CES 2013 is winding down today, but our giveaway extravaganza is still going on in the Pocketables Forum. The winners of all the prizes will be chosen on Monday, January 14, so you’ve still got a few days to enter for a chance to score a 16GB Nexus 7 WiFi tablet, Seidio and OtterBox cases of your choice, and other cool swag from CES.

Here’s the rundown of everything up for grabs.

Nexus 7

You’ve read our Nexus 7 review and know we’ve given a couple of these devices away before, but since we still think it’s one of the best WiFi tablets in the 7-inch category around, here’s another chance to win one.

This 16GB WiFi tablet, which features an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 1280 x 800 IPS display, 1GB RAM, and the latest Android operating system, can be yours by simply visiting our CES 2013 forum and posting anywhere within it. Every post counts as an entry, so the more you participate, the more chances you have to win!

Official CES 2013 Press Bag

Even if you weren’t able to attend this year’s show in Las Vegas, this official CES press bag (exclusively given to registered members of the press) will make it look like you were there.

Lots of people use theirs during the event to carry laptops, tablets, and various material given out at booths, but we kept this one in the hotel so it would be in pristine condition for you.

To win the bag, go to this thread and tell us which product or category you think stole the show.

Lenovo Wireless Optical Mouse N3902

This Lenovo Wireless Optical Mouse features a two-tone design in red, mini USB dongle that stores inside the mouse when not in use, easy tracking on surfaces like wood and carpet, and integrated on/off switch.

It retails for $29.99 from Lenovo’s online shop, but it can be yours free by answering this question in our forum: What are the ways people in the future will be interacting with their computers?

Follow @lenovo on Twitter.

Munitio NINES Earphones

Munitio NINES are high-end earphones constructed from copper alloy with cloth cables reinforced with Kevlar and mic control for Apple devices.

Coated with a titanium finish and packed with neodymium 9mm drivers enclosed in a trademarked Bass Enhancing Chamber, these earphones retail for $169.

Win a free pair by letting us know your favorite place to listen to headphones.

Follow @munitio on Twitter.

Seidio Accessory of Your Choice

Seidio designs high quality cases and other accessories for a wide selection of the most popular smartphones, tablets, and gadgets. The company introduced a new waterproof case this week, the OBEX, that protects devices from water, snow, dust, and drops.

Five lucky members who visit this thread and tell us what kind of mobile accessory would attract the most attention at CES will win a free Seidio accessory of their choosing valued at up to $100 each!

Follow @seidioseidio on Twitter.

PC Game and RAMDisk from AMD

Advanced Micro Devices, better known as AMD, develops computer processors that power a wide range of devices and is one of the largest suppliers of GPUs.

Tell us what your favorite PC video game is for a chance to win up to 64GB of AMD Radeon RAMDisk and a code to unlock one of the following three games: Farcry 3, Sleeping Dogs, or Hitman Absolution.

Follow @AMD_Unprocessed on Twitter.

OtterBox Case of Your Choice

Award-winning OtterBox is one of the leading manufacturers of high quality smartphone and tablet cases for Apple, HTC, Samsung, Motorola, Blackberry, and other popular brands of mobile devices.

You can win any OtterBox case of your choice by telling us which design feature is most important to you when looking for a way to protect your phone or tablet.

Follow @otterbox on Twitter.

10% Off Noreve Order

Noreve is an accessory company known worldwide for its premium leather cases and luxury leather goods.

To save 10% at Noreve’s online store, just enter the special code CROWDGATHER during checkout. The code is good until the end of January. If you’re not a resident of the European Union, then you’re exempt from paying the 19.6% VAT (value added tax), which further lowers the price of your order.

Follow @noreve on Twitter.

As a reminder, the entry period for all the giveaways listed above closes on Monday, January 14. All winners will be chosen at random.

Visit the Pocketables CES 2013 forum and good luck.

Thank you to all of our sponsors!

The post Pocketables CES 2013 giveaway roundup appeared first on Pocketables.

Pocketables is at CES 2013 this week and since we couldn’t take you with us, we’re bringing some of the fun to you with several giveaways. We’ve set up a new CES area in the Pocketables Forum to hold all of the goodies we’ve got for you, so the first thing you need to do to be eligible to win anything is to register for the forum.

Our big prize is a brand new 16GB Nexus 7 WiFi tablet, but we’ll be giving away a bunch of other cool things from various companies, press events, and of course the show floor too.

Win a Nexus 7

For a chance to win the tablet, start a new thread in the CES forum or respond to an existing one. Every single post in this forum is an entry, though we reserve the right to throw out obvious post count boosts.

The winner of the Nexus 7 will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, January 14.

Win Other Prizes

The other swag will be single-thread giveaways, where we ask a question and you post your answer in that thread only. For example, to score an official CES press bag filled with a selection of the latest tech magazines, tell us which product or category you think will steal the show this year. If you want to win a $100 Seidio accessory of your choice, then tell us what kind of mobile accessory would attract the most attention at CES. One entry per thread per person.

We’ll be doing “quickies” like this throughout the week, so keep checking the forum to make sure you don’t miss out on anything.

All winners of these prizes will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, January 14.

The post Win a Nexus 7 tablet and other prizes in the Pocketables CES 2013 giveaway appeared first on Pocketables.

