The promotional videos of the upcoming Toshiba Folio 100 Android tablet has hit the cyberspace. The Toshiba Folio 100 has a 10.1 inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. It is powered by a dual core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor and runs Google Android 2.2. The supported connectivity options include WiFi and Bluetooth.

The promotional videos show some of the unique features of the tablet as well as some of the apps designed to run on the tablet. The Folio 100 doesn't have access to the Android Market. To get around the problem, Toshiba has designed an app store called Toshiba Market where users can find music, movies and other content for their tablet.


The Folio 100 comes with the Opera web browser besides the default Android browser. Other software / app that comes pre-loaded include Fring for making voice and video calls, and Adobe Flash 10.1 or viewing web video.

The Compaq Airlife 100 made its debut at CES early this year, but the machine hasn't hit retail shelves in the US yet.

The Compaq Airlife 100 is one of the first smartbooks to hit the market. It is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and runs Android operating syStem. The device is kind of a cross between a laptop and a smartphone.

The Airlife 100 has been available in Spain for a while and now it is also available in Chile where the carrier Movistar is offering the device for the Chilean equivalent of about $377 US. The wireless carrier also offers mobile broadband plans for the smartbook.

The Compaq Airlife 100 has a 10.1 inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Other specifications include 16GB of flash storage, an SD card slot, WiFi, 3G, GPS and a VGA webcam. The mini-laptop also comes pre-loaded with NDrive navigation software. Still, no word on availability in the US.

Research in Motion (RIM) has officially unveiled a tablet computer called BlackBerry PlayBook. The PlayBook is designed to serve a variety of purposes including web browsing, multimedia and business.

The BlackBerry PlayBook measures less than half an inch in thickness and weigh 0.9 pounds. It has a 7-inch multi-touch capacitive display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. The tablet runs the QNX-based BlackBerry Tablet OS with support for multitasking. It is also compatible with BlackBerry Enterprise Server.


RIM's tablet supports HTML5 and Adobe Flash Player 10.1. It is also capable of playing 1080p HD video. Users will be able to connect the tablet to a BlackBerry smartphone via a Bluetooth connection. As a result of this they will be able to access their smartphone data on the larger display of the tablet. The PlayBook will also be able to access 3G mobile broadband networks through the existing BlackBerry smartphone service plans. It also has integrated WiFi, Bluetooth, embedded 3G and 4G connectivity.

The BlackBerry PlayBook is powered by a 1GHz ARM dual core processor with 1GB of RAM. It will be available in two models - one with 32GB storage and the other with 64GB storage. Other specifications include a front facing 3MP camera, a rear facing 5MP camera, microUSB ports and a microHDMI port.

Availability
The BlackBerry PlayBook is expected to hit the US market in early 2011.

Lenovo has made a new addition to its ThinkPad Edge family with the launch of the ThinkPad Edge 11.

The 11.6 inch ThinkPad Edge 11 measures 1.1 inches in thickness and weighs less than 3 pounds. It is actually the smallest and lightest ThinkPad Edge available at the moment. The Edge 11 is available with a choice of Intel Core / Pentium or AMD Vision Pro Athlon processors. Lenovo claims that the laptop will get around 7 hours of battery life.


Other features include WiFi, optional 3G or 4G/WiMax connectivity, spill-proof keyboard, webcam, 3 USB ports, a 4-in-1 media card reader and HDMi port.

The ThinkPad Edge 11 runs Windows 7 operating system. It is available in three colors - Midnight Black Glossy, Midnight Black Smooth and Heatwave Red Glossy.

Pricing and availability
The ThinkPad Edge 11 starts at $449. It is immediately available for purchase.

It is now almost official: The upcoming HP WebOS tablet will be called PalmPad. An HP executive referred to the tablet as PalmPad yesterday. The WebOS is the operating system that powers the Palm Pre and Pixi smartphones. And ever since HP acquired Palm and the WebOS, it has been rumored that the compnay will launch a WebOS tablet.

The WebOS powered PalmPad will reportedly launch in early 2011. Of course, a lot of things - including the planned specs and the proposed name - could change during the months before the actual launch. But for the time being it is safe to assume that HP is thinking of calling the tablet the PalmPad. That said, there is still no word on specs or pricing.

Meanwhile Research in Motion (RIM) announced a new device called BlackBerry PlayBook this week. It is not clear whether the PlayBook is the same tablet as the rumored 'BlackPad'.

Sharp has introduced two new Android tablets. The company is positioning the devices as eBook readers, but with their color displays and Android OS they have specs that meet the definition of a tablet. Sharp says that the two new tablets are designed to work with the company's new eBook service.

The Sharp Galapagos tablets are due out in December. They will have access to a library of 30,000 books, newspapers and magazines at launch. One of these machines will have a 5.5 inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. It will be available in red or silver colors. The other model will have a large 10.8 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It will be available in black. Both tablets will run Google Android and will have WiFi 802.11b/g.

The Galapagos tablets are unlikely to have access to the Android market, but you will still be able to run third party applications. You will also be able to surf the web and run multimedia content. Sharp will also offer software that converts documents and other data from a PC into a format that can be viewed on tablets.

Acer has updated its 11.6 inch Aspire TimelineX 1830T thin and light laptops with Intel's Core i-Series processors. The TimelineX 1830T originally shipped with Intel core 2 Solo processors. Now Acer is offering the ultraportable with your choice of an Intel Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 processors. The updated models have prices ranging between $600 and $900.

The base model which is now available from Amazon for $599.99 has a 1.2GHz Intel Core i3 processor, a 320GB hard drive, 3GB of memory and a 5800mAh battery. It has an 11.6 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The laptop runs Windows 7 Home Premium. It measures 1.1 inches in thickness and weighs around 3.1 pounds.

If you are willing to shell out an extra 100 bucks, you will get a 1.2GHz Core i5 processor, 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive.

The top of the line model has a 1.4GHz Intel Core i7-680 ULV processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. It runs $899.99. It is not in stock at the moment. All three configurations come with 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, VGA, HDMI, 3 USB 2.0 ports and a 1.3MP webcam.

