Tablet Problems

Monday, September 7, 2015

Hands on: Acerâ€™s Predator 8 gaming tablet

Interest in mobile gaming has never been stronger, so it's no surprise that like PCs, we're starting to see devices launched that are aimed at hardcore mobile gamers. The latest is the Acer Predator 8 — a tablet with a futuristic design and a clever, immersive haptic feedback system. We got a chance to spend some time with it, and judge its prowess in the gaming world.

Up until now, Acer has concentrated on PCs with its Predator range, but has moved on to include tablets and in the near future, a Predator phone, too. The Predator 8 has the same striking look as Acer's Predator PCs — all sharp lines, strong accent colors, and a sci-fi inspired shape and design. It wouldn't look out of place on the set of Aliens.

Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

The screen measures 8-inches and has a 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, providing exactly the kind of bright, colourful, and sharp picture gamers will want. It's surrounded by a gunmetal grey aluminium body shell, with a red speaker grill jutting out from each corner — a sound system Acer calls Predator Quadio, which comes with Dolby software for added depth and quality.

On the back of the oblong tablet is a big Predator logo, funky streaks and slashes in the shell, and a 5-megapixel camera lens. It's slim at 8.7mm, and light at only 350 grams. That's more than the featherweight Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, but not enough to cause fatigue, plus it feels solid and strong in the hands. There was some unfortunate flex in those sticky-out speakers on the test model we handled.

Clammy palms

Gripping the Predator 8 in both hands while playing a game will let you feel Acer's TacSense, a directional haptic feedback system that sends vibrations to both sides of the tablet, independently, depending on what's happening on screen. We played Asphalt 8 and definitely noticed the 'stereo' vibrations, but can't claim they made the game any more immersive. It's fun though, and the level of immersiveness may change depending on the game.

The Predator 8 has the same striking look as Acer's Predator PCs.

Acer uses the Intel Atom X7-Z8700 processor and 2GB of RAM to power the Predator 8. We tried two tablets and had two different experiences. The first was jittery, and Asphalt 8 suffered. The second tablet was excellent, and played the game perfectly. Holding the tablet and playing a game did highlight one possible problem — my hands covered at least two of the four speakers, which may mean they won't provide the audio extravaganza the looks promise.

The other thing was the heat. While the Atom X7 doesn't have the same reputation as the Snapdragon 810, it still got pretty warm in the Predator 8. Ten minutes of play resulted in clammy palms — and not because of the exciting game. Whether it's a problem that will get worse, or more uncomfortable, is something only long term use will reveal.

It's questionable whether the Predator 8 is more suited to gaming than any other tablet, but the 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi connection — for lower lag — and haptic feedback system certainly make it intriguing. The style is cool and will grab attention. Acer will release the tablet this October in parts of Europe, where it will cost 350 euros, which is just under $400.

Highs

Cool, sci-fi design

Great looking screen

Slim and lightweight

Lows

Processor gets warm

Design may be flawed

Source: Hands on: Acer's Predator 8 gaming tablet

Sunday, September 6, 2015

ALCATEL ONETOUCH Intros New PIXI 3 10 Tablet At IFA 2015

ALCATEL ONETOUCH are a company who have been introducing some pretty decent devices lately and this includes tablets. In the range of products they showed off IFA this week, among them is the new PIXI 3 10 Tablet and the newest 10-inch tablet in the PIXI 3 family of devices. The PIXI 3 10 comes with a 10-inch display that carries a 1280 x 800 resolution and will come in two different models including a WiFi only, and 3G models so users have the ability to choose the connectivity option that best fits their need and their budget. Additionally, ALCATEL ONETOUCH will also be offering the PIXI 3 in different display sizes as well, with options for 7-inch and 8-inch display models.

The PIXI 3 10 will be running the latest version of the Android operating system which at the moment is Android Lollipop, but it will specifically be running Android 5.0. Lollipop boasts the profiles feature so users can set up multiple accounts on the PIXI 3 10 making an ideal option for families or anyone who wants to share a tablet but still fell like they have their own device with their own apps and personalized homescreen setup. With the 3G model being made available, users will be able to make calls with the PIXI 3 10 as it will be voice-enabled, so if the battery on their smartphone is dead and they still need place a call, no problem with the PIXI 3 10.

The PIXI 3 10 will come in either black or white, but ALCATEL ONETOUCH will be offering a range of colorful flip covers for the tablet so users can still personalize their device with some style. There will also be a range of cases in different colors as well so if you don't care for the flip cover type when it comes to accessories, there will be regular case options. The PIXI 3 10 will be powered by a MediaTek MT8127 dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage space that can be expanded up to 64GB via the microSD card slot. It's also powered by a 4060mAh battery and carries a 5MP rear-facing camera with a 2MP front-facing camera and supports Bluetooth 4.1. Right now there are no details on availability or pricing for the PIXI 3 10.

