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Amazon's Kindle Fire may not be an iPad killer or offer cutting-edge features, but it could prove to be a big headache for Android tablet and e-reader vendors, analysts agree. Meanwhile, others debate whether the Fire's customized UI represents a true fork of Android, and argue over whether its cloud-oriented Silk browser is a breakthrough in mobile multimedia or an unprecedented invasion of privacy.
Samsung announced a replacement for its original seven-inch Galaxy Tab Android tablet, upgraded with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is faster, thinner, lighter, and adds HSPA+ service — plus, it should be inexpensive, considering the competition from Amazon's $200 Kindle Fire and HTC's Flyer (about to be slashed to $300).
Portwell announced a Linux- and Android-compatible in-vehicle computer equipped with a 5.7- or seven-inch touchscreen and a 416MHz Marvell PXA270 processor. The PTH-1070A includes four serial ports and two USB ports, one or two CompactFlash slots, plus available non-volatile RAM and CAN bus options, according to the company.
Nokia is developing a new Linux-based “Meltemi” operating systems to replace Symbian on its feature phones, according to the Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, more details have emerged on the Linux Foundation's MeeGo-derived Tizen project, which also gained a bit of industry support beyond co-sponsors Intel and Samsung.
Timesys announced embedded Linux development support for two Logic PD embedded modules incorporating Texas Instruments' 1GHz DM3730 processor. The LinuxLink offering supports Logic PD's Torpedo System on Module (SOM) — which at under one square inch is billed the industry's smallest embedded module — as well as the larger, more feature-rich DM3730 SOM-LV module.
ZTE is preparing two Android tablets, including a seven-inch “T98” model built on Nvidia's five-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, code-named “Kal-El.” Meanwhile, Asus announced a rugged, Tegra 2-based seven-inch Asus Tough-ETBW11AA model with Android 3.2 and 1280 x 800 resolution on Japanese carrier KDDI, and the Motorola Xoom finally got its LTE 4G upgrade on Verizon.
Viewat announced a handheld computer for point-of-sale (POS) applications, complete with integral smart card and magnetic stripe readers. The EFT-POS VPOS53 has a 1GHz Texas Instruments AM3715 processor, 320 x 240-pixel touchscreen, 256MB of RAM and 512MB of flash storage, plus both a GPS receiver and a GSM/GPRS/EDGE/CDMA cellular modem, according to the company.
MSC Vertriebs announced a 2.75 x 2-inch SOM (system on module) packing a 1GHz Samsung S5PV210 processor, up to 1GB of RAM, and up to 4GB of flash storage. The nanoRISC-S5PV210 offers 10/100 Ethernet, USB 2.0 host and client ports, multiple serial ports, plus RGB, HDMI, and TV graphics interfaces, according to the company.
[Updated, 10:55 a.m.] — Amazon was widely expected to announce a Kindle-branded tablet today, and it did — also revealing three additional Kindles, two breaking the magical $100 price barrier. The $200 Kindle Fire has a seven-inch color IPS (in-plane switching display), “cloud-accelerated” Silk browser, dual-core processor, and 8GB of flash storage, while the $150 Kindle Touch 3G, $99 Kindle Touch, and $79 Kindle all include six-inch E Ink screens and either 2GB or 4GB of flash.
The Linux Foundation (LF) and LiMo Foundation announced an HTML-focused open source embedded Linux project steered by Intel and Samsung that incorporates components from MeeGo, the smartphone-oriented LiMo spec, and the carrier-backed Wholesale Applications Community interoperability standard. The LF's MeeGo project promised to help transition developers to “Tizen,” which will span multiple device types when it debuts in 2012.
Microsoft has reeled in what could be its largest patent fish yet, now that Samsung has agreed to sign a cross-license agreement related to Android in a deal stressing the companies' partnership on Windows Phone. Microsoft will receive royalties for Samsung's Android-based mobile phones and tablets, such as the new Galaxy Tab 8.9 tablet scheduled for release on Oct. 2.
Toshiba announced a seven-inch Android 3.2 tablet featuring an Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor and a 1280 x 800-pixel resolution typically found on 10.1-inch models. The Thrive 7″ Tablet offers 16GB or 32GB of storage, microSD and HDMI connections, five- and two-megapixel cameras, and a full complement of wireless features — except for cellular support.
Ibase announced a Mini-ITX motherboard that supports AMD's G-Series T56N and T48N processors clocked at up to 1.65GHz. The MI958 supports up to 8GB DDR3 memory, offers PCI, PCIe, and mini-PCIe slots, provides dual display capability, and offers a variety of other internal and external ports, according to the company.
Via Technologies added to its range of Mini-ITX boards with an “entry-level” product featuring a 1.0GHz C7 processor. The Epia-M720 supports up to 4GB of DDR3 memory, has VGA and HDMI video outputs, has a wealth of onboard and coastline I/O, and is offered with five different expansion modules, the company says.
The Linux Foundation's MeeGo project will merge with the LiMo (Linux Mobile) Foundation's LiMo spec, bringing together two struggling open source mobile Linux projects, according to an industry report. Meanwhile, Nokia shipped the 3.9-inch Nokia N9 — the first MeeGo-driven smartphone, and most likely the last.