Toshiba has teamed up with Best Buy to launch a notebook for kids. The Toshiba Satellite L635 Kids PC is the kid-centric version of the original Satellite L635.

The Satellite L635 Kids PC is designed for kids aged five to ten. It has several features that would make it stand out from other kids laptops in the market. The notebook has a 13.3 inch display, a keyboard that can be cleaned and a matte fingerprint-resistant finishing. Other features include a DVD drive, web camera and a host of education and entertainment applications for kids. There is also software that allows parental control of web access.

The Satellite L635 Kids PC is a Best Buy exclusive. It will be available on September 26, 2010.

Taiwanese laptop maker Clevo has introduced a 17.3 inch gaming laptop called X7200. The notebook is powered by dual GeForce GTX 480M video cards and Intel desktop CPUs.

Besides two GeForce GTX 480M graphics cards in SLI configuration with 2GB of GDDR5 video memory, the Clevo X7200 also has Intel Core i7 LGA1366 processor, up to the six-core i7-975, and three DDR3 SoDIMM memory slots for up to 12GB of RAM. Other features include three 2.5″ hard drive bays with RAID 0/1/5 support, and a Bly-ray or DVD optical drive.

Its 17.3 inch glossy display has a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. The Clevo X7200 also five speakers, a subwoofer, Dolby Home Theater audio technology, optional TV tuner, a 3 megapixel web camera, mic, HDMI, two USB 3.0 and three USB 2.0 ports, a 9-in-1 media card reader, eSATA and Firewire connectors. The supported connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Gigabit LAN.

The laptop has an aluminum case and weighs around 12 pounds with its 78.44WH battery, which will reportedly power the laptop for up to 1 hour.

Pricing and availability
The Clevo X7200 is compatible with Windows 7. It is available from Sager, AVA Direct and iBuyPower. The dual GTX 480M configuration starts at $3,500.

More video footages of the HP Slate 500 tablet have surfaced. The new video features a look at the packaging and docking station with HDMI output and detailed specs. It is also rumored that there will be both retail and enterprise models of the tablet. HP had previously stated that its Slate 500 Windows tablet would be targeted at business customers.

Here’s a rundown of the specs:
Processor: 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z540 CPU
Display: 8.9 inch display
Graphics: GMA 500 integrated graphics
Storage: 64GB SSD
Memory: 2GB of DDR2 memory
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit

The tablet will reportedly have multitouch support, Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator, an accelerometer, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, front and back cameras and a 2-cell, 30Whr battery. There is still no word on pricing or availability.

In terms of looks, the Acer Aspire One D255 isn't all that different from other netbooks Acer introduced this year. But under the hood, the D255 is a different machine. It has a 1.5GHz dual core Intel Atom N550 processor. In fact, the Aspire D255 is one of the first 10 inch netbooks to hit the market with a dual core Atom processor.

The netbook has been reviewed by the folks at Laptop Magazine and here is what they have found.

The mini-laptop can handle 1080p HD Flash video without breaking a sweat. It, however, has some difficulty handling HD QuickTime files. In the PCMark05 benchmark test it delivers 15% better overall performance than a single core netbook.

Interestingly, the dual core processor doesn't have any significant impact on the battery life. In fact, the laptop manages to get over 8 hours of battery life on a single charge and that is quite impressive.

The Aspire One D255 will retail for $349 in the US. Overall it seems to be an impressive laptop. On the flip side, the Aspire One 521, which retails for about $10 less in the US, delivers better CPU and graphics performance. But the Aspire 521 gets only around 5 hours of battery life. So it is actually a question of performance vs endurance. If battery life is your priority opt for the Aspire D255. If horse power is what you are after, the Aspire One 521 is the machine you should consider.

Meanwhile, the Aspire One D255 with a dual boot Android option is not yet available. Acer does plan to release this laptop in some countries some time soon, but not in the US.

The 7 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab is already one of the most sought after Android tablets on the market. It hasn't started shipping yet, but it is coming soon. In fact, in a few weeks it will be available on all four major wireless carriers in the US. And now word is that Samsung is planning to launch a 10 inch version of the tablet. This particular model is expected to ship in the first half of 2011, but there is no official confirmation from Samsung as yet.

There aren't a lot of details available at the moment, but that 2011 release date suggests that it will ship with Gingerbread or Honeycomb versions of Android. These two Android versions are said to have more tablet-friendly features. The 7 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab runs Android 2.2 Froyo.

Meanwhile, Samsung Australia has announced that the 7 inch version of the tablet will sell for $999 Australian if you purchase it without a carrier subsidy. It is still not clear how much an unsubsidized Galaxy Tab will cost in the US.

The HP Mini 5103 and Mini 210 netbooks are now available with dual core processors. The Mini 5103 is aimed at small and medium businesses whereas the Mini 210 is consumer-oriented.

The base model of the Mini 5103 is priced at $399. For that price, you will only get a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 processor, 1GB of RAM and 160GB hard drive. The base model with a 1.5GHz dual core Atom N550 costs $542 even though the rest of the specs are the same.

The HP Mini 210 is more reasonably priced. It starts at $330 with a single core processor. The dual core CPU option will bring that price to $405. And since the Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator comes standard on the dual core model, you will also be able to enjoy 1080p HD video playback on your netbook.

In fact, a fully decked up Mini 210 with Windows 7 Home Premium, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, dual core Atom N550 processor and a spare 6-cell battery only costs $510 - or about $32 less than the Mini 5103 with 1GB of RAM, less storage and a single 4-cell battery. On the other hand, the HP Mini 5103 sports an all-metal case, a hard drive sensor, and a 7200RPM hard drive.

The Neofonie WeTab tablet hasn't started shipping yet, but it will in a few days, and some bloggers have managed to get their hands on one of the first units. The WeTab has an 11.6 inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by an Intel Atom processor.

What is most impressive about the tablet is its custom user interface. The WeTab runs a custom version of MeeGo Linux. It is also capable of running Google Android from within MeeGo which means that you can run Linux apps or Android apps on the tablet.

The WeTab doesn't have full access to the Google Android Market. Instead it comes with a third party app store which will also make downloading and installing applications easy. You can't, however, expect the selection of apps to be comprehensive.