Oprah Winfrey isn’t a name you see on tech sites too often, but when she chooses the Microsoft Surface as one of her Favorite Things of 2012 and gives everyone in her audience one to take home (along with thousands of dollars of other merchandise), we obviously can’t ignore it.

Favorite Things was one of the most wildly popular annual episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ended its 25-season run last year, so it’s no surprise that it would come back as a standalone special on OWN. The two-hour show airs on November 18, but all the chosen products were recently revealed as part of the launch of the new dedicated OWN section of HuffPost.

There’s lots of good stuff in the mix, but of course what caught our eye was the Surface. Here’s what Oprah had to say about the device:

“The Surface, Microsoft’s first tablet, feels like a Mercedes-Benz to me, people! The full-size keyboard built right into the cover makes work easy, the very smart kickstand makes watching a movie or Skyping a friend a delight, the less than a pound-and-a-half weight makes a great alternative to a laptop, and the many other features make it fun for work and play. Now, that’s a wowser!”

“The Oprah Effect” is a very real phenomenon and considering that just about every product she mentions/features/endorses becomes an instant best seller, the Microsoft Surface stands a good chance of becoming one of the hottest holiday gifts this year.

[HuffPost OWN]

The post Oprah says Microsoft Surface “feels like a Mercedes-Benz” appeared first on Pocketables.

It’s been about eight months since the dual-screened Sony Tablet P clamshell tablet was released in the US, and I’m still the only person I know in real life who has one. Whether it’s the unorthodox form factor, oversized bezel, wide space between the 5.5-inch screens, lack of US carrier support (AT&T never released the ICS update, even though other regions got it back in May), or high release price ($399 with contract, $549 without), the device simply never caught on.

In an effort to either turn the tides or get rid of unwanted inventory, Sony dropped the original off-contract price of the HSPA+ tablet to $349 back in June. The $200 reduction must not have made much of a difference in sales, though, because the company has just slashed the price to $199.97, making it a whole two pennies cheaper than the Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD 7, and Nook HD.

Whether the new price helps Sony unload its remaining Tablet Ps remains to be seen, but we’ve already got a place for you to feel less alone if you decide to pick one up.

[Sony]

The post Sony Tablet P now available for $199 appeared first on Pocketables.

Getting an accessory before the actual device it’s meant to accessorize is either good preparation or pure torture.

Regardless of how badly those who pre-ordered the iPad mini yesterday are aching for it, Apple has still shipped the $39 Smart Cover first (the dark gray one, anyway) and estimates that UPS will deliver it on November 1, the day before the tablet’s release.

While this does nothing to speed up the mini’s arrival, at least you can pre-sign for delivery so you don’t end up with the opposite situation the next day: iPad and no Smart Cover.

The post iPad mini Smart Cover now shipping, to be delivered before tablet appeared first on Pocketables.

If you want to wrap your Google ASUS Nexus 7 Android tablet in something more luxurious than an inexpensive TPU case, then you might want to check out a premium leather offering from Noreve. Starting at ~$73 and topping out at ~$85, the folio case features Smart Cover-like functionality, adjustable horizontal stand positions, and all the cutouts you’d expect and need.

The French manufacturer has been producing “haute couture for mobile devices” since 2004, and it’s no secret that I’ve been a fan for nearly as many years, but is a case that costs nearly half as much as what it’s protecting a worthy investment? Read on to find out.

Packaging

Like most high-end companies, Noreve presents its products in a way that makes customers feel they’re getting their money’s worth, even before they get their hands on what they really paid for.

Yes, it’s just a sturdy black-and-red cardboard box with a nice drawstring pouch inside it, but who wants to spend $75+ on a case and have it arrive in something that looks like it was hanging on a shelf at a drug store? The box and bag aren’t meant to be thrown away, in any case, and can be reused for other things.

Design and Quality

Noreve’s leather case for the Nexus 7 is available in the following leather styles and colors:

• Perpetuelle (classic soft leather): black, white, gray, beige, pink, light blue, red, blue, brown, green, purple, orange
• Perpetuelle Couture (classic soft leather with diamond-shaped stitching): black, white, gray, beige, pink, light blue, red, blue, brown, green, purple, orange
• Ambition (pebble grain leather): black, brown, ivory, dark gray, yellow, green, red, indigo, cobalt, violet
• Exception (vintage-textured leather): black, brown, red, blue
• Illumination (varnished leather): black, gold, silver

The case reviewed here is the Ambition Selection in cobalt ($80).

There aren’t too many surprises with the design, as there are only so many ways to make a folio case with all the proper cutouts, though the wire mesh for the speakers and embossed leather lining are certainly nice touches.

To me, what separates Noreve’s case from the crowd are the top-notch quality of the materials, Smart Cover-like function (where the tablet automatically awakens when the case is opened and sleeps when closed), and the discreet stand options, evidenced by the grooves on the inside cover and the crease on the back. Tablet cases with built-in stands aren’t new—and neither is this particular style—but I like how it doesn’t have a flap on the back or a scrap of fabric or elastic attached anywhere.

The Ambition Selection’s pebble grain leather is soft, supple, and slightly textured.  The case is nicely padded as well, so what you lose in the tablet’s thinness you gain in protection and peace of mind.