Source: ALCATEL ONETOUCH Intros New PIXI 3 10 Tablet At IFA 2015

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Toshiba's featherlight tablet sets the stage for the iPad Pro

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In just a few days, Apple is expected to unveil its iPad Pro. It will mark more than five years since the original unveiling of the iPad, and comes at a crucial time for the future of Apple's tablet. iPad sales have stagnated, so many are looking to the rumored iPad Pro to see if Apple can generate more growth for its line of tablets and finally position them as business-friendly.

Just like five years ago, PC makers are revealing their latest creations ahead of an Apple event. This time it's at IFA in Berlin, and not CES in Las Vegas, but the playbook feels the same. Microsoft, Intel, and the family of PC makers have attempted many 2-in-1 concepts in recent years, fueled primarily by Windows 8. As Windows 10 starts to appear on new machines, more and more convertible tablets and laptops are beginning to launch. We've seen a few this week already, and Microsoft is holding an event today to show off the hardware coming for Windows 10 later this year.

Toshiba has been experimenting with different 2-in-1 PC concepts over the years, and today it's unveiling its latest tablet prototype. I had a chance to get a closer look at Toshiba's creation, and when I first picked it up, I thought it was a dummy without a battery. It's so light that it reminds me of my reaction to Lenovo's incredibly lightweight laptops earlier this year. Toshiba has opted for a 12-inch display on this prototype at 1920 x 1280. While the company isn't sharing exact specifications, the concept uses an Intel Atom processor inside. The processor and the build materials (it appears to be plastic) are the key components behind such a light tablet.

Toshiba concept tablet hands-on photos

Weight aside, Toshiba is using magnets to attach a keyboard to the tablet when you're transporting it in a bag. It looks and feels just like a regular laptop when the keyboard and tablet are attached together and closed. When you're using the keyboard it simply looks like one of the popular Logitech iPad keyboards that you dock a tablet into. There's even a stylus that sticks to the side of the tablet thanks to a weird clip, but Toshiba says it's not a final design and the company is experimenting with other ways to attach the stylus. Keeping a stylus secured to a tablet has been a difficult problem for PC makers to solve, and rumors suggest Apple's upcoming iPad Pro will include a Force Touch-based stylus, so Apple will also be forced to solve this issue.

At the rumored size of the iPad Pro and complete with a stylus, it really feels like Toshiba's concept tablet is setting the stage for Apple's new tablet. Back at CES 2010, just days before the iPad unveil, PC manufacturers like HP attempted to convince everyone they had the tablet the world would want. Apple will need to do that itself next week. A combination of keyboard, mouse, stylus, and a touch tablet has always felt like the future, and just a bigger iPad with a pen won't be enough for Apple to really nail the business market. Toshiba's concept isn't perfect, but it's starting to get to the point where tablets feel like you're holding a paper notepad. If Apple wants everyone to use the iPad Pro as a paper replacement, then weight is going to be the key ingredient.

Friday, September 4, 2015

Acer Announces Predator 8 Gaming Tablet With Intel Atom x7 And Android 5.1

Acer has introduced a dedicated gaming tablet called the Predator 8. This is a new play from Acer and has some pretty interesting hardware packed in. All of it is squeezed into an 8.7 mm thin package which weighs in a just 350 grams.

We've seen quite a few Android devices being powered by Atom lately, but most have still been on the 22 nm Silvermont cores. There have been a couple of 14 nm Airmont devices announced, and Acer has gone right to the top of the stack with the Intel Atom x7 processor. We've taken a look at the new Cherry Trail platform on the Surface 3 Review, and found it to be quite potent especially when you look at the physical chip size. But where it is potent is actually in CPU performance, which has traditionally been Intel's strength. GPU performance, at least on the Surface 3, was not class leading. It would be great to see this in an Android device though so we can compare it apples to apples with the other top end gaming tablets like the NVIDIA Shield.

Acer Predator 8 Predator 8 Tablet SoC Intel Atom x7 Storage Up to 64 GB eMMC Display 8" 1920x1200 IPS LCD with enhanced touch Speakers 4 Front Facing with Virtual Surround Sound OS Android 5.1 Price $299.99 Availability 06-Nov

The Android 5.1 tablet features a 16:10 display with a 1920x1200 resolution. This is a zero air gap IPS panel which should reduce reflections and refractions within the display stack, and Acer claims it covers 100% of the NTSC color space, which is actually really close to Adobe RGB. This is a wider gamut than most displays can handle but it is actually a problem on Android since it has no color management. Having a gamut that is larger than sRGB means that colors will be oversaturated.

