Samsung launches Windows 8 ATIV line with new smartphone, three tablets.

Samsung announced an ambitious line of Windows 8 mobile devices using the ATIV name on Wednesday, including an ATIV S smartphone with a 4.8-in. HD display and three tablet PCs.

The lineup, unveiled in Berlin, Germany during a webcast, also includes an ATIV Tab that runs Windows RT and two Windows 8 x86 tablets that have magnetically attachable keyboards called the ATIV Smart PC and the ATIV Smart PC Pro.

The company didn't offer pricing or availability information.

Samsung also showed off an array of diverse products atop the Android-powered Galaxy line at the event, announced a slightly larger Galaxy Note II, and unveiled a Galaxy Camera that works over cellular networks and Wi-Fi.

Samsung said it wants to stay ahead of the pack of mobile device manufacturers, and sees Windows 8 products as a way to do so.

"We have an unrivaled range of products in the Windows 8 environment," said Damian Cusick, general manager of Samsung UK. "The Samsung ATIV line-up of Windows 8 products is simple, powerful and beautiful."

The ATIV Smart PC Pro, with an 11.6-in. touchscreen and an Intel Core i5 processor, targets professionals, Cusick noted. He also called attention to the Windows RT tablet, the ATIV Tab with pre-installed Office productivity applications to allow Office and Word document sharing. "Nothing will change from the PC documents you share with co-workers," he said.

The ATIV S smartphone is also Office compatible, with "various Windows-based content that [runs] in an optimized environment," he added.

All four Windows ATIV devices "blend the device and content ecosystem perfectly...so [users] can get things done," he said.

The ATIV S smartphone has a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and will work over HSPA networks like those offered by T-Mobile USA and AT&T.

The ATIV Tab offers a 10.1-in display and an 8,200 mAh battery, which is at the high end of tablet batteries.

The ATIV Tab runs Windows RT.

The ATIV Smart PC and Smart PC Pro are equipped with a digital stylus, called the S Pen, that Samsung has updated from its original appearance with the Galaxy Note. It now has 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity and is slightly thicker.

Both are 11.6-in. Tablets, and each has a detachable keyboard dock that allows it to be used as either a clamshell laptop PC or a tablet PC. The Smart PC has a battery life of 13.5 hours, while the Smart PC Pro runs up to eight hours.

The Galaxy Note II, which ships in October globally, has a 5.5-in. display, larger than the original 5.3-in. display, and will come with redesigned S Pen. Its larger screen stays in the same sized body, however, although the increase in screen size bumps it up slightly to a 16:9 aspect ratio.

The ATIV Smart PC is slightly thinner and lighter than the Smart PC Pro. The Smart PC is 11.96 x 7.5 x .38 inches and weighs 26.4 ounces. The Smart PC Pro has the same height and width but is .46-inches thick and weighs 31.2 ounces. The ATIV Tab is 10.4 x 6.6 x .35 inches and 20.1 ounces. The ATIV S smartphone is 5.4 x 2.8 x .34 inches and weighs 4.7 ounces.

Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen or subscribe to Matt's RSS feed. His email address ismhamblen@computerworld.com.

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New Sony Xperia™ smartphone series, and first Xperia™ tablet from IFA 2012

Fresh from press conference at the Sony IFA few days ago, and we’re proud to provide new information about the Xperia family: Xperia T, Xperia V, Xperia J and Xperia Tablet S – all packed with Sony’s best HD experiences to deliver the next step in connected entertainment.

First up, Xperia T is a new flagship Android smartphone boasting a huge 4.6″ signature Sony HD screen, 13MP camera and effortless “One-touch” NFC functionality. We’re also excited to give you a heads-up that James Bond will be sporting one on his latest outing, Skyfall… I’ll fully de-brief you on that later tonight!

Xperia V shares many of the same great features as Xperia T, but it’s also LTE enabled for lightning network performance and comes with the highest level of smartphone water resistance; up to 1m for 30 minutes!

Xperia J has eye-catching design with a large 4″ screen and comes complete with social media update illumination, for those looking for style and affordability.

Xperia T, Xperia V and Xperia J are built on the same design language first introduced by our award winning Xperia arc and Xperia arc S – combining a slim hand fitting form, with a focus on high quality displays for crystal-clear viewing.