Fit and Function

The Nexus 7 fits securely into the case with no problems. All of the ports/buttons line up with their cutouts and are easily accessible, as shown in the photos below, and basic functions can be done without having to remove the case. I’ve had some cases for other devices that needed to be partially removed for charging, so while access to essential ports should be a given, I’m still pleased when it’s done right.

The official pogo dock still hasn’t been released and I haven’t tried any third-party microUSB charging docks, but I’m going to assume that this case isn’t compatible with any of them.

The pliable leather strip that attaches the two pieces of the case allows the front cover to fold completely backwards behind the tablet, which means you can hold the Nexus 7 without the flap dangling there awkwardly or getting in the way.

While there’s obviously some kind of magnet in the front flap to take advantage of the Nexus 7′s “Smart Cover sensor”—flawlessly, I might add—there aren’t any magnets, buttons, or other snaps used to keep the case closed. Taking care of that is a rounded tab that clasps the side of the tablet and keeps it shut until you purposely open it.

In addition to being able to awaken the Nexus 7 and put it back to sleep, the front cover is used to keep the tablet horizontally upright in three different positions. The crease in the back cover allows half of the case to be folded and removed from the tablet to achieve this. And although there are only two grooves in the front cover, corresponding to two different angles, the closure tab at the edge keeps the tablet from falling flat and gives it a third stand position.

Conclusion

Premium brands don’t appeal to everyone, and just as some people don’t see the value of a $4,000 Rolex over a $30 Casio watch or $500 Manolos over $10 Payless Shoes, some will balk at the idea of spending $75+ on a case for a $200 tablet when there are cheaper alternatives out there.

But if you accept that high-end brands carry higher prices and are also of higher quality, then there’s very little not to like about this Noreve case. It’s stylish and well made, takes full advantage of the Nexus 7′s magnetic screen sensor, doubles as a triple-position stand, and protects the tablet to boot.

The Noreve leather case for the Nexus 7 starts at about $73 and is available in multiple colors and leather styles directly from the company.

The post Accessory review: Noreve leather case for Google ASUS Nexus 7 appeared first on Pocketables.

Many of you already know how I got here, but here’s a quick timeline for those who don’t. I started Pocketables in 2006 and ran the site alone until 2009, when guest contributors started helping me while I was suffering through 24-hour morning sickness. After my daughter was born, I hired a few writers to keep Pocketables updated then started StreakSmart and Good and EVO in 2010. I sold all three sites to CrowdGather in 2011 and am currently their Director of Content Management. That’s six years of my life condensed into three sentences!

I’m currently juggling the HTC EVO 4G LTE, Samsung Galaxy Note, Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, Sony Tablet P, Tablet S, and three notebooks (Vaio Z520N, MacBook Air, and second-gen Vaio P). It’s more than I need or use on a daily basis, but I’m not ready to throw any of them onto the stack of neglected gadgets I have in my closet. The Vaio Z is my primary computer (Windows 7 Ultimate) and the EVO (Android 4.0.3) is my primary phone. I’m sure I could live with just these two devices, but what fun would that be?

These are the home screens on my EVO: full of my favorite little girl and my most used apps. It’s possible to have more than just three home screens, but that’s all I really need. I could probably cut it down to just one if I made use of folders and chose different widgets, but I’m happy with this setup. I use a lot of stock apps (I like HTC Sense) and keep things pretty basic.

I don’t know what else to say here, so let’s get to the questions from the other editors.

John Freml: When will your daughter get her first smartphone and/or tablet?

Jenn: You mean when did she get her first tablet? She’s had her own iPad for about a year now and has been “using” iOS since she was around five months old. She couldn’t do much back then, of course, but she’s extremely proficient now: changing wallpapers, creating folders, rearranging apps, finding what she wants, navigating menus as though she can read, taking pictures, teaching herself how to use new apps, and so on. Try as I might, there’s just no converting this fanchild to Android! She views my gadgets as little more than cameras, photo albums of herself, and smaller (and probably lesser) versions of her beloved iPad.

Calob Horton: Why did you decide to create a website dedicated to small devices instead of big ones?

Jenn: When I decided to start a blog, it wasn’t going to be about technology. It was going to be a journal where I wrote about whatever was on my mind. At the time, one of these things happened to be the Sony Vaio UX180P. I had a lifelong interest in miniatures and was always in search of a small device that I could use to write fiction, and the UX was the most amazing handheld computer I’d ever seen. It ran circles around my old NEC MobilePro 750C and Palm PDAs, that’s for sure. The UX also introduced me to the UMPC/Origami devices that Microsoft and Intel had just launched. I was instantly hooked.

So I changed the name of my blog to Pocketables (it was previously “in my head” or something—like I said, it was supposed to be a journal) and added the tag line “Portable gadgets according to Jenn K. Lee” to make it clear that it was just my take on gadgets I liked. It wasn’t all-encompassing or really focused on anything other than pocketable devices I happened to be interested in.

William Devereux: Why are you so shy of podcasts?

Jenn: I’ve been avoiding being a guest host on our CrowdGadgets podcast because I’m a terrible on-the-spot speaker. There’s something about knowing that I’m being recorded that makes me choke. Ask anyone who’s ever had to listen to my rambling and awkward pauses on answering machines and voicemail. It’s the main reason I’ve done very few video demos or video reviews, and those I have done were always scripted in some way.

Bryan Faulkner: What’s one thing you miss about writing every day?

