Mobile Technology

Last Thursday, HP announced that it would "discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones." The surprise announcement came less than two months after the release of the TouchPad and the company subsequently slashed its price, prompting a stampede of customers looking to snap up a tablet bargain. But just how much of a bargain is it considering there won't be any future updates to webOS from HP and developers aren't likely to produce many new apps for a discontinued device? Having spent some time with a TouchPad recently, I'd have to say, like most things, it depends. Read More

Fusion Garage's JooJoo tablet may not have set the world ablaze when it launched in 2009, but that hasn't stopped the Singapore-based company from making a fresh foray into the Apple dominated space. Fusion Garage has unveiled Grid10, a new 10.1-inch tablet running an Android kernel-based OS known as GridOS. The company has also announced a 4-inch smartphone - Grid4 - which runs on the same customized OS. Read More

It’s a sad fact of life for tablet manufacturers looking to produce slim, portable devices that when it comes speakers, bigger is usually better – which is why so many people prefer to opt for headphones when using the devices rather than the decidedly lackluster in-built speakers found in most tablets. But if you’re looking to use an iPad to provide some tunes at a get together, show off a game to friends, or just annoy your fellow passengers on public transport then Logitech’s Tablet Speaker for iPad might provide the extra audio grunt you’re looking for. Read More

Jawbone has built a reputation for producing slickly designed Bluetooth headsets and the company's latest flagship model - the Jawbone ERA - continues that tradition. The ERA is an exceptionally lightweight package that has 25 percent more audio output than previous models, an updated version of NoiseAssassin noise cancelling technology, an onboard processor and flash storage, but its the first ever inclusion of an accelerometer in the unit that has really grabbed attention. So is this a case of tech for tech's sake or does it actually add up to a better headset? We've been putting the ERA through its paces to find out. Read More

With a few notable exceptions, the fine art of tabletop tapping has been a purely non-digital experience for most people. Now, iDevice users can turn their rhythmic creations into real-time drum sounds, courtesy of the TableDrum app from Sweden's Dohi Entertainment. Rather than have virtual drummers tap out the beat on touchscreen icons, this app uses the device's microphone to pick out individual sounds made by thrumping on different surfaces, and allows the user to assign them to the various parts of a drum kit. Read More

Samsung has announced its plans to update the Galaxy lineup with the Galaxy Xcover, one of the world's few rugged Android touchscreen smartphones. It's an IP67-certified dust- and waterproof 3.65-inch device running Android 2.3. It looks like the Motorola DEFY/DEFY+ and the upcoming Sony Ericsson Xperia Active rugged Android smartphones could be getting some "tough" competition. Read More

Unveiled at CES 2011 along with the Eee Pad Transformer, the ASUS Eee Pad Slider tablet PC features a sliding QWERTY keyboard and a 10.1-inch display. An official product page for the Android 3.1-based Eee Pad Slider has gone live at ASUS' global website, and the tablet is rumored to be released in September. Read More

Google has announced today that it is going to purchase Motorola Mobility for a price of US$40 per share, which adds up to a total amount of US$12.5 billion. Taking Google's patent wars into account, Motorola's portfolio of 17,000 patents could have been an important factor behind the deal. According to a blog post by Google's CEO Larry Page, Motorola will be run as a separate business, while Android will remain an open platform. Read More

Smaller camera phones are on the horizon thanks to the development of a new backside-illuminated CMOS sensor, from mobile device imaging sensor manufacturer OmniVision. The OV8850 is said to be 20 percent thinner than any other 8 megapixel module currently on the market, and promises better quality images while also making improvements in power efficiency. The company's announcement has also added even more fuel to the iPhone 5 rumor mill. Read More