It’s always fun when a giveaway is announced and it’s even better when what will be available for free is a popular Android tablet. Our friends at Ubergizmo have announced that they have partnered with NVIDIA for giving away two Asus Transformer Prime tablets (for two winners) and you just have to post a comment to participate.

You have to place a comment here (valid email address or Facebook profile is needed) and if you are lucky, your name will be selected in the draw and you will win a $499.99 NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core Asus Transformer Prime and a $149 keyboard dock accessory. You can comment about anything, but it will be great if you talk about why you are interested in the tablet. Just to let you know, there are already 968 comments over there and more will keep on coming, but there’s certainly nothing to lose by typing a few words and imagining about playing with the device in the future.

But, as always, there are rules. The following are the main ones:

The draw is open to legal residents of US (50 states) and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 and older. (If you are from some other country, you might have international friends who can participate.)

The deadline to place your comment is Wednesday March 28 2012, at 23:59pm PT. (But we know that you have already placed your comment.)

Head here to check out all the rules.

And good luck!

The post Asus Transformer Primes Giveaway By Our Uber Friends appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

As expected, HTC has just introduced their Quad-core Tegra 3 handset and the flagship phone appears to be one of the most impressive Android devices ever designed. The One X, which will be part of the company’s new “One” series, comes with awesome specs.

HTC’s One series is basically what the Galaxy series is to Samsung. And HTC has come out with their latest line after listening to feedback and taking a decision to change their strategy completely. And they appear to have delivered.

The HTC One X boasts a beautiful 720p 4.7-inch Super LCD2 display which provides vibrant and bright colors. The screen performed well in bright sunlight and the viewing angles are good as well. The 312ppi screen is no iPhone 4S display, but it surely is very pretty.

Gizmodo says the handset feels very comfortable in the hands as it features a curved back and is light (but strong) since its body is made out of a machined polycarbonate. The device is one of the fastest they have ever played with all thanks to its 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor. The applications were launching and running smoothly, and multi-tasking is impressive. As you might know, this is the same Tegra 3 seen in the Transformer Prime, and therefore it’s expected to do well. But we will be taking a closer look at its performance later on.

The phone also boasts Beats by Dre audio, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (and 25GB of free Dropbox storage for two years), NFC, a front-facing 1.3MP shooter (supports 720p video chat), a 1800mAh battery, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with Sense 4.0 UI, and comes with 4G LTE.

Many of you out there might not be too excited about Sense, but the new version appears to be quite interesting, although we will have to do a thorough inspection before the final verdict. The device’s rear 8MP camera has “the best optics and sensor (they’ve) ever used“. We will be checking out that later but we do know that it will do well in low light conditions with f2.0. And HTC’s new ImageChip (a secondary processor exclusively for image processing) will make sure that you shoot 1080p video while simultaneously take full resolution stills.

And if you are interested in watching a movie or playing a game on your TV using the phone, the HTC MediaLink, an HDMI dongle, will be  what does it.

HTC is promising that the ONE X will arrive within the next 60 days. It will be available in white or black exclusively from AT&T. No hints on the price, but we are expecting $200-$300 on contract.

The post MWC 2012: HTC One X appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Ever since the recent launch of the Transformer Prime Android tablet, Asus has been busy with the slate’s issues. But that does not stop Asus from adding new devices to their tablet line-up. We already know that the company is set to introduce a budget 7-inch slate later in the second quarter. But now, it appears like there is yet another tablet.

The leaked pictures of what is being called the ASUS TF300T are flying around the web at the moment. According to the Taiwanese website NCCC, the mysterious device could be the followup to the Transformer Prime.

The “TF300T” code name of the 10.1-inch slate is numerically higher when compared to its predecessors. As you might know, the original Transformer is known as the TF101, while the Prime goes by the moniker TF201.

Unfortunately, no details are available regarding the specs of the device. Looking at the pictures, it appears to have a textured back which is similar to that of the original Transformer.