Jenn: I’m not blogging regularly anymore, but I’m still writing almost every day. As much as I love tech, what I love even more is writing fiction, particularly short stories, novellas, and novels. I do miss the discipline that comes with daily blogging, though. I also miss the feeling that comes from clicking that “Publish” button; that’s not something you get very often when writing fiction.

Paul King: What was the last device that was actually exciting to you?

Jenn: Out of what I currently own, it would be the Samsung Galaxy Note and Sony Tablet P. The Note because it’s what the non-existent Dell Streak 2 could have been and it’s just about perfect; the Tablet P because it’s unique, fun to use, and looks great all dressed in black. I’m also a fool for most things with Sony’s name on it.

Out of what I don’t own (yet), it would be the Microsoft Surface. Everything else, while often nice or interesting, ends up blending in with whatever else is out there. If I were on a game show where I had to identify a current or upcoming phone/tablet by its photo, I’d probably be out in the first round.

Andreas Ødegård: How has being a mom affected your gadget/app choices?

Jenn: Shortly after my daughter was born, I became very interested in smartphones. For the first time ever, I had actual needs to consider when making a new purchase—one-handed operation, convergence, and pocketability—and smartphones met those needs more than UMPCs, MIDs, and other devices did. I had previously been ruled by unadulterated gadget lust. Even when I knew I didn’t need something and probably wouldn’t use it for more than a week, if I wanted it, I wanted it. Period.

My interest in technology took a serious nosedive post-motherhood. I began to care more about actual toys for my daughter than gadgets for myself, so I eventually sold off most of my collection of tiny computers, smartphones, internet devices, and media players, and downsized to what I would really use.

I expected “gadget minimalism” to be my new lifestyle—and it was for about two years—but now I find myself with more devices in my regular rotation that I can reasonably manage again. I guess old habits die hard.

Aaron Orquia: What is the most expensive technology mistake you have ever made?

Jenn: I can’t think of any mistakes per se, but spending $15,000+ on around 20 UMPCs/MIDs over the years probably wasn’t the wisest thing I’ve ever done. I don’t regret buying any of them, but I didn’t need them either. They were all just “because I want it” purchases. I still have a few of them and remember the ones I sold fondly, but I admit that I went overboard.

I probably wouldn’t be saying this if UMPCs were still around, of course, and in some ways my obsession with them just ended up being replaced by other devices. And I may just be making excuses here, but I’ve always likened my love of gadgets to many women’s love of shoes and purses. Somehow that makes it okay.

All of Jenn’s posts can be found on her author page, so be sure to check it out! Next week, Calob Horton takes the spotlight.

The post Pocketables Editor Spotlight: Jenn K. Lee appeared first on Pocketables.

Even though Good and EVO wasn’t the only site affected by last week’s Pocketables relaunch, G&E readers had the strongest reaction. Many of you have already adapted to the change and are perhaps exploring the rest of the site, but we understand that some of you want to stay true to the old G&E.

No problem!

While we would love for everyone to venture beyond the microsite we have at pocketables.com/htc-evo, we still have plenty of options for those who want to keep up with G&E without keeping up with all the other stuff:

• Download the G&E app
• Subscribe to the G&E RSS feed
• Follow G&E on Twitter
• Like G&E on Facebook
• Update your G&E bookmark
• Keep your G&E bookmark as is (the old site redirects to the new one)

Everything on this list will keep you up-to-date on the latest news on G&E . . . and only on G&E.

The post PSA: G&E-only content is still available to you appeared first on Pocketables.

Since Pocketables was acquired by CrowdGather last year, we continued to bring you the latest news about pocket-sized tech and also introduced a weekly newsletter and podcast with the rest of the CrowdGadgets team. Now it’s time to take the site to the next level with a new focus, a larger staff of gadget experts, a multi-site merge, and a complete design overhaul.

New Focus

We’re tearing the seams of our previously sizist “pocket” definition and expanding our coverage to include more of the devices that interest you. Pockets aren’t exclusive to pants and coats, after all. You can carry an iPad or 11″ Macbook Air in a range of ScottEVest clothing pockets, a 10″ Android tablet slips easily into a backpack or messenger bag pocket, and an ultrabook or notebook fits into airplane and car back pockets.

In addition to welcoming more gadgets, the new Pocketables.com (we’re not a .net anymore!) will return to its roots by including more long-term coverage and feature-specific reviews of single devices that we’re using in our real lives.

We’ll also be increasing our daily post count and bringing you fun new series, collaborative articles, and original content you won’t be able to find anywhere else.

Larger Staff and Merged Sites

Since this is quite the undertaking, we’ve asked a few of our sister sites to join us on our new adventure. That’s why as of today, Good and EVO (G&E), Nothing But Tablets (NBT), and StreakSmart (SS) are all taking up permanent residence right here at Pocketables. This merge brings together some of our most obsessed gadget experts, while also consolidating and strengthening CrowdGather’s tech vertical.

Your favorite editors packed up and moved along with their sites (some are already familiar names around here): John Freml and Paul King from G&E, Andreas Odegard and Bryan Faulkner from NBT, and Calob Horton from SS. Joining them are Aaron Orquia, who you may already know from Pocketables, and William Devereux from the non-merged Anythingbutipad/phone/pod trio of sites. I’ll stop by every so often too. If you don’t know or remember me, hello there. My name is Jenn, and I founded Pocketables in 2006 and G&E and SS in 2010.

