The shipping of the latest Nook HD tablet from Barnes & Noble has started. While this device would be available at a price of $199, the company has reduced prices of the previous versions of the tablet. For instance, price of the Nook tablet models from the last year has been reduced to $179 for the 16 GB version and $159 for the 8 GB version. Besides, the price of the entry level Nook Color has also been reduced to just $139.

Although the strategy of Barnes & Noble regarding the old devices is not clear yet, it appears that the company would sell these devices through the holiday season. The company, in past, also had the policy of delivering refurbished versions of some of these devices at these prices.

Nook tablet, having 1 GB of RAM memory, was originally launched back in 2011 and was sold at a price of $249 for the 16 GB version. After that, Amazon launched its seven inch Kindle Fire during the holiday season which was available at $199 for the 8GB model. Eventually another version of the Nook tablet followed with 512 MB of RAM memory, while the internal storage was also reduced to 8 GB, mainly to compete with Amazon Kindle Fire.

Recently, the company started shipping its latest Nook HD, a direct competitor of Kindle Fire HD, Google Nexus 7 and the Mini iPad. The device is available in two models of 8 GB (which costs $199) and 16 GB (available for $229). While there are several advantages that Amazon and Google tablets have over the Nook tablet such as more number of apps and more content, the Nook tablet has a clear edge with its highest resolution that is so far available on a 7 inch tablet. Besides, the device is also lighter than Kindle Fire HD and has support for microSD card for memory expansion.

Shipping of the larger tablet form Barnes & Noble, called Nook HD+, would also be started soon. This 9 inch tablet would be available at a price of $269 while the 32 GB model would cost $299. As per the announcement on the official website of the company, Nook HD+ would be available starting from November 8.

Apple has recently confirmed about a press event of the company that would take place on October 23 ^rd and as per the invitations that have been sent out, Apple says that “We’ve got a little more to show you.” The most anticipated product that is expected to come out of this event happens to be a mini iPad. However, Apple has not offered any details in this regard.
It is expected that iPad Mini would come with a 7 inch screen, mainly to compete with Amazon Kindle Fire and Google Nexus 7. Besides, quite evidently, it would also have a lower price, somewhere around $299. An analyst at Piper Jaffray, Gene Munster, also predicts that the device would only have support for WiFi, although Apple might decide to launch a 3G version in near future as well.

The timing for this launch is quite important since many tech giants have been launching smaller versions of their tablets and Amazon has recently launched the second generation version of its immensely popular Kindle Fire with HD display. The original version of Kindle Fire with HD display is available at a price of just $199 while 7 inch tablets form Samsung and Google are also available at the same price. Another expected launch is from Microsoft in the form of its Surface tablet which, however, would be a full-sized tablet and its price would most probably start at $499.

Various tech analysts believed that Apple was losing as much as 20% of the market by not launching a 7 inch tablet. And while the late CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, believed that launching a 7 inch tablet would be a bad strategy, success of other 7 inch tablets seems to have made Apple change its stance. Analysts have also predicted that depending upon the company’s ability to fulfill the demand Apple might sell as many as 5 to 10 million mini iPads before the end this year.

Fulfilling the demand is an important issue since iPhone 5, which was launched only three weeks ago, have been facing trouble in fulfilling the demand of the consumers which is causing Apple to lose the profit. Overall, Apple tablet is the most popular tablet ever since the inception of tablet computers back in 2010 and to the date, Apple has sold more than 75 million iPads worldwide. Other than the mini iPad, Apple might also launch other products like slimmer MacBook Pro laptop and revamped Mac Minicomputer during the same event.

