Apple is still top dog when it comes to tablet market share, a pretty impressive feat for a company with only 2 tablet models to choose from, however they aren’t sitting quite as pretty as before as their share has slipped while rivals begin to catch up.

When the ‘tablet wars’ kicked off, the Apple iPad seemed all but unbeatable, but times have changed and the iPad mini came a little late to the party giving the likes of Samsung, Amazon, Asus and others the chance catch up with their pint-sized offerings. The shift in market share is quite dramatic with Apple slipping from a 65% share at the start of 2012 to just under 40% this year. In second place Samsung enjoys a 18% market share, with Asus and Amazon making up the rest and Microsoft coming 5th with 1.8%.

From what we have been seeing Apple’s share will continue to slip unless they really do something special with the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2, but even then it won’t be easy, as a new Nexus tablet is expected soon, along with more Samsung tablets on the way.

[ Source ]

The post Apple’s Tablet Market Share Slips, Samsung on the Rise appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Google has set its sights on the high end market of notebook with its latest notebook, the Chromebook Pixel, but their plans don’t end there. According to a new rumor, Google plans to release cheaper Android OS and Intel Atom notebooks that are expected to be as low as $200. Both Acer and Asus also have plans to release the new Chromebook later this year.

While details are sparce right now on what we know about the Asus Chromebook, it is expected to be unveiled in the third or fourth quarters of 2013.  We know slightly more about the Acer Chromebook.  It supposedly had a 11.6 inch screen and is expected to be for sale in July of 2013.  We do not know any more about these devices at this time, but they are supposedly going to be mid-range devices and should be quite a bit cheaper than the projected price of the Chromebook Pixel.

With all the interest in the Chromebook, Google is quickly establishing itself as a heavy hitter in the notebook game.  What do you think of Chrome OS, are you okay with using a cloud-driven OS for your laptop needs or would you rather stick to a more traditional Windows, Mac or Linux device?

[ source ]

The post Acer and Asus Reportedely Working on New Chromebooks appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It looks like Google and Asus are teaming up again for a second-gen version of the Nexus 7, and if rumors are to be believed, they could be ditching Nvidia as the processor supplier this time around.

The rumor claims that the second-gen Nexus 7 will instead use a Qualcomm processor, and could have to due with Qualcomm’s chip integration process. While the Nvidia Tegra 4i does in fact have integrated 4G LTE, supposedly the processor came to late to fit in with their development plans and launch schedule for the Nexus 7′s successor.

The idea of Asus and Google switching to Qualcomm is believable enough, but keep in mind that this rumor comes from sources reporting to DigiTimes. DigiTimes has a less-than-perfect track record when it comes to this sort of ‘news’, so take it with a healthy dose of salt.

Regardless of what processor gets thrown in there, we do know that it seems more than likely that Asus and Google would team up again for the Nexus 7. The biggest reason is just how much of a success the 7-incher has been in tablet market, selling roughly 5 million units give or take some.

When the Nexus 7 successor does arrive, what kind of features and improvements are you hoping for when compared to the original? Shout out your ideas in the comments below.

[ source ]

The post Nexus 7 Successor Could See Switch to Qualcomm Processor, Says Rumor appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Most of us know that if you want a relatively inexpensive Android tablet, you have several options. The Galaxy Tab series can be affordably priced and then there’s the Nexus 7 that starts at $199. But what if you want something bigger, perhaps with a 10-inch screen? Those usually cost more.

If you’re in the market for a 10.1-inch Android tablet and you don’t want to make any real sacrifices on quality or performance, the Asus MeMo Pad Smart ME301T-A1-BL could be just the thing. The tablet sells for just $299.99, making it $100 cheaper than the Google Nexus 10. For that money, you get the 10.1-inch IPS display and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, along with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor clocked at 1.2GHz. Like the entry-level Nexus 10, this also has 16GB of flash memory, but there is a microSD slot in there for expanded storage.

Rounding out the main specs are the 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear camera, 1.2MP front camera, and the usual array of wireless radios, sensors and inputs. As an added bonus, Asus is providing 5GB of free WebStorage for life. The slick package weighs in at 1.28 pounds and is 0.39 inches thin.

It only officially launched earlier this month, so head over to Amazon.com to buy the Asus MeMo Pad Smart now. You can get it in your choice of pink or blue for the same $299.99 price point, including free super saver shipping.

The post Asus MeMo Pad Smart 10.1-inch Tablet for $299.99 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

At present, there are many 7 inch Androids tablets out there for customers to choose from such as the Nexus 7, the HP Slate 7, or devices from Acer, Asus, Lenovo and countless others. Being highly portable and offering lower price tags, smaller Android tablets are becoming quite popular. And now, it appears like these new tablets will be overtaking the iPad in quarterly market share, according to estimates by Sameer Singh at Tech Thoughts.

Data suggests that 57% of the market will be taken by Android tablets while iPad will take 40% by the end of Q1. These predictions are mostly based on tablet display shipments. Of course we can’t say that these figures will be completely accurate, but analysis of the supply chain sometimes does tell us what is coming especially in the near future.