Dell has started shipping its Inspiron Mini 1018. The Inspiron 1018 is a budget netbook powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 processor. It has a 10.1 inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. The laptop also has 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. It runs Windows 7 Starter Edition.

While the Inspiron Mini 1012 is available with premium features such as a high resolution display and Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator, the Inspiron 1018 doesn't have any of them. And that probably explains why the Inspiron Mini 1018 which went on sale in the US recently starts at just $299.99. The Mini 1012 starts at $319.99.

The Mini 1012 also has a higher capacity 56Whr, 6-cell battery. The cheaper Mini 1018 is available with both 3-cell (24Whr)and 6-cell (48Whr) battery options.

The Toshiba Libretto W100 dual screen laptop is undoubtedly one of the most interesting machines to hit the market recently. While a typical laptop has a keyboard and a display, the Libretto has two 7 inch touchscreen displays. The lower screen can serve as a virtual keyboard when you want to input text.

The Libretto W100 has a 64GB SSD, 2GB of memory and an Intel Pentium U5400 processor clocking at 1.2GHz. The twin 7 inch displays have a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels each. The computer also has a high price tag. It costs around $1100 in the US.

At launch the tablet/notebook hybrid only had WiFi and Bluetooth. But now Toshiba has released a 3G-enabled model for those of you who are willing to spend a little more money on this already expensive device. This particular model called Toshiba Libretto W100-10D comes with a a 3G HSDPA modem. It is already available in Italy and some other counties. In Italy it costs around 200 Euros more than the base model.

Asus introduced its Eee PC 1015T AMD-powered netbook in June, but it hasn't started shipping yet. The company has, nevertheless, uploaded the user manuals for the netbook in 29 languages which is a good indication that the launch date is nearing.

Regarding specs, no new details are available now. The Eee PC 1015T reportedly has a 1.2GHz AMD V105 single core processor and ATI Radeon HD 4200 graphics. It has a 10.1 inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels and is expected to ship with Windows 7 starter edition.

The laptop supports up to 4GB of RAM, but the base configuration will have 1GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. From the user manual, it is clear that this model will have an HDMI port. It will also have a multitouch trackpad and ship with the Asus Super Hybrid Engine for overclocking and underclocking the CPU.

US wireless carrier AT&T has just introduced a new pay-as-you-go service called AT&T DataConnect. What this service means to a notebook owner is that they can now avail of AT$T's 3G data services without having to sign up for a long term service contract.

Prices aren't very cheap, especially when you consider the fact that each plan is associated with low bandwidth caps. On the plus side, there is no cancellation fee associated with any of these plans. Here’s how much a DataConnect plan will cost:

Day Pass (100MB): $15
Week Pass (300MB): $30
Month Pass (1GB): $50

AT&T has also added three new thin and light laptops to its 3G line up. You can purchase these notebooks from the carrier, but you will get the subsidized price only if you sign up for a two-year service contract. The new laptops that have just been added are the following:

11.6 inch Acer Aspire AS1830 with Intel Core i3 processor and Windows 7 Home Premium (subsidized price $239.99).
10 inch Acer Aspire One 532h with Atom N450 processor and Windows 7 Starter for $39.99
10 inch Dell Inspiron Mini 10D with HD display, Atom N450 processor, Windows 7 Starter and 6-cell battery for $39.99.

HP has just introduced a $399 Android tablet that comes bundled with a free internet-connected printer. The HP Photosmart eStation was formerly known as HP Zeen. It is basically a $399 printer which also happens to have a 7 inch Android tablet that you can use to surf the web or perform other activities. And since the tablet is removable, you can use it around your house. The basic purpose behind the printer-tablet combo is to enable printing of ebooks and other web based content.

The tablet is powered by a Freescale i.MX51 CPU. It will reportedly get around 4 and 6 hours of battery life. And when it is docked to the printer, it can be used as a digital photo frame. The tablet runs Android 2.1, but it doesn't have access to the Android Market. It, however, has a few important apps built-in.

These days hardly any day passes without us hearing about a new tablet PC. The WebDT 312 is one such machine. It isn't the best tablet PC you have probably heard about but it does have a few features going for it.

For one thing, the WebDT 312 has a 10.4 inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels. Most tablets - current and upcoming - sport a widescreen aspect ratio display with 1024 x 600 pixels. There is, however, a large market for devices with 4:3 displays and the WebDT 312 is definitely targeting them. The tablet also has a number of buttons on the front. These are designed to make navigation easier.

Spec-wise, it is regular fair. The tablet has a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor. It can run Windows 7 / XP or Linux and supports up to 64GB of SSD. The WebDT 312 tablet weighs just over 2 pounds and measures 0.8 inches in thickness.

Pricing and availability
The WebDT 312 tablet hit FCC this week. There is no word on pricing or availability, but it should be coming soon.

HP has introduced a new model of its Mini 210 netbooks. The new HP Mini 210 can be configured with either a single core or dual core Atom processor. The design has also undergone minor changes.

The new netbooks sport matte lids. They are available in red, pink, purple, black and blue. The mini-laptop comes standard with a 6-cell battery that sits flush with the bottom and back of the laptop.

The HP Mini 210 start at $329.99. For that price you will get a black laptop with an Atom N455 processor, 1GB of RAM and Windows 7 starter. If you are willing to shell out extra bucks you can get faster dual core processors, more memory, a different color lid, the Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator, and up to Windows 7 Home Premium. The netbook is also available with an optional HD display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. A fully decked up machine can cost $500 or more.

Everybody is building a tablet these days and for good reason. The Apple iPad has been selling like hot cakes ever since its launch. But can a non-Apple company achieve the same results? Well, tablets from known and unknown companies are flooding the market. None of them have been able to take on iPad so far, but that doesn't mean that there isn't room for more tablets.

CTL is the latest company to join the 'beat iPad' campaign. You have probably never heard of it, but the company has introduced a 10 inch tablet for those not interested in long-term service contracts. The CTL 2GoPad is now up for pre-order. It has typical netbook specs including an Intel Atom N450 processor, a 250GB hard drive, 2GB of DDR2 memory and Flash video support.

