Tag Archives: intel

Dec 23

Ultrabook: Intel Laptops with Tablet Features

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The ultraportable Asus UX21 was Introduced today. Intel and Asus unveiled a new category of laptops called "Ultrabook" UX Series" with tablets features at  the Computex in Taiwan. With half the power of a laptop, lightweight, Intel core i7 with high performance processor, less than 2cm, less than  9mm thick and weighs less than 1.5 pounds and priced less than $1000 to compete with the Macbook Air.

 

Intel executive vice president Sean Maloney believe that the Ultrabook should get 40% of laptop sales market by the end of 2012.

" Our customers are demanding an uncompromised computing experience in a lightweight, highly portable design that responds to their needs quickly. Transforming the PC into an ultra thin, ultra responsive device will change the way people interact with their PC.”  he said.

The specifications are as follow: 11.6-inch screen, 1366 x 768 pixels, ultraportable chassis with an 64 GB SSd integration. the asus will not be avaialble until November.

Intel also confirmed about the Atom processor to be increase the cycle from to to one year to incorporate the latest technology. Although several display was on stage, Medfield is the first Intel Atom platform specially built  for tablets and smartphones.

Let’s wait and see if the Ultrabook will be capable of computing in the laptops Market.

 

Conrad Miles’s author page — Author’s Blog

Aug 27

Toshiba bows out of Windows RT tablet race

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While Microsoft is touting the list of manufacturing partners planning on selling Windows RT tablets — including Asus, Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung — one company has decided to scrap its plans to compete against Microsoft itself with new slates.

Toshiba released a statement, provided to our sister site CNET, that it was canceling its Windows RT models thanks to “delayed components that would make a timely launch impossible.” this is hardly surprising news, as Microsoft supposedly envied Apple’s ability to control the supply chain and may be hogging parts for its own forthcoming Surface RT tablets. 

Then again, with other major PC companies still in the game — HP was an early exception — Toshiba may also be cutting its losses rather than compete against the flood of Windows RT tablets that are on the way. the competition may be even tougher, if Microsoft can price its Surface models as eye-poppingly aggressively as rumors have it.

Toshiba says it hasn’t abandoned Windows 8 tablets altogether, as the company still plans to build versions around Intel’s chipsets (as HP expects to as well). Pricing pressure may not be as intense as with the lower-end Windows RT tablets, which will have to compete the iPad as well as the Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle fire. Higher-end Windows 8 slates may compete instead against Ultrabooks, and include hybrid laptop/tablet designs.

Toshiba bows out of Windows RT tablet race

Aug 27

Windows 8 tablets release date, specs and prices

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  • Windows 8 Pro to cost $199.99 after $69.99 promo pricing
  • Microsoft ditching ‘Metro’ name for Windows 8 amid trademark fears
  • Intel drops expectations amid Windows 8 and tablet talk

Microsoft’s been pushing tablet computers for the best part of a decade, so you can imagine how happy the iPad’s success makes them.

But Microsoft doesn’t give up easily, and Windows 8 tablets will be with us on the Windows 8 release date – 26 October. and before you dismiss Windows 8 tablets as a flash in the pan, it looks like we’ll be getting a huge variety of them, ranging from simple slates to fully convertibfle ultraportable laptops.

Microsoft has made the Release Preview of Windows 8 available publicly, so you can check it out for yourself as well as read our Hands on: Windows 8 review.

Windows 8 is a crucial product for Microsoft financially, and it has also committed to larger touchscreen displays too – buying big-screen multitouch tech firm Perceptive Pixel.

Windows 8 tablets will run on ARM, Intel and AMD chips

As well as traditional x86-based AMD and Intel machines, Windows 8 can now run on ARM-based hardware – the same type of kit as the iPad or any Android tablet. Expect plenty of interesting kit to hit the streets after the launch of Windows 8.

  • Hands on: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga review

Windows 8 for ARM tablets will come out at the same time as Windows 8 for x86 PCs, if everything goes according to plan. As of mid-May we’re hearing that Intel Windows 8 tablets will arrive in November.