It also has four front-facing speakers and virtual surround sound, which might be kind of interesting on a gaming tablet. You can get the tablet with up to 64 GB of storage, and it also features microSD support for an additional 128 GB of space.

One interesting addition is what Acer is calling Highly Precise Touchscreen. The tablet features smaller touch sensors which are packaged with a higher density on the display which Acer says leads to greater control and accuracy which they say is useful for gaming. It also supports any device with a 2mm fine tip such as a graphite pencil or the optional Acer Accurate Stylus.

Acer has partnered with Newegg on distribution, and Newegg will have an exclusive two week period to offer this tablet starting on November 6. It will retail for $300.

Source: Acer

Source: Acer Announces Predator 8 Gaming Tablet With Intel Atom x7 And Android 5.1

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Minn. mother blames teething tablet for son's seizure

MN mom says teething tablets linked to seizures

Allen Costantini, KARE 6:21 p.m. EDT September 2, 2015

Jude and Mara Soto(Photo: KARE)

LECENTER, Minn. - A Minnesota mother keeps a tattered teddy bear as a remembrance of the night, she says, she feared she was losing her infant son. The six-month-old suffered a seizure after ingesting a tablet meant to ease teething pain.

Mara Soto of LeCenter said her husband gave a Hyland's Baby Teething Tablet to little Jude Soto to soothe the boy's discomfort cutting his first teeth. She said the tablets had been recommended to her by a relative who had used the tablets for her children with no problem.

"My sister, who is a nurse, had given them previously to her children and she said that they worked okay," said Soto. "So, I thought, okay, why not? I will give it try."

"I came home from work and he was sleeping on the couch with his dad," said Soto, "and he woke up when I got home. He just was kind of 'off', not really acting himself, sort of out of it. And then he started vomiting. He started turning colors and I said, he is not really breathing and we were trying to talk to him and his eyes were rolling in the back of his head. His pupils were like marbles, just big black eyes," said Soto.

Jude was rushed by ambulance to a hospital.

"They checked him out and he eventually was okay," said Soto. "The ER doctor was familiar with the teething tablets and told me to do some research on it and what he said was Belladonna in Latin was 'beautiful lady' and people took some of that plant to be more attractive because it would dilate their pupils."

Today, Jude is a healthy six-year-old with no apparent affects from the seizure. He begins first grade the day after Labor Day. His mother still wants other mothers to receive a warning about the tablets.

"I just would like to get people aware that potentially it is very dangerous or at least have a warning on the label," said Soto. "Get it taken off the market if it is going to be that dangerous."

Questions about the tablets are nothing new for manufacturer Hyland's Baby Teething Tablets. The company indicated on its website that the tablets were reformulated in 2011. Presently, there is a statement on the website that reads:

"There is no scientific link between homeopathically-prepared belladonna, or Hyland's Baby Teething Tablets, and seizures."

KARE-11's calls to the company's media representative were not answered.

The website also reads: "Consumers that are concerned about the safety of the product may contact Standard Homeopathic Company by calling 1-800-624-9659."

As far as Mara Soto is concerned, she believes she knows what caused her son's seizure. "I would guess the Belladonna. That is what doctors have said. That is what the research I have done said. Being homeopathic, you don't know how much of Belladonna is actually in those tablets and that is the scary part to me."

Read or Share this story: http://www.kare11.com/story/life/family/take-kare/health/2015/09/02/minn-mother-blames-teething-tablet-for-sons-seizure/71606564/

Source: Minn. mother blames teething tablet for son's seizure

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

HCL to refund Rs 11k for faulty tablet

PANCHKULA: District consumer forum Panchkula has ordered HCL, an electronic product maker, to refund Rs 11,525 to Sukhbir Singh, a resident of Panchkula, for providing a faulty tablet.

Sukhbir had said in his complaint that he purchased HCL ME tablet Connect 3G from shopping portal infibeam.com in 2013. A few months later, the tablet problems with network, camera and touch started showing. The complainant approached the authorized service of the company and submitted the tablet, but the problem was not resolved.

He approached the same service centre to remove the defect in the tablet, but the problem persisted. Singh sent many emails to HCL to resolve the defects, but no positive steps were taken. The service centre then asked the complainant to pay Rs 3,800 for repair, which he refused.

