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BlackBerry Playbook launches April 19 for $499, pre-order it now
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds,
The Wi-Fi version of the BlackBerry Playbook will be available at Best Buy and other retailers starting April 19, Research in Motion said today.
Best Buy is now accepting pre-orders for the device in stores and online. It's available in 16GB for $499, 32GB for $599, and 64GB for $699.
Best Buy and Future Shops in Canada will also have the Playbook on April 19 and are accepting pre-orders.
In the U.S., the Playbook will also be available at AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon stores, as well as CBeyond, Cellular South, Cincinnati Bell, Office Depot, RadioShack, ShopBlackBerry.com, Staples, and BlackBerry from Wireless Giant.
Click to continue reading BlackBerry Playbook launches April 19 for $499, pre-order it now
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iPad 2 available in 25 more countries this Friday
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Handhelds,
Apple said Tuesday that it is "experiencing amazing demand" for the iPad 2 in the U.S., and will move forward with plans to release the tablet in 25 additional countries on Friday, March 25.
Similar to the U.S. launch, the iPad 2 will go on sale abroad at 5pm local time, and will be available online at 1am.
"While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we've changed the game again with iPad 2," Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, said in a statement. "We're experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the U.S., and customers around the world have told us they can't wait to get their hands on it. We appreciate everyone's patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone."
In total, the iPad 2 will be available in 25 additional countries on Friday, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
Click to continue reading iPad 2 available in 25 more countries this Friday
Gallery: iPad 2 available in 25 more countries this Friday
AT&T slashes price of first-gen iPad 3G by $200-$300
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Hot Deals,
It's the hardest decision an Apple fan can make: Pick up a discounted iPad or splurge for its slightly more expensive successor, the iPad 2. And it's not like Apple's made the dilemma any easier: The company discounted its original iPad models by a cool $100 upon the announcement of the iPad 2, adding an even greater incentive for those looking to score a tablet on the cheap.
And now, that decision just got a whole lot harder.
Not content to let Apple be the only tease on the block, AT&T has since followed up with a price discount of its very own. Customers looking to purchase a first-generation iPad can now do so via the mobile carrier, which will slap an extra $100 discount on top of Apple's.
The $200 reduction, in total, drops the final price of the original iPad (3G) to $429 and $529 for the 16GB and 32GB versions respectively. In addition, AT&T has slashed the price of the 64-gigabyte version of the iPad 3G to $529, a $300 savings beyond its original purchase price, which you can pick that up via AT&T's official website.
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Gallery: AT&T slashes price of first-gen iPad 3G by $200-$300
Five critical iPad 2 components at risk after Japanese earthquake
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Handhelds,
The effects of the Japanese earthquake may affect Apple's production of the iPad 2, according to market researcher IHS iSuppli.
The firm said it believes that Apple's iPad 2 uses components from several manufacturers affected by the earthquake, as well as the reactors in the area which workers are attempting to keep intact, if not functioning.
Apple representatives were not able to be contacted after hours. The company has already delayed the iPad 2 launch in Japan following the earthquake in Japan a week ago, which has not been rated magnitude 9.0 by the U.S. Geological Service. The iPad 2, which went on sale in the U.S. last Friday, was scheduled to launch in Japan on March 25.
iSuppli said it had identified five parts sourced from Japanese suppliers whose supplies may be affected by the quake: NAND flash from Toshiba, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) made by Elpida Memory, an electronic compass from AKM Semiconductor, the touch screen overlay glass likely from Asahi Glass Co. and the system battery from Apple Japan Inc.
Click to continue reading Five critical iPad 2 components at risk after Japanese earthquake
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Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi model launches March 27
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,
The Wi-Fi version of the Motorola Xoom will be available at various retailers starting March 27, the company announced Wednesday.
The 10.1-inch tablet will be at Amazon.com, Best Buy, Costco, RadioShack, select Sam's Club locations, Staples, and Walmart - both in-store and on their Web sites.
The Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi with 32GB of memory will cost $599.
Motorola said the Xoom Wi-Fi will also be available to commercial IT channels and regional retailers through a distribution agreement with Synnex Corporation, and regional carriers through Brightpoint.
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First Nintendo 3DS commercial revealed
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Handhelds, Video Games, Videos,
Nintendo just unveiled its first commercial for the Nintendo 3DS, set to debut in the U.S. on March 27.
The 30-second spot (above) shows various gamers using the device, the 3D functionality drawing them into the game. "3D games, photos, entertainment, and more. No glasses required. Nintendo 3DS. Take a look inside," a voice says at the end of the commercial.
