ASUS to show off two 7-inch tablets at CES

On the heels of the Nexus 7 success, ASUS looks to be bringing a pair of tablets in a 7-inch form factor to CES next year. First up is the ASUS ME371MG which looks similar to the Nexus 7 but will supposedly will have a 1280 x 800 display, 16 GB of internal storage, and an Intel Atom 1.2 GHz single-core processor. I’m sure many people will be disappointed at that low clock speed and core count, but I’m personally excited to see Intel try to make some strides in Android devices.

The second device is the ME172V which sports a traditional ARM chip with Mali 400 GPU, but only has a 1024 x 600 resolution screen and a 1.3 front-facing camera on board. The good news is that both of these will launch with Jelly Bean 4.1 and will definitely be affordable tablets. Hopefully ASUS has something to really wow the competition with up its sleeve, though. Anybody interested in either of these tablets based on the specs?

source: Notebook Italia

[Deal] Pick up a 32GB Nexus 7 for $229.99

Perhaps you’ve been holding off on pulling the trigger on Google and ASUS’ latest co-creation in hopes that a solid deal would come along. Well, today may be the day that sets your purchasing decision over the edge. Currently, authorized ASUS dealer “buydig” is selling the 32GB Nexus 7through eBay for just $230. That’s a savings of around $45, considering the seller will ship it to youfree of charge. So, if you’re planning on picking up one of these bad boys as a Christmas gift for a friend, or simply want to treat yourself, hit the source link below. C’mon, you deserve it.

Source: eBay

White ASUS PadFone 2 Outed, Shows Off Its Sexy Skin In The Process

Those of you who have been hankering for a white version of the PadFone 2 are in luck as ASUS has finally delivered on its promise to bring the white PadFone 2 to the masses. Thanks to VR-Zone, we now see a clear view of what the white PadFone 2 and its tablet dock looks like. As you can see, everything retains its sleek and simple design— the only difference is its almost pure white finish. What’s even more impressive is the fact the device is almost completely white not just on the back, but on the front too.

So now that the phone has officially been outed, all we need now is for ASUS to break down and give up the details on when we can expect the device to hit retailers worldwide. Hopefully prospective customers won’t have to wait too long.

source: Unwired View

ASUS Currently Working On Getting Android 4.2 Update For Its Devices, Fails To Specify Which Ones Exactly

ASUS is no doubt one of the more likeable Android manufacturers simply in part, because they push out timely software updates to most of its premium devices. So with Android 4.2 officially out, ASUS tablet owners are anxiously waiting on if/when their device will get the latest update as well and ASUS seems to have given an indirect answer. According to a recent phone call from a Transformer Prime owner to an ASUS customer service rep, ASUS is currently working on getting the Android 4.2 update out for its products, though the rep failed to mention specifically which tablet models would get the update. The hope is that tablets like theTransformer Prime and Transformer Pad Infinity tablets will see the updates since they’ve gotten lots of Jelly Bean love already, though it remains to be seen if devices like theTransformer Pad 300 will get the update.

Naturally, we’ll be on the lookout to post official guidance on its Facebook page regarding the Android 4.2 updates or hopefully see a leak or two in the meantime.

source: Android Planet
via: Phandroid

Google and Asus offering refunds to certain Nexus 7 owners

Both Asus and Google have announced a price protection program for those that bought a Nexus 7 within a specific time frame, before the price drop. First up is Asus. They’re offering UK customers that bought the 16GB Nexus 7 directly from either Google or Asus a ₤25 refund for those who bought one before October 29th. You must register your device with Asus and also provide a proof of purchase. You must also do so by November 30th. Next is Google as they are offering a $50 refund towards your account for those in the U.S. that purchased the 16GB Nexus 7 on or after October 14th.

source:  The Verge

Nexus 7 sales ramping up to 1 million per month

It looks as if early sales estimates of the Nexus 7 may not be too far off. Asus’ CFO, David Chang, revealed Nexus 7 sales numbers for the past couple of months. While perception for most may have been that the Nexus 7 was selling like hot cakes, however reality was that it was a bit slow by today’s standards. Chang revealed that sales were in the 600,000 and 700,000 units per month for the first couple of months. However, this past month it jumped to a million units.