While we hope that faithful readers of these sites will become devoted readers of this site, we understand that some of you may not be ready for the change. That’s okay. We’ve made a special top menu bar for you with links to take you directly to where you want to go to see only the content you want to see.

Click “GOOD AND EVO,” for example, and you’ll find everything from the old G&E plus all the new EVO-related content you would’ve seen if the site had been untouched. In other words, it’s the same G&E you’ve always known; it’s just at a different URL. And since you’re reading this, you already know that GoodAndEVO.net now redirects to pocketables.com/htc-evo (NothingButTablets.com takes you to pocketables.com/tablets and StreakSmart.com leads to pocketables.com/dell-streak). Our social media links have not been changed and will continue to display the content you’re used to; that is, you’ll still find only G&E content autopublished to the G&E Twitter feed.

When you’re ready to venture beyond the G&E/NBT/SS “micro site” to see what the entire Pocketables has to offer, just click back to the main home page and you’ll find all the G&E/NBT/SS posts seamlessly merged with the content from the rest of the site.

Design Overhaul

Now let’s talk about the new design, which is undoubtedly the first thing you noticed. Regardless of which site you’re coming from, we know this is completely different from it.

Change always takes some getting used to, so while we don’t expect everyone to immediately embrace the makeover, we hope you’ll focus on and enjoy the content more than any layout element.

That said, however, we do think our new look is a change for the better. It’s fresher, sleeker, and more representative of what the new Pocketables is all about. At the top of our main home page we have quick links to the G&E, NBT, and SS sections, as well as the CrowdGadgets website. Below that is our updated logo and navigation bar to the main areas of the site, including our forum. Then you’re looking at our Featured Posts Slider, which is regularly updated to display 5 of the best posts across the site, followed by 10 of our most recent posts, each in its own little box. Click on any photo or title to view the entire post. The sidebar on the right contains a search bar, social media links, and other useful information, and you’ll find our latest tweets at the bottom of the page.

- – - – - – - – -

And that’s the new Pocketables! We all think it’s going to be awesome and hope you’ll give us the opportunity to prove that to you. Whether you’ve been here since the site was pink and about UMPCs, this is your first visit, or you fall anywhere in between, thanks for reading and allowing us to do what we love to do. No one knows where this new path will lead us, but I hope we can find out together.

The post Welcome to the new Pocketables! appeared first on Pocketables.

We have some big news to share with you on Tuesday, May 29th, so this will be G&E's last post until then.

Come back sometime in the afternoon (EST) on that day and you'll be automatically redirected to a different address, which will be our new permanent home. The new place will be completely different from what you're used to around here, but we'll still be bringing you all of the content you've come to expect from G&E over the last two years, as well as an easy way to find it. We'll have a bunch of other stuff we think you'll love too, so we hope you'll stick with us as we take our gadget obsessions in a new direction.

All comments have been closed in preparation for next week, but if you still need to talk about the EVO 4G LTE, ask other EVO-related questions, or just want to say hi, you can find me on Facebook, John on Twitter, and Paul on Google+ in the meantime. And of course, you're always welcome to stay in touch with G&E on Facebook and Twitter, which will remain unchanged.

Enjoy the Memorial Day weekend and see you soon!

The post G&E will be back on May 29th appeared first on Pocketables.

The Dell Streak 10 Pro made its official debut in the Chinese market in July. It's a 10.1-inch tablet manufactured by Pegatron (previous Dell devices are made by Qisda) and powered by a common Tegra 2 250-T20 processor, which can be found in the majority of available tablets today, including the Streak 7.

The Streak 10 Pro began shipping in late July/early August for ¥2999 RMB, approximately $475 USD. The device was pre-installed with Android 3.1, and an OTA update to 3.2 was released at the end of October.

Display

The 10.1-inch LCD has a resolution of 1280×800 and is neither amazing nor disappointing for a tablet of its size.

Colors aren't washed out or oversaturated. Viewing angles are excellent; even looking at it from the edge, text is readable and no hint of color inversion can be seen at all. Brightness even outdoors gave me no issues, and I was able to see/read the maps just fine when using it as a GPS during a road trip.

One quirk I noticed, however, is that there are many vertical lines running across the display. They're most apparent against solid color backgrounds and are not a huge issue at all times, but they are somewhat noticeable during web browsing since the background is usually white.

Overall the display is leaps and bounds better than the one used on the Streak 7. I do not have much experience with other 10.1-inch tablets, so I cannot make valid comparisons to them. 

Build Quality & Design

One of the main hardware-related reasons I bought the Streak 10 is that it has an aluminum backing just like the Streak 5.

It's a black brushed aluminum with lines running horizontally, with nothing but a prominent Dell logo in the center and the camera cluster centered at the top. It looks sturdy and gives the impression that it does not scratch easily; hence, no need for a cover/case. It feels similar to the backing on the Streak 5 except that it's not as matte and has some texture to it. Overall this (and the larger size) is the main distinguishing point of it visually.

The front is simply the display and the bezel with nothing else (like all recent Android Honeycomb tablets). The only thing that breaks the minimalism is the notification LED on the top left corner.

The top right side houses the power button. The top left is where the notification LED, headphone jack, and volume rockers are located, in that order. The right middle has a single micro-USB jack, and finally the bottom has the speakers (haven't used them yet) and the dock connector.

