Asus ME400 Windows Tablet - First Impression

   I had the opportunity to test Asus' VivoTab ME400 tablet.  At first site, it looks small/short compared to typical 10" tablets.  It is one of the lightest 10" tablets at only 1.3lbs which is as light as the Samsung Galaxy 10.1.  Also one of the thinnest at .4".

   The 10.1" screen has an 1366x768 resolution capacitive screen which looked great .  It is one of the nicest looking screens that I have seen.  The screen is apparently scratch resistant.  The screen also has 178 degree viewing angle.

Favorite Apps - 2012

It is that time of year where the year ends and a new one begins.  I am going to go over my favorite apps this year.  Now, these apps were not created this year or discovered this year.  However, this post should help those who bought or received a new Android tablet and/or smartphone this holiday.  Yes, I am only talking about Android because I own both an Android tablet (Nexus 7) and an Android smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S3).  My list will be primarily focused for a tablet but you can use them on either device unless otherwise indicated.  Let's begin....

Black Friday Tablet Deals 2012

Last year, we posted some deals on tablets for Black Friday.  This year, we are doing the same.  If you know of any sales that I have not mentioned below, please put them in the comment section. However, please do not make things up. Note source that you received the info, the store and which version of the tablet that is on sale. This year consumers have many choices in the tablet market. So here are the first items:

Google Nexus 7 (16GB) Review

Google introduced a Nexus line of Android phones in 2010.  The Nexus series is meant to provide a pure Android experience with an unlockable bootloader, no carrier modification, and be the first to have the latest Android updates.   Although there have been three Nexus phones, Google introduced its first Nexus tablet, Nexus 7, at its 2012 I/O Developer’s Conference.  The tablet itself is manufactured by ASUS, a leading Taiwanese computer and electronics company.  The Nexus 7 is aimed at the lower price market to compete in the $199 - $250 range.  Therefore, it is not meant to be an “iPad-killer”.  The media tends to incorrectly compare devices that are designed for different markets.  The Nexus 7 is currently a hot selling item as most retailers including the Google Play Store cannot keep it stock fast enough.  So is this device worth it?  Read on...

Google Nexus 7 Unboxing

After weeks of waiting, I finally received my Google Nexus 7 which is probably the hottest selling tablet at this point in time.   We will be doing a full video and written review in the next couple of weeks.  So stay tune.  In the meantime, I decided to do a first time unboxing video since I read that people were having trouble unboxing their new Nexus 7.  (Before the comments come in, I should have worn a different T-shirt.)  Thanks for watching.

Google shows off the Nexus 7

     As we noted in our post  on May 28th, Google did show off its Nexus 7 tablet at its I/O Developer Conference this week.  The lucky attendees were provided with one along with the Nexus Q and Galaxy Nexus phone (Google traditionally gives away certain hardware to all attendees each year).  There were no major surprises as much about the tablet was leaked before.  Here is a recap of the specs:

• 7” 1280x800 HD display (216 ppi)
• 1 GB RAM
• 8 or 16GB of storage
• Quad core Tegra 3 Processor 1.3GHz (single core) or 1.2 GHz (2 or more cores)
• 12 core GPU
• 1.2MP Front Camera
• 4325 mAh battery
• NFC
• GPS
• Gyroscope
• Bluetooth
• WiFi
• Micro USB
• Android 4.1

Microsoft introduces their Surface Tablets

    So Microsoft today introduced their Surface tablets which will be Microsoft branded.  The first is their Windows RT tablet which is ARM-based.  This big boy (10.6" screen) will feature NVIDIA Tegra-based processor weighing in at a 676 grams (1.5 lbs) and only 9.3 millimeters thick.  It will come with either 32GB or 64GB capacity.   No details on screen resolution.  Price was not announced but Microsoft stated it will be competitively priced.  Should be available around Windows 8 launch (fall 2012).

Google Nexus Tablet - July Launch?

     **Updated** We previously reported that Google will be selling Nexus smartphones and tablets directly.  However, additional information has been leaking regarding the Nexus tablet.  DigiTimes is claiming that the Asus-made tablet has an initial order of 600,000 for possible July launch.  In addition, Google's annual I/O Developer Conference is in June so its possible that the attendees will receive the Nexus tablet as it the normal tradition of Google giving away certain hardware to its all attendees. Last year, everyone received the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet.