Refurbished versions of the BlackBerry PlayBook are now available for as little as $150. Brand new versions of the tablet have been available for $199 for the past week in the US and Canada. Wait, there is more. RIM, the maker of the tablet, is now offering it to its employees for just $99. So is RIM trying to clear its tablet inventory by selling them at below cost? Well, RIM says that it isn’t. The company, reportedly, has no plans to exit the tablet space.


Here is a quick breakdown of the new cheap models.

Best Buy is selling refurbished 16GB PlayBook for $150. Refurbished 32GB and 64GB models are available for $170 and $200 respectively. The employee pricing for the tablet is as follows.

16GB tablet for $99
32GB tablet for $149
64GB tablet for $199

The BlackBerry PlayBook is a nifty little device with impressive hardware. The tablet launched with a $499 price tag, but demand has been pretty low. RIM is hoping that by slashing the prices it will be able to reignite consumer interest in the tablet.

Lenovo has made three new additions to its tablet lineup. The company has just rolled out 5 inch, 7 inch and 10 inch Android tablets in China. In China they will be sold under the name LePad. They could be called IdeaPad or IdeaTab when they hit other countries. Here a quick overview of the three models


Lenovo LePad S2005

The LePad S2005 has a 5 inch display. It isn’t much larger than a typical smartphone. It can also be used to make phone calls. The tablet’s 5 inch display has a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels. The tablet runs Google Android 2.3.5. It is powered by a 1.2Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual core processor. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side, a micro USB card slot, a micro HDMI output port, a micro SD card slot and a 1680 mAh battery.

Lenovo LePad S2007

The LePad S2007 has a 7 inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It is powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. The tablet has an 8 megapixel camera on the rear side and a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front side. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM, micro USB port, micro SD card slot, micro HDMI output port and a 3790mAh battery which will reportedly get 8 hours of battery life.
The S2007 can’t make phone calls. It will ship with Android 3.2 operating system.

Lenovo LePad S2010

The LePad S2010 has a 10.1 inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It has the same specifications as the 7 inch model. Lenovo says that the tablet will get up to 11 hours of battery life.

Acer is yet to officially announce the existence of a device called Iconia Tab A200. Nonetheless, the company has launched a promotion video for the Android tablet.
The video makes it clear that the tablet will have a full-sized USB port. It will also have a microUSB port, a microSD card slot and miroc HDMI output port. It reportedly has a 10 inch display and a front-facing camera.


The Iconia Tab A200 will run a newer version of the Android Honeycomb operating system. It will also have a front-facing camera for video conferencing.

The Iconia Tab A200 has already hit the FCC. Word is that it will be a low-cost tablet with a Tegra 2 processor and a 1280 x 800 pixel display. Acer is reportedly also working on more powerful devices with Tegra 3 processors and higher resolution displays.

Before you update your device be sure to read what the update offers. You must know what exactly the benefits of updating your device are.

If you are happy with the way the device works now, stick with your current operating system. If you are not seeking newer features, you have no reason to update. However, make sure that the device maker will continue to offer support for the OS you use. Most of them do but in case they don’t that is a valid reason to update to the most recent version of the OS.

Updates tend to work well with newer models. Older models may not have the necessary hardware to enjoy all the new features the update brings. Worse still, they may get bogged down.

Back up your data before you update. Updates usually preserve user data, but if something goes wrong during the process of updating your device, you may lose your contacts, photos and videos.

Charge your device before you start updating it or keep it plugged in. The process of updating may take a while and can drain your battery.

If warranty is important to you, get updates only from official sources. Unofficial updates can work, but bear in mind that they will void your warranty. And if things go wrong after you update the device, you won’t get any tech support.

This is the most recent version of the Google Android operating system. Android was originally a smartphone operating system. That however, didn’t prevent PC makers from using it on their tablets. Tablets, after all, are over-sized smartphones. Some even sport phone capabilities. The growing popularity of Android among tablet makers prompted Google to launch a version of the OS specifically optimized for tablets. That is what led to the creation of Android 3.0 aka Honeycomb.

