Intel today announced it's now shipping a new processor designed specifically for tablets and hybrid devices, including those from Evolve III, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Motion Computing, Razer, and Viiv. Intel also said it will give a sneak peak of its next-generation Intel Atom platform codenamed "Cedar Trail" at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in Beijing tomorrow.
PC purists might contend that the joke's on all iPad owners who bought into iOS and the Apple ecosystem rather than invest in Android or hold out for any number of promising tablets on the horizon, like RIM's PlayBook and HP's TouchPad. But the real joke is on Verizon iPad 2 owners who report problems connecting to Verizon's 3G network, only it's no laughing matter to those affected. After blowing up Apple's support forum, the Cupertino outfit finally acknowledged the problem, but doesn't yet have a solution.
Packard Bell is a name you probably haven't heard in awhile. Now a subsidiary of Acer, Packard Bell was once a major player in the U.S. desktop market, right up until the company packed its bags and left North America back in 2000. The general consensus among power users was 'good riddance,' and if you're still of that opinion, don't worry, Packard Bell isn't making its way back to the States. The company is, however, releasing a tablet in Europe that bears a striking resemblance to Acer's recently announced Iconia Tab A500.
While the full swarm of Honeycomb tablets buzzes further off on the horizon, a few scouts are arriving to test the hospitableness of the consumer environment. Sales of the Motorola Xoom have been sluggish so far, and it may be due to a price that does little to sway potential iPad 2 buyers. The latest experiment in Honeycomb tablet market penetration, the Acer Iconia Tab A500, arrives today at BestBuy.com for pre-orders at a tantalizing sub-iPad price of $449.99. Pre-orders at Best Buy stores will begin on April 14, and the final onsale date will be April 24 -- exclusively at Best Buy stores and online.
Apple set out to kickstart and then rule the tablet market with it's iPad, and now the iPad 2. Mission accomplished, at least until sexier Android tablets chip away at Apple's mobile market share. But what about PCs? It would be silly to think that slates will replace traditional computers, but according to one analyst, Apple's iPad devices have significantly cut into PC growth.
You've heard that April showers bring May flowers, and that Mayflowers bring Pilgrims. Those are both true, but also blossoming in May are Oak Trail tablets, right around the time Computex rolls around. It's been a long time coming. Intel announced Oak Trail last year once it was clear that tablets would be more than a passing fad, however we've yet to see any slates built around Oak Trail.
Last week, a senior Dell executive dismissed the iPad’s chances of enterprise glory, citing concerns about its high price. But he seemed quite confident of his company’s “considered approach to tablets.” He touted Dell’s decision of giving people a lot of choices through a “multi-OS” (Android and Windows 7) tablet strategy. However, if a new rumor is to be believed, the Windows 7 component of that multi-OS strategy is unlikely to appear before fall. Hit the jump for more.
Too bad there's no eBay for dead people. If there was, you could make a, ahem, killing selling your iPad 2 tablet to people on the 'other side.' Apple's second generation tablet is proving so popular that not only does it remain sold out in stores and online, but Chinese families in Malaysia can't even get their hands on paper replicas to burn as part of a centuries-old ritual.
The HTC Flyer is facing some pretty stiff competition these days in the tablet space, not just from the iPad 2, but also from Motorola who got a leg up on the Android market by scoring dibs on Honeycomb. Presumably in an attempt to keep sales of the flyer from drying up completely, HTC threw the Flyer community a bone by confirming 
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