The flaw affects phones with Sense UI, and seems to go back quite a ways into HTC’s catalog. Users of the Desire HD, Glacier (T-Mobile MyTouch 4G), Droid Incredible, Sensation 4G, ThunderBolt, Desire S, EVO 3D and EVO 4G should be wary, but Nexus one and MyTouch 3G owners needn’t worry. The last two phones run mostly unmodified Android code, and are susceptible to the permissions error in Sense. HTC instructs its customers to check back on its support site in a week for further instructions.

This is the second major security flaw found in Sense in the last few months. Not to beat a dead horse or anything, but doesn’t that indicate that Sense (and by extension most custom UIs) aren’t worth it? Note that those who install a ROM based on open-source Android are fine as far as security goes, yet still have a voided warranty for their trouble. Isn’t it time that HTC starts to let its customers choose whether or not they want Sense on their phone, or at the very least ,release one or two models running Stock Android? Considering that they’ve proven their own additions to Android make it less secure, and that the software differentiation is a non-issue for many users, that would seem like a good idea.

Are you listening, HTC? Stock Android is safer, quicker to update and requires less legwork on your end to maintain. Why aren’t you letting your customers have the choice to remove Sense?

[via The Next Web]

The flaw is a minor one, allowing any application access to stored SSID passwords by using the “android.permission.INTERNET” permission. Affected phones tested by the researchers include the Desire HD, Glacier (T-Mobile MyTouch 4G), Droid Incredible, Sensation 4G, ThunderBolt, Desire S, EVO 3D and EVO 4G. While US-CERT recommends visiting the HTC support website for update instructions, HTC has said nothing as of yet about the security hole. Based on their behavior with the last security alert, you can expect them to update the affected handsets within the next few weeks.

Users shouldn’t panic: there’s been no documented case of apps or malware taking advantage of this loophole as of yet, and it would take some doing for an unscropilous developer to take advantage of it for personal gain. That said, it might be best to delete stored WiFi SSDs until the update and rely on a 3G or 4G connection for data, especially if you access sensative networks at home or at work. US-CERT notes that the Nexus One and T-Mobile MyTouch 3G (HTC Hero), both of which run mostly unmodified Android code, do not suffer from this issue. That means that if you’re running a custom ROM built from Android’s open-source packages, you’re probably safe as well.

[via PhysOrg]

ASUS has responded via Gary Key, technical manager, that a fix will be out sometime at the beginning of February. To top it off, Bluetooth and WiFi are having issues functioning simultaneously as well. Hopefully, the fixes come batched together.

If the Transformer Prime wasn’t so amazingly awesome, then I’d say they were building a poor name for themselves. But you have to take a few factors into consideration; this is the first Tegra 3 quad-core device on the market. There are bound to be a few obstacles the manufacturer isn’t used to working with.

If any owners find a fix for their devices locking up, you’ll be able to find it fastest if you follow this thread. However, we will still be keeping an eye out for a remedy so check back with us every so often.

[via TalkAndroid]

The XYBOARD 8.2 starts at $399.99 and the 10.1 at $499,99, both for the 16GB versions. That’s a little more than we’d like to see them go for, but they compete directly with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1, respectively, while offering more expansion and hardware choices. Both use the same 1280×800 screen resolution, dual-core 1.2Ghz processors, 1GB of RAM each, 5MP cameras and (currently) Honeycomb 3.2. Moto is already promising an ICS update at an indeterminate time. The tablet software is customized by Motorola, but not to an excessive degree.

There are a couple of interesting extras that come on the XYBOARDs which you won’t find standard on competing models: both have an integrated infrared port and universal remote software, plus an HDMI port. Those who intend to stay mobile should probably opt for the 10.1, as its 7000mAh battery soundly beats the 3800mAh one in the 8.2. In our reviews, we concluded that both tablets were solid entrants from Motorola that were unfortunately saddled by wireless pricing. While the WiFi-only prices aren’t incredible (especially in the light of the $500 Transformer Prime) they’re a lot easier to swallow.

The good news first: the Smart Camera features a 3x optical zoom and a 16-megapixel digital sensor, specs that can’t be matched by any smartphone (Android or otherwise) at the moment. The Android-based software runs on a 3.2-inch touchscreen, and it’s focused on sharing, which Polaroid claims is the new central focus for its struggling brand. Instant posting to Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and other places is implemented via  a WiFi connection, with Bluetooth thrown in for good measure. The Bluetooth connection may be used for a direct connection to compatible printers.