The 10.1 inch LED capacitive touchscreen display has a resolution of 1024x600 resolution. Other specifications include integrated Intel graphics, WiFi, Bluetooth two USB 2.0 ports and a microSD card reader. The 2GoPad runs Windows 7 32 bit operating system. The tablet also has a 1.3MP webcam for video calling.

CTL says that it will get around 5 hours of battery life. Prices start at $499.

Dell has refreshed its Inspiron line of laptops. The new models called Inspiron M501R and M5030 sport AMD processors and optional discrete ATI graphics.

The Dell Inspiron M501R has a 15.6 inch display. It is available with AMD Phenom II Triple core or quad core processors and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 integrated or Radeon HD 550v discrete graphics with 1GB of video memory. Other specifications include HDMI, eSATA, a 7-in-1 card reader, SRS Premium sound and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. The Inspiron M501R runs Windows 7 Home Premium. It supports up to 8GB of RAM and is available in Obsidian Black, Peacock Blue, Lotus Pink or Tomato Red. Prices start at $749.99.

The Inspiron M5030 also has a 15.6 inch display. It is powered by a dual core AMD Athlon II processor. Other specifications include a 3-in-1 card reader, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 graphics, up to 6GB DDR3 memory, DVD burner, and up to 500GB hard drive. Prices start at $529.99.

Lenovo will reportedly launch its LePad Android tablet computer in China in December. Word is that an optional keyboard/laptop component will be available in January for those who are really interested.

The Lenovo LePad started life as the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid. Lenovo first introduced this machine at CES in January. what is interesting about the concept is that it features a detachable display that could be used as a standalone tablet. The internals of the PC are in the laptop base. There is also a low power ARM processor behind the display which would let you run a lightweight alternative OS. Lenovo was planning to ship the device with its Skylight operating system. Eventually the company scrapped that plan and decided to use the Android. Unfortunately the Hybrid is still more or less in the concept stage and not ready to ship. But now that the world is going crazy about tablets, Lenovo has decided to offer the the tablet as a standalone device. And the LePad is actually the U1 Hybrid minus its laptop components.

Lenovo still plans to offer the full IdeaPad U1 Hybrid, but it won't be available until at least January 2011.

Dell is going to refresh its Studio XPS laptop line. The new additions to the Studio XPS series will be the Studio XPS 15 and XPS 17. In fact, the two laptops have already made an appearance at the French retailer website LesDelliens.com

The Studio XPS 15 and 17 will both have Intel's latest Core series processors and an unspecified NVIDIA graphics. While the XPS 15 will ship with up to 8GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive, the XPS 17 will have up to 16GB of RAM and 1.2TB of storage space. There is no word on display sizes, but the laptops are likely to have display diagonals of around 15 and 17 inches.

The Studio XPS 15 and 17 will reportedly also have JBL speakers, HDMI 1.4, USB 3.0, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The notebooks are expected to be available in France in late October or early November. No word on pricing or availability in other countries.

Samsung wants to take on Apple big-time. And the company isn't making its ambitions secret. Besides launching a 7-inch tablet that could be an alternative to the Apple iPad, Samsung has also introduced a new media store called Samsung Media Hub. What's more, the Samsung tablet will be available through all major wireless carriers in the US. Right now, only AT&T offers iPad. Samsung is also planning to launch a WiFi only version of its tablet sometime soon. So what is Samsung trying to prove? Well, the message is loud and clear. Samsung is offering alternatives to iPad and iTunes.

The Samsung Media Hub will let customers download movies and TV programs from a large number of content partners including NBC Universal, MTV, Paramount and Warner. What is interesting is that you will be able to access Media Hub content on up to 5 devices. So if you have a Galaxy Tab, a Galaxy S smartphone and some other Samsung supported devices, you can purchase content from the Samsung Media Hub and download it on up to 5 devices without having to pay again. The Samsung Media Hub will reportedly offer competitive pricing. It will also support rentals.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is coming to the US in a big way. Samsung has announced that the 7 inch Android running machine will be available from 4 major wireless carriers - AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is powered by a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor. It has a 7 inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. The tablet runs Android 2.2. The tablet also has two cameras - one in the rear and another in the front.

The Galaxy Tab is the first Android tablet to be announced for all major US wireless carriers. It is also one of the few Android tablets capable of making phone calls. Needless to say, the tablet ships with complete access to Google's Android market.

Samsung will also offer a range of accessories with the tablet including a Bluetooth keyboard, a docking station with HDMI output and a car dock that will let you turn the Galaxy Tab into a GPS and entertainment unit.

There is still no word on pricing, which will be set by wireless carriers. It is also not clear what an unsubsidized version of the tablet will cost. As for availability, it should arrive in time for the holiday season or sooner.

Toshiba is yet to announce any plans regarding the launch of a US version of its Folio 100 tablet PC. The little machine has, nevertheless, hit the FCC. The folks at Wireless Goodness have discovered an FCC filing for the Folio 100. Toshiba officially unveiled the tablet at IFA in Berlin earlier this month.

Interestingly, it wasn't Toshiba who submitted documents with FCC. The tablet actually shows up in a filing by Atheros, the company that makes the wireless chip inside the tablet. But that is definitely an indication that somebody is thinking about selling the tablet in the US.

The Toshiba Folio 100 has the same basic hardware as the Toshiba AC100 smartbook. The tablet is equipped with a 10.1 inch capacitive multitouch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. The tablet also has an HDMI port, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, a 1.3MP webcam and 16GB of storage. It can handle 1080p HD video playback, thanks to its Tegra chipset. No word on pricing or availability at the moment.

The ViewSonic G-Tablet is a 10 inch slate like computer powered by an ARM-based NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor. It runs Google Android 2.2. Unlike the ViewPad 100 which can dual boot Windows 7 and Android, this machine is only capable of running Android, and that is because it has an ARM-based processor. On the bright side, it will get excellent battery life while at the same time providing 3D graphics acceleration for 1080p HD video playback. The G-Tablet also supports Adobe Flash 10.1.

The G-Tablet will reportedly have a list price of $529, but it should sell for a bit less when it hits retailers like Radio Shack, Walmart, Sam's Club and others.

