Sony Releases 24-inch Multitouch 3D Vaio L All-in-one

The IFA 2011 reveals are starting to roll in, and Sony’s been busy sharing the latest additions to its product lines. Joining the company’s Vaio line-up is the new 24″ Vaio L all-in-one, which features both multitouch input and 3D capabilities. 

Powered by the latest Intel Core processors (the specific CPUs have yet to be announced), the new Vaio features 8GB of DDR 3 RAM at 1333MHz, 1TB SATA hard drive, Blu-Ray/DVD +/- RW combo drive ( a full Blu-Ray burner will be available in certain configurations), 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, 2 USB 3.0 and 3 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI output and input, HD webcam, built-in speakers, a wireless keyboard and mouse, and a pair of rechargeable active shutter 3D glasses. NVidia GeForce GT 540M graphics with 1GB VRAM power the Vaio L’s visuals, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit handles OS duties.

As Sony’s presser notes, the HDMI input turns the 24″ full-HD display on the new Vaio L into an excellent screen for PS3 gaming. Best of all, the input works even if you haven’t booted Windows — so you can hook it up just like a standard television to any device with an HDMI output. The multi-touch display also features Sony’s Edge Access tech, which works a bit like the bezel swipe actions on the BlackBerry PlayBook: just swipe in from the side to reveal commonly-accessed functions. The new model is set to launch in October of this year, but no specific date has been announced yet.

Philips Introduced Universal Audio Docks for Android

 

Today at IFA Philips announced the first (nearly universal) audio docks for Android devices. If you have ever taken a trip into a big box retailer, an online retailer, or gone to an electronics trade show you have seen the vast expanse of iPRODUCTS. This product designed to work with Apple iDEVICES blah blah blah. For the past two years I have been waiting for a product similar to this.

Philips addresses the issue that has been holding OEMs from designing for Android – the lack of uniformity. Android comes in all shapes and sizes and very rarely has a manufacturer maintained a design that is uniform even across their own product line. Only recently has Motorola begun to do so with the Photon, Droid 3, Atrix, etc – they should all theoretically be capable of sharing the same docks and accessories.

Philips has designed a unique connector which can be adjusted in three dimensions to offer the ability to hold your phone (or tablet) in either landscape or portrait mode. “This means you can dock and charge most Android phones and your phone will always be positioned at the centre of the speaker for the best sound experience.”  

Toshiba Declares AT200, the ‘world’s thinnest And lightest’ tablet

Toshiba's new ultra-thin AT200 tablet is said to be the thinnest, lightest tablet to date. 
Just as the rumors predicted, Toshiba has officially announced its next-generation Android tablet, the AT200, which the company boasts is the “world’s thinnest, lightest” tablet PC.The AT200, which will purportedly be called the Excite in the US, was unveiled today the IFA conference in Berlin, Germany. And from what we’ve seen so far, this impressive-looking device could stand as the next major competitor in the Android tablet arena.

 Loaded with Android 3.2 (Honeycomb), the AT200 measures a mere 7.7mm thick. Compare that to the 8.8mm thickness of the iPad 2, or even the 8.6mm of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and those devices look downright bulky. It’s also light, weighing in at only 1.23 pounds (558g), which is just slightly lighter than the iPad 2′s 1.33-pound (601g) weight.Other external details include a 10.1-inch screen, with 1280×800 resolution. The back is brushed aluminum, which gives it a clean, industrial design look. The edges are squared off, and also covered in aluminum, similar to the look of the iPhone 4.