Now for the harsh question: who wants this? Sure, a little extra glass and a large sensor can beat the average smartphone, but people who take photos with their phones aren’t necessarily looking for amazing picture quality – Facebook is full of examples of bad mobile photography, and no one seems to have a problem with it. Even for those that do, cameras on Android and iPhone models are so good lately that they meet or even beat some point-and-shoot models. Why would anyone spend hundreds of dollars on a gadget that replicates functionality of something you already have (albeit in a slightly better way) but is limited to short-range networks?

Polaroid didn’t annuonce prising or availability information at CES. But the camera was presented by Lady Gaga. So there’s that.

There’s also support for web browsing, photo and video playback and – if you plug your digital camera or a memory stick into the USB port on the back – you can view footage recorded elsewhere too. The camera itself can be used for taking 3-megapixel stills.

Samsung includes a QWERTY remote control for navigating your contacts list, searching for YouTube videos or browsing the web, and there are integrated microphones and speakers. The Samsung inTouch will drop in March, priced at $199.99.

When we saw GPS fix on the changelog for the recent software update we weren’t sure what to think although some reports have said it helped. According to Anandtech the GPS issues are due to a design flaw and can only be tweaked — not fixed by updates. Unlike the original Transformer whose rear was covered in plastic, the Prime has an all aluminum design (and a pretty one) but that is the cause of the GPS issues — even if they are minor.

Other aluminum tablets like the T-Mobile Springboard, HTC Flyer or even the iPad all have plastic “windows” if you will, to let out and enhance the wireless signals. And that goes for more than just Bluetooth. Original reports on weak WiFi can also be attributed to the design although our review unit had an excellent wireless connection. It is worth noting that many WiFi only tablets like the iPad don’t have GPS at all — just a thought for those angry with ASUS or the Prime. So there you have it — I’m still getting one.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Transformer Prime

Manufactuer : Asus

Carrier : NA

Announced Date : November 09, 2011

Release Date : TBA

Also Known As : Transformer 2

Display

• Screen Size : 10.10 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x800
• Screen Type : IPS+

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 10.35 Inch
• Width : 7.12 Inch
• Depth : .33 Inch
• Weight : 586 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Polymer

• Battery Capacity : 6579 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS:
• 3.2.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• MP3
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Hardware

CPU : Tegra 3

CPU Clock Speed : 1400 Mhz

Core : 4

Ram : 1024 MB

Internal Storage : 64 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 8 MP

External Storage:
• MicroSD
• MicroSDHC

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

[via Verge]

Many features such as the camera are still broken, and there are a load of bugs that will need to be fixed – but that’s normal when taking an AOSP source. This is more of an extremely early Beta (or more appropriately an Alpha) of ICS for the Motorola XOOM, but their developmental community is strong, and this push should offer a great start. Of course, Motorola will eventually update the XOOM themselves; even if development starts to slow down.

From the clip you can see the obvious glitches when transitioning from screen to screen, but it’s extremely smooth. Even debatably smoother than the XOOM’s initial Honeycomb release. It’s great not having one universal OS to rule them all, and I have a feeling the developers are going to love it.

[via The Verge]

Essentially, AirDroid turns your phone into a local version of one of those web/cloud operating systems that were all the rage a few years ago. Just start the app, connect to your home WiFi network and log in from a local PC browser. You can access all of the files currently stored on your phone, including a full image viewer and streaming music player. You can access, install, and back up all of the apps on your phone, even the system apps that non-rooted users normally don’t have access to. You have full access to your Android phone’s contacts, call logs and SMS messages. All from a desktop interface that mimics a minimalist Linux distribution.

The best part? It’s all free. If you’re a power user you must check AirDroid out. Sure, you can do some of this with a standard MicroUSB cable, but the way it’s presented and the ease of use is astounding – it’ll make showing off your media, plus sharing apps and files so much easier – I only wish there was a way to display full Android apps across the WiFi connector. It’s nothing less than a major accomplishment for developer Sand Studio, and I can’t wait to see what they do next with this idea. You can download AirDroid from the Android Market right now.

Unfortunately, the app doesn’t really take advantage of the possibilities of VOIP, like automatically connecting to other AT&T Call International users for free calling. In fact, there really isn’t anything to recommend the app over Skype or Google Voice. There’s no additional charge for calling numbers in the US or Puerto Rico, but if you’re traveling and happen to be calling from a non-US location, you can’t use 3G or 4G networks – WiFi is the only option.

The app makes use of a custom phone dialer, but ties into Android’s Contacts application so retrieval of numbers is easy. Naturally only AT&T customers can see the app in the market. In an off move billing will be applied directly to customers credit card, not their AT&T bill. You can expect the AT&T Call International to be pre-installed on Android phones in the future.