Seeing as the holiday shopping season still hasn’t even ramped up yet, early estimates may not be far off. Asus is forecasting modest sales figures however, hoping to move 2.6 million units in the fourth quarter. This would be make initial estimates a bit short of the 8 million initially thrown out there. I’m thinking it’ll fall somewhere in between. Regardless, it’s a pretty sweet piece of hardware.

source:  The Wall Street Journal

Canonical’s installer easily loads Ubuntu onto your Nexus 7

Have you ever imagined having access to a full fledged desktop experience on your tablet? Well, today the geniuses at Canonical have released the first version of their Ubuntu installer for the Nexus 7, effectively bringing the Debian-derived Linux desktop to your fingertips.

The whole process has been stuffed into a one-click installation tool, so users can easily install the special build (based on version 12.04) on their devices. Keep in mind that in order to properly install the software, you’ll need to have fastboot already set up and functioning, enter a few commands and, of course, have an unlocked bootloader. None of these things should be a problem though, considering it’s a Nexus device after all. In fact, you can find our in-depth directions on how to root and unlock your Nexus 7.

Unfortunately, the tool is currently only available as a developer preview for users with machines running Ubuntu 12.04 LTS or Later. However, it is expected that the service will expand with compatibility for other operating systems in the future. For full instructions and more information regarding the installation process, hit the source link below.

Source: Ubuntu (Instructions), Ubuntu (FAQ)

8GB Nexus 7 no longer availble in the Play Store, listed as ‘coming soon’

Surprise, surprise. The official Play Store listing for the ASUS-manufactured 8GB Nexus 7 has been updated, effectively showing the item as “coming soon”. This move follows several strong rumors pointing to the idea that Google could potentially phase out the 8GB version of its Android tablet to shift the 16GB version downward and replace it with a 32GB version.

Users who have purchased the 8GB version have undoubtedly witnessed the limits of its minimal storage space. A trio of Tegra 3 games and an HD movie will almost certainly fill up that space by themselves. For this sole reason it would make sense for Google to up the storage capacity of the base model to fix storage dilemmas  And, with the launch of Apple’s new iPad mini approaching, next week’s event would be a perfect moment to do just that.

Regardless, if you were planning on picking up a Nexus 7 in the near future, I would suggest holding off–at least for now. With Google’s Nexus event upon us, who knows what could lie ahead. Perhaps even a 3G-enabled version of the tablet?

The Microsoft Surface Tablet: Average Features In An Average Package

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past few days, you’re probably well-aware of the upcoming Microsoft Surface tablet. Dubbed as one of the saviors for Microsoft’s rapidly degrading brand, the Surface tablet has already been identified as the true iPad and Android tablet challenger. With its thin profile and abundant storage space (comes in 32GB or 64GB configurations with an expandable storage slot), the Surface tablet will have at least the physical features to make it an interesting product. However, the hardware is just one aspect of the tablet— the real kicker is Microsoft’s brand-new OS: Surface for Windows RT technology. The OS will essentially mirror its upcoming Windows 8 OS, while having exclusive offerings like Microsoft Office 2013 and a special version of Netflix included with the tablet. So in essence, upcoming Surface tablet seems to be a true productivity workhorse— at least on the surface (no pun intended folks).

ASUS Announces The PadFone 2, Keeps The Phone/Tablet Party Rolling Along

After countless leaks and much speculation, the next great
phablet phone/tablet hybrid is here. ASUS has formally announced the PadFone 2 and it will come jam-packed with lots of sweet features. Packed inside, the PadFone will have a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor matched with 2GB of RAM, a stunning 4.7-inch Super IPS display for the smartphone (10.1-inches for the tablet add-on), a beefy 2,140mAh battery and of course, Ice Cream Sandwich. Oh and least we forget the device will have up to 64GB of on-board storage.

Naturally, the successor has to look even more appealing visually than the original, and the PadFone 2 does just that. For starters, the smartphone itself will weigh just 135 grams and come in at 9mm thickness. In addition, despite the larger display and hefty internals, the combination of the tablet and station comes in at just 649 grams in total weight. In fact– what’s even more stunning is the fact the the PadFone 2 and PadFone 2 Station can actually combine together and still weigh less than most tablets available in the market today.