The latest version Android 4.0 is a blend of both smartphone and tablet versions of the operating system. That means once it becomes available, there will not be different versions for tablets and smartphones.

It sports a whole new user interface with new fonts. Other improvements over previous versions include a better browser and support for NFC.

Amazon has confirmed that its Kindle Fire Android tablet has topped its best seller list for 8 weeks in a row. The Kindle Fire isn’t the best tablet out there, but demand for the $199 device has been pretty high ever since it went up for pre-order 8 weeks ago. While we don’t have any detailed sales figures, Amazon has reportedly built and sold millions of Kindle Fire tablets.


The Kindle Fire is a 7 inch tablet computer with a 1024 x 600 pixels IPS display. It is powered by a 1GHz TI OMAP4 dual core processor and runs a highly customized version of Google Android 2.3. Unlike most other tablets on the market it doesn’t have cameras or an SD card slot for storage expansion. Instead it comes with 512MB of RAM and 8GB of storage. The tablet ships with the Amazon Appstore instead of the official Android Market.

While the Kindle Fire doesn’t have particularly impressive hardware, it does have many things going for it. For one thing, it is built and sold by the world’s largest retailer. The biggest USP of the tablet, however, is its price tag. While most Android tablets cost more than $400, the Kindle Fire costs just $200.

Gigabyte has made another addition to its convertible tablet lineup. The new Gigabyte T1132 is supposed to be a successor to the T1125. It has a swivel which would allow you to rotate the display down over the keyboard. The hybrid is powered by a 1.6Ghz Intel Core i5-2467M processor and GeForce GT520M discrete graphics with 1GB of dedicated video memory. That graphics card supports the NVIDIA Optimus automatic graphics switching technology.


Other specifications include one USB 2.0 port, one USB 3.0 port, an eSATA port and an HDMI output port. The convertible also comes with an optional docking station which will add more ports and an optical drive when docked.

No word on pricing or availability at the moment, but it is worth noting that the T1125 has a price tag of $1300. This machine could cost even more.

The Lenovo U300S ultrabook has started shipping. The U300S has a 13.3 inch display. An interesting design feature of the laptop is its sandblasted aluminum casing which makes it cool to the touch.


The Lenovo U300s weighs 1.32kg. Under the hood it has an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD. The laptop has full sized USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and HDMI output ports. The supported connectivity options are Bluetooth 3.0 and WiFi.

Lenovo says that the laptop will get up to 8 hours of battery life on a single charge. The battery can be charged to 50% of its capacity in 30 minutes, thanks to the RapidCharge technology. The laptop boots in less than 20 seconds. It doesn’t have an SD card slot, a high resolution display or backlit keyboard.

The Lenovo U300S starts at $1,095.

The Asus Zenbook UX31 is now available in many parts of the world. This is the first Ultrabook from Asus and sports a tapered design. The laptop tapers to a mere 3mm at its thinnest point.


The UX31 is powered by Intel’s Core i7 processor. Other specifications include 4GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, USB 2.0, USB 3.0 and an SD card reader. The supported connectivity options are Bluetooth 4.0 and WiFi. The UX31 also sports a microHDMI and mini VGA port. Clearly, the ultrathin chassis doesn’t have enough room to accommodate standard sized ports.

The Asus UX31 has a 13.3 inch display with a resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels. It has an aluminum body and weighs 1.3 kg. Lower-end configurations are also available. Prices start at $1,099.

Online retailers in Britain have started listing an unannounced Samsung netbook with an unknown Atom N2100 processor. That chip is rumored to be a Cedar Trail chip which is expected to ship in December. Although some retailers are claiming that the netbook will start shipping on December 2nd it is unlikely to be true. The Atom Cedar Trail chips are only expected to be available in December. That means any netbook sporting this processor is unlikely to ship during this year.


Aside from the processor, the N102S will have 1GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive and Windows 7 Starter Edition operating system. It has a suggested retail price of 240 pounds (about $370). Bear in mind that that price includes the VAT. The netbook should be cheaper when it makes its debut in the US where VAT isn’t applicable.