The latest interesting development regarding the rumored iPad mini is that its mock-up pictures have been revealed over a French tech blog which previously also leaked the pictures of the new iPhone. These photos show the front white part of iPad mini, held in various positions. There is another photo showing cases of the larger and smaller versions of iPad, along with the cases for iPhone 4S and iPhone 5.
So far it is not clear whether these mock-ups photos actually belong to the speculation mini iPad. Apple has also not commented on the situation and there is no official statement on the matter. Last few days were very important for Apple, considering the launch of the new iPhone 5. As always, the latest version of the smart phone from Apple is expected to be a huge hit among the customers. However, Apple might be back in a few days with the announcement of the mini version of its tablet.
So far Apple has refrained from entering in the domain of 7 inch tablets. However, during the recent months, the expectations about such a move from Apple have been very high. Apple is already the leader of the tablet market and with the launch of a smaller version of iPad, with lower price, it would certainly have a clear lead over its competitors. The two main rivals of Apple in the domain of 7 inch tablets would be Amazon with its Kindle Fire and Google with its Nexus 7. Both Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire have been doing very well in the market and have a wide user base. Amazon recently launched the second generation version of its Kindle Fire which would also be available in 8.9 inch form factor. This size is not very far away from 9.7 inches of the iPad, which has brought Amazon a bit closer in competition with Apple. However, any other tablet in the market has a long way to go before catching up with the iPad.
Everyone is impatiently waiting for Apple to come out and declare something related to the mini iPad. It might just happen in the next few days, so just keep your fingers crossed and wait for the long anticipated event.

Latest news about the upcoming version of Amazon Kindle Fire is that it would be displayed by Amazon during a press event. However, contradicting all the rumors and speculations, Amazon would not display any 10 inch version of its tablet and instead only two models of the 7 inch version of Kindle Fire would be shown.

The difference between the two 7 inch versions is that one of them would come with enhanced features while the other one would only be slightly upgraded from the first generation version. The enhanced version would have faster processor, increased internal storage, HDMI port and exterior volume controls, among other anticipated hardware enhancements.

The most important thing in this regard is that there won’t be any 10 inch version of the device. Previously, it was highly speculated that Amazon is developing a 10 inch version of its tablet, mainly to compete against Apple’s iPad. However, reliable sources have now claimed that other than the two 7 inch version of Kindle Fire, there would not be any 10 inch version.

Amazon’s decision of not entering in the domain of 10 inch tablets seems a bit reasonable since it would be quite useless competing against iPad which virtually has a monopoly among the 10 inch tablets. But on the other hand, it might have been a good idea since Amazon would face a real tough competition from Nexus 7 in the domain of 7 inch tablets and having a 10 inch tablet would’ve increased space for the company. Besides, there are also rumors that Apple is gearing up to launch a mini iPad, which would be a 7 inch device, and hence Amazon would inevitably have to compete with Apple. If this turns out to be the case, Amazon should consider launching a 10 inch version since it would already be competing against Apple in the domain of 7 inch tablets.

So far Amazon has not given any official information regarding the prices of the two updated Kindle Fire models. But rumors suggest that the improved model would come at a price between $149-$199 while the model with advanced features would cost between $199 and $249. However, there are also chances that Amazon might reduce the prices of the two models even further to retain its upper hand in 7 inch tablets.

Good news for the users of the Facebook app for iPhone and iPad is that Facebook has released an updated version of its app which would be much more faster compared to the previous version. Although the general user interface of the updated app is pretty similar to the older app, the major difference is that the programming code of the new app has been replaced with the new code used for iOS.

There are various notable changes that can be observed in the new app. For example, the code for the camera and messenger apps of Facebook has been integrated in the main app, replacing the older tools. This has increased the facility in messaging and managing photos in the new app. The news feed has also been improved and the new feed would be more dynamic. This means that with every “like” or comments on a status update, it could be observed directly without any need of refreshing the page.

The most important aspect of the recent major re-structuring in Facebook is that every product team is now working on mobile platforms. According to Facebook executives, special attention is being paid to major platforms such as iOS and Android. Instant operation of the apps is necessary when it comes to mobile platforms and this is precisely what the new Facebook app does.

An important question that was raised regarding the departure of Facebook from the native code is that would it still remain an open Web platform. According to the head of mobile engineering at Facebook, Cory Ondrejka, it would remain so. He said that wrapping the native around the web technology was not viable for Facebook apps, since the performance of these apps in past was not up to the mark. He further said that Facebook would continue to take advantage of the web technology in future as well.

An important advantage of the web based development is that the entire development team can work with the same code on all products, hence considerably increasing the productivity. This would also eliminate the need of writing a new code in a different language for each platform. Talking about the comparative advantage of the latest development techniques, Mr. Ondrejka said that “We would love the Web to be as capable as native to simplify development. But it’s just not there today.”

