honeycomb

Toshiba is tossing a new 7-inch Honeycomb tablet into the fray this December, hot on the heels of the 10-inch tablet it launched in July. Pricing is yet to be determined, but with the original Thrive floating out there at around $400, let's hope this little guy comes in under that.

The Thrive 7 looks and performs just as if you'd blasted the 10-inch Thrive with a shrink ray. It's uses the same 1GHz, dual-core Nvidia processor, the same 1GB of RAM, same front and rear cameras, and most surprisingly--the same screen resolution.

That's right, Toshiba … Read more

Samsung will sell its new Galaxy Tab 8.9 Wi-Fi-only tablet for $469 for the 16GB edition and $569 for the 32GB version.

On its Web site, the company promised only that the new tablet would be "coming soon," and Samsung did not immediately answer CNET's request to confirm a launch date. But Engadget says the 8.9-incher could debut as soon as Thursday.

In the latest sign that the unwrapping of Ice Cream Sandwich is near, Google has clued in developers on how to get their apps ready to take advantage of the upcoming, new flavor of Android.

In a blog post yesterday, Scott Main, lead tech writer for Google's official site for Android developers, reminded readers that Ice Cream Sandwich, or ICS, has been designed to run on anything from small-screen smartphones to big-screen tablets.

But apps designed to run under Android 3.0 Honeycomb are "forward-compatible" and therefore will run on any device with ICS, whether phone or … Read more

As of today, Sony's Android 3.2 Tablet S is shipping across North America. The target audience: Apple-averse tablet fans with $500 to $600 to spend on a tablet newcomer (minus the 500,000 or so potential customers that bought discontinued HP TouchPads). OK, honestly, I have no idea who these people are. If they're the same people (not) buying RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, Sony might be in trouble.

Ever the optimist, I really want to believe there's a market for premium-quality Android tablets out there. If so, Sony is poised to capitalize on it with the … Read more

When a tablet manufacturer prices its product exactly the same as the Apple iPad, it's either confident or crazy.

Sony and Samsung have reason to be confident. Both companies offer beautifully designed Android tablets that are chock-full of unique features--some of which even the iPad can't match.

In this week's CNET Prizefight, we put the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 up against the new kid on the block--the Sony Tablet S.

See which contender comes out on top. … Read more

AT&T will begin begin selling the Acer Iconia Tab A501 on September 18, the carrier announced today.

The tablet comes with Honeycomb 3.0 and will run on AT&T's HSPA+ network. That's about the only difference between it and the Iconia Tab A500 released a few months back, as the tablet's form factor will be identical.

AT&T will begin selling the tablet this Sunday at its retail stores, as well as online.

The no-contract price for the tablet is $480, with the two-year contract price being set at $330, but it also includes a $35-per-month 3GB data plan. Thankfully, AT&T will offer monthly billing plans as well.

The postpaid plan is $14.99 for 250MB or $25 for 2GB. Customers on the 2GB plan who exceed their monthly data limit will be charged $10 per 1GB of overage. Customers on the 250MB plan who exceed their limit will be charged $14.99 per 250MB of overage.

Prepaid customers' plans will look quite similar, but different in one key area. They'll still pay the same prices for 250MB and 2GB; however, without overage charges. Customers on the 2GB plan who exceed the limit have the option of choosing an additional 2GB for $25.… Read more

Android users waiting for the Ice Cream Sandwich version of the mobile operating system will see the latest flavor pop up sometime in October or November.

Google's own executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, tipped off the time frame for the new version of Android in an interview yesterday with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.

Uncovered by Android and Me and other sources, the videotaped interview shows Schmidt specifically saying that "we have a new operating system, internally known as Ice Cream Sandwich for some reason, which is being released in October/November, which everyone's really excited about."

The … Read more

BERLIN--Samsung, the most aggressive backer of Android tablets, announced the Galaxy Tab 7.7 today, a model that brings a dual-core processor and the company's Super AMOLED Plus display technology to the line.

Apple's iPad line still dominates the tablet market, but those using Google's Android operating system are trying hard to find a place. Samsung's announcement at the IFA electronics show here follows Sony's yesterday and more from other players, too.

The Galaxy Tab 7.7 display uses the company's active matrix organic light-emitting diode technology, which Samsung says will mean good contrast, brightness, and colors. The resolution--1,280x800 with a 7.7-inch diagonal--is a bit bigger than the original 7-inch Galaxy Tab that debuted a year ago with a 1,280x600 resolution. … Read more

On the same day it officially announced its upcoming Android touch-screen tablets, Sony today opened a preorder page for those wishing to purchase one of the devices originally code-named S1 and S2.

The single-screen Sony Tablet S will be available on September 16 in two varieties: a 16GB version for $499 or a 32GB model for $599. It's worth noting that you can also expand the storage space further via the built-in full-size SD card slot.

Somewhat amusingly, until October 1, consumers can "trade in any brand tablet and get a $100 credit towards a new Sony Tablet S series," according to Sony.

If the dual-screen Tablet P is more to your liking, it is also available for preorder. There's no mention of pricing or release date on the Sony Store site, and in his hands-on preview of both tablets, CNET Senior Editor Donald Bell says that "since the device will come to market through AT&T as a 4G-compatible tablet, the decision on timing and pricing rests on the carrier's shoulders." On a side note, the storage space for the Tablet P is listed as a mere 4GB, but expandable with a full-size SD card slot.

Sony also has a preorder page of tablet accessories that include a Bluetooth keyboard, sleeve cases, and more. … Read more