Tablets

commentary The PlayBook tablet can finally access corporate e-mail. Hallelujah, right?

No, don't expect the legion of BlackBerry faithful to flock to the PlayBook, now that it has the one key feature everybody said Research In Motion should have included in its tablet in the first place. At this point, even the most ardent fan has to admit that this product has been nothing but a disappointment.

RIM is hoping that the release of its PlayBook 2.0 software will spark demand for its troubled tablet. The updated operating system includes an integrated e-mail in-box, a calendar and contacts … Read more

Barnes & Noble has Amazon's Kindle Fire directly in its sights. Its latest ammunition: a $199 Nook Tablet with 8GB of memory.

The new version of the Nook Tablet--$50 cheaper and with half the memory of the original--now matches the Kindle Fire in price and memory specs. The book retailer hopes the lower price will make it more of a rival to Amazon's tablet, which has established itself as the No. 2 player behind Apple's iPad. Amazon has attracted customers through a lower-end price and a decent selection in its online store.

Barnes & Noble … Read more

Barnes & Noble is prepping a new version of its Nook Tablet to better compete against Amazon's Kindle Fire.

The book retailer will launch an 8-gigabyte version of its tablet through Wal-Mart on Wednesday, according to The Verge.

The Nook Tablet made some noise after its launch as part of a new wave of affordable tablets better suited to competing with the higher end iPad from Apple. But while the Kindle Fire has sold well and drawn much of the attention of the consumer and media, the Nook Tablet hasn't seen the same level of adoption. … Read more

New iPads are coming! New iPads are coming! Well, that's the rumor, anyway, and it might be only "new iPad," singular.

But let's be honest: whatever it is, you're probably going to want it. I mean, who wouldn't want a tablet with a Retina Display, 4G wireless, a high-resolution camera, and a hot-fudge dispenser? (A man can dream, can't he?)

Alas, iPad prices being what they are (and what they'll likely remain), you may need a second mortgage to finance it.

To help defray the cost, consider selling your iPad 2 (or … Read more

A couple weeks back I wrote that RIM had once again cut BlackBerry PlayBook prices, with the 16GB model down to just $199. My question at the time: Was it worth buying at that price?

My feeling was that the PlayBook faced an uncertain future, and therefore might not be the best choice.

Man, did I get an earful. PlayBook owners are a vocal and passionate bunch, and they rightly noted that the tablet does have GPS, while a forthcoming OS update promises to open the door to Android app compatibility--which is a big deal.

And speaking of deals, that … Read more

If you've been keeping score, Barnes & Noble's refurbished Nook Color e-reader has been selling for as low as $129. But, let's face it, that's last year's model. The newer, more powerful Nook Tablet, which debuted just a few months ago, has held steady at $249.

That's why today's deal is kind of a big, well, deal. Until midnight on Friday (February 17), and while supplies last, you can get the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet for $199 shipped. That's after entering coupon code CNOOKDEAL at checkout.

As you'll no doubt … Read more

A few weeks ago, CNET's Scott Stein made the case for using a dedicated e-reader instead of a tablet--for book reading, that is.

I'm inclined to agree with him, as I find that when I read on my iPad or Nook Color, I'm frequently distracted from my book. It's hard to resist the siren song of e-mail, Web browsing, Flipboard, and the like when they're just a tap or two away.

With a regular old e-reader, however, all you get is your book--and that's a good thing. Hence I'm seeing the value … Read more

Today's episode blew our minds. And not just because it was Humiliation Day.

First Emily embarrassed herself by revealing her hidden talents; then she discovered her old lady cowboy voice; then Karyne did a "face mic," which is basically a face palm but using a mic; and then Amazon killed us with the possibility of opening brick-and-mortar stores to sell (drum roll, please): BOOKS! Say what?

Best Buy put out a survey starring the iTV this week, only to tell us later that the survey was "hypothetical." You know what else is hypothetical, Best Buy? … Read more

I learned a lesson last week: BlackBerry PlayBook owners are a passionate bunch! My mere suggestion that the tablet was not long for the world (along with a couple forehead-smacking factual errors) elicited a response that I can only describe as fanboy-esque.

Even a RIM rep reached out to insist, "RIM remains committed to the BlackBerry PlayBook." Time will tell, of course, but I'm glad to see the product has such a vocal fan-base. I'm going to see if I can get some hands-on time with a PlayBook so I'm better informed about it next … Read more