The right bottom is also where a covered SD card slot and a space for what seems to be a SIM card for future models can be found.

The Streak 10 Pro takes full-sized SD cards but must be upgraded to Android 3.2 to actually be able to use it. The S10 ships with a dummy card occupying the slot that can be removed. The cover/flap itself is more flimsy than the one on the Streak 7; hopefully it won't be an issue over time.

Weight & Thickness

The Streak 10 feels only slightly heavy to me. It's about 1 and 1/3 as heavy as the Streak 7 or approximately the weight of two Streak 5s. It is a little heavy for reading while lying down, but not when reading while propped up in bed.

The Streak 10 is only a credit card thicker than the Streak 7, which is itself only marginally thicker than the Streak 5. Overall it feels to be just about the right thickness to hold comfortably with one hand. It feels like holding a magazine in both weight and thickness and would only be improved by lightening it up by just a small amount.

Camera

After using the back cameras on all three Streaks, my general opinion about them is that they're okay/acceptable but definitely not amazing.

The Streak 10 Pro's back camera is 5 MP and takes acceptable pictures. There's a moderate amount of noise in the images, but not so much that they can be considered bad. If you have ever seen pictures taken on a Streak 5 or 7, you can expect the same level of quality from the 10.

I have never used the front cameras on any of Streaks, so I cannot comment on the quality.

Using a 10.1-inch tablet as a camera is rather unwieldly. I would not ever consider using the rear camera ever except as a last resort or simply for the novelty. Perhaps eventually when augmented reality apps become more common it may be more useful, but at the moment it's merely there to stay on par with other competing tablets.

Performance

The Streak 7 and 10 Pro share many of the same components; as stated earlier, both are Tegra 2 devices. As such, there is not much to say, as performance is about the same. The Streak 10 Pro may in fact be slower in games since it has a higher resolution screen and has to do more work for the same scene, but in general they are comparable.

Software

The Streak 10 Pro initially shipped with Android 3.1 and just recently got the upgrade to 3.2. Considering that there are still other tablets out there who have yet to be upgraded from 3.1 to 3.2, the update for this device has been very timely. As the device is only a few months old, I would fully expect at least Ice Cream Sandwich to be made available for it.

Android itself is more or less fully stock. The 3.2 update doesn't add much in terms of features; it's very similar to the Streak 7's update.

Stage UI 1.7 is included. It's similar to what was seen in the Streak 7's Android 3.2 update, but is severely crippled in comparison. The only included widgets are the weather, picture, radio, and web ones. The weather one can automatically grab your location from the GPS receiver on the Streak 7, but you must manually search for your location on the 10 Pro. The books, music, social, and email widgets were not included out of the box.

Included Apps

The Streak 10 Pro is sold in mainland China, so it contains none of the Google apps or any of the Google frameworks. I cannot reall y dock points off it for this since it's an imported device. It seems that no devices sold officially in China can have Gapps/Google support; the Streak 5 has a mainland China-specific ROM that also omits the same apps.

What is included is what seems to be the Chinese equivalents of Search, Maps, and Market. I only used them briefly but the selection in the market app is very sparse. Google translate was available in its catalog, though, so I would assume you would be able to install some of Google's apps on it officially.

All the stock Android 3.2 apps are included, such as the clock, camera, browser, and email.

There's also an app called Dell work profile, but it requires you to be registered so I cannot comment on it.

Bootloader

Like other Dell devices, the Streak 10 Pro's bootloader is completely unlocked. This means that you can expect the same amount of "freedom modding" on it as on the Streak 7.

Connectivity

This is the weakest point of the Streak 10. It has no HDMI port of any kind, and the dock connector is different from the PDMI connector on the other Streaks. The only included items in the retail box are a completely proprietary charger and headphones. There is supposedly an HDMI adapter for the devices, but it's either still very new or not yet released. Other accessories may be in the works as well, but so far only cases are available.

Wireless connectivity is what you would expect on any device of its age: WiFi B/G/N, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and the previously mentioned GPS.

As a GPS device, the Streak 10 performs very well. It's leaps and bounds ahead of the one on the Streak 7, but still not as good as the one on the Streak 5.

After initially getting my location, it only lost it once for a short amount of time on a two-hour trip. By comparison, the Streak 7 had a great deal of trouble getting a signal during that trip (to be fair, I was juggling three devices at the time so it may have been fixable with a reboot). The Streak 5 still seems to beat both of them out, though, as after a year's use I rarely ever lose a connection for more than a couple seconds, and that's only when I'm driving under various obstructions.

In terms of how quickly the Streaks can get a new location (150 miles away from last use), the 5 locks almost immediately, the 10 Pro takes 1-2 minutes, and the 7 takes 15-20 minutes.

Note: The Streak 10 Pro has a check box to enable A-GPS while the Streak 7 WiFi does not.

Battery Life

Like most tablets out there, the Streak 10 Pro's battery life is quite good. You can get a couple of days of light use (e.g., email, web browsing, chatting) before you need to find an outlet and nearly 6 hours using Google Maps/Navigation with another device to tether to for data.

One thing to note is that you cannot charge the 10 Pro though the USB port and must use the included charger. The charger itself is a "line-wart" type charge; if you have ever seen a laptop charger it looks just like that, but 33% smaller than most common smaller ones. It outputs at 19V @1.58A so it's not even at USB spec.

