There’s finally some parity between the Apple iPad and the Apple iPhone with both being updated to 4.2 earlier today.

The Apple iOS 4.2 update brings the following:

• iOS 4.2 brings multitasking from iPhone and iPod touch to iPad. So you can be more productive as you work, have more fun as you play, or do a little of both.
• Now your iPad has more room for more apps. Move apps into folders with drag-and-drop simplicity to declutter your Home screens and keep your apps organized for fast access to your favorites.
• AirPrint makes it simple to print email, photos, web pages, and documents right from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. A few taps is all it takes to go from viewing it onscreen to holding a printed copy.
• AirPlay lets you stream digital media wirelessly from your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch to your Apple TV and AirPlay-enabled speakers.
• Find My iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch — the MobileMe feature that helps you locate your missing device and protect its data — is now free on any iPhone 4, iPad, or fourth-generation iPod touch running iOS 4.2.

Clocking in at over 620mb, this update also brings Game Center, an improved Mail client and enhanced enterprise support and integration. I’m downloading and installing right now!

[ Links: iOS 4.2 ]

While the 7-inch tablet from Samsung does not share the impressive Super AMOLED screen that the cellphone Galaxy S series possess, the Samsung Galaxy Tab does come with: Google Android 2.2 (Froyo), the same 1Ghz Hummingbird Processor, the same TouchWiz UI changes.

Why did Samsung make a 7” Tablet—because we’re into mobility and know that people are looking for compact communication and entertainment devices they can slip in their pocket and bring on the go. The GALAXY Tab is always connected, lightweight and smart. Its exceptional screen is designed for reading books and magazines, watching movies and playing games. The GALAXY Tab tablet builds on the rich content experience provided by the Galaxy S line of Android smart phones.

With an absolutely huge 4000mAh battery – the average Galaxy S cellphone has a 1500mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy Tab will definitely last quite a bit; I’m just not sure if it’ll have enough usage time to beat the (reported) up to 10 hours usage of the Apple iPad.

Comes with Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi and GPS navigational services; there’s a rumored version for each US carrier just like their Galaxy S series of cellphones. I’m personally waiting on the Wi-Fi only version as opposed to the 3G versions.

[ Links: Samsung, Samsung Galaxy Tab ]

It’s been already noted that Motorola is building an Android-based tablet to be sold by Verizon later this year, with functionality tied to FiOS TV. Now come reports that HTC is building a Chrome-driven tablet computer for Verizon that will launch on November 26.

Tablet mania has clearly infected many ISPs, who will either be offer TV Everywhere Internet video apps for tablets (Comcast, Cablevision, AT&T, Time Warner Cable) or offering tablets themselves later this year. Much like the recent netbook craze, expect ISPs to give these things away at a subsidized price point if you sign a long-term wireless broadband contract.

Update: Verizon today also expanded on their iPad application ambitions today in great detail.

Update: Seems like this was a hoax. Damn.

Link to the original article…

I’ve covered OQO news in the past, anticipated the OQO Model 02+ which was to come with their first Intel processor but somewhere along their timeline to come out with that model, OQO went out of business. Or did they?

From out of nowhere, OQO.CC has come forth with news about how they are/were the Chinese arm of the American OQO firm that went out of business officially in April of 2009, before the release of the OQO Model 02+. There are even official sounding specs on the device:

Operating system: Windows 7
Processor: 2.0 GHz Intel Z550
Memory: SSD 128GB
Memory: 2GB
LCD: 4.8-inch bright LCD screen (supports 1024X600)
Touch mode: Multi-touch
Graphics: Intel GMA500
Sound Performance: Built-in speaker and microphone
Communication: Wireless LAN, Bluetooth 2.0 chip, 3G, Ethernet (optional), etc.
Computer Interface: High-speed USB2.0 port headphone jack DC power input port HDMI port
Interface expansion slots: Power input port VGA port Ethernet interface (optional)
Input Devices: Built-in keyboard pointer keys
Battery Type: Polymer lithium battery
Power adapter: V AC 12 V DC/100-240
Supplied Accessories: Standard Battery Double the battery power adapter
Price: 31,888 yuan

While it looks very official and even has an official release date of Q3, 2010… that price is a killer. 31,888 Yuan translates to about $4700 USD. Ouch!

