Parrot’s ASTEROID Mini automotive tablet wins FCC approval
Is there still a market for stand-alone automotive GPS devices? Parrot thinks so. In October, the company unveiled its Parrot ASTEROID Mini multimedia system for cars. In addition to core GPS mapping functionality, the ASTEROID Mini allows users to manage calls and music. The device connects to Android and iOS devices via Bluetooth, and has a USB port for a 3G dongle.
The ASTEROID Mini’s 3.2-inch TFT color screen isn’t touch-enabled. But the device does come with a wireless remote control that users can mount to their dashboard or center console.
The ASTEROID Mini will retail for $300 and is expected to ship in the US in February 2013. Today, the device won FCC approval, so it looks like the device will be released right on schedule.
Check out Parrot’s FCC filing here.
Microsoft’s Surface Pro Windows 8 tablet arrives on the FCC
Last month Microsoft announced that it will release its Windows 8-powered Surface Pro tablet in January 2013. Today, the tablet won approval from the FCC, a good sign that the Surface Pro will indeed be released soon.
FCC filings don’t use the “Surface Pro” name – instead, the device’s model number, 1514, is used. However, test reports do confirm that the 1514 is a tablet computer running Windows 8 – a sure sign that this is Microsoft’s Surface Pro. The device won FCC approval for dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth.
Unfortunately, FCC filings don’t give any indication of when the Surface Pro will be released.
New version of the Beatbox Portable hits the FCC, adds NFC, USB charging, says goodbye to iPhone dock
Yesterday, Beats Electronics won FCC approval for a new version of the Beatbox Portable, the company’s compact, portable, Bluetooth speaker. The new version of the Beatbox Portable is pictured in FCC filings, above, and sports a design that is mostly similar to the original. However, it looks like Beats Electronics is doing away with the iPhone dock on the Beatbox Portable – the dock that was previously locked on the top of the Beatbox Portable has disappeared. The new Beatbox Portable will also feature a USB charging port on its rear, right above the device’s 3.5mm jack input.
Perhaps most interestingly, Beats Electronic’s FCC filing includes approval for use of the 13MHz spectrum. This band is typically used for NFC, a good sign that the new Beatbox Portable will sport NFC-enabled pairing options. Beats Electronics recently released a new version of its Dre Pill speaker that sported NFC-enabled pairing, and its makes sense to see this feature in other Beats speakers. Of course, the device also won FCC approval for its Bluetooth capabilities.
Beats Electronics has not yet announced a release date for the new Beatbox Portable. This FCC filings comes a bit too late in the year for a holiday release, so this may be something we hear about at CES in January.
HTC One SV arrives on the FCC, coming to America?
Yesterday HTC announced that the One SV will be released in the UK near the end of 2012 or beginning of 2012. However, today the device made an appearance on the FCC, a possible sign that the One SV will be making its way to the States after all.
The One SV received FCC approval for the use of WCDMA bands II and V, GSM bands 850 and 1900, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC. The device did not receive approval for any LTE bands, which is surprising since the UK-version of the device will launch with LTE. Photos of the One SV’s label, below, also indicate that this is an LTE device.
HTC has not announced plans to bring the One SV to the United States.
Check out HTC’s FCC filing here.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE arrives on the FCC
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1, also known as the SHV-E230S, made an appearance on the FCC today, sporting an LTE logo and 16GB of storage. The device won approval for the use of WCDMA bands II and V, GSM band 850 and 1900, dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth. Interestingly, although the device bears an LTE logo, above, FCC filings for the SHV-E230S did not include approval for the use of LTE bands. Not to worry, these filings are likely to come later.
Check out Samsung’s FCC filings for the Galaxy Note 10.1 here.
ASUS to unveil 10 and 7-inch additions to its MeMO Pad lineup of tablets, according to FCC filings
It looks like ASUS will soon unveil a new lineup of tablets called MeMO Pad. Today, two MeMO Pads won FCC approval, a sign that these devices will soon make their way to the US.
The larger MeMO Pad has the model number K001 and sports a screen that measures approximately 10-inches diagonally, above. FCC reports also show that the device will sport dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth and a camera.
The second MeMO Pad has the model number K0W and sports what appears to be a 7-inch screen, below. Unlike the K001, the K0W does not appear to have a camera.
ASUS unveiled its MeMO Pad in early 2012. However, the K001 and K0W appear to be new additions to the MeMO Pad lineup.
