HP rumored to launch two Android phablets by year’s end

Hewlett-Packard may or may not release two brand new smartphones by the end of 2013, reported The Information today by way of The Verge. That gives the computing company eight days to make rumors come true. The phones -- for which no leaked or officially sanctioned images exist to our knowledge -- are expected to be a 6-inch "phablet" and a 7-inch phablet.

By "phablet" we mean either a huge phone or a small tablet. The origin for today's rumor is -- surprise, surprise -- "sources". Both products are expected to run Android, not HP's webOS.

Previously, HP launched and soon thereafter shuttered its webOS smartphone ambitions with the Pre3 (see hero image above) and the itty-bitty Veer (see below). The phones couldn't compete against the Apple-Samsung near-duopoly in the global smartphone marketplace, let alone claw past the likes of HTC, Sony and LG.

An image and benchmarks for a possible HP Android smartphone surfaced in July 2013, only to be briskly denied by an HP representative as false. "Someone is making stuff up," the representative said in a tiny statement.

The two rumored phones now under discussion will be released in emerging markets first, specifically India, China and the Philippines. The prices are pegged in the range of $200-250 USD off-contract.

Eight days. Clock's ticking. We'll see if The Information's sources pan out and let you know if anything emerges.




SOURCE: The Information
VIA: The Verge

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LG Smart TV to WebOS: You're coming to Vegas

LG has made good on its promise to resurrect WebOS in the living room.

An LG researcher, Hong Sung-pyo, said at an event in Korea on Thursday that the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month will play host to the company's first WebOS-based Smart TV. The television will include a 2.2GHz dual-core processor and 1.5GB of RAM, according to Hong.

WebOS has had a long and disappointing experience in the electronics business. The operating system was initially hailed as the Palm's savior, but quickly proved incapable of resurrecting the mobile firm. After HP acquired Palm, WebOS was again pushed as an option for the company, but again the carpet was pulled out from under the operating system.

Earlier this year, much to the surprise of many industry pundits, LG announced that it had acquired WebOS from HP. But unlike its predecessors, LG said it had no plans to bundle it with mobile, deciding instead that it might be a suitable option for HDTVs. We'll find out for sure if it actually is a suitable option early next month in Las Vegas when the industry's massive conference kicks off. And as always, CNET will be there to catch every last minute.


VIA CNET

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