As the release of iPhone 5 is getting closer, fans of Apple are getting more and more excited. But there are certain things that are still unclear about the intentions of Apple, as usual. While there is no doubt that iPhone 5 would be the best Apple smart phone to the date and would prove to be a blockbuster, it is not clear whether Apple would also launch a mini iPad in the upcoming events. But whatever the case is, this holiday season would certainly be a big one for Apple.

Tech sources have revealed that Apple might launch some of its major products during the month of September. These devices include a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, a new iPod touch and a new 21.5 inch iMac. But of course, the main focus of attention would be the launch of iPhone 5 which would also be released pretty soon. Besides, there is a lot of mist surrounding the rumored mini iPad which, if launched, would be the official entry of Apple in the domain of 7 inch tablets. Overall, the last quarter of this year would most probably be the most productive quarter for Apple.

The rumored release date of iPhone5 happens to be September 21. However, Apple has not given out any official nod in this regard. After the hype surrounding iPhone 5 would be settled, Apple might hold another major media event in the month of October which might see the unveiling of the mysterious mini iPad. The event would also see the launch of some more Apple products such as a new iPod nano, a modified version of the new iPad, and a new 27-inch iMac. So the count of remarkable products that the company might launch in the next couple of months seems to be quite high and if things actually go by the road map suggested by the rumors, Apple fans are in for a big treat over the course of only two months.

If you happen to be an Apple fan and are craving for these new Apple gadgets, you better start saving money from now since it would cost you quite a bit. Let’s hold our breaths and cross our fingers to witness the true magnificence of Apple in awed silence.

One of the most curious questions in the tech industry today is whether Apple would launch a smaller version of its famed iPad or not. While anticipation is high in this regard and many people believe that Apple would indeed make such a move, there is no official confirmation in this regard so far. While Apple maintains a clear dominance in the domain of 10 inch tablets, launch of a 7 inch iPad with reasonable price would make sure that Apple also has this dominance in the domain of 7 inch tablets. So far, three price options of $249, $299 and $349 are being considered reasonable choice for the mini iPad. The $349 price tag would probably accompany the 4G LTE equipped version of the device, while $249 would be reserved for the entry level model. Among other tech giants, Google is also anticipating such a move from Apple. Due to this reason, Google is about to reduce the price of its Nexus 7 and bring it to $199, which would certainly be quite remarkable. Once the mini iPad is launched, its closest rivals would be Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire. Google is quite active in promoting the $199 price tag of Nexus 7, which can also be seen on otherwise clean and ad-free Google search page. This strategy of Google is not bad and would increase the sales of Nexus 7 before the mini iPad hits the market. According to the tech analyst, Rhoda Alexander, Google has clearly raised the quantity of orders being built this year. The expected orders for this year happen to be about five to six million, and might even exceed this number. However, the WiFi only version of Nexus 7 would not be very easy to sell, since at least 3G equipped version is necessary these days, particularly for Asian market. On the other hand, a smaller version of iPad equipped with 3G and 4G capabilities would certainly be very attractive throughout the world, including the Asian market. Amazon is also all set to launch the second generation version of its Kindle Fire, which would have real tough time in the market, given the presence of Nexus 7 and the expected launch of iPad mini. Next few months would be very interesting to observe in the domain of 7 inch tablets and if Apple launches the mini iPad within a month or so, by the end of this year, it would be quite clear who the victor is.

