Tag Archives: cortex a8

Oregon Scientific MEEP! tablet ships for $150, gives kids a safe, exclamation-filled place to play

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Oregon Scientific MEEP! tablet ships for $150, gives kids a safe, exclamationfilled place to play

For all the enthusiasm Oregon Scientific put into launching (and naming) its MEEP! tablet, the company has been a bit timid about getting the kid-friendly Android device into the market -- we're just seeing it go on sale eight months after it was first shown to the world. Now that the slate is here, it may be worth the patience from parents. The 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 chip, 512MB of RAM, 800 x 480 screen and 4GB of storage won't have the adults regretting their Kindle Fire purchases, but the MEEP! does come in a smash-resistant form with remote parental control and an allowance-based store that lets kids 'buy' apps with virtual coins. Oregon helps its case through the use of Ice Cream Sandwich, preloaded games like Angry Birds and a raft of accessories for games and music. The $150 asking price is just low enough that we can see a few families starting their youngest technophiles on a MEEP! before graduating them to bigger, badder tablets with less punctuation in the name.

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Oregon Scientific MEEP! tablet ships for $150, gives kids a safe, exclamation-filled place to play originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Huawei’s MediaPad7 Lite clears FCC, will soon trek to Europe

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Huawei Media pad

Now that Huawei has shepherded its MediaPad 7 Lite through the FCCs corridors to ensure its WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and HSPDA 3G radios all conform, the tab is set to travel. The 7-incher wields a 1024 x 600 IPS display, 1.2GHz Cortex A8 processor, 8GB of storage (32GB with optional microSD), 1GB of RAM, 4,100mAh battery and 3.2 / .3-megapixel back / front cameras. Huawei said it would ship across Asia and Eastern Europe to start with, then land in Germany by October with a price of 249 euros ($315). The slate might have a tough row to hoe against similar competition, considering its tame processor, but maybe that newly stamped cellular radio will tip the balance for road warriors.

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Huawei's MediaPad7 Lite clears FCC, will soon trek to Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 02:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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$49 Cubieboard for developers is heavy on specs, light on the wallet

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The $49 Cubieboard for developers is heavy on specs, light on the wallet

You've already got plenty of options if you're in the market for a developer board, but it might be worth taking a look at the new $49 Cubieboard, which packs quite the specs given its price point. The board hosts a 1GHz AllWinner A10 Cortex A8 CPU with Mali-400 GPU, 1GB of RAM and 4 gigs of onboard storage. For ins and outs, you're looking at 1080p HDMI, Ethernet, one MultiMediaCard (MMC) slot, a SATA port, two USB hosts, an IR sensor and 96 extender pins for solder junkies. Cubieboard's Wiki page lists an additional MMC slot and USB OTG, but as this doesn't check out in the pictures, we assume they've either been scrapped, or they'll be added on for later production runs. As you would expect, several versions of Linux and Android are supported by the Raspberry Pi bully, which is expected to start shipping to select developers sometime this week. There's no word on when it may be available for general consumption, but by then you'll hopefully have a better product anyway -- if the pros have done their job, that is.

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$49 Cubieboard for developers is heavy on specs, light on the wallet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 02:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Huawei MediaPad 7 Lite hands-on at IFA 2012 (updated: video)

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Huawei MediaPad 7 Lite handson video

Back in July, word got out that Huawei was prepping a revised version of its entry-level Android tablet, dubbed the MediaPad 7 Lite. As that name implies, this Android ICS tab's of the 7-inch variety and, thus, lends itself well to one-handed use for busy on-the-go types. Considering this isn't part of the outfit's top shelf portfolio, its mix of specs have been kept quite modest: there's a single-core 1.2GHz Cortex A8 CPU underneath that 1,024 x 600 IPS display. But before you knock it for falling short of even 720p territory, bear in mind this device's being marked at a 229 Euro price point -- so it's affordable and geared squarely for the budget segment.

Loaded up with a mostly stock version of Android 4.0.3 and global radios for 3G / WiFi, this humble tab's made for mobile use, as the OEM's VP of Euro operations assured us repeatedly. Performance-wise, its lack of a dual-core setup is heavily apparent, since there was a considerable lag between our touch input and onscreen effect. The tab also sports 8GB of internal storage, a rear 3.2-megapixel camera and VGA front facer -- helpful if you're out and about and want to video chat -- in addition to a 4,100mAh battery.

As for the MediaPad 7 Lite's build, well, it's a bit disappointing especially given the attractive design of the Nexus 7 which is comparably priced and higher specced. In all, it feels rather chunky in-hand, but it does feature a metallic back bordered by solid white plastic. It's set to be released this August in South Africa, China, Russia, Philippines and Taiwan, followed by Germany in October for 249 Euros. Check out our gallery below and head past the break for a video tour.