Hardware

If you’ve seen a Galaxy S, you’ve seen a small Galaxy Player. The 5-inch LCD screen dominates the front of the device, with three capacitive soft buttons below it – as usual with Samsung’s carrier-free devices, the Search button is absent. The placement of some of the buttons and ports seems odd – an empty MicroSD port hides behind a tiny plastic door, while the headphone jack and Micro USB port are on the bottom. The right side gets Samsung’s standard power button and volume rocker combo, the left is bare, and the plastic white back features two stereo speakers, a the camera, and a flash.

The 9.9mm-thick device is undeniably large; it dwarfed my DROID X and makes a standard paperback book fear for its dead tree delivery system. That said, it’s not uncomfortable in the hand as it might seem, and it slid into the pocket of my jeans without complaint. (Your mileage may vary here, of course.) When showing the device off to some of my friends they said they preferred the large screen to their own phones and didn’t mind the bulk – until I told them it couldn’t make regular phone calls.

On the inside you get a last-generation 1GHz Hummingbird processor and 8GB of storage. That should be enough to play a few videos and some music, but large collections will have to be loaded off of an SD card. The LCD (notably not AMOLED) screen has a resolution of 800 x 480, despite its massive size. While it’s crisp and clear, and a good bit brighter than most, those with an affinity for counting pixels will be unnerved, as you can definitely see jagged edges on text and photos when viewed up close. The Galaxy Player ruins Gingerbread and has full access to the Android Market. A 3.2 MP rear camera is complimented by a VGA front cam, but neither are worth writing home about. The 2500 mAh battery should last days for light browsing and music, but video and games are of course more taxing.

Software

TouchWiz is present in full force, and like most Gingerbread devices, it’s smooth and mostly stable. I did notice some freezes when returning to the homescreen, and if you ask me, the whole experience apes the iPho… er, iPod Touch a little too much. Thanks to the device’s Wifi-only status, it’s blessedly free of bloatware.

There’s plenty of custom Samsung apps here, though, and for the most part they’re welcome. Customized video, music and photo apps are there, along with Samsung’s Smart Viewer TV sharing app. Other than that, it’s just your basic Android apps, with the odd addition of a file manager and a link to Samsung’s approved app downloads. This is in addition to the Android so I don’t know why you’d use it. A Swype keyboard is included, but the huge screen makes it almost impossible to use with a single hand, especially in landscape mode.

The device itself is only mostly stable. Nine times out of ten worked without complaint, but every once in a while I encountered a nagging hang on one app or another. This is a troubling precedent for a device that’s designed to be loaded with apps, especially games. The Galaxy Player has an odd way of mounting the SD card, too: all the free space on the device is in the standard /sdcard folder, but anything on the actual card has to be found in /sdcard/external_sd/. Luckily, the automatic scanner is nice and fast, so media loads into the appropriate app very quickly.

Media

The Music and Video players were simple and competent, though the later is picky about codecs. AVI and XVID videos worked fine, but a downloaded trailer in the relatively universal MOV format choked. It’ll handle anything formatted for its 800 x 480 resolution without complaint, but once I threw a 720p video on there, there was too much tearing and stuttering for it to be useful. Music was an enjoyable experience on the standard player, especially since controls are built into the notification bar and lock screen. It’s a wonderful music playback device made even better by a pair of loud, if not particularly clear speakers.

Unfortunately some of the advanced playback was wanting. Flash is iffy on the 1GHz single-core processor, and I imagine Flash video is something that prospective buyers will be very interested in. When I connected my Bluetooth A2DP headphones playback was too choppy to be enjoyable. Netflix and HBO GO stuttered for a passable experience only. Basic games were fine, but more advanced games slowed down quickly.

Price and Value

At $270, the Galaxy Player 5 is considerably more than the entry-level iPod touch. For that you get a much larger device with a larger screen, but the resolution and storage are both lower. Since Android doesn’t have an integrated music store (yet) you’ll have to make due with your own collection or third-party apps, and streaming video is a frustrating affair. It’s hard to recommend the Galaxy Player over an iPod for anyone but the most die-hard Android fan.

Wrap Up

The device is a lot less unwieldy than you’d think, and for some, it might be time for a 5-inch upgrade – but again, without a phone, the Galaxy Player 5 is a novelty at best and redundant at worst. Bring on the Galaxy Note, Samsung – I want to see how this form factor works on current hardware with a truly mobile experience.

Check out our hands-on unboxing video below:

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Galaxy Player 5

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : NA

Announced Date : March 16, 2011

Release Date : October 16, 2011

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 5.00 Inch
• Resolution : 480x800
• Screen Type : LCD

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 5.56 Inch
• Width : 3.08 Inch
• Depth : 0.47 Inch
• Weight : 198 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 2500 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS:
• 2.2.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MID
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)
• WMV

Hardware

CPU : Hummingbird

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 1

Ram : NA

Internal Storage : 8.192 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 3.2 MP

External Storage:
• MicroSD
• MicroSDHC

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

We’ve yet to see any reports of the 3G Xoom getting this update so for now most likely this is for Wi-Fi users only. The update will bring the Xoom to Android 3.2.1 Honeycomb as well as build HTK55D. We don’t know what to expect with the update or what has been changed but most likely this is bug fixes and some minor improvements.