The rear could also be ABS plastic (different from the Prime’s which is aluminum), which suggests that the above device could possibly be the first 3G/4G equipped tablet from Asus, although it does have a metallic look to it, so it could be either.  Asus may be planning to show this one off at the upcoming Mobile World Congress later this month.

The post Asus TF300T Could Be The Next Transformer Prime Android Tablet appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Sure, no one was pleased when they realized that their Prime arrived with a locked bootloader. Asus shipped the device that way because of “content providers’ requirement for DRM client devices to be as secure as possible”.  As you might know, rooted devices will not play DRM content since there is a risk of piracy. However, they announced that a bootloader unlocking tool was coming. But when?

Now, an official tweet has revealed that it is indeed coming and it will arrive in February.  Unfortunately, there have been no hints regarding an exact date of release, and unlocking it will lead to a warranty void and also there won’t be any Google video rentals. We are quite sure that most folks looking to root it are not too worried about that.  Unlocking the bootloader bring good things, like allowing for a community released GPS fix.

The post Asus Transformer Prime Bootloader Unlock Tool Coming February appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

As we reported earlier, the new update was supposed to bring “enhanced GPS speed”. It was said to allow the device to obtain satellite information via Wi-Fi, which would enable the GPS radio to lock-on quicker. But that is not happening at the moment and complaints have started to pile up.

Before the update it was thought that the Prime’s metal back plate was the reason for the device’s poor GPS performance. But that seems less likely now since the satellite information is being provided via a data connection. And also many users are reporting that the GPS no longer works after ICS was installed, but was working prior to the update.

Although some users are saying that the GPS is working fine, for many others it is completely borked. And where is Asus when all this is happening?

The company earlier stated that the tablet “is not a professional GPS device” and they have already removed details of a GPS radio from the device’s product page. That’s definitely not a good way to keep their customers with them, let alone attracting new ones.  Asus UK is offering refunds or extended warranties to ease customer tension, but that’s not really a good fix either.

The post Asus Transformer Prime GPS Update Fail appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Overall, the Asus Transformer Prime has been welcomed with open arms. The only exception to this is for those who need 3G capability, something that the Transformer Prime is sadly lacking. For most of us, WIFI-only is enough but there are some of us that absolutely need more than that. Rumors have suggested that eventually a 3G version will in fact arrive, but unfortunately it seems you shouldn’t get your hopes up.  According to a report from Focus Taiwan, Asus has cleared up rumors about the 3G version, stating they have no such plans on their current roadmap. The company could eventually change it’s mind I suppose, but I wouldn’t hold my breathe.

[ source ]

The post Asus Denies Rumors Of A 3G Version Of The Transformer Prime appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Recently, many major tablets like the Asus Transformer Prime, have begun receiving Android 4.0 updates. In response, Motorola is bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to Motorola Xoom tablets – at least for a few lucky ones out there.

As part of a pilot program, only a few thousand select Xoom Wi-Fi owners will receive the update as part of the initial and private test. The way that Motorola approached this update was somewhat on the sly, without mentioning ICS in its emails sent to select Xoom owners a few days earlier.

The wording was as follows:

Thanks for your patience as we’ve waited for this project to begin. Because we are dealing with a Google Experience Device (GED) we have less insight to timing than we would usually have. However, I’m happy to announce that we will start the update this evening. Because it was delayed a few days, we will also have additional time to test; we will let it run through the weekend.

For now, this means that only lucky users get a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich, but I suppose the positive side that if something does go wrong, they have less users affected. If everything goes off without any major hitches, Motorola will shortly begin deploying ICS to all Xoom users en masse, although a specific timeframe for this wider launch has yet to be announced. Have you got ICS lately?

[ Source ]

The post Select Motorola Xoom Owners Get ICS appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime continues to amaze us. At CES 2012, an avid gamer shows his prowess with Shadowgun running flawlessly on the Tegra 3 powered tablet. Connected to a large screen via HDMI and controlled by an ordinary Xbox 360 controller, there’s really no telling the difference. It takes a docking station to connect the controller and external HD TV, but one thing is important to notice here: unlike many tablets with HDMI output ports, the Transformer Prime displays the gameplay on two screens simultaneously.