Price

The MSRP for the Streak 10 Pro is ¥2999 (~$475) online and ¥3699 (~$580) in stores.

MSRPs mean a lot less in China than in countries, though, so you can get it for approximately ~¥2260 to 2400 (~$360-378) if you spend time browsing around stores. In a direct conversion, it's not uncompetitive with other tablets at that price, though I doubt you'd be able to import one for less then $450 since online prices are generally higher in China since you can't haggle your way down.

Except in large chain stores, it's actually very common to negotiate prices, especially since electronics are sold by small merchants. Unfortunately, there's also the very real risk of cheap knock-offs and the like.

I would conclude that instead of price being a bad point, it's completely variable depending on the seller. But unless you're fluent in Chinese and can buy it in person, do not expect a great deal.

Conclusion

Overall I cannot recommend the Dell Streak 10 Pro at all since there are so many other competing tablets available in the US. The ~$475 is only valid if you can have it shipped to an address in mainland China and can have it delivered for free; otherwise expect to pay nearly $600 for it.

There are plenty of other tablets that are available for less on the market. There's no compelling reason to buy the Streak 10; I only bought mine as a companion to my Streak 10 and for dev purposes. I was able to get mine rather cheaply so I don't regret buying it at all, but not many are able to import it without having to go through eBay or the like.

Pros

• Fast Android updates
• Good construction, excluding flap/cover
• Good display
• Promising battery life

Cons

• Price
• Lack of Google apps/support (to be expected considering its region)
• Proprietary ports/charger
• Cannot charge through USB
• No HDMI port
• Average camera

This guest review was written by TheManii.

The post Dell Streak 10 Pro review appeared first on Pocketables.

When my wife marveled at a coworker's iPad and said she'd love to have something like that for her frequent travel, I bought her a Dell Streak 7 from T-Mobile after being impressed with its good build quality, ideal size, name brand, inexpensive 4G data plan, speed, and features. She was thrilled. A few weeks later, Staples had the WiFi-only version on a great coupon special and I decided to get one for myself.

I installed the Honeycomb 3.2 update when it became available recently and broke the bad news to my wife that it wouldn't be coming to her T-Mobile 4G tablet. Looking at the two devices side by side, she was disappointed with the new clean look on mine and the old dated look of Dell Stage on hers.

I'm not a root and flash person, and didn't want to risk making a brick out of her tablet trying to solve the UI problem. So I decided to test alternative launchers and see if her problem could be solved going that route. First up were Go Launcher and ADW. Spinning cubes, spinning cylinders, and too many options and configurations. It was just too much for me.

Then I tried Zeam Launcher. It's simple and minimalist, and gave her T-Mobile Streak 7 an  updated desktop without a 3.2 upgrade. It's fast and clean, with a small icon lineup in a narrow panel down the right hand side and all icon pages on an attractive black background. Paired with the free Aquarium Live wallpaper, she got a cool new look for her device. I may introduce her to VTL.Launcher if she needs more docks in the future, but for now Zeam Launcher is making her very happy.

Links: Market (Streak) | Market (web)

This guest post was written by Al in Florida.

The post Zeam Launcher gives Dell Streak 7 a needed facelift appeared first on Pocketables.

StreakSmart is pleased to announced the all-new CrowdGadgets newsletter, a weekly email that delivers our network's best tech news straight to your inbox. In it, you'll find the week's most important tech stories from Anythingbutiphone, Anythingbutipod, Good and EVO, Nothing But Tablets, Pocketables, and of course StreakSmart presented in a sleek, clean, and easy-to-read format. Read the newsletter regularly and you'll be eligible to win fantastic prizes in upcoming giveaways, plus get news from Zune Boards and our other tech sites.

If you don't want to miss out on the latest and greatest tech news or the chance to win some new gear, sign up to receive the CrowdGadgets newsletter now and get your first issue next week.

Thanks for your support of StreakSmart, and please join us every week in our CrowdGadgets podcast and newsletter.

The post StreakSmart announces the CrowdGadgets newsletter appeared first on Pocketables.

Say hello to the CrowdGadgets newsletter, a weekly email that brings the best of our network straight to your inbox. In it, you'll find the week's most important tech stories from Anythingbutiphone, Anythingbutipod, Nothing But Tablets, Pocketables, StreakSmart, and of course G&E laid out in an attractive and easy-to-read format. Keep reading the newsletter and you'll be eligible to win awesome prizes in various giveaways, as well as read news from Zune Boards and our other tech sites.

To guarantee that you're always up to date on all things tech and that you don't miss out on the chance to win some cool gear, sign up to receive the CrowdGadgets newsletter now and get your first issue next week.

We appreciate your continued support of G&E and hope that you'll join us in our weekly podcast and newsletter.

The post G&E announces the CrowdGadgets newsletter appeared first on Pocketables.

To that end, Pocketables is pleased to announce the CrowdGadgets newsletter, a weekly email that will bring the latest and greatest news from our gadget network straight to your inbox. In it, you’ll find the week’s best tech stories from Anythingbutiphone, Anythingbutipod, Good and EVO, Nothing But Tablets, StreakSmart, and of course Pocketables presented in a visually appealing and easy-to-read format. Stick with us long enough and not only will you be eligible to win great prizes in our upcoming giveaways, but you’ll also see news from Zune Boards and some of our other tech sites.