Xperia Tablet S brings the world of Xperia to a tablet for the first time. It’s a place for your imagination to play, boasting a quad-core processor, slim aluminium body and splash-proof design, built-in universal remote capability and a wide-range of accessories including covers, docks and stands.

These Xperia smartphones also come locked and loaded with Sony’s media applications: “WALKMAN®”, Album, Movie and Music Unlimited – these combine the best of Sony’s hallmark technologies and content to connect you a host of awesome entertainment experiences across Xperia smartphones, tablets and VAIO PCs.

We’ll take a closer look at these apps over the next few days, but word-on-the-booth is that Xperia smartphones shipping from September (until the end of the year) will come with a free 60-day Music Unlimited trial, Sony Entertainment Network’s (SEM) music cloud-streaming service that puts millions and millions of tracks at your fingertips.

What would be the point of all this great content, if you couldn’t easily share it with your nearest and dearest? Well, we’re also putting NFC technology at the heart of our content sharing proposition through “One-touch” functionality.

You can enjoy sharing music and photos instantly through an array of NFC enabled Sony devices, by simply touching one to another to establish a connection, no fumbling around required! For example, Xperia T and Xperia V users can stream music wirelessly with “One-touch” to the new Sony SRS-BTV5 NFC enabled speaker, also announced today.

For all the official information, check out our pressroom.

Newly announced Xperia™ series – what you need to know

1. Xperia™ T

• 4.6” HD Reality Display powered by the Mobile BRAVIA® Engine for razor sharp clarity
• 13MP fast capture camera that goes from sleep mode to snap in just over a second
• Full 1080p HD video recording capabilities and a 720p HD front camera for the highest quality content
• Easy connectivity with ‘One-touch’ function enabled by NFC
• PlayStation™ Certified
• Latest generation 1.5GHz dual core processor for improved battery life, fast performance and ultra sharp graphics
• Android version 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Will be upgraded to Android version 4.1 (Jelly Bean) following launch. Detailed timing to follow
• MHL connectivity for viewing content on a big screen without the need for a charger
• Use Xperia TV Dock with MHL to HDMI converter and charging connector to enjoy photos and videos on an HDMI enabled TV
• In some markets Xperia T will be known as Xperia TX
• Available in Black, Silver and White colours
• Launching globally over next few weeks

2. Xperia™ V

• 4.3” HD Reality Display powered by the Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 for razor sharp clarity
• 13 MP fast capture camera with full HD video recording.
• Latest generation 1.5GHz dual core processor for improved battery life, fast performance and ultra sharp graphics
• LTE for the fastest data download speeds (in markets where technology is available)
• Easy connectivity with One-touch ‘One-touch’ enabled by NFC
• Clear audio+ for the highest level of sound quality
• PlayStation™ Certified
• Android version 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Will be upgraded to Android version 4.1 (Jelly Bean) following launch. Detailed timing to follow
• Highest levels of dust and water resistance in a smartphone (IP55/57+) ensure protection from the effects of immersion up to 1m for 30 minutes
• MHL connectivity for viewing content on a big screen without the need for a charger
• Available in Black, Pink and White colours
• Launching globally Q4 2012

3. Xperia™ J

• 9.2mm slim stylish design
• Large 4.0” FWVGA Display
• Social media updates with illumination
• 5MP AF camera
• Front chat camera
• Available in Black, Gold, White and Pink colours
• Launching globally Q4 2012

4. Xperia™  Tablet S

• Slim new aluminium body and splash-proof design
• 9.4” HD display with OptiContrast™ Panel with low-friction coating
• NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor and Android 4.0.3 operating system
• Android version 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Various experiences with original applications and Sony’s network services
• Optimized accessories (sold separately) to enhance experiences in every scene
• Available from the beginning of September 2012

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Toshiba Thrive Tablet 2012

Toshiba is ready with its new sophisticated tablet, Toshiba Thrive. Toshiba Thrive tablet is impressive in design with contrast body colours. Thrive tablet is priced at $449.99 for the 8GB model, 16GB at $479.99 and the 32GB at $579.99. Toshiba Thrive tablet has 10.7 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches and it has 770 gm weight. Toshiba Thrive runs on Google Android 3.1 Honeycomb operating system.

Toshiba Thrive Features,Specifications and Price : 

Toshiba Thrive tablet powered by Nvidia Tegra 2 Dual-Core Processor with 1 GB of RAM and 32 GB in built storage memory. Thrive tablet sports 10.1 inch Multi touch LED backlit Display screen with 1280×800 pixel resolution. Toshiba Thrive tablet also has dual cameras – 5 megapixel on the back side and 2 megapixel in front side.