Late last month we noticed a 4G Motorola Xoom getting an update to Android 3.2.2 but we’ve yet to see or hear anything else regarding that, we were also wondering where 3.2.1 went but now it appears that is for Wi-Fi and 3.2.2 might be for the 4G version but details are still a bit scant.

When more details on this OTA update become available we will be sure to follow with an update. Feel free to let us know in the comment section below if you receive the update, as well as any changes you notice.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : XOOM

Manufactuer : Motorola

Carrier : Verizon

Announced Date : January 05, 2011

Release Date : February 24, 2011

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 10.10 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x800
• Screen Type : TFT

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 9.80 Inch
• Width : 6.61 Inch
• Depth : 0.51 Inch
• Weight : 730 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 6500 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : 336 hours

Software

Android OS:
• 3.0.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MP3

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging:
• SMS

Hardware

CPU : Tegra 2

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1024 MB

Internal Storage : 32.768 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 5 MP

External Storage:
• MicroSD
• MicroSDHC

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 720p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• CDMA

CDMA Band:
• 800
• 1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 2.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

[via Droid-Life]

Specifications are just as we’ve seen before, which means Android 3.1 Honeycomb running on NVIDIA’s dual-core Tegra 2 processor with Samsung’s own TouchWiz modifications. There’s a 2-megapixel camera on the front and a 3-megapixel camera on the back, but unlike the 3G versions only WiFi to get you online.

That all matches up with Best Buy’s listings from last week, with the retailer suggesting that the Galaxy Tab 8.9 would arrive sometime later this month. An LTE version is also expected for some regions, tipped to launch later in 2011, though exact availability is unconfirmed.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : GALAXY Tab 8.9

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : NA

Announced Date : March 22, 2011

Release Date : October 02, 2011

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 8.9 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x800
• Screen Type : TFT

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 9.09 Inch
• Width : 6.21 Inch
• Depth : 0.34 Inch
• Weight : 470 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Polymer

• Battery Capacity : 6100 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS:
• 3.0.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MID
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS

Hardware

CPU : T250S

CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1024 MB

Internal Storage : 65.536 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 3 MP

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 720p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

FM Radio :

NFC :

[Thanks Paul!]

In case you didn’t see the original details it was first leaked here and later confirmed to be an HTC device headed to Verizon with 4G LTE. It will sport a high resolution 1280x720p HD display that is at least 4.3″ or bigger, will have a 1.5 Ghz dual-core Snapdragon processor and come with Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread at launch.

That isn’t the last of it though, we’ve recently spotted it on a leaked Verizon roadmap but that didn’t get us many details other than confirming it was coming soon. It was this full roadmap leak that tells us all about what Verizon has planned ahead. If you look closely we see the HTC Vigor is slated for an early October launch, and will be replacing the highly popular HTC Thunderbolt. We are expecting a pretty awesome device to knock off the flagship 4G LTE phone from Verizon, but we’ll have to wait and see.

[via Wi-fi.org]

Just as we said, the update is quick and small being only 3.22 MB so users should be able to download and install the update in a matter of minutes and be back to Twittering, watching YouTube and reading Android Community in no time. The update is said to fix a few graphical bugs and glitches users were experiencing with the new Touch Wiz UX.

For more details on the Touch Wiz UX update you can read our review of the interface. While it brings some nice features and such our own Chris Burns did notice a few glitches and experienced some lag after the update so hopefully this update fixes those problems. If you’re rooted I’d make sure to have a nandroid backup of some sort in case the update brings on any trouble for you. If you’ve received the update did it fix any issues you were having? Feel free to report below in the comment section.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Galaxy Tab 10.1

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : NA

Announced Date : March 22, 2011

Release Date : June 08, 2011

Also Known As : Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google I/O Limited Edition

Display

• Screen Size : 10.1 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x800
• Screen Type : TFT

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 10.09 Inch
• Width : 6.81 Inch
• Depth : 0.34 Inch
• Weight : 595 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 7000 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : 120 hours

Software

Android OS:
• 3.1.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MP3

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS
• IM

Hardware

CPU : Tegra 2

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 32 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 3.2 MP

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording
• 720p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

CDMA Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1900
• 2100

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11a
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 2.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

[via Android Police]

Today though, such a tiny and woefully underpowered device is doomed to fail – though I wouldn’t mind having one for free just to fiddle around with. You can purchase this device today for $89 USD from Abe’s of Maine if you like, this apparently being $10 less than the Skytex group had originally announced the “tablet” as being. Skytex is indeed calling this device a “media tablet”, and I suppose there’s no reason why they shouldn’t, as a tablet, last I hear the Viewsonic company define it at MWC 2011, was anything bigger than 4-inches.

