Kindle Fire Sells Out — Just in Time for Kindle Fire 2?

Amazon dropped another hint that it’s planning to introduce the next-generation Kindle Fire at its press event in Santa Monica, Calif., next week: The company said Thursday morning that the original Kindle Fire has “sold out” on its website.

Amazon added that the Android tablet has captured 22% of the tablet market in the U.S., citing (presumably) estimates published by New York-based research consulting firm Frank N. Magid Associates late last month. The same study says that Apple’s iPad still dominates: Approximately half of all tablet owners have iPads.

Amazon has been greasing its PR wheels ahead of next Thursday’s big event. Since the invite was sent out on the 23rd, the company has announced an expanded content licensing agreement with NBCUniversal, sales figures for e-books sold exclusively through its Kindle Store and the international expansion of its Android Appstore, among other items. (Mashable.com)

Toshiba Unveils Tablet-Ultrabook Hybrid

Toshiba unveiled on Thursday during the 2012 IFA conference in Berlin a series of new computer devices, including a tablet-ultrabook hydrid.

The star of the announcement is a tablet-ultrabook hybrid called the Satellite U925t. The device — which converts into a tablet when a user slides the display back and up — runs as an ultrabook on Windows 8 and in tablet mode to access Windows apps.

Hybrids are becoming increasingly popular in the tech space, appealing to consumers who are looking for an ultra-lightweight device that can double as a tablet. But what’s strange about the satellite U925t is that the display folds up, instead of down.

Even still, the device packs a heavy punch under the exterior, boasting a third-generation Intel Core i5 processor with Intel Rapid Start, a 128GB solid state drive and fast DDR3 1600MHz memory.

Weighing in at only 3.2 pounds and measuring just 0.78 inches thick, the 12.5-inch diagonal HD touchscreen is made from Corning Gorilla Glass and features a front HD webcam, as well as a rear 3MP webcam with auto-focus. Other specs include Bluetooth v4.0, an HDMI port and USB 3.0 ports.

Toshiba also announced the Satellite U845W, the first-ever laptop with an ultra-wide 21:9 cinematic display (1792 x 768 resolution) designed for entertainment consumption. The company is touting the device as a conventional PC performer, but with slimmer styling, less weight and greater durability.

The device — which weighs 3.5 pounds — also includes a third-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor with Intel Rapid Start, 500GB hard drive with 32GB SSD cache or 256GB SSD or 6GB DDR3 1600MHz memory. It features a 14.4-inch diagonal HD TruBrite display, a split-screen utility that supports multiple windows on the display in Desktop mode, as well as three USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port and a 1.3 MP Webcam.

Other announcements include the Satellite U945, a four-pound Windows low-cost ultrabook affordably-priced Ultrabook for everyday productivity and entertainment, with a third-generation Intel Core i3 or i5 processors (ULV) with Intel Rapid Start technology, one USB 2.0 port, and two USB 3.0s and a 14-inch diagonal LED Backlit TruBrite display.

Meanwhile, the Satellite P845t boasts a Windows 8 touch experience in a traditional clamshell laptop form factor with a 14-inch diagonal HD Capacitive touch display (1366×768).

Toshiba also detailed its Canvio Personal Cloud, a device which works with iOS, Android, PC and DLNA devices. It allows users to store, share and stream content with remote accessibility to the cloud. The Canvio Personal Cloud — which comes with 2TB ($219.99) and 3TB ($249.99) — is available starting in September.

All other products will be available starting Oct. 26. (Mashable.com)

Barnes & Noble Cuts Tablet Prices

Barnes & Noble is slashing prices for its Nook Tablet and Nook Color devices, beginning Monday.

With growing competition from rivalling tablets and e-readers, the book retailer announced its “lowest pricing ever” in a statement on Sunday.

The 8GB Nook Tablet will now sell for $179, down from $199, while the 16GB version will be $199 from its original $249. The least expensive Nook Color will fall to $149 from $169.

All three devices, with their 7-inch displays, have access to a digital library of e-books, movies, television shows and music.

The price-drop may be a response to the runaway success of Google’s Nexus 7 tablet, which garnered glowing reviews. After the gadget debuted last month, stores quickly sold out of the 16GB model due to high demand.

Amazon is also upping the ante with the upcoming launch of its Kindle Fire successor. There are reports that the tablet, which is expected to ship before September, will be thinner, lighter and have a sharper display than the original.

Buzz is also picking up around the purported iPad mini, which is said to be launching alongside the iPhone 5 in September. The mini could capitalize on the 25% of the tablet market that analysts say Apple hasn’t yet penetrated.

In comparison, sales of Nook devices declined during the fourth quarter due to a lower selling volume, among other issues. Overall losses for Barnes & Noble amounted to $57.7 million — less than they were a year ago, but more than what analysts expected.

Would you buy the cheaper Nook devices, or opt for another tablet? Tell us in the comments below. -Mashable.com

Official Android 4.0.4 ICS Update For Galaxy Tab 10.1 Rolling Out Now

Apple and Samsung may be currently locked in a rather ugly trial centered around various alleged patent and design infringements, but that doesn’t mean the owners of either company’s products needs to needlessly suffer. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 is one of the products that finds itself right in the middle of the ongoing dispute between the two technology giants, but even in the midst of all the legal wrangling, it still manages to find itself receiving a nice new software update which brings new and improved Android features.

If you are the proud – or even possibly ashamed – owner of a Galaxy Tab 10.1 then you might find yourself receiving an imminent notification advising that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is available for immediate download. We understand that this software update is only currently rolling out to United Kingdom based Galaxy owners, and at present, we aren’t entirely sure if users in other territories can expect to see similar updates in the near future. As part of the firmware update, the device will prompt the user to download and install a 237MB file to enable all of that Ice Cream Sandwich goodness.

Any notification of the availability of a new Android version is always good news for device owners, especially when you consider the insane fragmentation with Google’s mobile operating system. But it is also an update that might be classified as bitter-sweet for some users given the fact that devices like the Nexus 7 have access to the new and highly praised Jelly Bean version of the software. An update is great, but an update to what is already an out of date operating system is not so great in our opinion.

It isn’t just the 10.1 that is receiving the Ice Cream Sandwich love. Owners of Samsung’s 7.0, 7.7 and 8.9 tablets are also expected to be receiving the update notifications, allowing the firmware files to be download and updated over the air on the device itself, or alternatively through the use of the Samsung Kies software. One piece of good news about the update is that it is actually the latest version of ICS, Android 4.0.4, that is being pushed out to the Galaxy Tab lineup and will hopefully bring enough new features and improvements to keep users happy.

With all eyes currently focusing on Samsung and Apple for perhaps the wrong reasons, it’s nice to see some of those Galaxy Tab loving customers getting an update that will attempt to bring some additional battery life and improved processing speed, as well as giving them access to the new interface that lives within Ice Cream Sandwich. If you haven’t received the update on your UK device yet, worry not as the update process is gradual. (Redmondpie.com)