Toshiba Thrive also includes full-sized HDMI output, GPS, an accelerometer, digital compass, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi b/g/n, USB 2.0, mini USB ports, a full-sized SD card slot, screen rotation lock-switch and a rubberized back plate for easier gripping, and a 23WHr battery that ought to last the distance without missing a beat.

•     Dimensions: 10.7 x 6.9 x 0.6 inch
•     Weight: 770 grams
•     NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor
•     1 GB RAM
•     32 GB in built storage memory
•     Google Android 3.1 Honeycomb OS
•     10.1 inch Multi touch Display
•     800 x 1280 pixels screen resolution
•     SD Card slot
•     HDMI Out
•     Wi-Fi, EDGE, USB, Bluetooth, GPS connectivity
•     Email and IM Support
•     Document Viewer, Google Applications support
•     Digital Compass
•     5 megapixel back side camera
•     2 megapixel front camera
•     HD video recording/playback
•     Music Player
•     Stero Speakers
•     3.5 mm jack
•     Battery: Standard

Gadgets You Life.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 (Verizon 4G LTE) – 32GB White

The tablet that makes all things better.

The world is changing. It’s quickly shifting to doing everything smarter. The world is moving forward, and this is where it’s going. Introducing the 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 – the tablet that redefines the tablet.

A screen so lifelike you’ll want to touch it.

The Tab’s WXGA PLS TFT 10.1” brilliant touchscreen display redefines brilliance. The high resolution 1280 x 800 HD display gives every image amazing color, radiance, and clarity to capture all the detail of real life. Every letter of text is razor sharp. When you watch a movie with $100 million in special effects, you see every detail. And when your finger touches the responsive screen, every function is smooth as silk.

Performs at a higher level. So you can, too.

Surf the internet just like on a PC, and get the full enjoyment of 175 million Adobe® Flash® compatible sites, games, and videos. The central processing unit is the world's first mobile super chip – the NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 dual core 1GHz processor, to run all your functions and apps effortlessly. A full gig of RAM processes all your data faster. The Tab 10.1’s Full Android™ 3.1, Honeycomb platform is the sweetest way to perform all Google™ Mobile Experiences, such as optimized Gmail™ and Google Maps™.

Does several things at once. Sound familiar?

Multi-tasking is the new normal. None of us have time to do only one thing at a time. The Tab 10.1 keeps you up-to-the-second with widgets and you can have more than one window open at a time to bounce around on. Access Android Market™ for 200,000 apps that keep your life moving with the speed you need. Sometimes your Tab 10.1 is for work, sometimes it’s for play, and sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.

Take gaming to the next level.

The Tab 10.1 is gaming heaven. It has the speed and processing power to run any Android or Adobe Flash-based game with no buffering, stalling, downloads or plug-ins. You can even run the latest Adobe® Flash® 10.3 technology. And the screen shows every dragon’s scale, every gold doubloon, and every sword glint with eye-popping, heart-pounding detail.

Have a front row seat to all your favorite movies and shows.

Access thousands of hit movies and TV shows through Samsung Media Hub. Just scroll through the list and pick the content you want to rent or purchase for download. You can share purchased content between five other devices that support Media Hub. Movies are available the same day they’re released on DVD and TV shows the day after network premier. You can watch purchased or rented content on your television by connecting with a HDMI video-out adapter, sold separately. And whether your content is rented or purchased, you can begin watching in less than a minute.

You also get a free $25 Media Hub credit from Samsung with your Galaxy Tab 10.1 (Verizon 4G LTE) purchase, good towards TV program purchases.

You can’t be too thin.

It’s only 8.6 millimeters (0.34 inches) from front to back, which is about as thin as a typical ballpoint pen. The Tab also weighs just 1.25 lbs. – so light that you’ll hardly notice it in your briefcase or purse. The body is sleek yet easy to grip, and fits comfortably in your hand. It’s the perfect portable device to take anywhere and connect through any Wi-Fi hotspot.

These Tabs are going fast.

The Tab 10.1 is engineered to take full advantage of Verizon's 4G LTE network. If you like blazing speed, better buckle up.