What do you think?

This device also has 4GB of onboard storage, up to 16GB more via its microSD card slot, and 256MB DDR2 RAM inside. Connections include 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, a 3.5mm headphone jack, mini USB, single microphone and a 1Watt speaker. You’ll also get the necessary USB cable you’ll need to plug this device into the wall and your desktop computer, though one thing missing from this equation: the Android Market. Instead you’ll have to work with the Amazon App Store or some other third-party site to gain access to all your favorite apps and games.

[via Skytex]

Unfortunately, as the $159 starting price might suggest, we’re not looking at Honeycomb here. Instead, the Planet and Star each run Android 2.2 Froyo, while the Nova steps up to 2.3 Gingerbread. Pandigital tells us that future firmware updates are in the pipeline, but it’s unclear whether that will ever include a step up to Google’s tablet-centric Android branch.

Both the Planet and Star have 2GB of integrated memory, while the Nova doubles that to 4GB; there’s a microSD card slot and USB On-The-Go support, though with a mini USB port you’ll need an adapter if you want to plug in a regular thumb-drive or peripherals. Pandigital has struck a deal with GetJar to include the software download store on all three models – there’s no official Android Market access, at least until the hacks arrive – and there are apps for email, browser, the camera (rear on all models; front-facing on the Star) for stills and video and the OfficeSuite Viewer for opening documents.

The Pandigital Planet (R70A200) is on sale today for $189, while the Pandigital Nova (R70F400/ R70F452) will arrive this week for $189. The Pandigital Star (R70B200) will follow on in mid-August for $159. Meanwhile, Pandigital is promising a “flagship” tablet for September, though details won’t be released until next month.

Lucky for you readers we recently reviewed the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi version and you can read all about that here. It is thinner than the Xoom, lighter than the Transformer and just an all around solid device that anyone should love to own. If you would like to see more we also reviewed the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google I/O Limited Edition on both our sites and you can read ours here, or our sister site SlashGear reviewing the limited edition by clicking here.

In case you missed it and would like a little comedy today you can also see our amazing Unboxing War Number One where we had an unboxing contest between two of our very own — at the same time. This marks the end of that contest where you the readers could win your very own Galaxy Tab 10.1 by voting for your favorite unboxer. I’ve included that video below for your viewing pleasure. Please note that we’ll be picking a winner on both sites tonight at midnight, to be announced tomorrow!

So there you have it, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in all its glory. Will you be picking one up tomorrow or this weekend? Let us know in the comments below. Feel free to check out the full press release below for any additional details.

Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, World’s Thinnest Mobile Tablet, Makes Official Landing in U.S.

Premium Android Honeycomb Tablet with Ultra-slim, Lightweight Design and Brilliant

10-inch Touchscreen Available Exclusively at Best Buy Union Square Store in New York City Starting June 8; Available Nationwide Starting June 17

Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.[1], and Samsung Electronics America, a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announced the upcoming retail availability of the Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, starting June 8. The WiFi-enabled tablet measures at just 8.6 millimeters slim, making it the thinnest mobile tablet currently available in the world. The 32GB version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available for $599, while the 16GB version of the device will be available for $499.

A limited quantity of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available for purchase exclusively at the Best Buy Union Square store in New York City on June 8. Best Buy customers may also pre-order the Galaxy Tab 10.1 online or in-store beginning that day.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is powered by Android™ 3.1, Honeycomb offering faster and smoother transitions between different applications, more intuitive navigation to and from home screens and broader support of USB accessories, external keyboards, joysticks and gamepads.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the thinnest mobile tablet currently available in the world, measuring in at an ultra-slim 8.6 millimeters. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also boasts an incredibly light weight of just 1.25 pounds (565 grams) for outstanding mobility and comfort in the user’s hands.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is designed with a brilliant 10.1-inch HD touchscreen display with WXGA 1280 x 800 resolution delivering vibrant colors and crisp clarity. This expansive screen is centered inside a narrow bezel to enhance the wide viewing angle.

“Ensuring that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 launched with Android 3.1 Honeycomb was part of our constant commitment to meeting the needs of our customers,” said Dale Sohn, President and CEO of Samsung Mobile. “The Galaxy Tab 10.1’s ultra-thin design and 10-inch touchscreen are impressive differentiators in the tablet market place. We’re going to make the Galaxy Tab 10.1 even more powerful, entertaining and secure through a series of upgrades coming to this device.”

