The Android-based tablet has a 10.1 display (.4 inches bigger than an iPad), and is a mere 7.7 millimeters thick (compared to the 8.8 mm of the iPad 2). In addition to the amazing thinness the device, it packs in a staggering array of ports, including a Micro USB port, an SD card slot, and a Micro HDMI port, as well as a dock connector like that on the iPad. It also boasts a 2 megapixel front camera, 5 megapixel rear camera, a full gigabyte of RAM, and a 1.2 GHz processor.

Though Toshiba has not been much of a player in the tablet market yet, this has the look of a very nice device. We’ll keep you informed of release date as soon as Toshiba announces it.

[Source: Business Insider]

5. The FX Mature (The Aurors) Harry Potter TV Show

Site: IGN.com

Why it’s on the list: While the video is obviously fake, IGN should be commended for really going the extra yard to provide some April Fools shenanigans. For the past couple of years, IGN has released video based pranks and “The Aurors” ranks as one of their best. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll especially appreciate it.

4. SlashTweaks is the Mad Libs of the Internet

Site: Slashdot

Why it’s on the list: The most obvious online April Fools prank is to simply make up a story and publish it for people to either be fooled by or call out. Slashdot deserves a nod for letting the April 1st proceedings be interactive. Most of the stories presented on Slashdot today have a few keywords which allow users to change them to their liking. Although this will only be available today, it certainly provides an interesting idea which might work in some capacity.

3. Toshiba’s 3D Monocle

Site: Toshiba.com

Why it’s on the list: Like IGN’s prank, Toshiba really stepped up and put some dedication into their idea by creating a video. Unlike IGN, this isn’t a content provider but an electronics company who relies on innovation to sell products. Which is what makes their idea so great; they integrated the fake tech directly into their site.

They created a legitimate looking landing page which has this “Important Consumer Notice” – Refrain from using two Toshiba Spectacle 3D devices simultaneously in each eye. Doing so may cause each device to render the corresponding 3D image in 3D yet again, resulting in an uncomfortable and infinite loop.

2. The Gmail Motion Beta

Why it’s on the list: Google took all the ideas used in the three listed, besides SlashTweaks, and forged them into a super prank. They didn’t just create a video, they made three videos for Google Motion. Like Toshiba, Google integrated the prank link directly into one of their most used platforms, Gmail.

They didn’t stop there, Google utilized fake science to explain the reasoning behind Google Motion. I also have to give the idea its due because it’s the only prank to fake me out. In my defense, I didn’t read anything on the page, and went straight to the download link. Stupid call to action buttons.

1. Facebook Partners With Zynga to Launch ‘Relationships’

Site: Techcrunch

Why it’s on the list: This might be a controversial pick, because I imagine many people would select Google Motion over this TechCrunch story. Hear me out. One of the key ingredients to pulling off a successful April Fools prank is plausibility. Of all the pranks I’ve seen on the internet today, this is one which could potentially happen on some level in the future.

Although it has shades of being possible, TechCrunch went a bit too far which was probably on purpose so people really didn’t get in a stir over the fake news. They announced that Facebook and Zynga would be partnering up for a ‘Relationships’ product. The idea is pretty interesting. Users would be able to track people they are potentially interested in dating, and could engage in social games to help break the ice and get to know one another.

The first couple of paragraphs in the story really draw readers into something which might be believable. However, the deeper you read, the more ridiculous the features sound. For instance, the picture I posted above would allow users to post what base they got to with a date. I won’t spoil some of the other jokes, but needless to say it becomes even more extreme the further you read on.

Due to the drawing in of readers, and providing an article title which sounds believable, TechCrunch gets the award for best April Fools joke in 2011.

Honorable Mention: GoDaddy.com CEO defends his elephant killing shenani…oh wait, that really happened.

What April Fools jokes have you seen that deserve recognition for their dedication, plausibility, and final punch line?

Yahoo says its TV Widgets are on 3.5 million TVs around the world, and that they have active users in 135 countries. Yahoo also says the widgets provide direct access to over 50,000 entertainment sources at the click of a button. 

