Archos 80 and 101 G9 Tablets receiving firmware update

The brand new Archos G9 Honeycomb tablets have only been out a short time and Archos has already started pushing a firmware OTA update to the devices. The new update from Archos fixes plenty of bugs, and adds some new features like Google Talk so head on past the break for full details.

The Archos G9 tablets are their first entry into the Honeycomb tablet game and are aiming at the low priced segment. Our hands-on (linked to above) shows plenty of the new tablet from Archos and our full review is coming shortly. Like most updates it adds a number of features and fixes a number of bugs. Here are a few of the highlights right from Archos:
-Google talk is now part of the firmware and comes pre-loaded.
-Improved volume control (better volume range, less glitches on notifications) leading to faster gaming experience on some 3rd party applications
-Improved camera quality in high and low light condition
-Added Flash acceleration support
-Better quality SD video upscaling (e.g. on 1080p display)
-Improved memory management for smaller memory footprint
-more
For more information you can head over to the Archos support page and see all the changes in the change-log by clicking here.

The latest Archos Firmware version 3.2.46 is available now for those who already own the Archos G9 tablet and can be updated right from the device. Head to menu > settings > about tablet > then just hit “Firmware Update” and start the download. It should only take but a few minutes and upon rebooting you should be on firmware version 3.2.46 and be able to enjoy all the bug fixes, Google Talk and more.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G hitting T-Mobile October 26th

T-Mobile has a few Android tablets up their sleeves. Then just last week T-Mobile confirmed it was coming soon on Twitter. Today we have a leaked calender from the inside stating October 26th for the launch date.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 should be rocking T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network but no other details or pricing has been revealed. We should see the same Tegra 2 dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16 and 32GB variants like usual. The Wi-Fi Tab has received updates to the newest Tab Touch Wiz UX from Samsung but the 4G LTE version is still waiting. Hopefully we see their customizations come out of the box with the T-Mobile version that is coming soon.

This isn’t the only tablet T-Mobile has up their sleeves as we mentioned above. We recently saw a leaked Galaxy Tab Plus sporting T-Mobile frequencies as well so its safe to assume they have a few in the pipelines coming for the holidays. Samsung recently made the Galaxy Tab 7 Plus official, so we could see that hit T-Mobile shelves come this October too. Stay tuned for more details as October 26th gets closer.

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T-Mobile and Walmart offering $30 no contract unlimited 4G plan

Today T-Mobile and Walmart have unveiled a new partnership to offer a pretty great deal for those looking for cheap and reliable 4G service. Announced today and starting come October 16th, users will be able to get into their new $30 unlimited web and text monthly 4G prepaid service plan.

Offering unlimited 4G data with no annual contract for just $30. Although “unlimited” really means 5GB here, that should be enough for most users and we even get unlimited texts too. I like the sound of this T-Mobile. The monthly 4G plan will offer unlimited data and texts, and 100 minutes for users. While 100 minutes might not be a lot and we don’t have 4G LTE here, this is one of the best deals I’ve seen in a while.
One important note is any phone featuring T-Mobiles HSPA+ (4G) network will be able to take advantage of the new $30 unlimited plan (but not offered). So snag a friends old Nexus One, get a G2x used, or even get the upcoming Amaze 4G and enjoy those fast speeds at an unbelievable price and if you start to run out of those 100 minutes, just start texting people. Isn’t that all we do these days anyways — that and social networking?
The offer will start on October 16th and will be available in Walmart stores only. If you were thinking of snagging a no contract 4G plan this is something to consider.

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AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II on sale at Walmart and Amazon as low as $149

The Samsung Galaxy S II is finally available over on AT&T for just $199 and as always others are trying to capitalize on the release. Like usual those include Amazon, Walmart and others all offering lower prices than if you were to over to AT&T themselves.

This 4.3″ AMOLED display packing dual-core beast is as thin as a pencil, but as fast as a Ferrari — Not really but close enough. Like linked to above it is available this week and you can get it from AT&T right now for just $199 with a new 2-year contract. With the same contract agreement the Galaxy S II from AT&T is also available from both Walmart and Amazon for lower prices than AT&T. If you don’t want to wait for shipping you can head down to your nearest Walmart Super Center (I call them Wallyworld) and pick up the Galaxy S II for just $164.99

Then Amazon is at it like they always are and have undercut both AT&T and Walmart and are offering the SGSII for just $149. Prices are for new activations or for those eligible for upgrades signing a new 2-year contract like you’d expect so for now you’ll have to make due with that. So head on over to Amazon or Walmart and get yourself one of the best new smartphones on the market — the Galaxy S II.

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Motorola DROID RAZR caught running benchmarks

Motorola’s newest Android handset is in the news again this week. First spotted a while back being called the DROID HD new details are claiming this is actually codenamed the “Spyder” and will officially be called the Motorola DROID RAZR. The leaked press images look nice but today we are seeing a potential benchmark result of the rumored handset.

As always, results found from NenaMark are never fully trusted although they’ve been reliable and accurate in the recent past with devices like the Bionic, and the Vigor. Today we have some results thanks to NenaMark being ran on none other than the Motorola RAZR. Everything from the leaked benchmark results seem to line up exactly like the recent leaks we linked to above.