Meanwhile word is that Samsung is getting ready to exit the netbook market. Instead, the company plans to focus on building real notebooks with 11.6 inch and 12 inch displays. These could include Ultrabooks as well.

Although Intel unveiled its Cedar Trail Atom chips this summer, none of the netbooks currently shipping sport this processor. Word is that the new processors have some problems with their graphics drivers. Intel is expected to launch the repaired chips in December. That means Cedar Trail netbooks are unlikely to hit the market in time for the holiday shopping season.


Asus, by the way, will probably be the first company to launch a Cedar Trail netbook. The company has already announced its plans to update its netbook line-up with the new Atom chips. The netbooks that are likely to get the update are the Eee PC R051CX, Eee PC 1011CX, and Eee PC R011CX. Samsung is also expected to launch a Cedar Trail netbook called Samsung N102S.

Cedar Trail Atom processors will offer slightly better performance than the existing Pine Trail processors.

The Toshiba Portege Z830 ultrabook has started shipping. Four ready-made models are available right now. They have prices ranging between $929 and $1,429. Alternatively, you can customize the laptop according to your preferences. The customized versions start at $1,099.


The Toshiba Portege Z830-S8302 has a 13.3 inch widescreen display. An overview of the different models are given below.

Portege Z830-S8302
The Portege Z830-S8302 has an Intel Core i7-2677M processor, integrated graphics, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit / 32-bit operating system and a 128GB SSD. It is priced at $1,429.00.
Other specifications include Ethernet, Bluetooth, HDMI output port, LED backlit keyboard, memory card reader, Intel WiDi, built-in webcam and USB 3.0 port.

Portege Z830-S8301 Laptop

The Portege Z830-S8301 has an Intel Core i5-2557M processor, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit / 32-bit operating system, 4GB of DDR3 memory, integrated graphics and 128GB of SSD. It is priced at $1,199.00.

The Portege Z835-P330 has an Intel Core i3-2367M processor, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit operating system, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, integrated graphics and 128GB of SSD. It is priced at $929.99.

RIM has officially dropped the price of its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. This is a limited period offer. During this holiday season you will be able to pick up the tablet from BlackBerry stores for as little as $199. For that price you will get a 16GB PlayBook. Although this model has a list price of $499, some retailers have been selling it for $299 for a few months.


The 32GB model PlayBook has also had a price drop. It is now available for $299 from the BlackBerry stores. The 64GB model is now available for $399. The new prices are valid through December 3rd.

The PlayBook is a 7 inch tablet with a 1024 x 600 pixels IPS display. It is powered by a 1GHz dual core processor. The tablet also has 1GB of RAM, front and rear cameras, USB ports, HDMI output port, Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n.

Motorola is yet to put an official price tag on its Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition tablets, but it looks like the folks at Droid Life have some info on Verizon’s prices for the tablet. The models that Verizon will carry have 3G or 4G radios. The carrier will subsidize them if you sign up for a 2 year service contract.

According to sources the new Motorola tablets are expected to go on sale on December 8th. The prices will be as follows:


Xoom 2 Media Edition with 16GB of storage and 8 inch display: $429.99
Xoom 2 Media Edition with 32GB of storage and 8 inch display: $529.99
Xoom 2 with 10 inch display and 16GB of storage: $529.99
Xoom 2 with 10 inch display and 32GB of storage: $629.99
Xoom 2 with 10 inch display and 64GB of storage: $729.99

Both tablets have 1.2GHz dual core processors, 1GB of RAM and front and rear facing cameras (at 1.3 megapixel and 5 megapixel respectively)

The Sony Tablet P has started shipping in the UK. The dual screen device has a pair of 5.5 inch, 1024 x 480 pixels displays which can be folded into a cylindrical form. The same app can be run across both displays. Alternatively you can run one app on each screen.


The Sony Tablet P was introduced this summer. In the UK, retailer Dixons is taking orders for the tablet for £499.99 (about $782).

The Tablet P is powered by a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor. It has two cameras – a VGA camera on the front side and a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side. The tablet has 4GB of storage.

