Tablets

iPad and Nexus 7 face off in torture test

I've been working the device torture beat here for a while, but this video of an iPad and Google Nexus 7 going head-to-head in drop and submersion tests almost gave me a full-blown case of DTSD (device trauma stress disorder).

Once again, the device warranty folks at SquareTrade subjected two devices to some low-level maiming to see which survives with the least damage and the iPad suffered the most battle scars, at least from the drops. … Read more

Ikea AR catalog gets under furniture's skin

Ikea has already introduced its catalog for mobile devices, but now the Swedish furniture giant is going a little more in-depth with the 2013 edition. There are more than 40 bits of extended content sprinkled throughout the catalog.

The 2013 physical catalog pairs with a special Ikea catalog app to unlock more than meets the eye on the printed page. Unlike the Moosejaw X-ray catalog peep show, expect to see furniture rather than statuesque Scandinavian models.… Read more

Staples retail chief outs 'five or six' Amazon tablets

Amazon is planning to launch several new tablets, according to comments made by one of its retail partners.

Speaking to Reuters in an interview published today, Demos Parneros, president of U.S. retail for Staples, said that Amazon is currently working on "up to five or six" tablets that will come in all different sizes. One of the versions will include a 10-inch display, according to Parneros. He did not say when the devices might launch.

Reports have been swirling for months that Amazon would be launching new tablets sometime this year. Last month, a credible source told … Read more

New Nexus 7 commercial taps into father-and-son relationships

Google has released a Nexus 7 commercial to keep its tablet's momentum going.

Dubbed "Camping," the one-minute commercial shows a father and his young son camping and exploring the woods. Throughout the commercial, the boy and his dad are seen using the Nexus 7 for a host of activities, including finding their way through the woods, searching locations in Google Maps, and playing games in their tent.

Google's Nexus 7 promotion comes at a time when the company's tablet is selling like gangbusters. The 16GB version of the 7-inch tablet is out of stock in the Google Play store. … Read more

Samsung could launch Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet August 15

Samsung has something up its sleeve for August 15, but it's not saying what. Several CNET editors just received cryptic save-the-date invitations for an event that will likely take place in New York.

Here's what we got:

SAVE THE DATE August 15, 2012 10:00AM EST Please join Samsung Electronics America for a major announcement and unveiling of the newest GALAXY device. An exclusive press conference will take place where full details will be disclosed.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that this could be a debut of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 … Read more

Asus announces Android 4.1 updates for Transformer tablets

According to its North American Facebook page, Asus will bring Android 4.1, aka Jelly Bean, to three of its devices: the Asus Transformer Pad, Transformer Pad Prime, and Transformer Pad Infinity.

In the post, Asus said it strives to include "regular software and firmware updates" for its products, and that this Jelly Bean update is scheduled for "the coming months."

Other than those three devices, no products have been confirmed for an upgrade. However, Asus said it is still "investigating Jelly Bean updates for other devices." … Read more

CNET updates tablet test results

Editor's note:This list was originally posted on July 25 and is updated regularly.

Back in March I posted test results for the most popular tablets at the time. Since then, many more tablets have been released and thanks to our new CNET Labs intern, Xiomara Blanco, we now have updated tests results for some of the newest non-Windows tablets.

Due to its somewhat unpredictable nature, I've removed Web site speed testing from the test suite. Web site speed tests are great for videos, since they take only a few seconds to run, are relevant to most people'… Read more

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean could be headed to more devices

Google's latest sweet Android 4.1 update, better known as Jelly Bean, looks to be rolling out to more devices, even as many are still waiting to be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Earlier today, HTC confirmed that Android 4.1 is coming to its HTC One X, One S, and One XL.

Not confirmed but just as compelling is the report from SamMobile that Samsung has begun testing Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S3 and could push an update to its new flagship phone later this summer. A little harder to believe is the report's additional contention that testing is also under way on the Galaxy S2, and that it could also receive Android 4.1 if all goes well with its successor device.… Read more

Microsoft prototype stylus would work on any device screen

A new stylus in the works from Microsoft could allow for input even on non-touch screens.

Rather than relying on a touch screen, the stylus would use a mounted camera to track both movement and angle across the screen, as described by MIT's Technology Review. By using the camera to capture images from the screen, the stylus could actually count the number of pixels being tracked to determine its position.

The current prototype has received kudos within Microsoft, noted Technology Review, and the company is currently deciding whether to push its development forward with the goal of creating a … Read more