The ViewSonic G-Tablet also has a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera, USB port, a microSD card slot, 16GB of storage, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and 1GB of RAM. The 10.1 inch capacitive multitouch display has a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.

The 7 inch Augen GenTouch78 Android tablet attracted considerable media interest recently. It is not a very good tablet, but at just $150, it is one of the cheapest Android tablets available on the market at the moment. In fact, it is also one of the few tablets that are currently shipping in the US. Now Augen is back with a 10 inch Android netbook.


The Augen GenBook 108 has a 10.2 inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. It is powered by an 800MHz ARM11-based processor with 256MB of memory and 2GB of storage. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11b/g, an SD card slot and Android 2.1.

The GenBook 108 ships with a 2100mAh battery. It measures 1 inches in thickness and weighs 1.8 pounds. It comes standard with the usual Android apps including a web browser, media player and email app. The GenBook 108 doesn't seem to have access to the Android Market, but it does support a wide range of media formats.

The Augen GenBook 108 is now available from KMart for $189.99.

Swedish PC maker Handheld has released a 10 inch ruggedized laptop called Algiz XRW. The device runs Windows 7 Ultimate and has a 64GB shock-proof solid state drive.
The laptop is resistant to dust and water. And when it is on, it can handle temperatures as low as -5.8 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 158 degrees. And when it is turned off, it can be put in a freezer at -40 degrees. The Algiz XRW can also withstand drops from about 4 feet.

Other features include a 10.1 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, 2GB of memory, a 57.6Whr battery, USB, RS232 ports and a 2 MP webcam.

The Algiz XRW is due out in December. No word on pricing at the moment, but something tells me that it won't be cheap.

The Sony Vaio X laptop is getting cheaper, still it is too expensive for a netbook. The ultrathin notebook was introduced last year. At launch it carried a steep $1300 price tag. But now it is available for $1170 from B&H.

The Sony Vaio X has an 11.1 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It weighs just 1.6 pounds and measures 0.55 inches in thickness. Other specifications include a 64GB solid state disk, 2GB of memory, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and Bluetooth. But unfortunately the Vaio X also has a 2GHz Intel Atom Z560 processor and Intel GMA 500 graphics. So there is no real point in expecting it to deliver better performance than a typical netbook on the market. Still, the Vaio X might appeal to those concerned with the size and weight of their laptop. In case you are one of them, you should be glad to know that the little machine now costs around $130 less than it did last year.

The Asus Eee PC 1015PN, the first 10 inch Asus netbook with NVIDIA ION graphics, will reportedly start shipping in October. It is expected to be available with either a 1.83GHz Intel Atom N475 single core processor or a 1.5GHz Intel Atom N550 dual core chip.

The Eee PC 1215PN also has the lower power version of the NVIDIA ION graphics which is designed for netbooks with 10 inch or smaller displays. That said, it will still be able to handle 1080p HD video with no difficulty. But you will not get the same kind of graphics performance you get from larger laptops with ION graphics.

The Eee PC 1015PN doesn't look all that different from the Eee PC 1015PED and 1015PEM. All three models have the same chiclet-style keyboard and matte touchpad finish. But unlike the other two models, the 1215PN has an HD display with 1366 x 768 pixels. It also runs Windows 7 Home Premium instead of Windows 7 Starter.

Asus hasn't said anything about the final pricing of the laptop, but it is unlikely to be sold for less than $400.

The Neofonie WeTab (formerly called WePad) made a lot of headlines when it was first introduced a couple of months ago. It is a slate style tablet computer with an 11.6 inch capacitive touchscreen display. The WeTab runs a custom version of MeeGo Linux.

The folks at Engadget got to play with the tablet at Intel Developer Forum yesterday and found the device quite impressive. They didn't get a chance to test the quality of video playback, but they found browsing quite fast. They also found the user interface quite intuitive with zero lag. The WeTab is powered by an Intel Atom N450 processor. It has many features you wouldn't find in iPad. For instance, it supports Adobe Flash. The tablet also has Bluetooth and WiFi.

Neofonie has announced that they will start taking pre-orders for the tablet On September 21st. The WiFi-only model with 16GB of storage will run 449 Euros. The WeTab 3G with 3G, GPS, HDMI and 32GB of storage will be priced at 569 Euros. Unfortunately at launch the WeTab will be only available in Germany.

Slate-style tablet computers with no physical keyboards are flooding the market. But in the not-so-distant past, the term 'tablet computer' was used to refer to a laptop with a touchscreen display. These machines almost always sported a swivel that would let you rotate and fold the display down over the keyboard for use in the tablet mode. They were called convertible netbooks or tablets and served the purpose of both a laptop and a tablet. The advent of slates, however, made these convertibles look dated. Nevertheless, Dell is giving the old fashioned convertible tablet concept a try.

At the Intel Developer Forum Dell showcased an innovative device called the Dell Inspiron Duo. It is a 10 inch laptop with a rotating touchscreen display. The Inspiron Duo is powered by a dual core Intel Atom N550 processor and runs Windows 7 Home Premium. What is interesting about the design is that it doesn't have a swivel. Instead the screen rotates inside the bezel. Want to use the device in the tablet mode? Just rotate the display until it faces upward. Want to use it in the laptop mode? Rotate it again so that it faces inward.

HP has updated its 13.3 inch Pavilion dm3t thin and light laptop. The dm3t is now available with Intel Pentium U5400 ULV processor or Core i3-330UM with Intel HD integrated graphics. The previous model had Intel Core 2 Duo processors. The updated dm3t is available with up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, up to 640GB hard drive or a 160GB SSD and a 6-cell battery. The LED backlit display has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

Other features include an external DVD writer or Blu-ray combo drive, optional backlit keyboard, a webcam, Altec Lansing stereo speakers, WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth, Gigabit Ethernet, mobile broadband with GPS (optional), 3 USB ports (one of which is shared with an eSATA port), a 5-in-1 card reader, HDMI and VGA outputs. HP's 'coolest laptop' also incorporates the new CoolSense technology and HP Thermal Assistant.