The Tablet P is PlayStation certified. That means you can use it to buy and play classic PlayStation games. No word on pricing or availability in the US.

Amazon has started taking pre-orders for the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime Android tablet. The 32GB model runs $492.20. If you need more storage space, you can consider buying the 64GB model which will set you back $584.22. Bear in mind that these are the prices of the tablet. The optional docking station costs an extra $150.


The Eee Pad Transformer Prime is thinner and lighter than the original Eee Pad Transformer. It is also the first tablet to sport the 1.4GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor. The tablet will launch with Asus 3.2 Honeycomb operating system, but Asus is expected to upgrade it to Android 4.0 sometime soon.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime has a 10.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixels Super IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass. The display, reportedly, supports 10-finger multi-touch input. The tablet has also got 1GB of RAM, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, stereo speakers, micro HDMI output port, microSD card reader and the usual array of sensors. It has also got two cameras – a 1.2 megapixel camera on the front side and an 8 megapixel camera on the rear side. Asus says that the tablet will get up to 12 hours of run time.

Word is that as many as 50 ultrabooks could be on display at CES in January 2012. While that sounds too good to be true, Intel has also predicted that by the end of 2012 ultrabooks will constitute nearly 40% of all laptop sales. By Intel’s definition, an ultrabook is an ultra-thin laptop that weighs less than 3 pounds and measures less than 0.8 inches in thickness. Ultrabooks will have Intel’s latest Core i-series processors and faster solid state disks. They will also feature technology that will allow them to quickly wake up from sleep. That means these machines will offer much better performance than typical netbooks while at the same time maintaining the same level of portability. Because an ultrabook is both powerful and portable, Intel says that it is the only laptop a consumer needs. Unfortunately ultrabooks aren’t all that cheap. The cheapest model available at the moment has a price tag of $799. For that price you can buy three netbooks. However, now that more and more PC makers are entering the ultrabook space prices should fall.

Close on the heels of Acer dropping the price of its AC700 Chromebook, Samsung too has slashed the price of its ChromeBook. Instead of dropping the price of its existing models, Samsung has introduced a new model with exact same specs and a different color lid. The new Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is available in ‘piano black’. It is now up for order from Amazon for $350. Interestingly Samsung continues to offer the original Chromebook, which is available in white or silver, for $430 and above. Like its predecessors, the new Chromebook also has a 12.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixels display, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N570 dual core processor, 16GB of storage and the Google Chrome operating system. It will reportedly get up to 6 hours of battery life. The laptop has also got 2 USB ports, an SDHC card slot and webcam. It will wake up from sleep in less than 10 seconds.

When the Acer Chromebook launched this summer it sported a $350 price tag. Although that didn’t quite make it pricey, at that price point, it was still costlier than a typical netbook. Now Acer has dropped the price of the laptop. The Acer AC700 Chromebook is now available from Amazon for $299.99. The ChromeBook runs the Google Chrome operating system. It has just 16GB of storage and that is hardly surprising. The device is designed to run web-based applications such as Gmail and Google Docs. That means most of your data is stored online. A ChromeBook is practically useless when you are not connected to the internet. However, you can cache documents for offline access. You may also store music or photos. The Acer AC700 has an 11.6 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N570 dual core processor and 2GB of DDR3 memory. While it is larger than a typical netbook, it offers less functionality. The fact is that all laptops running Windows, Linux or OS X are capable of running all web-based apps just like a ChromeBook. A Chromebook, on the other hand, can’t do a lot of things that a typical laptop can. It can’t, for instance, run desktop apps. Needless to say demand for the device has been low.

The Asus U24E-XH71 notebook is now available for purchase. The 13 incher has an Intel Core i7 processor, USB 3.0 port, 4GB of RAM, 500GB HDD and a 6-cell battery which will reportedly get up to 10 hours of battery life. The U24E-XH71 has a magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis which makes it sturdier than laptops sporting plastic casings. The 13.3 inch display has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Other specifications include 2 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0, HDMI, Ethernet, multi-card-reader and Bluetooth. The laptop doesn’t have an optical drive. The U24E-XH71 weighs 3.31 pounds which makes it heavier than the recently launched UX31 ultrabook which weighs just 2.86 pounds. The U24E-XH71 is now available for $829.