For those of you abroad, the PadFone 2 will be launched before the end of 2012 in Europe and Asia. While the PadFone 2 won’t be available in the States (for now), fear not— because availability in other countries will be announced at a later date. Hit the break for the full presser.

Hands-on video reveals ASUS Padfone 2 design and specs

Earlier today, images leaked of ASUS’ upcoming Padfone 2, revealing the company’s second iteration of its half-phone, half-tablet hybrid. Shortly following the leak, a hands-on video emerged, unearthing the elusive device in all its glory.

The Padfone 2 will sport a a larger 4.7-inch HD display and a much improved 13-megapixel rear camera. Additionally, the new model is said to offer longer battery life, with the phone and tablet lasting between two and three days on a single charge. The video also provides more insight into the design changes, including the removal of the rear docking door. Catch the video below for the full run-down. (Note: the Padfone 2 segment begins at 1:40)

ASUS Padfone 2 images surface ahead of October 16th announcement

We’ve already received our invitation from ASUS to attend its October 16th event where it’s expected that the company will finally unveil the successor to this year’s wildly versatile Padfone. While the phone/tablet-hybrid’s rumored specs have already leaked, today actual photos of the elusive device have emerged, revealing its reenvisioned design.

Though the entirely new package falls in line with the original Padfone’s unique form factor, it seems as though ASUS has really spent some quality R&D time on the new iteration. Both the handset and tablet appear to have been crafted with top-notch build quality (which ASUS has been notorious for over the past year), though this is something that can’t obviously be confirmed until we get a chance to play with the device. Pricing and availability remain a mystery, but you can jump past the break to catch some additional photos.

Source: evleaks

32GB Nexus 7 appears on yet another retail site

By now, the 32GB Nexus 7 shouldn’t be a huge surprise. However, the more retail sites that we see this nice little device show up on the better. This time the device is popping up as a registration page on the Spanish version of UK the based Carphone Warehouse called Phone House. All signs are definitely pointing toward the 32GB version of the hot Nexus 7 making its way around the globe. What’s a little bit of a mystery is the price. Some think the 32GB version will replace the 16GB one in price, but the price shown in the picture is 30 Euros higher than the 16GB version. This is at least the third different price that we’ve come across. Hopefully we’ll find out soon enough. Or you could get lucky and order the 16GB version and Google will send you a 32GB model like that one guy. 

ASUS Transformer Prime receives Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update in Sweden

ASUS has officially announced the impending rollout of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to Transformer Prime owners in Sweden. Users should begin seeing an OTA update sometime today. As always, if the update doesn’t automatically show up, you can head into settings -> about device -> software update to pull the firmware directly from ASUS’ servers.

The company is also insistent to remind everybody that along with the update, users will lose official Adobe flash support and Wifi-Direct. Because of this, ASUS isn’t forcing Prime owners to accept or install the update. While there haven’t been any further announcements made pertaining to rollouts in other countries, users can take this news as a good sign. In fact, rumors suggest that if the update goes smoothly, other markets could expect to see Android 4.1 as early as October.

Install Jelly Bean firmware update on ASUS Transformer Infinity TF700

Last month ASUS pushed out an update to their ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 to install Jelly Bean. This left owners of the higher-end ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 feeling a bit left out in the cold. XDA forum member MysticMgcn has come to the rescue in the form of instructions on how to use the TF300’s firmware on the TF700. According to his How-To post on the XDA forums, the only two things not working are changes to screen brightness and changing the DPI, which is set to 160. Screen brightness can be adjusted by using third-party apps, but there currently is no solution for the DPI issue.

MysticMgcn’s How-To includes instructions and files for rooted or unrooted devices, locked or unlocked bootloaders, and stock or custom recoveries. If you have a Transformer Infinity TF700, you may want to head over to the forum thread linked in the source to read up on everything you need to do to get Jelly Bean onto your device. Just remember, you will be responsible for anything that goes wrong with your device if you attempt this.