Sync and Share Digital Content with AllShare™

Transform your digital living experience by enjoying your content on multiple screens, anytime, anywhere. You can wirelessly stream your movies, music and photos from your smartphone, or tablet to your Smart TV, PC and to other DLNA Certified® devices. Samsung AllShare™ seamlessly puts your music, memories and videos in harmony.

Specifications

Carrier

• Verizon

Form Factor

• 10.1", Tablet Device

Color

• White

Operating System

• Android 3.1, Honeycomb

Camera

• 2.0 Megapixel
• 3.0 Megapixel

Dimensions (W x H x D)

• 10.1” x 6.9” x 0.34”

Weight

• 20 ounces

20 ounces

Weight of the phone, measured in ounces (oz.).

Battery

• Lithium Ion, 7000mAh

Memory

• 32GB Internal Memory
• microSD Accessory Adapter

Network

• 1x/EVDO RevA/LTE:850/1900/700MHz
• 4G LTE

Connectivity

• 802.11 a/b/g/n
• A2DP, AVRCP, AVCTP, AVDTP,

A2DP, AVRCP, AVCTP, AVDTP,

Short range wireless technology that enables fixed and mobile devices to exchange data. EDR is high-speed.

CPU

• 1GHz Dualcore, nVidia T720

Display

• 1280 x 800 WXGA
• 8.54" x 5.34"
• 16M PLS TFT LCD

User Interface

• Widgets, Smart Unlock, Bilingual:Spanish

Audio

• AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, WAV

Video

• 3G2, 3GP, H.263, H.264, MPEG4

Fun and Entertainment

• Full HTML Web Browser, Books, Browser, Email, Gallery, Gmail™, Google Maps™, Android Market, Google Search™, Google Talk™, Voice Search, Latitude, Music Hub, Navigation, Places, Pulse, QuickOffice, Samsung Apps, YouTube, Music Player, Media Hub

Business and Office

• DOCUMENT FILES, Word File: doc, docx, xml, txt, rtf, dot, dotx Excel File: xls, xlsx, csv, xlt, xltx PowerPoint: ppt, pptx, pot, potx, pps, ppsx PDF: pdf

Messaging Options

• Email, Corporate Email

Call Functions

• Speakerphone, Voice Recognition, Speech-to-text, Multitasking

Gadget  Your Life.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 7.0" (Sprint)

Have It All, Anywhere

Surf the web, video chat, and watch widescreen movies—with just one lightweight, portable device.

features

Is Your Laptop Nervous? It Should Be

The Samsung Galaxy Tab™ brings you the media you want and keeps you connected with anyone, anytime. Compact and light, you can keep in touch with people and content through 3G connectivity, Wi-Fi® 802.11 b/g/n or Bluetooth® Wireless Technology 3.0. With a battery life of up to 13 hours* and a crisp TFT-LCD display, you’re free to communicate, update, and enjoy.

Your Favorite Movies Are Always Showing

Samsung’s new Media Hub app brings your favorite entertainment to the Galaxy Tab. The app is preloaded for instant access to a broad selection of movies and TV shows that start playing while they download.

Be a Bookworm and the Office Hero

Bury yourself in all of your favorite books, magazine and newspapers with just a touch of the screen with the pre-loaded Amazon Kindle™ e-Reader. Access all of your important documents as well as create new ones via ThinkFree Office™, which is compatible with Microsoft® Office applications like Word, Excel® and PowerPoint® as well as Adobe® pdf viewing. 

Cameras Coming and Going

The Tab makes creating and sharing images and video fast and portable with its two cameras. The rear-facing 3-megapixel camera with flash captures images and video that can be edited and shared. With its front-facing camera, you can easily stay in touch and video-chat for either business or pleasure. Pre-loaded with Qik, users can video-chat and seamlessly talk with other people over a Wi-Fi connection.

Let the Games Begin

Armed with the latest Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, The Samsung Galaxy Tab supports fast and seamless viewing of any web page, and provides enhanced video and game experience. Experience the ultimate full HTML internet viewing experience with Adobe® Flash® for watching videos and animations on the incredible 7" LCD display.

Sync and Share Digital Content with AllShare™

Transform your digital living experience by enjoying your content on multiple screens, anytime, anywhere. You can wirelessly stream your movies, music and photos from your smartphone, or tablet to your Smart TV, PC and to other DLNA Certified® devices. Samsung AllShare™ seamlessly puts your music, memories and videos in harmony.

Gadget Your Life.

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