In a bid to satisfy German courts, Samsung has made slight variations to the design of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet. A little over a few months ago a German court had prohibited Samsung from selling the original Galaxy Tab 10.1 because Apple complained that it infringed on their copyrights.

The new model has a slightly different design and a slightly different name: it is called Galaxy Tab 10.1N. It also happens to have a bit of Chrome around the edges.

The model currently available in Germany has a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor, 16GB of storage, Google Android 3.2 operating system. The 10.1 inch display has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The supported connectivity options are 3G, WiFi and GPS. The Galaxy Tab 10.1N is currently available from Cyberport for 549 Euros.

Acer is reportedly working on a new Android tablet with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor. According to leaked details, the upcoming Acer Iconia Tab A700 tablet will have a full HD 1920 x 1200 pixels display. Obviously Acer wants to take advantage of the graphics prowess of the new Tegra 3 processor. There is no word on the screen size though. It could be 10 inches or something larger.

Few other details are available at the moment. The tablet will reportedly be available in two models – the Iconia Tab A700 will be WiFi only. There will also be a 3G capable model called Iconia Tab A701. Although there is no official confirmation from Acer, the tablet is expected to run Google Android 3.2 operating system.

A couple of other unannounced Acer tablets too surfaced this week. Of these the Iconia Tab A510 will have a 10 inch, 1280 x 800 pixels display and a Tegra 3 processor. The other model – the Iconia Tab A200 – seems to be a low cost Tegra 2 based tablet.

HP has announced that its Folio Ultrabook will be available in the US in December. The ultrathin laptop will have a starting price of $899.

The HP Folio is a 13.3 inch laptop that measures about 0.7 inches in thickness and weighs 3.3 pounds. It is available with an Intel Core i3 or i5 processor. Other specifications include 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. HP says that the laptop will get up to 9 hours of battery life.

An ultrabook is an ultrathin laptop featuring Intel’s latest processors and solid state drives. Intel introduced the concept a few months ago and now the first ultrabooks have started shipping.

Like other ultrabooks, the HP Folio is also capable of quickly waking up from sleep, thanks to Intel’s ‘Rapid Start Technology’. The HP Folio also has a backlit keyboard, an HD webcam and Dolby advanced audio.

The 7 inch HP TouchPad Go tablet has been spotted in the wild. The TouchPad Go is supposed to be a compliment to the recently discontinued 9.7 inch TouchPad tablet. Although we have been hearing about this tablet for a while, there is still no word on a launch date.


The TouchPad Go reportedly has a 6.95 inch, 1024 x 768 pixels capacitive touchscreen display. That display has a Corning Gorilla Glass coating to make it scratch resistant. The tablet is powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual core processor which is speedier than the dual core processor found in the TouchPad tablet.

The TouchPad Go tablet also features two cameras – a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side and a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front side. The supported connectivity options are GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi and 3G.

Amazon has started shipping the Kindle Fire tablet ahead of schedule. The $200 tablet has a 7 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels display and 8GB of storage. It is powered by a 1GHz TI OMAP4 dual core processor and runs the dated Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system.


While the specifications aren’t exactly mouth-watering, the Kindle Fire does have a lot of things going for it. The tablet can, for instance, be used to buy and read millions of eBooks, listen to MP3 songs, and purchase or rent movies and TV shows from Amazon. Most of the reviews it has received so far are positive. And that is probably because the tablet doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Although, it doesn’t have a bleeding edge processor or the most modern operating system, it is a pretty good device for its price.

The Amazon Kindle Touch eBook reader will also start shipping tomorrow. It has a touchscreen E Ink display. The ad-supported version of the device runs $99. The $139 model doesn’t have ads.

A leaked Lenovo product map has revealed details about Lenovo’s upcoming laptops and tablets. According to the product map, the company is working on a ThinkPad X1 Hybrid which will be capable of running both Windows and Android. Lenovo is also working on a Tegra 3-powered Android tablet running Android 4.0 operating system.