"Some of the most popular brands, including Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, eBay, Amazon, Blockbuster, CBS, USA Today, Showtime, YouTube, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Weather and Yahoo! Finance, have all developed TV Widgets for Yahoo! Connected TV," the representative points out.

"Our publicly available Widget Development Kit (WDK) also enables anyone to create a TV widget and broadcast to millions of consumers around the world,’ she continues. "Yahoo!’s scale and exposure to new audiences ensure that content developers and publishers have a vast opportunity with Yahoo! TV Widgets."

"In the future," Yahoo says, "you will be able to find Yahoo! Connected TV on new CE devices including set top boxes, media players, Blu-Ray players, DVDs, DVRs and other devices. This is because of Yahoo!’s partnerships with global silicon and integration partners which ensure that our platform works on all major consumer electronic device chip architectures worldwide."

Yahoo has displayed a great deal of confidence in its Connected TV strategy, and the company is going to need it, because competition is about to get tougher than ever. Google and Apple both plan on getting their versions of what connected television should be in as many homes as possible this fall. Not to mention other competitors like Boxee. However, Yahoo is clearly up to the challenge.

Speaking of Apple, you may recall Steve Jobs unveiling FaceTime at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference a couple weeks ago. This is its video chat application for iOS. Today Silicon Alley Insider reports confirmation from Apple that FaceTime will not use up carrier minutes. This could make the feature a more attractive way of communicating.

Robert Scoble points to a "first look" at a new Toshiba touch netbook prototype:

Dell is reportedly in talks with Google that will likely see the utilization of Google operating systems on Dell products. Doug Caverly has more on this here.

Dell has also launched its new Inspiron R series of laptops. Laptop Mag has a detailed write-up of it here(via TechMeme).

Barnes and Noble introduced a new, lower priced version of its Nook eBook reader. This one is a Wi-Fi-only version, priced at $149. In addition, they lowered the price on the 3G version to under $200.

Android Central has uncovered some specs for the Samsung Galaxy S Pro. The publication says it "may well end up being the hottest phone of the year."

Digitimes Research claims that Nokia will launch an ARM-based tablet PC, most likely in the fourth quarter of this year. Nokia  is expected to go with MeeGo as the operating system.

Microsoft recently unveiled Kinect (previously known as Project Natal). Kotaku is reporting that the company has now confirmed Kinect will be bundled with Xbox consoles, and "a $199 configuration of its new Xbox 360 will be available this fall."

Each of these companies will introduce Blu-ray players or digital TVs that will stream Netflix movies and television shows for instant watching, much like existing devices already do:

"Ever since Netflix began instantly streaming movies and TV episodes to personal computers in January 2007 we’ve said we want to be ubiquitous on whatever device gets the Internet to the TV," said Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings. "We’ve made incredible progress toward this goal over the last year and we’ve rapidly established Netflix as a must-have service for Internet connected consumer electronics devices. The important companies and brands we’ve announced today join a roster of world-class CE companies that have partnered with Netflix.

"We look forward to adding even more partners this year, and we expect instant streaming of movies from Netflix to be available on more than one hundred different partner products in 2010," said Mr. Hastings.

On a separate Netflix-related note, it was announced yesterday that Netflix will now have to wait 28 days after a DVD release to offer that DVD for rental to its customers, when it comes from Warner Bros. This is likely just the beginning of things to come in the industry, which will probably include similar moves from various studios and rental companies.

Watch for more WebProNews coverage of CES, with exclusive video interviews coming soon.
 

Related Articles:

> Warner Bros. And Netflix Reach New Deal

> Best Buy To Launch Online Movie Service

> Coming Attraction: Netflix on your PS3

Toshiba says eXCHANGE is similar to other social networks, such as Facebook, LinkedIN or MySpace and it will offer members an online forum to share and seek information, including best sales practices, user generated information and product tips.

Bill Melo
VP Marketing & Enterprise
Services and Solutions
Toshiba

"Toshiba eXCHANGE is exciting because of its user-generated content and leading-edge technology, but most importantly because of the opportunity it provides our extended Toshiba family members to easily connect and share knowledge," said Bill Melo, Vice President, Marketing & Enterprise Services and Solutions, TABS.