Gallery: Huawei MediaPad 7 Lite hands-on

Continue reading Huawei MediaPad 7 Lite hands-on at IFA 2012 (updated: video)

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Huawei MediaPad 7 Lite hands-on at IFA 2012 (updated: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 07:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BeagleBone gets plenty of expansion options with new ‘cape’ add-ons

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BeagleBone gets tons of expansion options with new 'cape' addons

Arduino has shields and now BeagleBone has capes. The Cortex A8-based hobbyist board has earned a number of fans for its speed and affordability. Now it's adding simple versatility with 20 expansion capes, ranging from touchscreens, to cameras and even weather stations. Some have been available for some time, but the latest -- the Camera Cape -- allows you to easily capture 3.1 megapixel images. Obviously, the perfect partner cape would be one of the several displays available, such as the seven-inch 800 x 480 resistive touchscreen. Really, they're essential if you hope to preview your photos before snapping them. To check out all the available boards hit up the source link, and check out the PR after the break.

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BeagleBone gets plenty of expansion options with new 'cape' add-ons originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 04:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matrix One tablet goes on sale for an even more frugal $90

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Matrix One tablet with Android 4.0

Direct Merchandise Marketing might not have the most alluring name as a tablet maker, but it still raised a few eyebrows with its Matrix One in June: it hoped to crack the $100 barrier while still producing a device you'd still be proud to take home to Mother. The 7-inch slate is going on sale ever so slightly past its late July target, but with a surprise price drop to $90 -- more or less, considering that shipping costs a minimum $10. Whether or not that extra Hamilton bill's difference is an illusion, you're still getting a surprisingly competent device for the money, with a 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A8 chip, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of built-in storage moving Android 4.0 along at a decent clip. The 2-megapixel front camera, full-size USB and HDMI also help reinforce that it's more than just a no-frills slab. Having said this, we'd be brave enough to crack the triple-digit barrier and spring for the considerably more future-proof $130 edition with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of space. The feature gap is still wide enough that Nexus 7 owners won't experience buyer's remorse; at this price, however, it's not hard to imagine handing out Matrix Ones to family members like so much candy.

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Matrix One tablet goes on sale for an even more frugal $90 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 23:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archos Child Pad gets capacitive screen upgrade, minor price hike to $140

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Archos Child Pad gets capacitive screen upgrade, minor price hike to $140

Parents who've already purchased Archos' 7-inch Child Pad may be feeling somewhat miffed, as its screen's been upgraded from resistive to capacitive just two months after launch. There's no such thing as free multi-touch, so you'll have to fork out another ten bucks on top of the original asking price for the new version of the ICS slate, bringing the total to a cent under $140. Other internals are identical, so customers can still expect a 1GHz ARM processor, 1GB of RAM and 4GB of expandable storage, with some exclusive chipmunk-based content to boot. Just remember to let the kids have a go once in a while.

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Archos Child Pad gets capacitive screen upgrade, minor price hike to $140 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 13:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIA makes its first ARM-based Pico-ITX board, adds dual graphics for your in-car pleasure

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VIA makes its first ARMbased PicoITX board, adds dual graphics for your incar pleasure

VIA has only ever really had a dalliance with ARM; the VAB-800 might be a sign that it's willing to go steady for awhile. As the company's first Pico-ITX board with an ARM chip, the 800 stuffs up to a 1GHz, Freescale-made ARM Cortex-A8 and 1GB of RAM into a tiny, 3.9 x 2.8-inch board. Somehow, it still fits up to four USB 2.0 ports, mini HDMI, VGA and as much as 64GB of storage. The board's real tricks are its dual integrated graphics processors: the VAB-800 can independently steer two displays, just in case your in-car infotainment system can't be contained by merely one screen. You'll likely have to be a car designer or an industrial device maker to make an order, although the 5W power draw and support for Android, Ubuntu Linux and Windows Embedded Compact 7 should soon see the VAB-800 crammed into logic-defying spaces everywhere.

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VIA makes its first ARM-based Pico-ITX board, adds dual graphics for your in-car pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 05:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Simmtronics’ $81 XPad debuts, winning the race to the bottom

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Simmtronics' $81 XPad debuts, winning the race to the bottom

The marketplace is flooded with cheap tablets at this point. Some of them quite impressive, others are likely to make your tear your hair out. We think its safe to say that Simmtronics XPad will fall firmly in the latter category but, being a high-end pixel-pushing machine isn't the point. The XPad is a highly customizable Android slate designed to be as affordable as possible. The Indian company took the wraps off the product line in Dubai this week, revealing a 7-inch A8-powered machine that puts Ice Cream Sandwich in the palm of your hand for only AED299, or about $81. The company even claimed it could push prices down to about $40, which would make it even more affordable than the elusive Aakash. The race to the bottom isn't over just yet, but it seems like Simmtronics is now the company to beat.

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Simmtronics' $81 XPad debuts, winning the race to the bottom originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 17:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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