In the laptop space, the company will be offering a budget-friendly ultraportable business laptop. It will be called Lenovo ThinkPad X130e. It is likely to be a sequel to the X120e and X100e business laptops.

The ThinkPad X130e will have an 11.6 inch display and a case which is sturdier than what its predecessors had. There is no word on processor, memory, storage or other details at the moment.

Toshiba has revealed the pricing details of its Portege Z835-P330 ultrabook. The laptop will be a Best Buy exclusive and has an impressive starting price of $799. At that price point it will be one of the first ultrabooks to launch with a sub $1000 price tag.

An ultrabook is an ultrathin laptop sporting Intel’s latest processors. The term was coined by Intel itself. While introducing the concept, Intel had said that ultrabooks will cost less than $1000. Unfortunately, few PC makers have managed to stick to that price point.


The Toshiba Portege Z835-P330 will be powered by a 1.4GHz Intel Core i3-2367M processor with 4GB of RAM. It has a 13.3 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. Other specifications include Intel 3000 HD graphics, VGA and HDMI output. The laptop also supports Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) technology. It has 1 USB 3.0 and 2 USB 2.0 ports.

The Toshiba Portege weighs around 2.4 pounds and measures 1 inch in thickness. Higher-end configurations with SSD options and faster processors are also expected to be available.

The Black Friday deals for Best Buy and Staples have already leaked. And now we have got a sneak peek at what Target will be offering on the most frantic shopping day in the US.
The retailer will be offering deep discounts on the following laptop models on November 25th.

A 10 inch Acer netbook will be available for $157. It is not exactly clear which model Target is talking about. The 11.6 inch Acer Aspire One 722 with AMD C-50 processor will also be discounted. It will be available for $197 on Black Friday.

Some of the Target deals are ‘doorbusters’. That means you will have to get up earlier than the rest of the world does and make your way to Target stores to get your hand on the device you desire. And because only a limited number of units will be available, there is no guarantee that your efforts will bear fruit. Still considering the kind of deals retailers are offering on this day, making an attempt is definitely worth your time.

US wireless carrier T-Mobile is all set to launch the Huawei MediaPad Android tablet under the name SpringBoard. Customers will be able to pick up the tablet starting November 16th by making a down payment of $179.99.


The full price of the tablet is $429.99. While carriers usually subsidize the tablets when buyers sign up for long term service contracts, in this case it is a bit different. While you can pick up the tablet for just $179.99, T-Mobile will continue to add $10 to your data plan until you have paid off the full price. Now here is another catch. You actually have to pay $229.99 at the time of purchase and T-Mobile will give you a $50 Mail-in rebate.

The T-Mobile SpringBoard has decent specs including a 1.2Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual core processor, front and rear facing cameras, WiFi, HSPA+ and GPS. The 7 inch display has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The tablet runs Google Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system.

Best Buy’s Black Friday deals have leaked. The company will be offering some deep discounts on select tablets.

The retailer will, for instance, sell the Eee Pad Transformer for $249.99. The tablet usually retails for $400. The Eee Pad Transformer has a 10.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixels IPS display. It is powered by a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor and runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage.


Meanwhile Asus is all set to launch its Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet in December. It will retail for about $500 and has a quad-core processor. The original Transformer doesn’t have such meaty specs, but for half the price it is a pretty good deal.

Staples will offer some of the best Black Friday deals this year. The supply store will sell the BlackBerry PlayBook for $199 on Black Friday and in the days up the day after Thanksgiving.

The $199 version of the PlayBook has 16GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, front and rear facing cameras, WiFi and Bluetooth. To get the tablet for this price, you will need to go to one of the bricks and mortar stores of Staples.

The BlackBerry PlayBook currently runs $299. When RIM first introduced the tablet, it retailed for $499 and up. Although the PlayBook is a nice tablet, it hasn’t been selling exactly well. Needless to say, RIM recently slashed the price of the tablet to $299.