HP claims that the laptop will get around 7.5 hours of battery life. Regarding design, the Pavilion dm3t has a metal alloy chassis. The laptop runs Windows 7 Professional or Home Premium. Prices start at $549.99 at the HP online store.

Intel revealed several details about its second generation Core series processors codenamed 'Sandy Bridge' at IDF today. The new processors are based on the 32nm technology.

The Sandy Bridge processors will reportedly have a new 'ring' architecture which will allow the integrated graphics engine to share resources such as memory reservoir or cache with the processor's core to boost over all computing and graphics performance while maintaining energy efficiency.

The Second generation of Intel Core series processors will also include an enhanced version of the Intel Turbo Boost Technology which is aimed at giving users an immediate performance boost when needed. In addition, the 'Sandy Bridge' processors have dedicated media processing cores for quicker video conversion to other formats.

Asus has officially launched its Eee PC 1015PEM netbook in the US. Incidentally the Eee PC 1015PEM is the first Asus netbook with a dual core 1.5GHz Intel Atom N550 processor. It will be available from a number of retailers including Amazon and J&R.

In addition to the dual core procesor, the Eee PC 1015PEM has DDR3 memory, a 250GB/320GB hard drive, USB 3.0 port, Bluetooth 3.0 and WiFi 802.11b/g/n. The laptop is available in five hues - red, blue, pink, black, or white.


The laptop comes pre-loaded with Windows 7 Starter Edition and 1GB of RAM. It has a 0.3 mega pixel camera and a 48Whr, 56Whr or 63Whr battery options. The netbook measures 1.4 inches in thickness and weighs 2.8 pounds.

Pricing
The Eee PC 1015PEM-PU17 with a higher capacity battery will run $379. The Eee PC 1015PEM-MU17 with a lower capacity battery will be priced at $349.

NEC is the latest PC maker to launch a dual screen Atom powered netbook. The company has just introduced its new mini-laptop in Japan with a 1.5GHz Intel Atom N550 dual core CPU, 2GB of DDR3 RAM and a 320GB hard drive.

The NEC LaVie Light BL550 netbook sports a 10.1 inch HD display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium.
The only catch? Premium features come at a premium price. The LaVie Light BL550 runs about 85,000 yen (about $1010 US) in Japan. Of course notebooks cost more in Japan than in the US. Still it is an awfully pricey little laptop.

NEC will also launch a single core model called the LaVie Light BL350. It will have a 1.83GHz Intel Atom N475 CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. This laptop runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. It will cost around 70,000 yen or about $832 US.

Gigabyte was one of the first companies to introduce 9 and 10 inch tablet style netbooks with Intel Atom processors and touchscreens. These machines sported a swivel that would let you rotate and fold the display down over the keyboard for use in the tablet mode. On the other hand, they carried awfully high price tags. The latest offering from Gigabyte, however, doesn't have anything novel about it. It is an 11.6 inch thin and light laptop.

The Gigabyte Q1105M doesn't have particularly impressive specs. It has an Intel Pentium ULV processor and a 3-cell, 2200mAh battery. The 11.6 inch display has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Other specifications include 2GB of DDR3 memory, Intel GMA 4500 integrated graphics, a 250GB / 320GB hard drive, 3 USB ports, an HDMI output, a flash card reader and headphone and mic jacks. The laptop runs Windows 7 Home Premium. The Gigabyte Q1105M also has 0.3MP camera, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and an optional 3.5G mobile broadband module.

No word on pricing or availability at the moment, but Gigabyte isn't quite known for launching budget friendly laptops.

Acer has introduced its 3D-capable laptop called the Aspire 5745DG. The machine uses NVIDIA's 3D technology.

The Acer Aspire 5745DG has a 15.6 inch LED backlit display and comes bundled with NVIDIA's 3D Vision glasses. It features the Acer Arcade Deluxe software for the real time conversion of 2D videos into 3D.

The Aspire 5745DG is available with your choice of an Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M discrete graphics and up to 16GB of DDR3 memory. It also has a 'large capacity' hard disk and an optional Blu-ray drive. Other features include a built-in webcam, WiFi 802.11n, Gigabit Ethernet LAN and Bluetooth (optional).

There is still no word on pricing or availability at the moment.

The Toshiba Libretto W100 made headlines a few weeks ago by being the first commercially available dual screen laptop. The Libretto doesn't have a physical keyboard, but it allows you to use one of the displays as a virtual keyboard. Even though the device is commercially available, Toshiba always positioned it as a concept device. Now word is that Acer is also building a dual screen laptop. The Acer dual screen laptop is much larger and it has more powerful Intel Core series processors.

While the Toshiba Libretto W100 has a pair of 7 inch displays and a 1.2GHz Intel Pentium U4500 processor, the Acer prototype is shown as sporting two 15 inch displays and a 2.67GHz Intel Core i5 processor.

While this machine is going to be significantly more powerful than the Toshiba Libretto, it will also consume a lot of power. Needless to say, it will need an awfully high capacity battery to get a few hours of runtime. On the plus side, the large screen will make typing a pleasant experience. According to sources, this machine is still in its initial stages of development. In fact, it may never see the light of day. But if Acer does manage to build it into a commercially viable product, they will launch it in fall, 2011.

Japanese PC vendor Mouse Computer has announced its plans to launch a 10 inch Android tablet later this month. The device will be powered by a NVIDIA Tegra processor. It will run Google Android 2.2 aka Froyo.

The Mouse Computer LuvPad AD100 will have a 10.1 inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. It will also have 8GB of storage and 512MB of RAM.
The LuvPad also has an HDMI output, an accelerometer, WiFi 802.11b/g and a microSD card slot for storage expansion. It will be able to handle 1080p HD video playback, thanks to its NVIDIA Tegra processor.

The tablet weighs 1.7 pounds. It runs 39800 yen, or about $473 US. It is not clear whether this machine will be available outside of Japan anytime soon. On the bright side, the LuvPad seems to be a rebranded version of the e-Noa Interpad which showed up in Germany recently. So there is good possibility that we may see this machine under different brand names in different countries.

