WonderMedia unveils new Prizm WM8710 SoC for Android tablets

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If you are a fan of Android tablets, a new SoC has been unveiled for the platform called the Prizm WM8710. The SoC is aimed at the entry-level Android tablet market and will also find its way into other devices like Smart TVs, wireless displays, and network projectors as well as Windows CE smartbooks. The platform is optimized for multimedia applications, has an optional MMX-enhanced DSP, and supports hardware video encoding.

The key feature of the device is an energy-efficient ARM 11 core running at 800MHz. The SoC supports full 1080p resolution playback of video and has an OpenGL ES 2.0 compliant graphics processor. It also has a multi-standard 1080p video decoding engine, DDR2/DDR3 DRAM interface. It will also support multiple outputs with HDMI, LVDS, TV-out, DVO, and VGA.
The SoC also supports a flexible networking and peripheral interface and has a hardware security engine as well. It has integrated interfaces for WiFi, 3G, and Bluetooth. WonderMedia will display a Prizm WM8710 tablet reference design kit at Computex along with a selection of innovative media tablets and smartbooks from various makers using the WM8650 platform.

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Envizions EVO 2 game console brings Android gaming to your TV

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If you are a big fan of Android gaming and you want to get some of those games onto your TV without having to hook your smartphone or tablet up to your HDTV Envizions has a very cool new product for you that can be pre-ordered right now. The gaming console is called the EVO 2 and it runs the Android operating system inside. The game console will include an EVO TV remote, EVO game controller, and a HDMI cable all at a price of $250.

The console uses a 1.2GHz Samsung processor inside and has 512MB of DDR2 RAM. The EVO 2 runs a modified version of Android 2.2 for the OS and the console is very compact measuring in at 170mm L x 111mm W x 30 mm T. The device is claimed to be the first Android gaming console that offers users a real time gaming playlist and social friends connections. There will be chances for gamers on the console to earn points to purchase premium Android games for free.
The console will use game cloud storage and will use the Envizions Qquip SMS blogging reward service. The company plans to add other features to the gaming console as well with motion 3D sensors capability coming towards the end of Q4 2011. The console will ship this fall. Envizions says that developers will be able to start testing software via download from its site in two weeks. The console will be updated periodically after the system launches. I guess that means new versions of Android will come to the console.

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LG Optimus 2X vs LG Optimus Black

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We compare the LG Optimus 2X and the LG Optimus Black to see which Optimus is truely prime

Infighting from LG this time as we compare the Optimus Black to the Optimus 2X.
Form:
LG Optimus Black - 122 x 64 x 9.2 mm, 109 g
LG Optimus 2X - 123.9 x 63.2 x 10.9 mm, 139 g
Being from the same manufacturer and indeed the same range there’s not a huge difference between these handsets and clearly they were both inspired by the same design ethos for sleek, black, slab-like smartphones.
The Optimus 2X is the higher-end device but it is in fact a little thicker and considerably heavier than the lower spec Optimus Black, which lends the Black a slightly nicer profile similar to the Samsung Galaxy II or iPhone 4. The 2X is a bit more angular and seems to have been designed to look more premium with the screen more closely hugging the edges of the bodywork than it does on the Optimus Black.
Both phones look equally nice in our view.
Winner - Draw
Display:
LG has fitted both handsets with the same screen, a 4-inch IPS LCD capacitive Nova touchscreen at a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. These handsets keep things basic on the display features side of things, the Black has the Optimus 2.0 user interface (UI) and the Gesture 2.0 touchscreen interface installed, while the 2X has a little more with a reinforced Gorilla Glass display and multi-touch, as well as accelerometer and gyro sensors.
The Optimus 2X’s extra display features make it the preferable model here.
Winner – LG Optimus 2X
Storage:
The Optimus Black has 2 GB of internal storage against the 2X’s 8 GB, but apart from this significant difference the two handsets are similarly equipped with 512 MB of RAM and identical card support up to 32 GB on Micro SD format. Of course the deciding factor here is the internal storage space and the 2X is leaps and bounds ahead of the Black making it a clear winner this round.
Winner – LG Optimus 2X

Processor:
The Black uses a single core 1 GHz TI OMAP 3630 processor which offers great performance but isn’t quite in the same league as the 2X’s dual core 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor. The Optimus 2X’s power plant runs on Nvidia technology with both the Tegra 2 chipset and a ULP GeForce graphics processing unit (GPU).
Once again the difference between mid-range and premium becomes apparent with the 2X’s dual core muscle putting the Optimus Black’s otherwise impressive processing power to shame.
Winner - LG Optimus 2X
Operating System:
Both handsets use Android 2.2 Froyo – although a Gingerbread update is expected very soon. In this sense, there's nothing to really separate the handsets.
Winner – Draw
Camera:
The Optimus 2 X comes with an 8-megapixel primary at 3264x2448 pixels resolution while video capture quality is 1080p. Features include autofocus, touch focus, LED flash, geo-tagging, image stabilisation and face and smile detection. A 1.3-megapixel secondary camera completes the package.
The Optimus Black falls behind a bit but is still a very nice setup with a 5-megapixel primary camera at 2592 x 1944 pixels. Video capture is 720p and strangely the secondary camera is better than its more expensive cousin at 2-megapixels. For camera features it has autofocus, LED flash and geo-tagging as well as face and smile detection. Not bad at all, but aside from the secondary the 2X still does better here.
Winner – LG Optimus 2X
Final Thoughts:
Both handsets are very well equipped but with the 2X clearly set up as the premium, high-end (non-3D) model of the Optimus range it comes out significantly better than its mid-range cousin.
There are a lot of similarities between the two here with the basic display, RAM, card support and operating system, but in one or two key areas the 2X really excels with a much, much faster dual core processor which leaves the Optimus Black’s single core in the dust. On top of this the 2X also has four times the internal storage of the Optimus Black and a much better camera too.

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Droid X Gingerbread Update Now Available By Verizon

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Looks like the speculation is finally over and Droid X users all over the world (U.S. anyway) are going to be living it up tonight.  Verizon has officially released Android 2.3 Gingerbread for the monstrous Motorola device.  If you’re ready to finally upgrade and receive some Ginger-love, check out Verizon’s support page via the source link on both the benefits and the instructions for downloading the update.  With Gingerbread you’ll also receive several “enhancements” to the device.  Enjoy, and don’t forget to let us know what you think about it in the comments below.

Verizon Wireless is pleased to announce a new software update, 4.5.596.MB810.Verizon.en.US, for your DROID X by MOTOROLA. This update provides several improvements for your device, as well as upgrading to the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) Operating System (OS)

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Shipping With Android 3.1

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I don’t know about you guys but I’m stoked about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hitting the market.  I haven’t really been a fan of any device over 7-inches but this one has caught my eye for a number of reasons.  Mainly because it’s slim as heck, has a cool keyboard dock and will be shipping with Android 3.1.  The new 3.1 update offers Resizable widgets, access to the open accessory API, USB host API and improvements for the Media Transfer Protocol and Real-Time Transport Protocol.  You can get your own Tab 10.1 on June 8th for $499 with 16GB of memory and $599 for 32GB.  Let us know what you think in the comments below.  Hit the break to check out our pal’s over at IntoMobile’s quick look at the Galaxy Tab 10.1

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