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Laptops, Tablets, eReaders

How Many Android Tablets Out There?

27 July 2011 Marco Attard Laptops, Tablets, eReaders

While Google says Android devices total 135m, we don't have totals on Android tablets-- until now, as Daring Fireball's John Gruber estimates Android tablets total 1.21m.

How did he achieve such a calculation? Google itself says 0.9% of activated in-use devices are "tablets" (as in having screens 7" or larger). Following Larry Page's announcing that Android devices now total 135m (at Google's quartely analyst call), a bit of mathematics is all that's required.

Compare this to Apple's iPad sales, Continue reading...

A Look Inside Amazon's Tablet?

20 July 2011 Marco Attard Laptops, Tablets, eReaders

Forbes puts DigiTimes and the WSJ's reports on Amazon's future tablet(s) together, thus compiling a list of the various companies providing what will go inside the in-the-works device.

It also adds an finding of its own-- Taiwan's Newmax is supplying the devices' camera lens. Newmax supplies lenses for a number of devices, including Microsoft's Kinect and Motorola's smartphones.

The OS will come through Google, with an Android version.

Wintek supplies touch panels, while fringe field switching Continue reading...

Lenovo Won't Wait for Windows 8

20 July 2011 Marco Attard Laptops, Tablets, eReaders

Lenovo announces an IdeaPad tablet with an alternative to Android, for customers who won't do Google-- the Windows 7 carrying IdeaPad Tablet P1.

Powering the Windows tablet is a 1.5Ghz Intel processor and a 10.1" 1280 x 800 capacitative touchscreen.

Providing storage is up to 2GB DDR2 memory, together with up to 64GB of SSD storage.

Connections come via Bluetooth, 3G, wifi, USB and Micro SD. It also carries a 2 megapixel camera on its front, while the touchscreen supports stylus input.

Lenovo Continue reading...

eReaders: Hanvon Loses the Plot

20 July 2011 Marco Attard Laptops, Tablets, eReaders

How does a nice handwriting-input software company get into a mess like this?

Hanvon Technology developed software for handwriting-input pen in 1998 and expanded to include the Hanvon Pen series, the Graphic Tablet series, the OCR series and Intelligent Telephone series.

The first company in the world to incorporate Chinese handwriting recognition technology into PDA and mobile phone devices, Hanvon now owns a manufacturing campus, four advanced design centers, and operates over 5800 sales channels Continue reading...

Amazon's Future Tablet Plans?

13 July 2011 Marco Attard Laptops, Tablets, eReaders

According to DigiTimes unnamed tablet components suppliers say Amazon put orders for up to 2m touch panel displays-- suggesting Amazon will be shipping up to 1.2m tablets by September's end.

Such a shipment would make it Q3 2011's biggest non-iPad tablet supplier.

No confirmation comes from Amazon itself, which currently appears to be focusing on selling its Kindle eReaders.

Rumours suggest Amazon will have 2 tablet models-- code-named Coyote and Hollywood-- both carrying Nvidia processors (specifically Continue reading...

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