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will receive these new upgrades through a software update that customers can access over the air in the near future. Those upgrades are currently scheduled to include:

FEATURES/SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH FUTURE SOFTWARE UPGRADE

Customized User Experience “Samsung TouchWiz UX”

Samsung’s TouchWiz user experience is designed with a Live Panel menu for customizing the home screen of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with digital pictures, favorite Web sites and social network feeds.

In addition, the TouchWiz UX includes a “Mini Apps” tray of commonly used features such as task manager, calendar and music player which can be launched while other major applications are already in use.

Samsung Media Hub

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 software upgrade will introduce the evolution of Samsung’s popular movie and TV content service, known as Media Hub. Media Hub has been redesigned with a new user interface for even easier downloads of rented or purchased content. The new version of Media Hub also includes an HD Extender which allows the user to playback Media Hub content on TV through an HDMI cable from the Galaxy Tab 10.1 dock or adaptor.

Readers Hub & Social Hub

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will also gain access to Samsung’s Readers Hub service, which is a robust library filled with more than 2.2 million books, 2,000 newspapers and 2,300 magazines. Also, the software upgrade will install Samsung’s Social Hub service, which aggregates email, instant messaging, contacts, calendar and social network connections into a single interface.

Versatile Content Sharing

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will also receive Samsung’s Allshare service, for seamless content transfer between the tablet and other DLNA-enabled devices such as HDTV’s, monitors and digital cameras. The software upgrade will also transform the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 into a device capable of accepting streaming content from a TV to the tablet itself.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES AVAILABLE AT PRODUCT LAUNCH

Impressive Speed, Power & Battery Life

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity to deliver rapid mobile download speeds and reduce data transfer times. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also includes a Nvidia Tegra 1GHz dual core application processor for powerful gaming and multimedia performance. The Tab’s ultra-thin design does not sacrifice battery life, thanks to a 7000 mAh battery providing up to 9 hours of continuous use on a single charge[2].

Full Adobe Flash Player Compatibility

The device offers extensive Web browsing access through Adobe® Flash® Player compatibility. Flash Player delivers beautiful HD video, faster graphics rendering, and high performance on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and is designed to take advantage of native device capabilities — enabling richer, more immersive user experiences.

Optimal Enterprise Solutions

In addition, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 integrates several enterprise solutions to provide support for exchange device management policies, improve the security of data and services maintained on the tablet and meet IT guidelines for remote device access. The enterprise solutions include:

· On-device encryption of user data

Enhanced Exchange ActiveSync Support
· Cisco AnyConnect SSL VPN
· F5 SSL VPN

Quality Cameras and Sound

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 features a 3 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front camera providing smooth video chat capabilities and seamless 1080p HD video playback[3]. High quality speakers are positioned on the right and left sides of the device for a rich, deep audio experience.

Google™ Mobile Services

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is preloaded with the full suite of Google Mobile Services including access to more than 60,000 Android Market™ applications for Galaxy Tab 10.1[4], Gmail™, Google Search™, Google Maps™ 5.0 with 3D maps, and Google Talk™ with video and voice chat.

Availability & Pricing

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available exclusively starting June 8 at the Best Buy Union Square location in New York City. Starting June 17, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available at Best Buy online and in-store along with Fry’s Electronics, Amazon.com, Micro Center, Tiger Direct and Newegg. These retail outlets will have the 32GB version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition available for $599, and the 16GB version of the device will be available for $499. In addition, the WiFi version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available through Sprint starting mid-summer 2011. Visit www.samsung.com for additional details.

1 Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q1 2011 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.

2 Battery power consumption depends on factors such as network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, vibrate mode, backlight settings, browser use, and frequency of data and other application usage patterns.

3 1080p video playback on an HD TV or other 1080p HD device.

4 Based on a statistical analysis of existing Android Market™ applications

About Samsung Telecommunications America

Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com.

About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players, digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is the HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Android, Google, Android Market, Gmail, Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Talk are trademarks of Google, Inc.

Adobe and Flash are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Upon opening the box that this device comes in, you’re presented with the display covered with a sticker that further explains the hardware you should, by all means, know about already because you’ve had a full reading of the Android Community in-depth review. After that you’ve got a wall plug capable of working with any number of world plugs, a USB to Samsung specific plug wire, earbuds, and some instructions manuals. Have a peek at the unboxing and hands-on video first, then head down to the rest of the review for a full blast look at Samsung’s latest and greatest effort in tableting.

Hardware

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is Samsung’s latest and greatest effort in the line of Android devices it’s so faithfully produced over the past few years, they being the minds behind the most successful Android device line of all time, the Galaxy S, and the most powerful and thin Android device in the world currently, the Galaxy S II. What have they come up with this time? A masterpiece of a tablet whose only drawbacks are in its software and in its inability to expand memory. Has Samsung banked on the cloud a bit too much here? They’ve certainly banked, but perhaps just enough.

