It’s starting to happen. Those promised Tegra2 tablets of 2009 and 2010 are starting to appear. We’ve seen the Interpad and the AC100 as firm launches and now it’s Pioneer Computers turn. They’ve just emailed information about their Dreambook ePad N7 which appears to be based on the Compal tablet we’ve seen around trade-shows this year.

With a capacitive screen it’s not going to trip itself up like the Huawei S7 although it remains to be seen if this is blessed with Google licensed software. Without Market, Maps, Gmail and sync it’s a no-go for many. Sideloading of applications helps but isn’t the ideal scenario.

$499 $AU seems to be a good price but it must be noted that this isn’t with 3G (a $AU99 extra) which, if the lack of GPS is also true, combines with the lack of webcam and [correction: webcam is a free option] potential lack of Google Android apps to make a serious list of issues.

We’ve got an email out to Pioneer about the Google applications, Android 2.2, GPS and the docking station but I guess we’ll have to wait for those Aussie’s to wake up on Friday morning to get the information. In the meantime we’ve added what we can into the product database and will be updating it as we get new information. Let us know what you think in the comments here or on the product page.

Pioneer Computers Dreambook ePad N7 product page.

Dreambook N7 product page (Carrypad)

BIG thanks to @memerangslaut. Although you made me jealous by tweeting that you are reviewing a Huawei S7, you prompted me to do a quick search for reviews. Bingo! A short one just popped-up at Austria’s derStandard.

Austrias mobile operator A1 has the S7 up for only 29 Euro per month (99 Euros down) inclusive of 5GB internet package which isn’t a bad deal. (Total cost 795 over 2 years inclusive 5GB internet per month) It’s not known when it will be available but as this review has just gone out, one can expect it soon.

‘Huawei S7 disappoints in test’ says the title and it all revolves round that resistive touchscreen that almost everyone has highlighted as a possible point of failure. However good it is (When I tested it in Taiwan that I thought it was a capacitive screen!) it still won’t be up to the standards required of todays consumer tablets. “The screen feels cheap and is not very precise. inch Oh dear.

Other lowlights we’re picking up from the review.

• Camera isn’t good enough for photography and crashed a few times.
• Applications switching appears to be slow.
• The screen feels cheap
• “With intensive use Wi-Fi and GPS-enabled, the operation was significantly below the promised eight hours inch

With Android 2.1 and the 768Mhz Snapdragon CPU the device should perform well enough for home duties but this screen issue is going to cause many to step away.

We’ve still got our S7 on order but we’re going to analyse the next review (probably from @memerangslaut) and wait until we see the Samsung Galaxy Tab pricing/hands-on before we commit to the 350+ Euros that could go towards something better!

derStandard Huawei S7 Review (trans.)

Huawei S7 product tracking page Carrypad.

The pace of progress in the Smartphone world is stunning. Only last week we were excited to see the Droid 2 (Our unboxing video here) with its improved slider keyboard but this week, Samsung take it up a notch with the Epic 4G which has seen a raft of reviews in the last few days. It’s a 4 inch slider Android 2.1 device running on a 1Ghz Samsung Hummingbird CPU. The Epic isn’t quite available yet (31st August is planned) and even then it’s only available to Sprint subscribers in the U.S. but even if you’re not in that catchment group, it’s one to watch as it’s likely to filter out to other networks and countries. It’s based on the Samsung Galaxy S and given the high-end specs and screen size, this one is something to consider as more than just a phone. Kindle reader, free navigation, 5MP cam, fast ARM-core processor and a promised upgrade to Android version 2.2 in September. Lets not forget that keyboard too which is getting some great reports. 5-row goodness! I’m certainly thinking about selling my X10i for this if it comes to Europe!

Samsung Epic 4G product page.

We’re tracking news on this one in the product database now so click through to find the latest reviews, full specifications list, gallery and a list of comparable smartphones.

It’s time to break our silence on the Galaxy Tab. We’ve been watching carefully but just haven’t had enough information to bring you anything solid until now. We’ve used the latest Galaxy Tab news as our cue to round-up the information and drop it into the database. Of course, nothing is confirmed yet but many of the rumors tie together well and point to an IFA launch next month.