"It’s estimated that only 20 percent of an organization’s knowledge is actually captured in written documents, while the remaining value-rich information resides exclusively in the heads of employees. Toshiba eXCHANGE gives members the chance to easily document, share and seek that remaining 80 percent of information, therefore creating new opportunities for sales and service success."

eXCHANGE tools include:

• Detailed profiles of online eXCHANGE members that will enable users to connect directly to other Toshiba sales professionals
• Blogs that will keep members aware of ongoing product and program updates
• Video clips that will provide education and product launch information
• Content ratings, which will help indicate the value of information and content
• RSS Feeds/tags that mark key interest areas for users
• Intelligent searches that will help members locate information quickly and easily

The social networking site is currently available to select users in a Beta version. It will launch to all eligible members on September 8.

Although Amazon’s move is not surprising the online retailer said it will continue to carry both HD DVD and Blu-ray formats. Amazon did say that Blu-ray titles have increased from just over half of its high-definition sales to more than three-quarters in high-definition sales since early January.

Peter Faricy, vice president of movies and music at Amazon said, "The high-definition landscape is rapidly changing, and consumers are looking for guidance on how to make the best high-definition buying decisions."

Recently more and more retailers and studios were backing the Blu-ray format by Sony, including Warner Bros. and Wal-Mart who announced it would begin to phase out the HD-DVD technology and move to Blu-ray exclusively last week.
 

Retailers let out a sigh of relief as the two-plus years of Toshiba and Sony going head to head over the next generation of DVD formats came to an end. Finally, a holiday shopping season will arrive with a clear winner in high-definition video.

“We carefully assessed the long-term impact of continuing the so-called ‘next-generation format war’ and concluded that a swift decision will best help the market develop,” Atsutoshi Nishida, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation, said in a statement.

HD DVD presented a way for current DVD manufacturers to use their existing processes to manufacture the new disks. Blu-Ray will require some expensive overhauling to take place.

Blu-Ray offers more storage per DVD than HD DVD did, 75GB to 50GB. Though Hollywood studios were split for a while over the formats, they slowly shifted over to Sony’s version.

Wal-Mart may have been the biggest influence, as it arbitrarily decided to no longer stock HD DVD equipment or movies. The massive retailer opted to go Blu-Ray only, winnowing the field of competitors to one and removing a barrier that kept consumers from buying either Blu-Ray or HD DVD players.

The retailer is following in the footsteps of Best Buy, Netflix, Warner Bros. Studio, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Co and Lions Gate Entertainment.

On the Wal-Mart Checkout blog Susan Chronister writes," By June Wal-Mart will only be carrying Blu-ray movies and hardware machines, and of course standard def movies, DVD players, and up convert players.   Not sure of the short term pricing plans, but history tells us that as more people move to a new technology prices typically go down."

The move by Wal-Mart will likely put an end to the conundrum for both retailers and consumers about which format to back HD-DVD or Blu-ray. It also will cause Toshiba to rethink its position on the HD-DVD format and eventually phase it out as well.

Wal-Mart said it will continue to sell the remaining HD-DVD inventory that it has, but in less than 30 days it will begin to add Blu-ray in it stores. The move will affect all 4,000 Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores.

"We’ve listened to our customers, who are showing a clear preference toward Blu-ray products and movies with their purchases," said Gary Severson, senior vice president, Home Entertainment, Wal-Mart, U.S.
 

Toshiba spokeswoman Jody Sally said that Kmart has decided to carry HD DVD instead of Blu-ray because of its lower price according to Home Media Magazine. The Toshiba HD DVD player sells for $299 but is available for $198 at a number of retailers including Wal-Mart and Circuit City.

Kmart will continue to sell the Playstation 3, which has a Blu-ray player inside, but its marketing will be concentrated on HD DVD. The least expensive Blu-ray player retails for $499 and Sony says it will launch a $399 Playstation 3 next month.

Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, which supports HD DVD said the $200 price will help to reach a mass audience. Sally agreed that the lower price would help sales.

"There was no official move on our MSRP, but I’m happy to see the strong sales momentum on our players," Sally said. "We experienced a great lift in player sales when Transformers (Paramount) was released, and the strong momentum continues."