In New York, Nintendo will host an event on the eve of the 3DS launch, from 9pm on Saturday until 2am on March 27. Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime will be at the Union Square Best Buy around 9:45pm to greet fans before being lifted onto a hydraulic stage at 11pm to address the crowd and begin a countdown clock to midnight. Fifteen minutes before Best Buy opens its doors, Nintendo said people will throw old-school 3D glasses into the air to "unshackle themselves" from the need for 3D glasses; the Nintendo 3DS displays 3D images without glasses.
Best Buy will then be open until 2am for those who want to get their hands on the 3DS. The first 300 people in line will receive Nintendo 3DS carrying cases, among other giveaways, Nintendo said.
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Gallery: First Nintendo 3DS commercial revealed
Apple iPad 2 review: Second Thoughts
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Product Reviews, Software,
Ever since I picked up an Apple iPad 2, I've spent more time with it than my original iPad. At 1.3 pounds, the 33 percent thinner iPad 2 is unquestionably more comfortable to hold and offers the promise of greater speed and utility. In some cases, doing what was once impossible with an iPad 1 is obvious. I could never, for instance, shoot or edit video with my old device. The remaining iPad 2 differences, however, are harder to spot; so I spent some time this weekend in search of them.
The iPad 2 has always had an accelerometer, which basically tells the device if it's in motion. It's great for, say, driving games, so you can steer with the whole device. I use this when playing Real Racing HD. Now the iPad 2 has a three-axis gyroscope, which not only recognizes motion, but the speed and angle of it. That's the good news. The bad news is that it's still hard to find any apps (from Apple or anyone else) that use it.
Apple reports at least two games that take advantage of the new gyroscope: "Dead Space" from EA and "N.O.V.A 2 Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD." According to the "Dead Space" page in the App Store, version 1.0.2, which was released on the same day the iPad 2 arrived in stores, now has "more intuitive controls of your movement". This is made possible through "Y-Axis Inversion". No mention of gyroscope axis, but I'm guessing that's probably what EA is talking about. I downloaded the game to try it out.
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Apple delays iPad 2 launch in Japan
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Handhelds,
Given the destruction caused by the earthquake and subsequent tsunamis, Apple announced today that it will delay the release of the iPad 2 in the country.
"We are delaying the launch of the iPad 2 in Japan while the country and our teams focus on recovering from the recent disaster," Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris confirmed.
The iPad 2 went on sale in the U.S. on March 11 and was scheduled to launch in more than two dozen additional countries, including Japan, on March 25. An 8.9-magnitude earthquake, however, hit northeast Japan on March 11, prompting devastating tsunamis that have wiped away entire towns and killed thousands.
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SXSW 2011 brings 20,000 early adopters to downtown Austin, Texas every year, but this year the Apple iPad 2 was going on sale at the exact same time. What is a gadget-loving, Web professional to do? Apple made things a little easy by opening a temporary "pop-up" store just a few blocks from the convention center. On Friday, the lines were around the block. Today, it is just another busy, Apple retail store.
Sales at the pop-up store were brisk despite the fact there are two other Apple stores in Austin, which do about $30 million in combined annual business. The demand for the iPad 2 is driven partly by the fact that Apple didn't accept pre-orders on the device, forcing would-be early adopters to brave the lines at retail stores.
Click to continue reading iPad 2 is the star gadget of SXSW
Gallery: iPad 2 is the star gadget of SXSW
Surprise! iPad 2 launch draws crowds at Apple Stores
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Handhelds,
At 5:10pm ET, an Apple employee suddenly shouted, "Everybody start cheering!"
And the crowd roared as Russian tourist Alex Shumilov, 29, bounced up the stairs of the New York City's flagship Apple store on Fifth Avenue, clasping two white iPad 2 boxes in each of his hand.
After camping outside the store for 28 hours, through more rain than shine, Shumilov became one of the first people in the world to own an iPad 2. It's quite a story to tell when he returns home to Moscow this Sunday.
"I'm a bit tired," he said, while grinning from ear to ear. "But I came all the way here for the iPad. I got two white ones. Everyone is waiting for white!"
By 4:30pm ET, the line for the iPad 2 outside the Apple Store was more than a mile long. It filled the public pavilion (we felt sorry for neighboring F.A.O. Schwartz), wrapped around the block, and continued along one side of the next block.
According to several Apple employees, the line began to pick up around 2pm. Bottles of water were distributed to the early goers, but what most really craved were stools.
Click to continue reading Surprise! iPad 2 launch draws crowds at Apple Stores