This tablet contains 16 GB built-in memory, 1GB DDR2 RAM, and no microSD slot for expanded memory though we DID see the possibility at one point in the ideation process back in early 2011. The display is a 10.1” WXGA 1280×800 pixel resolution TFT LCD with a nicely sized black rim so you’ll easily be able to hold the device without accidentally tapping the screen. You’ve got a 3.5 mm headphone jack a the top, a 3.0-megapixel camera on the back, a 2.0-megapixel camera on the front, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Digital Compass, and Ambient Light sensor.

This device is extremely thin and light, sizing in at 10.09 x 6.81 x 0.34 (256.2 x 172.9 x 8.6 mm) and weighing in at 20.99 oz (595 g). It’s thin enough that you’ll be pleasantly surprised but not in a way that would make you think you’re holding something fragile. It’s got a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor inside and it’s ready and willing to play every and any game you can toss at it with flying colors. We’ll be using this tablet to review every Honeycomb-centric app in the near future so look for it to pop up many times over the next quarter of 2011 – NVIDIA Tegra Zone ahoy!

Software

What this iteration of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 consists of is Android Honeycomb 3.1 with a dash of Samsung TouchWiz. What I mean by that is that it’s not running the full TouchWiz UX 4.0, instead Samsung has decided to get the hardware out there in the open and offer the custom user interface to owners of the device at a later date as an optional upgrade. Let’s have a quick look at what we’re not yet able to access here in a demo we grabbed back earlier this year at CTIA 2011 – this is what TouchWiz UX 4.0 will look like, basically:

Beyond that, you’ve got Honeycomb in its Android 3.1 form as first introduced on the Motorola XOOM a few weeks ago. For a rundown of what Android 3.1 Honeycomb is all about, check out our review of said system and come back with full knowledge. This device is running what’s almost vanilla Honeycomb 3.1, that being the OS in its purest, unaltered form. What we’ve got here instead is a few elements that are wholly Samsung and, as Samsung and I say we see it, they’re actually (either slightly by a whole heck of a lot) nicer than what Google had originally presented in stock Honeycomb.

For a full guide to Android 3.0 Honeycomb, (as opposed to the 3.1 version you see here on the Galaxy Tab 10.1,) check out our original full guide as posted at the beginning of this tablet wave! Next have a look at some of the specific differences between the user interface presented Honeycomb (be it 3.0 or 3.1) and this Samsung altered version on the Tab 10.1:

You’ll remember these images from our Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google I/O Limited Edition review as indeed there appear to be no changes in either interface between the limited edition and this standard Wi-fi edition. One thing that HAS changed is the amount and variety of apps you’ll be getting. While they’re basically the same basic set as you got with the Google I/O edition, there’s no Amazon Kindle, no Amazon MP3, no WeatherBug, and a modified Music Hub.

Stock Apps Rundown

One of the oddest apps we’ve got here is Samsung Apps. This app, when opened on the Google I/O edition of this device, showed a giant list of utter oddities, bear face icons and random collections of letters for titles. Back in the review of that device I estimated that this was just a temporary oddity, and it turns out that this is the truth – now the Samsung Apps app has only a few items in it, including Angry Birds, apps that can be downloaded and a few options that might lead you to adding your own app here in the future. Still a very small situation going on here, perhaps one day it’ll be stocked with all the greatest apps in the world ready to run on Samsung specific devices. On the other hand, its a bit disheartening to see every single brand attempting to have their own app store when less than 4 should, by all means, do the job fine.

Next there’s Music Hub. This app is one that opens up to a music store run by 7Digital, a place where you can purchase tracks for right around $1.50 apiece and have a relatively wide variety of music to choose from. Is this Google’s temporary music situation while they ramp up a reputable music store of their own? We shall see.

The stock Music app is giving us slightly different results than the one loaded on the Google I/O edition of this tablet in that it’s not immediately apparent where we can activate our Music Beta account connection. That said, updating the app via the Android Market does bring us back our familiar set of lovely covers.

Even you, Lady Gaga with the bone face.

Next, QuickOffice is your portal to organizing Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations. Plus there’s a rather convenient Cloud button that connects to everything including Google Docs, Dropbox, box, and mobileme. Look at that gigantic list!

An additional app not present in the Google I/O edition that IS present here is Books, your link to Google’s version of the world of ebooks. Quite sophisticated, entertaining to use, but unlike the best selling ereader in the world, you’ve got no e-ink display here. On the other hand, you’ve got access to books through your Google account which is convenient if you’re already purchasing apps.