According to the latest information from some of the most reliable industry sources, Apple would launch its iPhone and the highly anticipated mini iPad during two separate events this fall. The sources have even pin-pointed the exact dates, according to which the event unveiling the iPhone would come before the mini iPad event. iPhone 5 would be unveiled during an Apple event on September 12.
Sources have also revealed that the launch of mini iPad would be done after iPhone 5 has launched and is already on sale. The exact date of the event that would see the unveiling of the mini iPad, however, is not known as yet, even though the event would be held in October. It is quite understandable that Apple would reserve separate events for both these devices, considering that both of them happen to be blockbusters. Previously it was speculated that Apple might launch both these devices during the same event but according to reliable tech sources, this would be highly unlikely since releasing both devices during the same event would divide the separate attention which they would otherwise command.
According to John Gruber of Daring Fireball, Apple would not want the reviews of both iPhone and mini iPad appearing at the same time since this would divide the attention. Apple would clearly not want a new product from the company battling for top spots in the news coverage. So it makes perfect sense that Apple would reserve separate events for both these grand devices.
So it seems that the season just before holidays would be particularly very active for Apple. Two new major events announcing the launch of two major Apple devices is something that would certainly capture the limelight for a good while. But we do have expectations of major products from other tech giants: second generation version of Amazon Kindle Fire to name one. Whatever turn the situation takes, next few months would be very exciting for the fans of smart phones and tablets.
Apple has so far not released any official announcement endorsing or rejecting these rumors. This is quite expected since Apple likes to keep the announcements very secret till the last moment. To know about the actual situation, just keep your fingers crossed for a few weeks, or even less.

Good news for the fans of Galaxy Note: the larger, 10.1 inch, version of the tablet would be launched during August, as per the official announcement by Samsung. The tablet, which would come with an S Pen style, would come in two models: WiFi only and 3G. 4G LTE models would also follow at a later stage. So far details regarding the price of the tablet have not been provided by Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 was announced during the Mobile World Congress back in February. The two features that Samsung stressed upon for this device are multi-tasking and content creation, which would certainly help Samsung against the tough competition in the market of tablets. Besides, the S Pen stylus specifically made for this tablet would be another positive point since it readily integrates with many native apps for the tablet.

Other than the Stylus, important technical specs of Galaxy Note include a quad-core processor clocked at the speed of 1.4 GHz, 2 GB of RAM memory, 5 mega pixel rare end camera working in conjunction with a 1.9 mega pixel front end camera. Finally, the operating system for this device would be Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which might be a disappointment for many since Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was also recently announced and many people were expecting to see it on Galaxy Note 10.1.

Important software features of Galaxy Note 10.1 include Pop Up Play, which can be used to play vidoes anywhere on the screen, while continuing other tasks. Another feature is Smart Stay, which keeps the display on as long as user have his or her eyes on it. Finally there is S Note, the note-taking app of Galaxy Note that works with the S Pen.

Original version of Galaxy Note, a 5.3 inch cross between a smart phone and a tablet, proved to be quite popular in the market. Besides, Galaxy S3 was also immensely successful, so it is expected that the 10.1 inch version of Galaxy Note would also do well. Samsung has surpassed Apple when it comes to the the number of smart phones sold worldwide, although it still lags behind in the market of tablets, with Apple’s iPad still having a market share of more than 50 percent. However, Samsung Galaxy Tab is considered to be the most popular 10 inch Andorid tablet in the market.

Samsung is all set to release the 10.1 inch version of its famed Samsung Galaxy Note. Original version of the device came with a display of 5.3 and was considered to be a cross between a tablet and a smart phone. Considering its immense success, Samsung decided to release a full tablet version as well, with a display size of 10.1 inch. There were rumors and speculations about the device a while back after which it seemed that everyone had gotten mute. Now, however, the device once again is making news and it seems that its specs sheet have been circulating over the Internet.

Few of the technical specs of the device have also been revealed in the specs sheet. Among these technical specs are included a powerful 1.4 GHz quad core processor, a RAM memory of 2 GB which would considerably enhance ther performance compared to the original 5.3 inch version of the device, a 5 mega pixel rare end camera with the facility of HD video recording in 1080p format and another 2 mega pixel front facing camera for video conferencing and chatting purposes. Sources have also claimed that Galaxy Note 10.1 would also allow the users to connect to smart phones and take calls via the tablet.

The operating system for the tablet is not know yet, although it would be great to have Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for it. Now that most of the high end Android devices are soon getting their Jelly Bean updates soon, it might also be found for this device. Samsung is planning on hosting a Galaxy event in the US on August 15 during which the announcement and further details for Galaxy Note 10.1 can be expected.

The original version of Galaxy Note, a 5.3 inch cross between a tablet and smart phone, proved to be an immense success in the makret, even though most of the tech analysts had serious reservations about it, mainly due to its unusual size. While the 10.1 inch verison of the device is expected to be a success as well, its actual worth would be known only after it is released on a wide scale.