The Enzo ZenPad made a lot of headlines when it was first introduced. Back then, it looked like the ZenPad was one of the best Android tablets costing $200. Needless to say, a lot of customers pre-ordered the device, but what we heard next were reports of many customers actually failing to get the tablet. And when at last Enzo started shipping the tablets, they weren't good enough to make the customer or the reviewer happy.

Now Enzo has decided that it no longer wants to sell the ZenPad directly to customers. The company is going to shut up the ZenPad retail shop. According to Enzo, they have shipped tablets to everybody who pre-ordered the device. Second generation devices will reportedly start shipping soon. Meanwhile, customers who ordered the tablet in March, April and June and who haven't received the device will get a refund.

Enzo says that it is planning to stop selling retail products because it can't find investors to support its business. Enzo still has no plans to discontinue the ZenPad tablets, but instead of selling them directly to customers, the company is now trying to do business to business sales.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab was introduced in Europe last week. And now Wall Street Journal reports that Samsung will launch the device at an event in New York on September 16th. The Journal also states that Samsung has worked out deals with wireless carriers AT&T, Verizon and Sprint which means that you will be able to pick up the tablet from these companies at a subsidized price with a long term service contract. The Sprint version will reportedly be 4G-enabled.

There is still no word on pricing, but earlier reports had suggested that the subsidized version of tablet would be priced between $200 and $300. At that price it will be quite competitive with iPad 3G. Right now AT&T is the only service provider in the US and the 3G iPad costs $629 and up. On the other hand, AT&T offers month-to-month wireless plans with iPad, which means that you don't have to sign up for a long term service contract. You can also buy a WiFi only version of iPad for $499. A WiFi only version of Samsung Galaxy Tab is not available.

The AMD powered Asus Eee PC 1215T has showed up in Germany. The 12.1 inch laptop is powered by a 1.7GHz AMD Athlon II Neo K125 single core processor. This is the same processor that powers the Acer Aspire &21 and entry level model of Dell Inspiron M101z.

The AMD K125 processor delivers decent performance. But what is particularly interesting about this processor is that it typically comes bundled with the ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics processor which is capable of handling HD video playback. It also supports some 3D graphics acceleration which means that you will also be able to play some modern games. The product page for the Eee PC 1215T doesn't state whether it has the HD 4225 graphics, but since this machine has an HDMI and VGA output, it must have some HD capable graphics.

The Eee PC 1215T also has 2GB of DDR3 memory, a 250GB hard drive and Windows 7 Home Premium. The laptop is not in stock at the moment, but it runs 445 Euros in Germany.

The Asus UL20FT is the successor to the hugely popular UL20A. The laptop has the same 12.1 inch display and the basic case design as its predecessor, but while the UL20A has a Core 2 Duo processor, the UL20FT has a more powerful 1.2GHz Core i3-330UM processor and integrated graphics. The new model also has an HDMI port, which is missing from the UL20A.

Quick Specs Full Specs

Processor: 1.2-GHz Intel Core i3-330UM
Operating System: MS Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit)
Memory: 2GB (Expandable to 4GB)
Hard Drive Size: 320GB
Hard Drive Speed: 5,400 rpm
Display Size: 12.1 inches
Native Resolution: 1366 x 768 pixels
Graphics Card: Intel GMA HD
Video Memory: 384MB

Price as Reviewed: $629

Design and build quality

The UL20FT-A1 is stylish yet unassuming. It is sturdy and sports a classy brushed aluminum lid. Build quality is excellent and the laptop weighs just 3.4 pounds.

Ports
Port selection is average. The laptop has an HDMI port, 3 USB 2.0 ports, a 5-in-1 memory card reader, Ethernet LAN, headphone and mic jacks. There is no VGA, FireWire or eSATA port.

Heat and noise levels
Heat and noise levels are well within normal limits. The notebook keeps its cool even when playing video at full screen for extended periods.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The UL20FT has a nice keyboard which offers excellent tactile feedback with barely any flex. The touchpad surface shows good sensitivity, but the touchpad button is too small. It is also very stiff.

Display, Audio

The UL20FT has a 12.1 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The display is good. Colors are bright and vivid. Viewing angles are also good. The laptop has built in Altec Lansing speakers with SRS sound. Needless to say, it produces loud audio.

Performance
At $629, the UL20FT is pricier than most other laptops its size and for good reason. It has a pretty powerful Intel Core i3-330UM low voltage processor running at 1.2GHz. In several benchmark tests, the laptop easily outperforms other 11- and 12 inch laptops. It can easily handle almost anything you throw at it. You can watch and edit videos without any difficulty. But boot times aren't all that fast. The laptop takes close to 1 minute and 25 seconds to fully boot into Windows.

Since the UL20FT doesn't have a discrete graphics card, there is no point in expecting serious gaming performance. But if you prioritize CPU performance over graphics, you will definitely be impressed with this machine. On the flip side, it gets only around 4.5 hours of battery life.

Verdict
If you are in the market for an ultraportable laptop with some serious horse power, you will definitely want to consider the UL20FT. It is a bit pricey for a 12 inch laptop, but you get what you are paying for.

Pros
Good build quality
Comfy keyboard
Snappy processor
Good speakers

Cons
Small touchpad buttons
Average battery life

Asus has announced two new Republic of Gamers gaming laptops - the Asus G53JW and G73JW. The notebooks feature the newest Intel Core Series processors and a NVIDIA GeForce 400M series graphics card.

The G53JW has a 15.6 inch display whereas the G73JW is equipped with a 17.3 inch display. Both notebooks are available with Intel's Core i3, i5 and i7 processors and the GeForce GTX 460M discrete graphics with 1.5GB of DDR5 VRAM. Other specifications include up to 1.5TB of storage via dual hard drives, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a DVD burner / Blu-ray combo drive or a Blu-ray writer. The displays have resolutions of up to 1920 x 1080 pixels. Product page for the G53JW also shows that it will be available with an optional 3D capable display.

The new notebooks also feature TNX TruStudio audio technology, stereo speakers, a built-in 2MP web camera and microphone, 802.11n WiFi, optional Bluetooth, Gigabit LAN, HDMI output, 1 single USB 3.0 and 3 USB 2.0 ports, and an 8-in-1 media card reader.