We’ve gathered all the specs we can, linked to the main stories and added this information to our product database which has churned out a nice page which includes all the info you need along with comparable products, an RSS feed of news info and a place for you to comment.

We’ll be adding information, videos, news and specifications as they updates so stay tuned to the Samsung Galaxy Tab information page in our database.

I must say, Verizon is becoming quite the hub for high-end Android powered phones in the US. After the original Droid, they’ve launched the Droid Incredible, the Droid X [portal page], and now they are updating the original to the Droid 2 which can already be pre-ordered online. Let’s take a quick look at some specs:

• Form-factor: Slider with QWERTY keyboard (now bigger thanks to removal of D-pad)
• OS: Android 2.2
• CPU: TI OMAP 3620-1000 @1GHz
• GPU: PowerVR SGX
• RAM: 512MB
• Screen: Capacitive 3.7 inch @ 854×480
• Camera: 5MP (only capable of video capture up to 720×480)

While the phone can already be pre-ordered, there doesn’t seem to be an official release date at this point, though it could happen before August is out.

Verizon says that there is going to be a Droid 2 “R2-D2 inch edition which will be themed like the lovable Droid from Star Wars, and I’m certain that even more “These are/aren’t the droids we’re looking for inch jokes will ensue. I must say, if you buy the R2-D2 edition, you are a geek. It’s not a bad thing, but there’s simply no way around it!

If you want more info, we’ve got full official specifications in our product database as well as a gallery full of official photos, and if you hang around, you’ll be able to join us for some time with the device itself. Stay tuned.

• Motorola Droid 2 product page (specs, details, and more)
• Motorola Droid 2 gallery

This might seem obvious but we think that many of our readers are looking for a similar product –  a consumer handheld internet device, which kinda makes sense because that’s all we cover here at Carrypad!

We wanted to simplify the decision process and short-cut some of the fuss and hype that goes on around the tablet space so we’ve come up with a checklist for you. It’s focused at the consumer tablet but much of this applies to slider and clamshell designs too.

Bookmark this article and when you see a product you like, take a quick look at this list to see if it fits the mould for an enjoyable, usable, flexible, quality handheld internet product.

Read the full story

I’m not going to call the SmartDevices SmartQ T7 an Android tablet because I think it comes in just under the bar in terms of being a flexible, fully-specified tablet but despite that, it has some legs.

I missed it in my round-up at UMPCPortal the other day and nearly ignored it again when Eletroworld emailed me about it; I assumed it was the SmartQ R7, the Ubuntu version running on a 600Mhz ARM11 CPU. The only thing that saved it from being just another Chinese tablet was the 3G option. It’s very rare to see that on a tablet and at $280, it’s a rare price too.

Unfortunately the T7 is still only running the Telechips ARM11-based CPU but this one is the 720Mhz version also found on the Smartbook Surfer which should be enough to drive mobile versions of websites. It’s got Android 2.1 and an 800×600 touchscreen with auto rotate. We don’t expect any Google Android apps or Market but with some side-loading of apps (see this article) it should be possible to fit this out with enough software to handle any ebook format. With a 600-wide screen we expect Google Reader (in the browser) and NewsRob to look great too.

On top of the basic Android build it looks like Smartdevices have used some of their video playback skills to enable 1080p and support of a wide range of formats. It’s got the correct Android buttons on the frame and a 17Wh battery in a weight of 430gm, it could make a good value holidaying or e-reading product.

Eletroworld have offered us a loaner and we’re expecting to get this on the operating table, live, as soon as it turns up. Expected around 20th August.

Latest specifications and links for the T7 are in our database. The price for the non-3G version is $230 and also note that the 3G version doesn’t include the BT module found on the base model.

I’ve just posted a two-part article over at UMPCPortal that looks at some recent news, looks forward to some expected products, highlights some events in September and provides a general update of where we are today in the mobile handheld world. Much of it focuses on consumer products that you readers of Carrypad are interested in.

In the article I talk about the Huawei S7, RIMs Blackpad, Samsungs tablet, the Smartbook Surfer, Interpad (new in the database,) Eking, the Huawei E583C hotspot, ICD, Notion Ink and a bunch of devices that are on our ‘watchlist.’ We’re also going to IDF and IFA events in September so you’ll see some information about that too.

Check out Part 1 here.

…and Part 2 here.