Guess my old OQO 01+ will have to wait to get replaced after all.

[ Links: OQO Chinese ]

If anything in this day and age says “it’s about to be put on sale soon”, it’s official pre-sale sign-up pages. And the 5-inch, Google Android based Dell Streak tablet finally has one up [ view here ]

In case you don’t know what the Dell Streak is, here’s a quick rundown:

Introducing the Dell Streak. The perfectly-sized, go-anywhere entertainment, social connection and navigation device.

• Widescreen display optimally designed for mobile web, video and movies
• Integrated social networking widgets and apps, plus tons of apps through the Android Marketplace
• Crystal-clear damage-resistant Gorilla® glass screen
• Google Maps with navigation and text-to-voice, turn-by-turn directions with Street View
• Multitasking Google Android OS that give you the freedom to do what you want

With a sales date of “Late July”… I hope all of the above points to darn soon. Price is still TBD.

[ Links: Dell Streak, Dell Streak Sign Up ]

Intel/Nokia have uncovered their upcoming MeeGo v1.1 handset UX developer preview for all to see to entice developers and get the buzz going about their handset OS that’s equal parts Intel Moblin and Nokia Maemo. This preview includes:

• MeeGo Handset Dialer is MeeGo’s Handset dialer application
• MeeGo Handset SMS is MeeGo’s Handset SMS application
• Fennec Browser is MeeGo’s Qt based web browser for Handsets
• MeeGo Handset Photos is MeeGo’s Handset photo viewer
• MeeGo Handset People is MeeGo’s Handset contacts management system
• Kernel Version 2.6.35
• MeeGo Touch Framework is MeeGo’s framework to assist in rapid touch based application development
• QtContactsTracker is MeeGo’s back-end contracts storage management engine
• Virtual Keyboard is MeeGo’s virtual touch based handset keyboard

Odd part, I don’t see mention of the Nokia N900 images for download as of yet. Perhaps that’s an oversight.

UPDATE: Nokia N900 image for download has been listed now.

Hit up MeeGo.com for more information.

[ Links: MeeGo v1.1 Handset Developer Preview, MeeGo Handset Screenshots ]

According to the rumors, Nokia will give Nokia N900 owners their first look at the upcoming MeeGo UI for the handsets – the UI for the tablets has already been shown in a very beta version already.

UPDATE: The MeeGo Handset UX GIT repository has been updated and filled up with… well, stuff. No announcement but one is expected later today from Nokia.

[ Links: MeeGo Handset UX, MeeGo ]

UPDATE: Due to some “angry e-mails”, I truly ask that if you have some comments, feel free to leave some comments. I’ll respond to each and every one of them. Guaranteed. Even the hate mail…

This almost pains me to write this rant… okay, actually it doesn’t.

I’ve owned the original Apple iPhone, currently own the iPhone3G, resisted upgrading to the iPhone 3GS and I’m typing this while using an Apple aluminum keyboard with the numpad on my Apple Mac Mini, and later today I’ll pack up my MacBook and probably go out elsewhere to do some work away from the home office. I’ve owned four iterations of the Apple iPod before settling in my gasp, horror Microsoft Zune 120gb, but that’s a different story.

So I’ve paid my dues heavily to Apple by shoving more of my hard-earned money to the Apple hype machine that delivered products that thought different, just “worked” and above all, were not the PC norm.

But on January 27th, Apple’s lead man Steve Jobs showed the world perhaps the worst kept secret, the Apple iPad. A 9.7″, 1024 by 768 tablet that has a P.A. Semiconductor A4 processor – that buyout of P.A. Semiconductors in April 2008 makes sense now, doesn’t it? – that’s based off of ARM A9 CPU architecture, which means that this isn’t an Intel x86 based tablet much like their laptop or desktop offerings and closer to… well, their Apple iPhone instead.