NVIDIA has officially introduced its Tegra 3 ARM Cortex-A9 multi-core processor. The Tegra 3 has 4 high-performance CPU cores, 1 extra low power ‘companion’ core and 12 graphics cores. It has a clock speed of 1.4Ghz.

The new processors are aimed at tablets and smartphones. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime will be the first device to ship with the Tegra 3 processor. Other tablets are also in the works. Smartphones sporting the new chips are expected to ship during the first quarter of 2012.


The Tegra 3 is the same processor that used to be known by the code name Kal-El. According to NVIDIA, the new processor will offer five times better performance than the existing Tegra 2 processors. It will also offer better graphics performance. Interestingly, the new Tegra processor consumes less power than the existing Tegra processors. By NVIDIA’s own estimates, the Eee Pad Transformer will get 12 hours of battery life.

Lenovo has restarted taking orders for the IdeaPad A1 tablet. The new models are available in a range of colors including black, white, blue and pink. All models are expected to start shipping by November 21st.

When Lenovo first launched the tablet, the company had promised that it would sell it for $199. That model has only 2GB of storage. Strangely Lenovo has now bumped the price of this model to $229.


There is also a higher capacity version with 16GB of storage. It runs $249.
The Lenovo IdeaPad A1 is currently available in black for $199.20 if you use the coupon code USPA2M1104. It is not clear how long the promotion will last.

The IdeaPad A1 has a 7 inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. It is powered by a 1Ghz TI OMAP 3622 single core processor. Other specifications include 512MB of RAM and Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. The supported connectivity options are WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and GPS with some sort of offline capabilities. The tablet has two cameras – a 3 megapixel camera on the rear and a 0.3 megapixel camera on the front side.

Asus is all set to launch a sequel to its hugely popular Eee Pad Transformer Prime Android tablet. The Transformer Prime is thinner and lighter than the original Transformer and sports a metallic finish.

The Eee Pad Transformer Prime will launch with Google Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system. Asus will reportedly offer an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It will also be the first tablet to ship with the new 1.4Ghz NVIDIA Tegra quad-core processor which will reportedly get 5 times the performance of Tegra 2 processors.

The new model, too, will have the detachable keyboard docking accessory. The keyboard dock has its own battery. It also has a touchpad, USB port and an SD card slot.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime will be available in two models – one with 32GB of storage and the other with 64GB of storage. The 32GB model runs $499, while the 64GB model has a price tag of $599. The optional keyboard dock will set you back $149.

Motorola has launched two new Android tablets – the Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition. While the former has a 10.1 inch display, the latter sports an 8.2 inch display. Other specifications are more or less the same.


The Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition both have a 1.2GHz dual core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of RAM and Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system. Both tablets have a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front side and a 5 megapixel camera on the rear side.

Motorola says that the larger Xoom 2 will get up to 10 hours of battery life. The smaller Xoom 2 Media Edition has a lower capacity battery that should get up to 6 hours of uptime.
No word on pricing at the moment. The Motorola Xoom was the first Android tablet to ship with the Honeycomb version of the operating system. Although, there was considerable hype surrounding the tablet, it didn’t sell well.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus has started shipping. You can order the tablet from Amazon for $399.99 and up. For that price you will get a 7 inch tablet with 16GB of storage. The 32GB version runs $499.99. The 7 inch display has a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.


The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus runs Google Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system. The tablet reportedly has a 1.2Ghz dual core processor. It is not exactly clear which processor Samsung is using. Word is that it is the same Exynos chip used in the Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus also has two cameras – a 2 megapixel camera on the front side and a 3 megapixel camera on the back side. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0. The tablet measures 0.4 inches in thickness and weighs 0.76 pounds.

Barnes & Noble will launch their Nook tablet on November 16th for $249. The company’s first tablet was the Nook Color launched last year. At launch it had a price tag of $249, but now it is available for $199.


