, the RTs will officially go live in Thailand and Korea. The Surface Pro, on the other hand, is planned to have a second round of debut by the end of May in 19 additional markets across Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Finally, the company says it is trying to keep up with the growing demand for its 128GB Surface Pro device. So if you’re looking for one, rest assured that the product is consistently in stock.

[Microsoft]

HP has already announced plans to release a 7-inch Android tablet sometime this year, after its first webOS device, the TouchPad, failed to make a dent in the market. Now, the company seems to be ready to fight back, and grab a little market share from popular players like Apple’s iPad Mini, and Google’s Nexus 7. The product, which the US hardware maker is going to actually role out, is set to have a UK release on May 1st, with a tiny £129 price tag, and a formidable list of internal specs, including a 7-inch 1024×600 display, 1GB of RAM, an ARM Cortex A9 dual-core 1.6GHz processor, 3.15MP plus 0.3MP cameras, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for the tablet OS. With the new Slate 7, we’re also looking at 8GB of storage (expandable up to 32GB via microSD), Red or Silver hues at your choice, and integrated Beats Audio software. Those who are looking to be the first to have this one within the European boundaries, can officially pre-order the slab from HP’s UK online store, right away. There’s still no word when you will be able to get this one Stateside.

We have already talked about the Galaxy Note 8.0 announcement back in February, when Samsung has put out the official global media coverage. Some details were scarce, back then, but now we know it will finally get its U.S. release on April 11th for $400. The new mid-sized device, which is similar in spec to the original early model that was unveiled at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, is driven by a 1.6 GHz Exynos 4 Quad ARM Cortex-A9 processor, and boasts an 8-inch 1280×800 pixels display, 2 GB of RAM, 5MP camera on the back, plus 1.3 MP up front, your choice of  16/32 GB of internal storage, as well as a 4,600 mAh battery pack, WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, and a microSD card for memory expansion. Finally, it is worth noting that Uncle Sam’s Galaxy Note 8 version is a wifi only slab, without the cellular access built in. Will you get yourself one? $400 per unit sounds like really a lot. Hit the “+” to read the full PR.

At Menlo Park, California — Facebook announces a family of apps for Android mobile phones (such as HTC One X, HTC One X+, Samsung GALAXY S III and Samsung GALAXY Note II), called ‘Home.’ The founder and CEO of the popular social network, Mark Zuckerberg, said the company’s goal is to “turn your Android phone into a great social device.” Let’s make it clear, Facebook is NOT building a phone or an operating system, the company is offering a new experience for your mobile devices, where it will focus on people rather than apps.

So how does this all work? First, you have to download the Home app from the Google Play store (available on April 12). Then, you simply glance at your home screen, the place that Facebook defines as a social  ”Cover Feed,” and get the latest posts and important updates from the people you care about most. In addition, the Home will send your device different type of notification messages such as calls, events, images, and Facebook status updates.

Another feature that Facebook has added is the App Launcher, and it’s basically as it sounds, a place where you can find all your favorite Android apps. Only one single swipe from the central home screen itself, and you’re good to go with just about any app you’d like.

Another add-on that Facebook is presenting today, is the“Chat Heads”, a simple and fun development to communicate with friends via Facebook Messages and SMS messages in a more personalized way. This new feature will let you keep chatting no matter what you are doing at the moment, by tapping one of your friend’s Facebook profile pictures, and writing whatever you want to say, inside the pop-up window that will automatically open. Of course it also supports group messaging capabilities, and if you want to to receive a message from one of your colleagues, you either click on the preview message, presented with their photo, or alternatively, swipe away (in case you’re busy) to close immediately all conversations.

Facebook is going to carry out its new plans with a little help from the good friends over at AT&T and HTC. The latter, has just unveiled the HTC First, a 4.3-inch 720p mobile device that boasts a 1.4GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB RAM, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera / 1.6MP front-facing shooter, along with an LTE mobile network support. The First is set to be available exclusively on AT&T for $99.99, starting April 12 (The company is accepting pre-orders today). The phone will be offered in four different colors and is said to be running with Facebook Home already pre-loaded. 

Update: Facebook rolled out a new update to its iOS app, pushing Home’s most favorite feature, the Chatheads, to your iPhone and iPad devices. To get it, you’ll need to download Facebook version 6.0 from the Apple App Store, and doing so will let you see what your Facebook friends are up to, get notes when friends are sharing comments and likes within your posts, text and chat with Chatheads UI experience all over your screen board. Download link is here [iTunes].

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Facebook]

With the new Samsung Galaxy S4 set to be released at the end of April, fans have now been given a clear idea of what to expect from Samsung’s latest offering. Here, we will take a look at 4key features of the Samsung Galaxy S4 which are getting fans across the globe increasingly excited and impatient in equal measure, for its release.

 Samsung Wallet

The new offering comes with a brand new Samsung Wallet which will allow the user to keep anything they have bought in their phone. Furthermore it is anticipated that the new phone will support Visa Payments, although this is not yet known for certain. If this does transpire to be the case, then this should function as a contactless payment method called Near Field Communication. This will render the new style payment system as simple and easy to use, good news for fans excited about this proposition.

 Eight Core Processor

This would not have come as a surprise to most Samsung Galaxy S3 fans as it has been leaked on numerous occasions that the Samsung Galaxy S4 would be the first phone to have the first in built eight core processor. You may also be pleased to note that Samsung Galaxy S4 has full support for 4G LTE networks. Not only will the phone run at 4G speeds but it will also come with storage space options of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB depending on your own needs. There is an additional microSD slot for extra space if this is required.

Camera

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has an in-built rear mounted camera that boasts an impressive 13 mega pixels. Not only does it have a lower-level flash but for the more adventurous among us, it has the ability to capture 360 degree panoramic pictures.

Contactless Hand and Gesture Controls

Perhaps the biggest achievement of Samsung’s new release is the implementation of the new contactless gesture controls. This would allow the user to answer a call by simply waving their hand or making a simple air gesture.  Icons can be clicked simply by moving a finger above the screen. Furthermore, users will be able to scroll the screen using their eyes, with the new phone tracking the user’s eye movements.

The new Samsung Galaxy S4 is certainly recognizable and has not strayed too far away from the S3’s design and function, The phone has many impressive features, most notably its super fast processor and its great looking design. The new S4 although almost perfect is not entirely faultless.  Its entire plastic body belies its impressive and sleek design and means that the new offering is a little on the flimsy side. So you’ll want to make sure you get a good smartphone case and a screen protector. Furthermore, Samsung have refrained from overly improving Touchwiz which some users may find a little disappointing. On the whole though, Samsung have managed to successfully mix the new and the old in such a way that the latest option should not fail to disappoint. It may be not be perfect, but it certainly comes to close and it has enough updated features to compensate for any of its flaws.

Alright, let’s start this off with a little confession: I own a Cowon mp3 player and I think it is simply the best. Far better than anything else I have ever had before (and I do have quite a lot of audio gear, you know). Better amp, better structure, better music handling features. Thing is, that most people I talk to today don’t even use mp3 players anymore - over time mobile phones have slowly taken their place. But for audiophiles, the mp3 player is a must have. Ultimately, that is why the South Korean corp is starting to market the D20, a 2.5-inch (320 x 240) digital audio device with either 8GB, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage at your choice, an integrated SD card slot, FM radio, voice recorder, TV output, and resistive touchscreen on top. But what is so special about it, you may ask? Put it simple, the battery part is very well planned, with 13 hours of video playback, and up to 90 hours(!) of music at your fingertips. 90 hours, sheesh. As for pricing? The Cowon D20 will sell for ¥11,800 ($125) and ¥16,800 ($178), respectively. 

Well, that didn’t take Apple too long to roll out a new iOS update, to correct several issues that cropped up with their latest 6.1/6.1.1/6.1.2 versions. The new release, which obviously gets the serial name of iOS 6.1.3, includes a few notable fixes for the iDevices platform, such as this small software trick that has given users the option to circumvent iPhone lock screen, without entering the proper code, and one or two performance improvements in the Japanese Apple Maps app, and some other pertinent security aspects. The update is now available in iTunes, and is also available over-the-air to existing iOS 6 users.

Update: You know what they say, it’s not over until it’s over. So, if Apple thought it has completely removed the lock screen bypass glitch, with the recent iOS 6.1.3 release, there seems to be another problem that may need a better solution. We won’t go into explaining the new issue again. Let’s just say it involves using the voice command feature and ejecting the SIM card tray. Hop past the break, and watch the walkthrough video (made by by YouTube user  videosdebarraquito).