If you don’t want to miss out on the hottest tech stories and the chance to win some awesome gear, then sign up to receive the CrowdGadgets newsletter and you’ll get our first issue next week.

Thanks for your continued support of Pocketables. We hope that you’ll join us every week in our podcast and now our newsletter.

The post Pocketables announces the CrowdGadgets newsletter appeared first on Pocketables.

Links: Team-Nocturnal | xda-developers

The post Been There, ROMed That: Kinged Shooter E3D for HTC EVO 4G appeared first on Pocketables.

It was and as luck would have it, it's also been found. The update and package links are below, but before you T-Mobile folk even think about clicking on them, know this: the update will fail on your device.

For some (presumably carrier-related) reason, this build is for an "unknown US" region, which is why trying to install it on a device branded by T-Mobile using the official link will fail.

The good news, for those uninterested in taking the HoneyStreak route, is that it can be manually installed by following the guide put together by Themanii.

Here are the links you shouldn't click (provided as proof that this update exists): Update page | Direct download (pkg)

And here's the link you should click: xda-developers

Thanks, Themanii!

The post Unbranded Honeycomb update for US 4G Dell Streak 7 now available appeared first on Pocketables.

Last week's rollout of the OTA update to what seemed like every Streak 7 out there except the T-Mobile one supported our previous news, and now we have solid confirmation from none other than Dell.

Speaking about the Honeycomb update for unlocked and WiFi Streak 7s in the US, Europe, and Asia, the company put the final nail in the coffin with this statement:

Dell will not be offering the update for customers locked to T-Mobile in the U.S. With each software update, the requirements for offering the update vary by carrier, region and device, and Dell has decided to not offer this update to T-Mobile customers in the United States.

There's no uncertainty in that.

[Direct2Dell] Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

The post Dell confirms T-Mobile Streak 7 won't be updated to Honeycomb appeared first on Pocketables.

It looks like the wait for Honeycomb-deprived Dell Streak 7 WiFi owners in the US may be over. Based on all the tips that are hitting our inbox right now, it seems that at least some of you out there in the states are joining your European counterparts and helping yourselves to an OTA serving of Android 3.2 right now, two days earlier than expected.

Features of the update, as detailed above, include Honeycomb's holographic user interface, better multi-tasking and navigation, enhanced action/system bar, instant access to all screens, the ever-popular two paned email interface, and better Stage widgets.

If you're not automatically prompted to update, you can check for it manually by tapping Menu > Settings > About > System updates, download the package directly (thanks, Themanii), or visit the official update page from your device (thanks, Chris).

Anyone else now running the official US Honeycomb build on their Streak 7 yet? How's it going so far?

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

The post US Honeycomb update starts rolling out to Dell Streak 7 WiFi appeared first on Pocketables.

For example, G&E reader amaults27 asked for a glossary of terms and a few hours later, Paul put one out. If you ever need to refer to it somewhere down the line, you can find a permanent link in the navigation bar below the site banner.

Many of you also asked for a mobile version of the site. I'm not a fan of mobile sites at all, which is why I never looked into making one before, but I'm working on it now. G&E isn't on WordPress, so there's more than just a simple plug-in involved to get something functional together, but in the meantime, I have something better for you: an app!

It still needs some work as well, but it's free, easy to read, and you can access the original full-website version of a story, adjust the refresh rate, and move it to your SD card. One of the biggest issues it has right now is that for whatever reason, it doesn't look like it's supposed to. [Update: It's displaying correctly now]

This is how the G&E app is supposed to look:

That's pretty nice, right? The main menu shows photos and titles, the individual stories show photos and the full text, and a " See original story" link at the bottom of each story takes you to the story on the main site.

Unfortunately, and for reasons unknown, it looks like what you see on the left instead. That's an actual screenshot from my EVO 3D and no matter how many times I refresh it (tapping the Menu button on your phone brings up refresh, share, settings, and info options), it won't transform into the prettier version I showed you above.

Even worse is that photos aren't showing up and when you tap on a story to read it, you'll only get an excerpt. The "See original story" link is still there, thankfully, so at least you can still get to the site if you want to.

The reason I'm putting the app out now rather than later is that it does work. It's kind of glorified RSS feed, sure, but it's another way to keep up with G&E. I'm assuming that whatever is causing the problems won't be too difficult to sort out either. Heck, for all I know, they've already worked themselves out and you're all looking at the app I wanted you to see. [Update: They did and you are]

In any case, I "made" the app for you and I wanted to let you guys know about it as soon as possible. It's not in the Market (and probably won't ever be), but you can get it here:

Make sure you have "Unknown sources" checked in Settings > Applications, which allows you to install apps that aren't from the Market.

Let me know what you think and stay tuned for more improvements to the site.

Thanks for sticking with us!

UPDATE: The issue with the app not displaying correctly has been resolved. Full articles and photos are now working as they should.

UPDATE #2: The mobile version of G&E is proving to be more difficult than anticipated, so until it's sorted out, we've got these:

• pocketables.com
  
• mippin.com/goodandevomobile

Neither is exactly the way we want it, but they're still functional.

The post Good and EVO app now available for free download [Updated] appeared first on Pocketables.