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Via Technologies announced a Pico-ITX board featuring a dual-core Eden X2 processor and optional PCI Express expansion. The Epia-P900 offers gigabit Ethernet, two SATA ports, seven USB 2.0 ports, and support for HDMI, VGA, and LVDS displays, the company says.
Axiomtek announced a PICMG 1.3 single board computer (SBC) that supports Intel's quad-core Xeon E3-1200 family of processors, as well as Core i3/15/i7 CPUs. Employing the Intel C206 PCH chipset, the SHB108 offers up to 16GB of DDR3 memory, PCI Express and PCI expansion, six RAID-enabled SATA connectors, dual gigabit Ethernet ports, plus 14 USB 2.0 ports.
Nvidia says its Tegra 3 processor, previously code-named “Kal-El,” is now in production, making its first appearance in the Android-powered Asus Transformer Prime before the end of the year. The chip includes five ARM Cortex A9 cores, but the fifth “Companion core” runs only up to 500MHz, and is optimized for saving power when running background tasks, the company says.
Idolian.com announced a seven-inch Android 2.3 tablet for a temporarily discounted price of $149. The MiniTurbo T8 is equipped with a seven-inch, 800 x 480 capacitive display, a 1.2GHz Telechips processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, an HDMI port, and Android Market access, says the company.
Republic Wireless announced a contract-free cellular plan that offers unlimited text, data, and voice for $19/month. The service requires a customized LG Optimus Android 2.3 phone ($199 with one free month of service) that switches automatically to Wi-Fi connectivity whenever it's available, according to the company.
Advantech announced a 4.5 x 3.7-inch ETX module that comes with Intel's single-core Atom N455 or dual-core Atom D525, plus up to 4GB of DDR3 memory. The “SOM-4463 B1” includes two SATA ports, support for VGA and LVDS displays, four USB 2.0 ports, plus PCI and ISA expansion potential, the company says.
T-Mobile said it will begin selling the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Nov. 16 for $249.99, following a $50 mail-in rebate and a two-year mobile data contract. The seven-inch tablet includes a dual-core, 1.2GHz processor, a 1024 x 600-pixel screen, and Android 3.2 (“Honeycomb”), according to the carrier.
Mozilla announced more details and a project roadmap for its Android-based, web-centric Boot to Gecko (BTG) mobile operating system, including plans to release a version in the second quarter of 2012. It also announced an updated Firefox 8 web browser for desktop and mobile devices, featuring improved HTML5 support, Twitter integration, and an enhanced password function for Android.
Panasonic unveiled a rugged, 10.1-inch Android 3.2 tablet for the enterprise market with extended temperature, drop, and ingress resistance. The Toughpad FZ-A1 is equipped with a dual-core 1.2GHz Marvell processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a full range of wireless features, a security co-processor, and an anti-glare, 500-nit display with 1024 x 768 pixels and an active digitizing pen.
Barnes & Noble announced a $249 Android tablet featuring a seven-inch IPS (in-plane switching) display, a dual-core, 1GHz processor from Texas Instruments, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. The new “Nook Tablet” was joined by enhancements and a $50 price drop for the existing Nook Color, plus a new $99 price for the monochrome Simple Touch.
HTC announced that at least seven of its smartphones will receive upgrades to Android 4.0 (“Ice Cream Sandwich”). They're the internationally available Evo 3D Sensation, Sensation XL, and Sensation XE, as well as the U.S.-only Rezound, Design 4G, and Amaze 4G, according to the company — whose CEO also told Reuters it will release one or more additional tablets next year.
It will be four to six months before Android 4.0 (“Ice Cream Sandwich”) is widely available on handsets, a Motorola Mobility executive has warned. Motorola does not even have the operating system's source code yet, Ruth Hennigar, the company's vice president of software product management, reportedly added.
MSC Vertriebs announced a COM Express module with Intel “6 Series” chipset and a choice of seven different “Sandy Bridge” processors. The CXB-6S offers up to 16GB of RAM, an optional 8GB SSD (solid state disk), six PCI Express x1 lanes, dual display support, and four SATA ports, among other features.
Celio Corporation announced “ScreenSlider,” software that allows Android devices to act as external touchscreen displays for Windows PCs. The company's technology is also being used in “Prodigy One Pro” automotive head units from Directus, designed to mirror output from a connected Android phone.
HTC and Verizon Wireless announced a high-end Android 2.3 phone due Nov. 14 that's said to be the first U.S. smartphone with “Beats Audio” integration. The HTC Rezound is equipped with a 1.5GHz, dual-core Qualcomm MDM9600 processor, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, 4G LTE, and a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 display, and features lightweight Beats headphones.