Click here to view the embedded video.

At Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy S4, a phone that will let you “experience life without boundaries.” That’s right, according to the South Korean corp. the Galaxy S4 is your ultimate “Life Companion” and it will greatly serve you, both in your house and whenever you decide to take it on-the-go. The S4, which is  somewhat a mix of Samsung’s Galaxy S3 and Note II mobile phones, offers a wide range of functions and features, including a beautiful 5-inch 1080p (1,920 x 1,080) Super AMOLED screen display (441 ppi), capable of use with gloves in wet, cold and dusty conditions, your choice (depends on the region) of either a 1.6GHz Exynos Octa-core chip or a 1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor (probably the Snapdragon 600), 2GB RAM, and 2,600mAh battery to match.

When it comes to connectivity, the 7.9mm thick device has quite a lot to give, starting with the very exceptional WiFi 802.11ac (which also supports the usual a/b/g/n bands), that comes alongside an IR blaster to let you fully control the big tele (access via Samsung’s WatchON service), a built-in NFC technology, as well as MHL 2.0, radios for HSPA+ (850/900/1900/2100MHz) plus Cat 3 100 / 50 Mbps LTE, and last but not least, a Bluetooth 4.0 + LE module.

Moving on with the specs, the GS 4 is running an Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean platform under the lid, with Samsung’s well-known TouchWiz interface layered on top. You get to choose between 16, 32, or 64GB of storage capacities, and there’s a microSD addition, expandable up to 64 gigs, an option that will give you the potential for a whopping 128GB of total memory.

Another important part of the Galaxy S4 is obviously the new 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture and autofocus capabilities. The camera is claimed to be able taking more than 100 shots in four seconds, and then re-arrange them all in one single frame. It’ll also record video at the 1080p range, and with the “dual camera” mode, you’ll be able to use both the front-facing camera and the rear-facing camera, concurrently, and put ‘em together in a pic-in-pic mode. And yes, there’s also a 2MP front-facing camera, in case you wondered.

As mentioned earlier, the GS4 is stuffed with tons of tweaks and features. A quick roundup of some of the good things going on inside:

• Eye-tracking features

• Smart Pause – Will pause a video by simply “looking away”

• Smart scroll

• Air View interface

• Air Gesture

• S Translator – That literally understands 9 languages, both speech to text, and text to speech

• S Voice Drive – Voice commands for driving

• Optical Reader – Scans QR codes and business cards, turns them into text

• Swipe-to-type keyboard

• Group playing – Play music with multiple phones at the same time

• S Health – Tracks your fitness activity

Samsung is planning to sell the Galaxy S4 around the world via 327 carriers in 155 countries, sometime towards the end of April. And while prices are yet to be disclosed, we hear that the GS4 is made of a tough polycarbonate frame, and will be launched either in Black Mist or White Frost colors.

So… Are you getting one?

Click here to view the embedded video.

A lot of people have played down the question “What will the next iPad look like?” Well, thanks to Apple itself we don’t have to wait that long to know the answer. According to a patent filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (under serial number 228282), the Cupertino giant is planning to refresh the design of its highly popular iPad tablet lineup. The slate, which has become an industry standard in terms of look and feel, is expected to show off a slightly updated design, with a more boxy shape, and a better front-to-back alignment. 

We’re guessing that the body of this futuristic device will be constructed of durable high quality materials, possibly aluminum, or some sort of a light and strong type of  plastic (maybe polycarbonate). In addition, as tablets improve, we are happy to learn that Apple is planning to change the rear facing camera location, as well as adding a new heat baffle, for the processor so it can exhaust the heat, and either backside, or alternatively, a full edge speaker.

At this point, there’s no way we can tell if the changes will take effect immediately or at some time in the future. But one thing for sure, there’s plenty to be waiting for.

The Kindle Fire HD tablet is already selling extremely well in the US, and now it is finally ready to hit both Europe and Japan. According to Amazon, the growing demand for its 8.9-inch slab, as well as lower manufacturing costs through reduced cycle times, has had a positive impact on the outcome, and the Kindle prices in the US, which has now dropped to $269 and $299 for the WiFi-only 16GB/32GB models, while the 32GB/64GB versions with 4G LTE connectivity, will see a price cut of $100 to $399 and $499, respectively. Hit the plus for the full announcement.

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