According to available data, compared to the shipments of the iPad Mini and the full-sized iPad, the shipments of 7-inch Android tablets are on the rise which might be suggesting an increasing demand for cheaper 7 inchers. Although 10-inch tablets are still popular, they don’t seem to be growing at the same rate as 7-inchers, both running Android or even Apple’s own iPad Mini. In fact the iPad Mini is also affecting the sales of the 9.7-inch iPad.

Will 7-inch Android tablets overcome Apple’s iPad in the tablet market soon, or will these predictions prove wrong? We will have to wait and see. In the meantime, you can share your thoughts on the matter.

Do you prefer iOS, Android, or maybe even Windows on a tablet? What size of display, 7 to 8 inches or 9 inches plus?

The post Look Out iPad, 7-Inch Android Tablet Market Continues to Grow appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The Asus Memo Pad is heading to the UK soon enough, in both 7-inch and 10.1-inch variations. The 10.1-inch model will arrive on March 7th, with the smaller variant following in April.

The Memo Pad 7 is a truly budget-based experience with a 1GHz VIA WM8950 processor, a 1024×600 display and just 16GB of storage. What really helps it stand out though is its great price point of just £129.

Want a big display? That’s where the MemoPad Smart 10 comes in with its Tegra 3 processor, 1280×800 IPS display, 16GB storage and again extremely low price, this time at £249. Both devices come standard with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

For more information about the launch of these two tablets, check out the press release below.

The post Asus Memo Pad 7-inch and 10.1-inch Models Launching in the UK Starting March 7th appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It looks like Samsung isn’t the only one adding the ability to make voice calls to tablets. Asus has now officially unveiled the FonePad, a 7-inch tablet with built-in phone capabilities.

While most Android devices run on an ARM processor, the FonePad is doing things differently: the tablet will be powered by an Intel Atom Z2420 running at 1.2GHz with1GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. The battery is rated at 4,270 mAh, offering 9 hours of runtime. Other specs include a 1280 x 800 display, microSD, HSPA+, 16GB storage, and a 1.2MP front camera.

The US dollar price for the unit is confirmed at $249. though there are rumors it actually won’t ship here. The European price is £179 / €219.

As more people are carrying 7-inch and 8-inch tablets in their handbags, purses and backpacks – it isn’t surprising to hear that more of these devices are starting to get the ability to make calls. Would you ever use a tablet as a phone, even if it was just as a secondary device for pairing with a bluetooth headset? Let us know what you think.

The post 7-inch Asus FonePad Runs on Intel Processor and Can Make Phone Calls appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It looks like Asus is planning something big for MWC this year. As you’ll see in the video, the teaser shows a UFO soaring over Barcelona and landing on a church as spectators look on. The video ends inviting you to join Asus in embracing the “metallic miracle”.

So likely Asus is either planning to show off some kind of sleek new casing on some of their devices (or just one even) or perhaps they are planning to release a UFO full of metallic aliens at Barcelona. Really can’t say what, as the teaser doesn’t give us much to go by.

Anyhow, stay tuned to Mobile Magazine during Mobile World Congress (starting Feb 25th) and we will keep you up to date on all the latest. What do you think of Asus’ teaser? Are you excited for MWC yet? I know I am.

[ source ]

The post Asus MWC Teaser Asks Us to Embrace the “Metallic Miracle” appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Are you interested in getting yourself a new Windows RT tablet, but you’re not that big a fan of the Microsoft Surface? Fear not, because the ASUS VivoTab RT TF600T-B1-GR 10.1-inch Windows RT tablet is on sale now for $200 off the regular price.

The Asus VivoTab RT runs on Windows RT, giving you that big “Start Screen” experience and it comes preloaded with a version of Microsoft Office for your mobile productivity. Power comes by way of an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad core 1.3GHz processor, 32GB of flash memory and 2GB of RAM. There’s an 8MP camera on the back, a 2MP camera on the front, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, microSD expansion, and a slim 0.33-inch profile.

Much like the Microsoft Surface, there is also an optional keyboard dock for the Asus VivoTab, so you can get that full laptop-like experience when you need it, detaching the keyboard for a full-on tablet experience when you don’t. And it’s an Asus, so you’ll know that it’s built well too.

Regularly retailing for $599, the Asus VivoTab RT is now on sale for $399, including free super saver shipping from Amazon. If you buy the tablet, there’s also a limited time offer to get the accompanying keyboard dock for 50% off too.

The post Daily Deal: $200 Off Asus VivoTab RT 10-inch 32GB Tablet appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Although Asus has premium tablet lines like the Transformer series, the company is no stranger to budget devices either, like the recently unveiled Asus MeMo Pad 7. Now it looks are gearing up to do another low-cost 7-incher, this time running on an Intel processor.

According to the latest rumor, the Asus tablet supposedly will be powered by an Intel Atom Z2420 dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM. Other specs will include a 3MP main cam, a 1.3MP webcam, a 1280 x 800 resolution display, and will have a 4,720mAh battery. As for Android, it will have Jelly Bean 4.1.

Intel continues to show interest into breaking big into the mobile world. So far they’ve had limited success but a partnership with Asus could certainly help, especially if the tablet could be pushed at a low price to a global market.

The leak doesn’t give much details as to when this is coming, or how much it will cost. If this could be priced reasonably low, say under $200, would you be interested or not?

[ source ]

The post Asus Working on 7 Inch Android Tablet Powered By Intel Processor appeared first on Mobile Magazine.