With a TI 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and a qHD display at 960 x 540 and more this sure looks good. We’ve heard the display will be a qHD AMOLED screen and not a 720p “HD” display and these results seem to clarify that a bit more. Unless something changes I don’t think we’ll be seeing an HD display in this phone. According to all the recent leaks this dual-core beast should also be rocking Verizon 4G LTE making it one of their main launches coming this holiday season. With benchmarks being ran freely it is only a matter of time until we get more pictures or info of the DROID RAZR out in the wild.
[via Droid-Life]

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Dell Streak 7 receiving OTA to Android 3.2 Honeycomb

Well folks, we haven’t heard much from Dell lately in regards to their lineup of Android, especially regarding the Streak 7 Android Tablet. Back in July we saw leaks of their new 10″ Honeycomb tablet as well as a glimpse of the Streak 7 enjoying the same tasty Honeycomb. Now sources are stating the Android 3.2 Honeycomb update for the Streak is rolling out now.

Some users are claiming to finally be receiving the update to 3.2 Honeycomb for the Dell Streak 7″ Tablet. Over at the Dell support forums there is some chatter that more than a few have already received the OTA update and are giving it a try as we speak. One mentions all user data was wiped during the update and he lost everything, while another user reports just the opposite and that the update did not wipe the entire device. Either way I’m sure a few Streak users are excited to give the tablet OS a try.
With reports that the hardware menu button isn’t working in select situations, and of course that low resolution not looking its best, I’m sure we’ll be hearing more soon but at least this is a good sign. For now it seems users across the pond and outside of the U.S received the update and we still have no further details for the U.S. market or those running with a T-Mobile Streak 7.
As soon as we hear more regarding an official statement from Dell, or confirmation on the OTA update we will be sure to update with more details.

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Amazon Kindle Fire sells an estimated 95,000 units on first day

Amazon’s next-generation Kindle tablet is lighting up the sales charts. After the Kindle Fire shot to the top of Amazon’s internal sales, Fox News is reporting that the retailer has pre-sold a whopping 95,000 units – and that was just the first day of pre-orders. We’re still more than a month away from the November release date, and notably, zero consumers have a had a chance to try out the tablet at retail.

Though Amazon usually doesn’t release sales figures for its own devices, an analysis firm called eDataSource estimates the figure based on email, Facebook and Twitter activity.
Amazon’s extremely aggressive $199 pricing certainly has something to do with the Kindle Fire’s popularity, even if it does cost $209 to make. The Fire is the company’s loss-leader, encouraging users to buy books, movies, TV shows, music, periodicals and apps all within Amazon’s cloud universe.
The 7-inch wifi tablet runs an extremely modified version of Android, which around here we’ve taken to calling BezOS after Amazon’s CEO. While the hardware inside is a bare-bones version of the same OEM model used for the Blackberry Playbook, the combination of accessible media and a rock-bottom price has plenty of consumers interested. Don’t discount that the vibrant Android community will likely get some fully-enabled ROMs onto the Kindle Fire shortly, just as they have with the even less-expensive HP Touchpad.

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Samsung gives $25 of content to AT&T Galaxy S II Media Hub beta testers

Did you pick up a shiny new Samsung Galaxy S II when AT&T started selling them this weekend? Then you might want to head on over to Samsung’s Media Hub page. New users can beta test the service to get $25 worth of free content, courtesy of Samsung.

Media Hub is Samsung’s all-in-one entertainment distribution system (think iTunes or Amazon Instant Video) and it’s preloaded onto Galaxy S II phones and newer models of the Galaxy Tab. One of the more compelling use cases is that you can purchase videos once, then watch them on your phone, tablet or television – provided, of course, that you have one of Samsung’s 2011 model Smart TVs. While the service doesn’t have a great selection of video at the moment, you can’t beat free when it comes to pricing.
To try out Media Hub, just head click on the link above and enter your customer information. Samsung will send you a confirmation email and then walk you through the steps of redeeming your $25 voucher. When the beta program ends, you’ll be asked to fill out a questionnaire about your experiences. As of now the program is only being offered to AT&T Galaxy S II owners, but expect the qualifications to expand at some point.

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LightSquared partners with Sharp for LTE-satellite phones and tablets

LightSquared has been on our radar for a while now. The startup is aiming to “revolutionize” the American wireless industry with a new 4G-LTE network supported by satellite connections. Sharp is the first manufacturer to partner with LightSquared, promising support for the company’s next-generation connection technology in upcoming smartphones and tablets.

Sharp could certainly use the boost. Despite positive buzz for the AQUOS line of Android phones, the Japanese manufacturer has lagged behind others in the smartphone market, and with the tablet market blowing up, a new connection technology could give them a needed edge against Apple, Motorola and Samsung. While no Sharp tablets are currently slated for a US roll-out, the new partnership is a strong indication that they’ll enter the American market soon, perhaps with the new NFC-totting RW-T107.
If you’re not familiar with LightSquared, it’s a new American infrastructure company that plans to sell its expanded LTE service wholesale to carriers and other large corporations. LightSquared will not compete directly with existing carriers, so you won’t be able to buy service from them. What makes the company’s technology so interesting is that it combines 4G-LTE radios with satellite data connections, potentially opening up next-generation mobile Internet data to most of North America.

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