Serious gaming on Android tablets without dedicated hardware gaming controllers is quite problematic. Many gamers don’t really like touch controls that may be rather limited either in their range of available options, or actions, or in responsiveness to urgent touches. Xbox controllers are among the most popular gaming sticks, and their inclusion into an arsenal of Transformer Primes is a feature that many gamers will love.

As a user of the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime, you can get Xbox 360 controller for as little as $30…$40, so it might be a very valuable addition. What would be a priceless addition to this gamer’s rig is adding a Kinect gesture sensor to it.

By the way, attempts to make Kinect work on Tegra 2 Android tablets have already been done.

The post Tegra 3 Eee Pad Transformer Prime Uses Xbox 360 Controller appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

ASUSTeK Computer goes to extraordinary measures to appeal to widest possible audience of their potential customers. Original ASUS Eee Pad Transformer was and still is one of the most popular 10-inch Android slates, even if the Transformer Prime clearly takes the role of ASUS flagship tablet. This time, ASUSTeK has released a group of FAQ videos that can influence customers decisions in favor of its $360 – $399 device.

This ‘Most FAQ’ mini-series consists of 10 episodes, so here we go:

1. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #1: How do I use Google Maps on the Eee Pad?

Using Googgle Maps on Eee Pad Transformer is really fun. Note that the demonstration makes rounds about Pegatron plant.

2. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #2: Can I download applications for Eee Pad?

Can I download applications for Eee Pad? I would certainly try, if I had this tablet. Jokes aside, it’s easy, and Android applications specially designed for tablets are out there, fully accessible in the Android Market.

3. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #3: What’s makes Transformer dock different from other docks?

This one is the hit of the season. Eee Pad Transformer wouldn’t be a “transformer” if there wasn’t such a useful accessory as its docking station combined with a good keyboard. It goes for $140 on top of Transformer price, but a refurbished variant can save you $20.

4. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #4: What does Transformer have in terms of expandability?

When in the docking keyboard, Eee Pad Transformer has very good expansion options in terms of what and how many external storages may be used and coexist. Connecting an external USB HD drive is a particularly compelling feature.

5. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #5: How large is Transformer? Is the screen easy to break?

It’s a scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass, it should be really tough. What do you think?

6. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #6: Can I play games on my Eee Pad Transformer?

That’s an easy one. Of course, you can! I’m surprised you’ve been waiting till 6th episode, to ask.

7. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #7: What’s the difference between Transformer and iPad?

A legit question. In this episode, iPad is thoroughly beaten by not having Adobe Flash on board.

8. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #8: How is the camera in terms of photo quality?

Both cameras are good, hardware-wise. They might need a plethora of face-morphing effects from Ice Cream Sandwich though, but ICS will probably meet original Transformer in the next season, I think.

9. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #9: What is MyNet? What does MyNet do?

I think you’ve got it without my further explanations: MyNet is not your net, if you don’t own a Transformer yet.

10. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer#10: How else can I access a home computer via a Eee Pad?

This one is serious: MyCloud. Hopefully it will work without a hitch when this Transformer gets the ICS upgrade.

The post 10 Video FAQs about ASUS Eee Pad Transformer appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Ice Cream Sandwich for the ASUS EEE Pad Transformer Prime Android tablet was planned to be available much later than it appears to be happening, as it has started to roll out for users just a couple of days ago.  ASUS, ever anxious to see their achievement properly appreciated at CES 2012, even decided to make an introductory video themselves.

Although the video shows some basic functionality that we have all seen about ICS before, it leaves a few things unknown:

• Where is facial recognition unlocking?
• Swipes and transitions didn’t look overly fluid. Was the video of ICS beta?
• When in the Browser, how does it scroll, especially when a web page is not fully loaded just yet? Reports are already coming in stating that rendering speed was improved for the browser. We’d be interested to see benchmarks on that.

With a price tag of $499, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime might be looked upon as a direct competitor to the iPad 2.

The post CES: Ice Cream Sandwich Demoed on ASUS Transformer Prime appeared first on Mobile Magazine.