Camera

Surprisingly, both the front and back-facing cameras seem to have improved from the time they existed on the Google I/O Limited Edition of this device and this Wi-Fi edition. With a 3.2-megapixel camera on the back and a 2.0-megapixel camera on the front, one wouldn’t expect more than a generally decent ability to collect media on the Galaxy Tab 10.1, but as you’ll see below, a pretty good set of pics can be gotten. As for video, the result is slightly less impressive, but decent nonetheless. MUCH better video and photos than the iPad 2 can produce on all counts, of that you can certainly be sure.

Performance

This device appears by all means to be moving faster than you’d ever really need a device such as this to move, having seemingly no loading time for any operation anywhere save for some larger games which require upwards of a few seconds to boot up. What you’re dealing with here again is a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor for sweet speed and exclusive gameplay allowances through the Tegra Zone portal which you can get a full review of right along back here. What we find here is that the benchmarks we’d gotten for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google I/O Limited Edition were basically identical save for Quadrant Advanced which gave the Limited edition slightly more in total and some rather odd differences in each category.

Limited Edition
CPU: 6332
Memory: 2456
I/O: 1117
2D: 82
3D: 669

Wi-Fi
CPU: 4129
Memory: 2035
I/O: 951
2D: 235
3D: 576

Check out the rest of the results for the Wi-Fi edition here:

Battery

This device has a monstrous 7000 mAh battery in it, that being one so gigantic it’d do fine in a high-end laptop. You’ll basically never have to power up this tablet – we’ve not needed to charge it at all for the several days we’ve had it out of the box now. Really quite amazing. You’ll be getting AT LEAST 24 hours of heavy action out of this monster, no problem. No worries on the battery front at all.

Wrap-Up

While this device might instantly seem to you to be the greatest Android tablet on the market today, and you might very well be right, there are a few things to consider when thinking about what you’ve got here. First, this is, for now, just a Wi-Fi tablet. Where for example the XOOM already has some rather well-connected 3G action going on, this device remains in the Wi-Fi hole, relying on connections around you to grab some internet. But wait, you’re part of this bigtime mobile revolution with us all, right? Take out your mobile handset and use the internet hotspot. It all seems so very Simple!

This device is indeed the thinnest and the lightest tablet on the market, thinner than the XOOM by a mile, lighter than the Asus Eee Pad Transformer by about half, and looking like it was designed by some smooth operators. But is it too simple? There’s a fairly gigantic cross-section of Android owners who like to modify their devices to fit their own needs, and that very often includes popping in a microSD card and sometimes, though not often, fooling around with the physical guts of the device. With the Galaxy Tab 10.1, neither of these things is really all that possible. Does this make it a device to be looked over by hardcore developers?

I should think not. Especially developers looking to make apps that millions of people are going to be playing or working on during this next season when the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9 are going to be selling like hotcakes. But WILL this device sell? It really all depends on how well Samsung MARKETS the device. A tablet can be as magnificent as you want, but if you do like Acer and Motorola are doing at Target and Best Buy, your sales are going to be abysmal. You can take that to the bank.

That said, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a lot going for it, and without a doubt this is the closest any OEM has gotten to competing with the iPad yet. Once TouchWiz UX 4.0 comes out, we may feel another surge in sales, but unless, again, Samsung promotes the update as an earth-shattering change for tablets, again, it’ll fail. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the greatest Android tablet yet, and one so simple and powerful at the same time that I’m currently using it as my primary non-handset device for web and email browsing as well as the occasional media in internet radio, movies, and television shows. Well played Samsung, can’t wait for the 8.9.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Galaxy Tab 10.1

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : NA

Announced Date : March 22, 2011

Release Date : June 08, 2011

Also Known As : Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google I/O Limited Edition

Display

• Screen Size : 10.1 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x800
• Screen Type : TFT

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 10.09 Inch
• Width : 6.81 Inch
• Depth : 0.34 Inch
• Weight : 595 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 7000 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : 120 hours

Software

Android OS:
• 3.1.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MP3

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS
• IM

Hardware

CPU : Tegra 2

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 32 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 3.2 MP

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording
• 720p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

CDMA Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1900
• 2100

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11a
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 2.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

We’re guessing that’s two models for the US and two for Canada, perhaps with different amounts of memory inside. All four get WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR but, unlike with the S2, there’s no 3G/4G connectivity. We spoke too soon: the S1 has a separately listed 3G module, the same HSPA+ capable Ericsson chipset as the S2.

Sony has previously said that the S1 and S2 will go on sale sometime this fall, perhaps with a change of name before that happens. The tablets run Android, but other hardware has been left undetermined; however, Sony has confirmed that the S1 will function as a universal remote control, using a built-in IR emitter to tame your A/V setup.

[via SlashGear]