The complainant requested the company to refund the Rs 11,525 paid for the tablet, but to no avail. He also sent a letter to the HCL in January 2014, but it elicited no response. In his complaint, he said that when the problem arose, the phone was in warranty period and should have been repaired for free.

The faulty tablet was replaced with a new one on March 31, 2014, but that too had a problem with touch; the screen was damaged and there was no warranty. The tab was repaired on October 27, 2014 and on further checking it was found that there was a charging problem with it too. HCL submitted that after repairing the tablet, the complainant was told to collect the tablet, but he demanded refund of the amount paid at the time of purchase.

The company was directed to refund Rs 11, 525 with interest at 9% from the date of purchase till realization and Rs 5,000 compensation as mental agony, harassment and cost of litigation.

Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.

Source: HCL to refund Rs 11k for faulty tablet

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

New Android-x86 Release Peppered With Problems

The latest Android-x86 Project release takes us one step closer to using the Android OS on a desktop or laptop computer. However, the project suffers from stability and reliability issues.

If you want one Linux-based OS to run on all of your devices, Android-x86 could become a viable alternative. The major advantage to running Android on all of your devices would be keeping all of your settings, apps and Google services on an equal footing. That is not happening yet, however.

Chih-Wei Huang, project maintainer for the Android-x86 Project, last month announced the release of Android-x86-r3 -- the third stable release of the Android-x86 project.

It certainly is more refined, but it is a work that needs more progress.

The Other Android OS

The Android-x86 project is an unofficial initiative to port Google's Android mobile operating system to run on devices powered by Intel and AMD x86 processors instead of RISC-based ARM chips. It is not the actual Google-sponsored Android release.

Using it is somewhat akin to working with a third-party mod available for rooted Android smartphones and tablets. The 4.4-r3 release is based on the Google Android 4.4.4_r2.0.1 (KTU84Q) release.

The 4.4-r3 release is based on the Google Android 4.4.4_r2.0.1. or KTU84Q, release. Parts of it appear to contain components from the community built distribution of Cyanogen Mod's Android OS.

The experience of running this Android release on a non-phone or non-tablet is not yet very solid. This latest unofficial Android release is still the KitKat version. That is not a drawback, however. Version r3 brings the project one step closer to catching up to Google's official Lollipop release.

Familiar Territory

I reviewed an earlier version of Android-x86 -- 4.4-RC1 (KitKat-x86) -- and wrote about the project's early stages last year. I also have a major computer maker's all-in-one desktop PC running Android 4.0.4, aka "Ice Cream Sandwich."

I installed Android-x86-rc3 on a laptop that runs Windows 7 and a major Linux distro. By comparison, the Android-x86 version ran much faster than the earlier Android version on the dedicated hardware. I replaced that RC1 installation with the R2 release but did not review it.

Improvements since the 4.4-r2 release include an upgrade to Linux kernel 4.0.8 with more drivers enabled to support modern hardware. There's also support for the Baytrail platform, and Bluedroid has been swapped out for the Bluez stack. Bluetooth works much better now.

There's a new HAL sensor to support GPS and an update of Mesa to 10.5.9. Hardware acceleration is enabled for Nvidia chips (nouveau) and VMware (vmwgfx).

The developers fixed code and added x86-specified code so that the system runs smoothly on x86 platforms, especially for tablets and netbooks, according to Huang. It is easy to install image and grub2-efi to GPT partitioned disks.

Download Hassle

Getting this Android version required jumping through some hoops, but the problem I encountered may no longer exist. I may have been caught up in the stampede to download the files.

If you try to get the files from the project's website's download page, you will not find the link to the R3 release. You will see all the earlier versions, however.

Instead, you have to go to the release notes page.

Under that note are two file name links. Clicking on either one starts the download from Google Drive -- maybe.

Sourceforge is in a disheveled state, as many developers are fleeing it due to recent policy changes.

Here is a direct download link to the Android-x86 download on Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5bbP1aYGPSTbjRUVWtWNlVQbm8/view?usp=sharing.

Installing It

This Android-x86 Project release contains two files. One is the ISO file that can be booted on devices with legacy BIOS. The other is the EFI image that can be used on more modern devices with UEFI firmware. Choose the one that matches your hardware.

Make your life simpler by trying the ISO file first. It will boot on most computers. The first screen offers the choice of running in live session without installation or going directly to the installation mode. If all works well on your hardware when you run the live-session-only mode, reboot and select the installation mode. You also can choose the VESA graphics mode or the DeBug option.