The Asus G53JW-A1 is now available for pre-order at ExcaliberPC. It is priced at $1,499. As for the G73JW-A1, it is now up for pre-order at Amazon for $1,799.

The HP Zeen Android powered tablet has been spotted in the wild. The HP Zeen will come bundled with the HP Photosmart eStation C510 all-in-one printer. It will not be sold separately. The printer-tablet bundle is designed to enable printing of ebooks and web content without the need for a separate PC.

Regarding the Zeen tablet, it has a 7 inch display. It runs HP's custom TouchSmart user interface on top of Android 2.1. Zeen doesn't have access to the Android Marketplace and doesn't come pre-loaded with Gmail app. The tablet, however, has a number of apps including Facebook, a browser, an email client, integration with Yahoo's mail and Messenger, access to Barnes & Noble bookstore and a printing interface.

The Zeee-Zeus eStation C510 bundle will be reportedly priced at around $400.

The eLocity A7 Android tablet is now up for pre-order at Amazon. It is built by a little known Philadelphia based start-up company called StreamTV. What is interesting about this machine is that it packs impressive specs into a reasonably well priced device. While earlier reports suggested that the tablet would sell for $399, Amazon is currently taking pre-orders for just $370.

The eLocity A7 is powered by a 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 T-20 chipset. It has a 7 inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. The tablet runs Android 2.2. Other specifications include 4GB of internal storage, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, USB 2.0 port and a front-facing 1.3MP webcam. The eLocity A7 can handle 1080p HD video playback, thanks to its NVIDIA Tegra processor. The tablet measures 0.5 inches in thickness and weighs 1.02 pounds.

Amazon doesn't say when the tablet will actually ship, but word is that it will hit the streets in October.

Most smartphones and some tablets on the market are powered by ARM-based processors. The top-of-the-line ARM processors available at the moment run at 1GHz. But today ARM announced a new Cortex-A15 architecture which will support both single and dual core processors up to 1.5GHz. What's more, the new Cortex-A15 architecture also supports quad core chips up to 2.5GHz.

The new Cortex-A15 Eagle chips are aimed at smartphones, tablets, netbooks and home entertainment systems. They can be manufactured using 32nm and 28nm technologies. The new chips are compatible with Android, Windows Embedded Compact 7, Symbian, Java, Ubuntu Linux, Adobe Flash and some other software platforms. They also support up to 1TB of RAM and hardware OS virtualization.

The new ARM Cortex-A15 technology is now available for licensing.

The Kno dual-display touchscreen tablet will reportedly ship by the end of this year. The device is aimed at the education market where it is supposed to replace traditional textbooks, notepads and laptop computers. Of course, you have got to agree that it is a crazy ambitious project.

The dual display 14 inch tablet weighs 5.5 pounds. The Kno is powered by a NVIDIA Tegra processor. At $1000, this machine isn't cheap. In fact, you can get two iPads for that price. But Kno is not in the same leage as the iPad, and it isn't aimed at the general public either. The tablet has twin IPS LCD displays. It is not yet ready to ship, but the company behind Kno has announced that it has raised a total of $55 million in financing. That money should be enough to make the product real and the tablet is due for release later this year.

Archos has started shipping its 3.2 inch Android tablet called Archos 32. It is now available for purchase from the Archos store for 149.99 USD.

The Archos 32 is actualy the first of the five new Archos tablets to go on sale.
The tablet has 8GB of in-built storage and a 3.2 inch display. It could probably be termed as the Android equivalent of the iPod Touch, but it is much cheaper. The iPod Touch starts at $229.

The Archos 32 has a 3.2 inch resistive touchscreen display with a resolution of 400 x 240 pixels. It is powered by an 800MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, a VGA camera and a plastic case. The little machine also features a composite video output for connecting it to a TV. It also supports a range of audio and video formats that the iPod Touch doesn't support.

The tablet is shipping with Android 2.1 at the moment. An update to Android 2.2 will be available in October. It doesn't have access to the Android Market. Instead, it ships with a third party AppsLib market which has about 5,000 apps.

Archos introduced 5 new internet tablets last week. Of these machines the Archos 101 is the largest and the most powerful. It has a 10.1 inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. The tablet is powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor. It also has an HDMI output. What is particularly impressive about this machine is that it measures just 0.47 inches in thickness and weighs under a pound.


The Archos 101 is priced at $299.99. It runs Android 2.2. The tablet ships with a built-in kickstand that will let you easily prop it up at a comfortable typing angle. And in case, you are not comfortable with the onscreen keyboard, you can throw in a Bluetooth keyboard.

The Archos 101 is about $200 cheaper than the WiFi only iPad, but its specs are comparable to those of iPad. The tablet has a 1GHz processor with support for 3D graphics acceleration, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, a front-facing camera, Bluetooth 2.1, a G-sensor and built-in mic and speakers. There is also a mini HDMI port for connecting to an external monitor and a full sized USB port. The Archos 101 supports a range of audio and video formats including WMV, VOB, MKV, FLV, DivX, and Xvid as well as MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, FLAC, and OGG Vorbis.

On the flip side, the iPad is capable of running over 250,000 iOS applications available in the App store. The Archos 101 doesn't have access to the Android Market. Instead, it ships with a third party AppsLib client, which lets you download about 5,000 Android apps. Still, it is one of the best Android tablets available for under $300.

At least three cheap Android tablets are now available for purchase at Sears.com. These machines are based on designs from Chinese electronics makers. Sears doesn't offer these tablets in its store. They are actually sold by a third party distributor called Tech Galore. Here is an overview of the tablets that are currently on offer.


Elken Tablet
The Elken Android tablet has a 7 inch display. It is powered by a 600MHz processor with 2G of storage. There is also an accelerometer. The tablet is priced at $129.99.

Apad tablet
The Apad tablet runs Android 1.6. It has a 7 inch display. It is powered by a VIA WM8505 processor with 2GB of storage. This tablet is priced at $149.99. An Apad tablet with a 10.2 inch display is also available. It runs Android 2.1 and is powered by a 1.2GHz processor. The tablet comes with 3.5GB storage. It is going for $249.99.