Yep, this is for all intents and purposes a huge ass Apple iPhone which means absolutely no multi-tasking – one app at a time only at the current version of the OS. Sure, Apple might update the OS to allow for some type of multi-tasking, but as it stands it’s only a serial tasking product. Not cool if you’re wanting to surf, copy and paste, then resume your Apple iWork project? Only one thing at a time.

It doesn’t have Adobe Flash. So that means websites like the New York Times, Google Analytics, Hulu, Joost or YouTube or Vimeo will not work either. Yet, Jobs stated that the Apple iPad offered the best browsing experience. Not so. Sure, YouTube and Vimeo are testing HTML5 versions of their players, but even that’s a battle because the video tag in HTML5 isn’t yet settled and might not be for a while – as a standard that is. So… yet again Apple snubs Adobe Flash.

It uses the same applications as your Apple iPhone. On the surface, this is a good thing. I don’t have to buy any new apps, I can buy my apps once and use them on my iPhone and on my iPad. But… it means that I’m tethered to the iTunes Music Store yet again. It’s a great ecosystem for apps, but to be honest I have some apps that will never show up… like Microsoft Office for starters. Or maybe Hulu. Again… I’m stuck with a closed platform that’s rather limited.

And ultimately, you cannot remove/replace the battery, once you buy one edition of the Apple iPad – with or without 3G – you’re stuck. You will have to buy another Apple iPad because you cannot upgrade it. You cannot install files from another machine, device, DVD drive. – you have to do it solely through iTunes Music Store, which is fine, but you’re no longer dealing with a tablet in the previously known sense of the word tablet.

And you cannot make cellphone calls from it. But through the magic of Skype, Fring, and Beejive IM, you can still talk with people. But… not in the same way of a cellphone. The fact the Apple iPad doesn’t have a forward facing camera makes teleconferences another problem too. Thanks Steve, you forgot to “one more thing” that, didn’t you?

This thing is nothing more than just a huge Apple iPhone. And since I already have an iPhone, I’d rather just hold my iPhone closer to my face and call it an Apple iPad. I’m not impressed, as a person that really didn’t expect anything, I can still say that I’m disappointed and even if I was given one for free take the hint, send me one, I’ll review/test it, the pricepoint happens to be one serious positive, it starts at $499 for wi-fi only – I probably would not use it any more than my Nokia N810, also called an internet tablet.

It’ll be a consumer hit to those that didn’t yet purchase an Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble nook, and the premise of buying and reading books on the Apple iPad is another, besides pricepoint, redeeming quality. But as a power user, a tinkerer, a person that never purchased nor wanted a Kindle or nook… I’ll pass.

Just say no to the Apple iPad.

[ Links: Apple iPad, Apple Insider ]

Michael Arrington, founder of TechCrunch has finally announced what many people had already assumed months ago… that the Crunchpad, an internet tablet that allowed for quick access to the web in an inexpensive gadget that offered 12 inches of capacitive touch screen goodness is finally dead. Gone. Vaporware like the Infinium Labs Phantom.

t was so close I could taste it. Two weeks ago we were ready to publicly launch the CrunchPad. The device was stable enough for a demo. It went hours without crashing. We could even let people play with the device themselves – the user interface was intuitive enough that people “got it” without any instructions. And the look of pure joy on the handful of outsiders who had used it made the nearly 1.5 year effort completely worth it….

And then the entire project self destructed over nothing more than greed, jealousy and miscommunication.

Ouch. Here’s to what it could have been…

[ TechCrunch ] [ PC World ]

As a present owner of a Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, I found this news to be real interesting.

ReQuest, the preeminent manufacturer of hard disk music servers and server-based whole-house media systems, has released a version 4.6 update to its Serious Play™ Media Manager software for the company’s full range of music servers, the N.Series, F.Series, and S.Series models, as well as the iQ Intelligent Media Server whole-house system. Serious Play 4.6 delivers significantly improved Media Manager performance, and incorporates several important new capabilities. Most prominently, it delivers an exclusive new Classical Mode and makes ReQuest’s unparalleled Freedom handheld wireless touchscreen controller available to every ReQuest system owner.

In addition to the Freedom touchscreen wireless controller, which runs on Nokia’s inexpensive N800 handheld tablet.

Read more at the ReQuest website.