tablets

Apple offers sleek cachet for clunkers

Imagine consumers en masse dumping their old PC clunkers for a svelte MacBook Air running the sleek, new Snow Leopard operating system. An implausible Orwellian vision but probably not that far removed from Apple's marketing aspirations.

In short, walk into any Apple Store in any tony neighborhood and the message is: relieve yourself of those old bulky PCs and flip phones and we'll give you smaller, more stylish computing with the Apple cachet.

The analogy may be a bit strained, but imagine trading in a 14 mpg Hummer H2 for a 45 mpg hybrid Ford Fusion. The point: … Read more

Toshiba to launch its first touch-screen tablet

BERLIN--We saw Toshiba's first Blu-ray product announcement coming, but the touch-screen home media tablet that the company introduced here at IFA was a bit of a surprise.

The JournE Touch, is--as you might gather from the name--a touch-screen mobile device. It's Toshiba's first, and they're clearly racing to beat everyone else, including Apple's long-awaited entry into the category, expected sometime early next year.

It's intended to be a third device for consumers at home. The application for the JournE is "when you want to access the Internet without booting your PC," said … Read more

The future of Apple, Google, and Microsoft is...already here

We like to ascribe secret designs--nefarious and otherwise--to software vendors. Super-secretive Apple, in particular, tends to excite endless rumor-mongering as to what it's up to. It seems to me, however, that Apple and its top competitors, including Google and Microsoft, are increasingly transparent about their plans. We simply don't pay attention to the signs.

Let's start with Apple. The big rumor at present is the company's alleged work on a tablet computer, kicked off by The Wall Street Journal's bold declaration that "people familiar with the situation" suggest Apple is working on "… Read more

Archos Android tablets get unofficial pricing

After making an initial appearance at the FCC in August, a new model of the Archos 5 Internet media tablet popped up on B&H on the first of September.

The product listings briefly showed pricing for four models of the updated Archos 5, as well as a page for the Archos DVR Station. If the listings are accurate, consumers can expect to see 16GB ($293), 32GB ($369), 160GB ($319), and 500GB ($419) versions of the updated Archos 5 in the not too distant future (September 15, maybe?).

The odd pricing discrepancy between the $369 32GB Flash memory model … Read more

When the Apple tablet comes out, are you in?

The gadget industry is waiting in suspense, wondering if you're going to buy an Apple tablet. Because if you do, they're going to flip the production line's on switch.

Apple has a knack for creating new categories of devices. The iPhone arguably created the high-end smartphone segment and the design was parroted by dozens of device makers and carriers. The MacBook Air inspired the ultrathin laptop category.

The expected--and highly anticipated--Apple tablet would do the same. Manufacturing companies in Asia are eager to find a new category of devices to fill up their factories, according to an … Read more

Linux-based OS drives new Nokia N900

With its new N900 handset, Nokia is playing up the Linux angle.

Part cell phone, part computer, the N900 takes advantage of Nokia's Linux-based Maemo operating system to offer multitasking, Web browsing, a touch screen, and slide-out keyboard.

Running the open-source Maemo 5 software, it can provide more of a PC-like experience on a small device, according to Nokia. The Maemo OS lets people juggle several applications at the same time.

"The Nokia N900 shows where we are going with Maemo, and we'll continue to work with the community to push the software forward," Anssi Vanjoki, … Read more

FCC outs Archos Android media tablets

Just when you thought Zunes and iPods would have September all to themselves, the portable video player powerhouse known as Archos drops off two new devices for FCC approval.

The Archos A5S and A5H revealed in the FCC documents look very similar to last year's Archos 5 Internet media tablet, although the photos show a new white color for the A5S (shown above), and close-up shots of the A5H reveal what looks like a microSD slot and microUSB port. There's no mistaking the Archos 5's same gorgeous, 4.8-inch TFT display, though, which still gives us shivers (… Read more

BOL 1049: The Pirate Bay will never die.... and neither will SCO

Monarchy, mercantilism, and Talmudic tech are on the table today. We get a little obscure in our references...at least I do...but Leo and Brian keep us on track talking about the new Sony Reader, and how the Pirate Bay is unkillable. In bad news, SCO is back, and this time it's personal.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 1049

Sony unveils three would-be Kindle killers--Pocket, Touch and now, 3G Wireless with AT&T http://paidcontent.org/article/419-sony-unveils-new-reader-digital-books-pocket-touch-and-now-3g-wireless/ http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=23187 … Read more

Powerful annotation program

PDF Annotator is a powerful program that allows users to make a variety of different kinds of notes on PDF documents. The program's many features and intuitive interface make it a great choice. We wish we'd had it when we were in grad school!

The program's interface will be familiar to users of Microsoft Office products. Nearly all of PDF Annotator's features are accessed through the program's customizable toolbars. Although it may not be immediately obvious what all the little buttons do, a few minutes of playing around with the program makes most functions clear. … Read more

Report: Steve Jobs concentrating on tablet

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been focusing intensely on a tablet device since returning to work in June, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Jobs, who came back following a liver transplant and six-month medical leave, is overseeing every aspect of the new tablet, especially its advertising and marketing strategy, the Journal said Tuesday.

Apple staffers have faced Jobs' scrutiny after a period of freedom over product strategy during his leave. "People have had to readjust" to his presence, noted the Journal, quoting a person familiar with the matter.

The rumor mill has been abuzz with stories of … Read more