You can use either file to install the Android Project onto a USB drive to get a bootable USB stick. The advantage to running the Android Project from a USB drive is gaining the persistent memory capability. You boot from the memory stick rather than the computer's hard drive, and can save updated files and install from the Play store.

You can not do that with a live session from the DVD. The USB installation lets you plug in the stick and run Android from any cooperating computer -- or you can dual boot to your favorite computer's hard drive.

I had little to no trouble running the ISO file on several of my cache of computers. One relatively new desktop box, however, refused to run either version. On other gear, I got an error message: The installer has stopped working. Subsequent reboots got beyond that glitch.

There were no complications when I installed Android-x86 to the USB drive. Directions for using the dd method in a terminal window appear on the download screen.

Using It

I had no problems with Android-x86's performance on any of my computers, except the one noted above. However, there are known issues with the release regarding suspend and resume on some systems. Also, be aware that the installer can not format ext3 file system.

You have to adjust your navigation process on non-touch screens. Android was designed for touch and swipe.

A ring-shaped mouse pointer is the clicking indicator. To accomplish some navigating actions, you hold down a key on the keyboard, or click a mouse button to move from one desktop to another, for example. Or, grab the notification bar and pull it with a downward motion of the mouse while pressing the left button.

A first run with Android-x86 for the PC requires creating or signing into a Google account. The process also involves configuring the WiFi connection.

If you do not sign in with a Google account, a plain vanilla Android loads. This gives you access to the Internet through the default Android Web browser. There is no other browser option available.

Accessing the Google Play store requires Google credentials to proceed. You have basic functionality to use the preinstalled apps without registering your Google account. If you sign in to your Google account, however, all of your Google Chrome or other mobile Android settings populate your PC's new OS.

The Android-X86's latest 4.4-r3 release ships with a few stock Google Android apps.

Navigating the GUI

Android-x86 has two home screens. The default background for each one is an ugly green. Six live wallpaper choices are available in Settings. Two other choices -- in Wallpapers and in Gallery -- are listed. However, every time I tried to look there, an error window announced that Trebucket had stopped.

Each home screen has a Google search box for typing and a voice input icon at the top center of the screen. The home screen layout is considerably changed from previous versions of Android-x86.

Across the bottom of the Android screen is a transparent dock row holding the expected Return button, Home button and Recent Apps button. Above it is another transparent row holding five icons: Youtube, Google Music Play, The apps Drawer launcher button, SMS messagng launcher and the Web browser launcher.

If you have running applications, clicking the Recent button displays them in a row of thumbnails of each app. Click on the desired app to switch to a full-screen access to that app.

At the top of each screen above the Google search window is a translucent panel bar. It does nothing but anchor to the right side a digital clock, a battery status icon and WiFi indicator.

Place the mouse pointer anywhere from the center of the bar to the right end to pull down the system panel to click on Settings, Power Off and several other system controls. Place the mouse pointer anywhere from the center of the bar to left edge to pull down the calendar display.

If you have running applications, clicking the Recent button displays them in a row of thumbnails. Click on the desired app to switch to full-screen access to it.

Bottom Line

This latest release shows nice refinement in the concept of running the Android OS on a desktop or laptop on devices powered by Intel and AMD x86 processors instead of RISC-based ARM chips. However, you still can not count on its reliability without more stability being hammered into the next release.

Sometimes in a live session, depending on the hardware running it, the Web browser failed to start and issued an error window. Other times, after rebooting the same hardware, that problem went away. I also had that problem with computers running an installed version on a hard drive or USB drive.

If those were the only major glitches, I could be more forgiving -- but the more I used this release on a variety of desktops and laptops, the more disappointed I felt by its performance. More times than not, apps either failed to open at all or opened and then crashed shortly afterward. Reboots sometimes solved those problems temporarily, but the developers need a more permanent solution.

Until that happens, I can not enthusiastically recommend serious consideration for this phase of the Android-x86 project. I do, however, impatiently wait for the next even more-improved version. I want to fully buy into the one-Android-for-all-devices concept.

Want to Suggest a Review?

Is there a Linux software application or distro you'd like to suggest for review? Something you love or would like to get to know?

Please email your ideas to me, and I'll consider them for a future Linux Picks and Pans column.

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Jack M. Germain has been writing about computer technology since the early days of the Apple II and the PC. He still has his original IBM PC-Jr and a few other legacy DOS and Windows boxes. He left shareware programs behind for the open source world of the Linux desktop. He runs several versions of Windows and Linux OSes and often cannot decide whether to grab his tablet, netbook or Android smartphone instead of using his desktop or laptop gear. You can connect with him on Google+.

Source: New Android-x86 Release Peppered With Problems