Nokia C7 has NFC capability, won't say what it's for -- yet

We like us a little intrigue in our handsets, and we'd say this definitely qualifies: Nokia has apparently quietly slipped NFC circuitry into its just-launched C7 without bothering to mention it in any of the phone's literature. What does that mean? Well, Nokia's not saying, curiously -- but the company has experimented with using NFC for a variety of things over the years, and cashless transactions and contact information exchange are obviously two of the biggies. This actually dovetails nicely with that teaser for the Swipe payment and receipt management system that Nokia put out not long ago, so we wouldn't be surprised if it ultimately had something to do with that; they're saying there'll be an announcement eventually, but for now, all we can do is let the theories run rampant.a

Remote control app for Logitech Revue hits the Android Market

Logitech may have it's own set of accessories for its Revue Google TV box, but the best peripheral may just be that Android phone you already have, which can be turned into a full-fledged remote control with the Logitech Revue app that's just hit the Android Market. Like other similar smartphone remote apps, it will give you both a trackpad and a keyboard in addition to the usual remote control buttons, and it's thankfully free to download. Hit up Android Market to find it right now, or head on past the break if you'd prefer to download it QR code-style.

Winamp comes to Android, one of our childhood dreams is realized

Here's a blast from the past: Winamp, that mainstay media player of college dorms and LAN parties since time immemorial (er, 1997 or so) has made the leap from PC to handset with the release of Winamp for Android. This bad boy is available for Android 2.1 and up, and features a playback widget for the Android desktop and Last.fm integration. But that ain't all! If you install Winamp 5.59 beta on your PC, you can sync and manage your libraries via USB or WiFI. Pretty sweet! We only have one questions, really: will it still whip the llama's ass? Check out the QR code after the break (or search the Android Market) for the mobile app

Tablets: A Prescription for Confusion

“It appears to be just a handful of credible entrants” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs on iPad rivals, “not exactly an avalanche.” It’s certainly been a shaky few weeks for tablets in general; while Apple’s slate can apparently do little wrong, contributing nicely to another record financial quarter for the Cupertino company, the rest of the market is looking deeply troubled. Qualms over platforms, sizes, pricing and usability have all come to a head over the past seven days, leaving manufacturers looking almost as confused as the would-be consumers.

Jobs laid into Android as a “fragmented” platform and 7-inch displays as “too big to compete with a smartphone, and too small to compete with an iPad.” Nonetheless, Android appears to be the horse on which most Apple rivals are betting. Reviews of the first new batch of Windows 7 slates proved less than positive, with models likethe Tega v2 criticized for shortfalls in usability. While Microsoft’s latest version is certainly stronger than Windows XP Tablet Edition ever was, gauged against finger-centric platforms like iOS and Android it lacks the immediacy and intuitiveness users have come to expect.
In response, we’ve seen a gradual distancing of manufacturers from Windows 7, fleshing out vague rumors of reluctance over Wintel slates reported for the past few months among OEMs. MSI has apparently frozen its Windows 7 tablet development, and Lenovo has dismissed the platform as too tied to the keyboard/mouse paradigm as to be suited to pure slates. The question now is not so much whether Android, but which Android, and that’s a thick vein of confusion which even Google itself seems mired in. “What does it mean when your software supplier says not to use their software in your tablet?” Jobs asked, referring to Google’s apparent guidance to manufacturers to wait until at least the next Gingerbread release of Android for tablet use. The first Gingerbread models are expected to arrive at CES 2011 next January – including the new Android model that MSI is supposedly focusing on in favor of Windows 7 – but other manufacturers are even more wary. Lenovo, while eschewing Microsoft’s OS, has said it intends to wait until Honeycomb, the version of Android beyond Gingerbread, before making its play.
On the flip side, Android 2.2 Froyo models are reaching store shelves now, or are expected to in the next few weeks. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab is perhaps the best known, already on sale in some mainland European markets and hitting the UK on November 1st and the US through that month. As well as being one of the 7-inch models Jobs was so eager to dismiss, the Galaxy Tab has found itself mired in controversy over the apparent premium price Samsung – and its carrier distributors – is charging. In the UK, pre-orders have currently settled at around £530 ($830), the same local price as a 16GB iPad WiFi + 3G; in the US, meanwhile, Verizon has been the only network to announce solid numbers, prompting an outbreak of surprise by asking $599.99 for the unsubsidized slate.
Leaked figures from T-Mobile USA, meanwhile, have previously suggested the GSM carrier will be offering the Galaxy Tab at $399 with a two-year data plan, still an expensive option. It seems a risky strategy on Samsung’s part (though carriers set the final subsidized numbers, they’re obviously dependent on the manufacturer’s RRP and wholesale cost), when many had hoped they would significantly undercut the iPad in an attempt to secure market share (and for what is a significantly smaller device).

B&N NOOK Color tablet leaks ahead of launch

Barnes & Noble’s upcoming NOOK Color ereader has leaked, and the company only has itself to blame. ACNET tipster spotted the image of the tablet being used to illustrate a screen protector accessory on the bookseller’s own site, in a page quickly pulled by B&N’s web team.

We don’t yet have any specific details about the device, but previous leaks have tipped a color touchscreen – as opposed to the current NOOK‘s combination of a monochrome E Ink display and a smaller, color LCD touchscreen for navigation and control – and a price tag of $249. It’s also said to be less ambitious in its scope than the iPad (hence the low price) but still allow for at least ereader and browsing functions.
We’ll know for sure tomorrow, when Barnes & Noble is holding a launch event for the NOOK Color.

Ortus Technologies Full HD 4.8-inch display makes Retina Display look low-res

There’s plenty of argument over what distance you should be sitting from an HDTV in order to make the most of Full HD resolution, so we can only imagine the heated debate over Ortus Technology‘s new Full HD MID-scale panel. The 4.8-inch display runs at 1920 x 1080 resolution for a whopping 458 pixels per inch; in contrast, Apple’s lauded Retina Display manages a “mere” 326 ppi.

There’s no information on the company’s site about the new panel at present, but it’s believed to have viewing angles of 160-degrees and be constructed using Ortus’ proprietary HAST manufacturing system. That uses a combination of low-resistence wiring, super-narrow bonding and better quality optics to reduce the distance between individual pixels as well as to increase aperture for better brightness (or, conversely, allow for normal screen brightness with 30-percent lower backlighting requirements).
HAST has allowed Ortus – which is a collaboration between Casio and Toppan Printing – to produce a 546ppi display, though it runs at 960 x 540 rather than the Full HD of the newest panel. The company is also planning 6.5-inch 960 x 540 OLED displays running with a TFT substrate.

Notion Ink promise “minimum of 15hrs” battery on Adam slate

If there’s one thing we’ve come to expect from ARM-based tablets, it’s lengthy battery life, and while the iPad has been ruling the roost with its over 10hrs of runtime, it seems Notion Ink could be stealing Apple’s crown. According to the company’s blog, Notion Ink is seeing “from more than 2 full days to minimum of 15 hours” of use from a single charge of their Adam slate.

We’re guessing that’s with the Pixel Qi version of the slate, rather than the cheaper regular LCD model, but even so it’s impressive stuff. Notion Ink says the Adam’s Tegra 2 processor is actually only the fifth-most power hungry component, with even the speakers – which they’re also pretty proud of – consuming more juice.
Meanwhile, USB Host support is confirmed, which means you’ll be able to plug in peripherals like a keyboard and mouse, together with external drives. It seems Notion Ink might be closing their Early Access Program for developers earlier than November 3 2010, too, with the indication being that they’ve already found a selection of must-have apps for the Genesis platform.