Velocity Micro has lifted the lid on its revamped desktop line powered by Intel’s 3rd generation Core processors. The new processors are available on selected models from each of its gaming, home and office as well as workstation systems. Models in line for the new Intel chips include the Raptor Z90, the Vector Z20 and the Edge Z40.
Velocity Micro promised five new devices as its contribution to CES. Two new Cruz Tablets, the seven-inch T507 and 9.7-inch T510, will both ship with Android 4.0 from the start (not yet shown). The pair both run on a 1.2GHz, single-core ARM Cortex-A8 chip with fast Mali-400 graphics, 8GB of built-in storage, and HDMI video out.
Velocity Micro hoped to snap up the low end of the tablet market Wednesday with two Android 2.3 tablets that add polish only sometimes seen at the price. The eight-inch Cruz T408 and 10-inch T410 cost under $300 but have a capacitive touchscreen, a modest but competent 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, and a front facing camera. The eight-inch T408 is rare in Android for its 4:3 ratio screen, putting it closer to an iPad ratio, while the T410 fits the familiar 16:9 widescreen ratio for Google's mobile OS.
Microsoft is finally pushing Samsung in its attempt to collect patent royalties from every Android manufacturer, according to leaks from the Korean media. The Maeil Business Newspaper understood that Microsoft was trying to get $15 for every Android device Samsung makes. The company was reportedly hoping to lower that royalty down to $10 in return for providing stronger support for Windows Phone.
Microsoft continued on its third straight day of trying to squeeze Android by landing a patent licensing deal for Onkyo's Android tablets. As with earlier deals this week with General Dynamics and Velocity Micro, Onkyo will pay royalties for every Android device it sells. The Japanese firm had no comment on the deal, most of whose terms remain secret.
Velocity Micro on Wednesday was the second in as many days to be pushed into signing a patent deal with Microsoft over Android. The deal will see royalties paid on every Cruz tablet sold. Company chief Randy Copeland spun the loss by arguing that it would help lead to "exciting new Cruz tablets" later on.
Velocity Micro has quietly released a third tablet, the Cruz T301. Like the earlier Cruz Reader, it uses a seven-inch touchscreen and Android 2.0. The T301 switches to a 4:3 ratio, 800x600 screen versus the 16:9 ratio earlier model and cuts memory in half to 256MB of RAM but is said to be good for over ten hours of operation. Preloaded software now includes Amazon's Kindle e-book app instead of the Borders e-book app preloaded on the Reader.
Tablets are on a fast growth track that could delay many PC sales and is comparable more to TVs and other major electronics, UBS analyst Maynard Um said in a detailed study. The iPad, Galaxy Tab and other tablets wouldn't directly steal share from notebooks but, by late 2011, could persuade many users to stall computer upgrades if a tablet costs the same. Users will still need computers for writing, and iPad users are still tied to a computer to sync and get updates.
Walgreens has quietly become one of the few chains selling a readily available Android tablet through a posting discovered by Chris and other Electronista readers. The Maylong M-150 would be an extreme budget entry at just $100 and would be a Chinese clone exploiting the popularity of the iPad up to and including a render that appears to simply be a modified iPad image. Its custom UI is based heavily on Apple's, including the app shelf at the bottom.
Borders said it would start up multiple deals, beginning October 31, in what's already considered a bid to recover sagging sales. The company dropped the price of its core readers, the Kobo eReader and the Aluratek Libre, down to $100; the Libre deal lasts until November 15. It should also be giving away five free books with each Kobo Wireless eReader at its usual $140 price, and Sony Readers will get a free cover and light combo.
Borders this morning fought back against the third-generation Kindle by dropping prices on both the Aluratek Libre and the Kobo eReader. Although not yet reflected on the site, the Kobo device is dropping down to $130 while Aluratek's device is falling to $100, making it one of the first current e-readers to crack the price mark.
Acer chairman JT Wang today predicted that Apple would drop to just 20 to 30 percent of the tablet market in the near future. The executive anticipated that the presence of both Acer's tablets and others to make the iPad a minority once the market 'settles.' Wang put most of his faith in Android and assumed that Google passing Apple in smartphones would repeat itself in the tablet arena, according to Taiwan's Economic Daily News.
Best Buy's mobile lead Shawn Score in an interview on Friday said the store would "make tablets a focus" for the holiday this year. The big-box chain hopes to associate itself with tablets and will put more attention on the iPad and its yet-to-ship competitors. Alternatives to Apple would be important, Score told Forbes, as those who use Android or BlackBerry phones might want tablets based on the same platform.
Velocity Micro committed itself to the world of tablets late on Friday by opening preorders for the Cruz Reader. The seven-inch Android 2.1 slate is now due to ship both online and to electronics stores in early September for $200. The wider-aspect Cruz Tablet ($300) and child oriented StoryPad ($150) are due to ship later the same month.
Velocity Micro has brought out two new computers aimed at students. The 13.3-inch T30 Italia notebook is designed for portability first and measures just 0.8 inches thick. It should also last with a 1.3GHz Pentium, although battery life hasn't been discussed.
Velocity Micro late yesterday elaborated on the role of its Cruz Reader. Normally a designer of custom gaming PCs, the company is pitching it more as a true tablet in the vein of the iPad. It can read books and will ship with the Borders app, but its use of a full-color, capacitive seven-inch touchscreen gives it full support for media and the web. It still runs Android and may start with 2.1 at first, although eventual plans for Flash 10.1 may see it get 2.2 soon.
PMP maker Velocity Micro has introduced two new portable devices, with the 7-inch Cruz Tablet and Cruz Reader. Both run on Android 2.1 and have Flash 10.1 support, and color, capacitive touchscreens driven by an 800MHz CPU. Velocity Micro has promised a Cruz Market app store for downloading specific software and e-books for the devices.
Intel's recently unveiled six-core Core i7-980X CPU has found its way into a number of high-end desktop PCs from four manufacturers this week, including CyberPower, HP, Maingear and Velocity. Rated at 3.33GHz in standard form, the chip uses Hyperthreading to handle as much as 12 tasks at once. Some manufacturers have also taken it upon themselves to overclock Intel's most capable consumer CPU.
High-end customizable notebook and multimedia PC maker Velocity Micro announced at CES it will soon introduce its first netbook and portable tablet PC, with the 10.1-inch NoteMagix M10 and handheld 4.8-inch touchscreen NoteMagix M5. The former weighs just 2.6lbs, runs on Windows XP, and is powered by an Atom CPU. There is 1GB of RAM and 160GB of storage space. A Wi-Fi module is integrated, as is a 1.3-megapixel webcam. Connections on the netbook include three USB ports, a 3-in-1 card reader, VGA and audio outputs. The four-cell battery's life is rated at over five hours, which, along with the remaining specs, compares favorably to high-end netbooks from competitors.
Velocity Micro on Monday announced it is launching a range of PCs powered by Intel's newly released Core i7 CPUs. The Core i7-920, 940 and 965 Extreme chips will be offered on various Edge, Raptor, ProMagix and Vector models in the Velocity Micro range of offerings. The very first system with a 2.66GHz Intel Core i7-920 CPU, the pictured Edge Z55, will include 3GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive and a DVD burner and cost $2,199. Buyers will be able to upgrade to the 2.93GHz Core i7-940 chip for an extra $360 or the 3.2GHz Core i7-965 Extreme for $965.
