ASUS Transformer TF101 finally receives ICS update, Taiwan takes the first bite

Shortly after amending the Eee Pad Transformer Prime's locked bootloader fiasco, ASUS has just announced that the original Transformer's much anticipated Ice Cream Sandwich update is now slowly rolling out, with Taiwan being the first region to receive the home-baked Android dessert over the air. Folks around the rest of the world are told that they'll get their share soon after, which should be no later than March if ASUS's promise is still valid. Meanwhile, Hasbro remains the only Transformer fan who's still not happy about this.

ViewSonic ViewPad G70 with ICS launching at MWC

Word on the street is ViewSonic's getting ready to unveil a fresh, ICS-equipped 7-inch tablet at MWC (along with everyone else). The ViewPad G70, which would be a follow-up to that budget-friendly E70 we showed you at CES, is rumored to carry a slightly heavier $350 price tag than its sibling. While the slate's best feature could be Google's 4.0 treat, ViewSonic's also purportedly hoping you'll be enchanted by some more humdrum specs, including a 1024 x 600 display, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a 3G radio. We'll know more once Mobile World Congress gets rolling, and you know we'll be taking it for a spin as soon as we get a chance.

Hands-on with Immersion HD Integrator hi-fi haptics

It was just over a year ago when we met with the folks from Immersion, and they showed us a prototype handset packing its HD haptics technology. Since that time, the piezoelectric actuator that makes the tactile magic possible has gone into mass production, and the first commercial device packing such hi-fi haptics, the Pantech Element, hit store shelves. Immersion's got greater aspirations for its tactile tech, however, and its new HD Integrator platform aims to put high fidelity haptics in every handset. We got to sample the HD haptics goods once again and chat with Immersion about the new platform and its technology, so head on past the break to see what the company has in store.

For those who aren't familiar, here's a quick refresher on Immersion's HD haptic technology. As opposed to regular haptics, HD haptics are higher fidelity, respond faster to user input, and are able to provide dynamic feedback that can change in intensity and location (as opposed to a static, reactive 'buzz' indicating a button press). The HD Integrator is a tool for OEMs to incorporate HD haptics into a device's UI and leverage that technology in a variety of ways. Aside from the fairly obvious uses like simulating gunfire in games, gadgets packing piezo actuators and Immersion's software can also benefit from an enhanced overall user experience.

We got to sample some apps optimized with HD haptics, and once again, we were impressed with the precision of the feedback and its usefulness in conveying information. In a simulated social networking app, we could swipe through pictures and the force feedback changed from light clicks to longer rumbles according to how many comments were on each one. Similarly, while rolling through emails in another app, regular emails whizzed by with small snicks, while starred items triggered bigger, bolder feedback. Each of these showcased the potential for haptic feedback to provide users information in a contextually useful and unobtrusive fashion. Plus, Immersion assured us that such feedback can be customized in its intensity and feel in addition to when it is triggered. Other demonstrations of the technology were more frivolous, but nonetheless impressive in their effect -- one app simulated a rubber or metal ball rolling around in a box, and we could actually feel the difference between the two types of balls based upon the feedback alone. After our short time using the sample apps, it seems like the potential for such tactile indicators to be used in new and creative ways is almost limitless. However, Immersion's only showing off what its platform can do, it'll be up to the OEMs to find new uses for the technology to maximize its potential.

So, all this enhanced tactility is much appreciated, but when will we find Immersion's tech in gadgets other than the aforementioned Pantech tablet? Well, the company couldn't say exactly, but there are multiple OEMs making devices using the HD Integrator, and we can expect to see them later this year. When we asked what OS these mystery mobiles would run, we were told that, while HD haptics can work on any platform, the technology is currently an Android-only affair. Aside from the UX benefits, Immersion's pitching the HD Integrator as a means for manufacturers to differentiate among a sea of similar slabs -- there's only so many ways to package a screen, but a company can create a custom haptics theme to give its devices a unique feel. We must say, we're hoping that HD haptic tech starts showing up in more devices, as it's a compelling addition to the user experience. And, we're quite interested in seeing (feeling?) what OEMs can do with the technology going forward.

Samsung Rugby Smart officially coming to AT&T March 4 for $100

It was only a matter of time, we suppose. After having seen the Samsung Rugby Smart poke its head out from time to time, Samsung's new rugged smartphone is officially hitting AT&T stores on March 4th. Much like the Pantech Element, the Rugby Smart will be "waterproof," meaning it can be submerged for up to 30 minutes in one meter of water. The phone itself is built to mil-spec 810F standards, so it's going to handle most extreme conditions pretty well. So let's list off the specs we've heard so far: it will launch with Android 2.3 -- shocker, we know -- as well as a 3.7-inch WVGA Super AMOLED panel, 4GB of internal storage, 1,650mAh battery and a 1.3MP front-facing shooter for video chat along with a 5MP rear facing autofocus camera with LED flash and 720p video capture. The Smart will also be 12.19mm thick (also not a surprise, given its rugged nature) and weigh 4.2 ounces. We don't know what CPU's inside yet, but we'll update as soon as we find out. To check out all the extreme details, head to the videos and press release under the break.

Samsung Zipel oven takes instructions from your Android phone

Smart ovens have long been a promise of appliance-makers, but they haven't exactly caught on with the general public just yet. Samsung's now making another push to change that, however, rolling out its new Zipel oven in Korea. In addition to some decidedly modern styling, that standout feature here is some built-in WiFi that lets the oven communicate with your Android-based smartphone, which can be used to dial the oven in just right for 160 different dishes. The oven itself is also an infrared oven, which promises more versatility than a conventional oven, and it packs a number of "smart" features into the oven itself, including the ability to display the number of calories of a particular dish. Unfortunately, there's no indication of a price just yet, or a release outside of Korea.