The Nook Tablet is thinner and lighter than the Nook Color. It also sports a faster 1.2 GHz TI OMAP4 dual core processor. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and a 7 inch IPS multitouch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. There is a microSD card slot for expanding storage. At $250, the Nook Tablet is pricier than the Amazon Kindle Fire which is also expected to start shipping in November. On the flip side, the Amazon tablet has only got 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage and a 1GHz processor. It doesn’t have an SD card slot.

While the Kindle Fire is a bit weak in the hardware department, it scores over the Nook Tablet when it comes to the software. It, for instance, offers music, movies and TV shows besides ebooks. The Nook tablet will have to depend on third party apps for these features.

HP is all set to launch a new business laptop. The new HP 3115m is the business version of the Pavilion dm1z launched last month.

The HP 3115m has more or less the same specifications as the Pavilion dm1z. Both models have an 11.6 inch display and AMD E-300 or AMD E-450 processor. The AMD E-300 has a clock speed of 1.3Ghz. It comes bundled with the Radeon HD 6310 integrated graphics. The E-450 is a dual core processor that clocks 1.65GHz. It comes with the Radeon HD 6320 graphics. Both laptops also feature Chiclet style keyboard and a gray chassis.


The HP 3115m has a built in HSPA+ module for mobile broadband connectivity. This feature is not available with the consumer-oriented dm1z. On the other hand, the dm1z offers more storage options including a faster 7,200 rpm hard drive and up to 160GB of SSD. The 3115m has a 5,400 rpm hard drive in 320GB or 500GB capacities. The 11.6 inch glossy display has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

The HP 3115m also has 2GB (supports up to 8GB) of RAM, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, 3 USB 2.0 ports, a multi-in-one media card reader and HDMI output port. The supported connectivity options are Bluetooth, WiFi and mobile broadband. HP says that the laptop will get up to 11.5 hours of battery life.

Pricing and availability
It looks like the HP 3115m is a US-exclusive. The notebook is expected to start shipping on November 11th for a starting price of $429.

Asus is all set to launch a new 11.6 inch laptop called U24E. The machine will have an Intel Core i5-2430M processor, 4GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive. The display will have a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

The Asus U24E weighs 3.3 pounds. It is likely to cost much less than the 11.6 inch Ultrabooks Asus recently launched. And that is because the U24E lacks many of the premium features you would find in an Ultrabook. The laptop, for example, is thicker and heavier than an Ultrabook. It doesn't have an SSD either.


The lower-end Ultrabooks start at $999. Higher-end models can cost as much as $2000. The U24E, on the other hand, is expected to launch in Japan for about $766. It should be cheaper in the US.

The U24E is likely to be a sequel to the UL20 line of notebooks Asus has been selling for years. These aren't speed demons; they sport ultra low voltage processors that deliver much better performance than Intel Atom processors.

HP has updated its Windows 7 tablet with a faster 1.5GHz Intel Atom Z670 Oak Trail processor and a solid state disk.

The HP Slate 500 launched a little over a year ago. It is aimed at business users. The upgraded model will, reportedly, get more battery life and offer more security features. It will also have a flat back panel. The tablet will start shipping later this month for $699 and up.


The HP Slate 2 has an 8.9 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels display, a USB 2.0 port, an SD card slot, an N-Trig digitizer and an SD card slot. The tablet has front and rear facing cameras. The HP Slate 2 runs Windows 7 Professional operating system.

The HP Slate 2 also comes with a Swype keyboard. Unlike a regular keyboard which requires you to lift your fingers and tap keys one by one, the Swype keyboard allows you to enter text by sliding your finger from key to key.

Asus shipped 1.3 million Eee PCs during the third quarter of this year. The company has, so far, shipped 3.6 million Eee PCs in 2011. During this year, the company shipped 1.2 million tablets - 800,000 of them were sold during the third quarter.


That means, netbooks are still selling better than tablets. Meanwhile, Asus hasn’t made any new announcements about upcoming tablets. The company, however, plans to launch the 10 inch Eee Pad Transformer Prime Android tablet on November 9th. It will have a NVIDIA Kal-quad-core processor and an optional keyboard docking station.

In 2012, Asus will launch at least 2 Android products. The company also plans to launch a Windows 8 tablet next year.