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.
Lenovo’s delayed ThinkPad Tablet 2 arrives on the FCC sporting AT&T 3G, but missing NFC
Lenovo’s Windows 8-powered ThinkPad Tablet 2 was originally scheduled to launch on October 26th, 2012. However, delays first pushed the device’s release date to November, then later to December. It now appears that a launch for the ThinkPad Tablet 2 is coming soon – today, FCC filings for the device were approved, a good sign that the tablet will soon be released to the public.
FCC documents for the ThinkPad Tablet 2 were filed by Lenovo’s OEM partner Wistron Corporation and cover the device’s Wifi, Bluetooth and WWAN capabilities. This version of the ThinkPad Tablet 2 won approval for use of GSM bands 850 and 1900, and WCDMA bands II and V – the same bands used by AT&T in the US. Interestingly, the device was not approval for use of NFC or LTE, although these could be upgrades present in future versions of the ThinkPad Tablet 2.
Check out Lenovo’s FCC filing for the ThinkPad Tablet 2 here.
The MetaWatch STRATA hits the FCC, while the Pebble remains MIA
The MetaWatch STRATA is the Kickstarter-funded smartwatch that you’ve probably never heard of. Funding for the MetaWatch STRATA ended on August 20, 2012 at $309,436 – a pittance compared to the $10 million plus that the competing Pebble smartwatch generated on Kickstarter.
But today the MetaWatch STRATA won FCC approval, a key milestone that will enable the STRATA to be sold in the US. The Pebble, on the other hand, doesn’t have a release date in sight and has suffered from numerous delays despite completing its Kickstarter funding in May 2012.
Like the Pebble, the MetaWatch STRATA connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and provides a host of data, including call and text notifications, calendar alerts, weather information and stock ticker data. The STRATA also enables users to control music playback, including volume, play/pause and next track functions. Down the road, the STRATA Widget SDK will allow developers to create custom apps for the device, as well.
The Pebble does offer an incredible-looking 144×168 e-paper display that appears to easily trump the STRATA’s 96×96 LCD display. Additionally, the press surrounding the Pebble will likely provide the device with a richer community of developers. Still, the STRATA’s FCC approval raises the device beyond vaporware status – just in time for the holidays. We can’t say that about the Pebble, which, despite receiving nearly more than $10 million in funding than the STRATA, does not yet have a release date and, by our accounts, has not yet received FCC approval.
Nokia’s Lumia 920 arrives on the FCC sporting AT&T bands
Nokia’s Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 phone arrived on the FCC today. The device won approval for WCDMA bands II and V, GSM 850/1900, Bluetooth, WiFi and NFC. Those GSM and WCDMA bands correspond to AT&T’s service in the United States. However, Nokia’s FCC filings did not mention AT&T’s LTE bands.
Call of Duty Black Ops II MQ-27 Dragonfire Drone arrives on the FCC
The MQ-27 Dragonfire drone is one of the more interesting vehicles in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. The unmanned flying drone appears in the mission Protect P.O.T.U.S. and is also usable in Strike Forcemissions and Multiplayer matches.
Today, a remote controlled version of the MQ-27 appeared on the FCC, winning approval for its use of the 2.4GHz band. The device, pictured above and below, is similar in appearance to Parrot’s AR. Drone, although the MQ-27 lacks some of the features offered by Parrot, such as video recording and iOS-based controls.
The MQ-27 drone comes with a remote control that features two joysticks, as well as pitch controls. The device also ships with a display stand and USB charging cord. The drone holds a 400 mAh battery.
We have yet to find a release date for the MQ-27 drone as a stand-alone toy, but the device will be released as part of the $180 Call of Duty: Black Ops II “Care Package” which should be available on November 13th.
Check out the full FCC filing for the MQ-27 here.
Archos’ Tabeo tablet for Toys “R” Us hits the FCC
Yesterday, Toys “R” Us announced plans to release an Android tablet for kids called the Tabeo. The $150 tablet features a 7-inch screen, Android 4.0 and 4GB of memory. Today, the device won approval from the FCC. French tablet-manufacturer Archos is manufacturing the Tabeo tablet for Toys “R” Us, and label location pictures show that the device will be manufactured in China.