Most Windows 8 tablets will run a version of the OS called just plain Windows 8, while there will also be Windows 8 Pro. Both of those are for x86 Intel and AMD devices.

ARM devices will have Windows 8 pre-installed (you won’t be able to buy it separately). this version of the OS will be referred to as Windows RT – a name which many have slated.

If you’re confused about the difference, we’ve put together this guide: Windows 8 vs Windows RT: what’s the difference?

Read more about the Windows 8 versions here: making sense of the Windows 8 versions

However, there will be a major difference between the x86 and ARM-based tablets. Windows RT won’t support traditional desktop apps (except for a bundled, cut-down version of Microsoft Office and other basic Windows apps). everything else will be done through the Metro interface.

Lenovo, Dell and Samsung are all jumping in to produce PCs compatible with the operating system, joining Asus’Tablet 600 and Microsoft’s Surface. For the latest on what the products will be, read on.

While speculation circled for awhile about nearly all companies producing ARM-friendly tablets, Microsoft also let it be known that laptops, complete with keyboards and trackpads, are also part of the production package.

Microsoft kept a lid on the third-party Windows RT guest list, only allowing three major ARM chip makers – Nvidida, Texas Instruments and Qualcomm – to select two manufacturers a piece to build their first RT tablets.

Noticeably absent from the hardware manufactures is the No. 1 PC producer in the world, HP. the company said it’s avoiding ARM tablets in order to focus on an Intel tablet.

Intel CEO Paul Otellini hit out at Windows RT tablets, saying traditional x86 machines “have the advantage of the incumbency, the legacy support.”

Windows 8 tablets

Intel said in April that Windows 8 tablets will pack a dual-core Atom Z2760 “Clover Trail” chip, which features a “burst-mode”, providing an extra boost of power when required. Clover Trail also boasts hyperthreading technology, allowing it to act like a quad-core chip at certain times.

Intel also claims its Windows 8 tablets will deliver over nine hours of battery, 4G connectivity, NFC technology, weigh less than 680g (1.5 pounds) and sport a slender, sub-9mm body. however, tablets we’ve seen, such as the testbed Windows 8 Samsung tablet, have been running more powerful processors such as the Intel Core i5.

Tom’s Hardware reports that Intel and Microsoft are looking to reduce the iPad’s 70-per cent global market share down to below 50-per cent by the middle of 2013. however, the jury’s still out as to whether Windows 8 tablets can really make a dent. Analyst Gartner says that Windows 8 tablets will only take a 4 per cent market share this year though.

Some sources reckon that there will be 32 Windows 8 tablets by the end of 2012, while Intel has said it expects over 20 Windows 8 tablet designs based on its silicon.

Windows 8 tablets will have the new Metro interface

As we saw in our Hands on: Windows 8 review, Windows 8 tablets will have a marvellous new interface that looks rather like Windows Phone 7, called Metro.

  • 10 ways Windows 8 tablets can take on the iPad

“Fast, fluid and dynamic, the experience has been transformed while keeping the power, flexibility and connectivity of Windows intact,” says Microsoft’s head of Windows Experience Julie Larson-Green.

Windows 8 tablets

“Although the new user interface is designed and optimised for touch, it works equally well with a mouse and keyboard. our approach means no compromises – you get to use whatever kind of device you prefer, with peripherals you choose, to run the apps you love. this is sure to inspire a new generation of hardware and software development, improving the experience for PC users around the world.”

In late October 2011, Microsoft was forced to talk about how Windows 8 tablets would deal with portrait orientations – all the demonstrations thus far have been of Windows 8 tablets in landscape.

Here’s a walk-through of the Consumer Preview version:

Windows 8 tablets desktop

In February Microsoft confirmed that new ARM versions of Windows 8 tablets would have the traditional desktop as well as the new Metro interface – but it will only allow third-party Metro apps.

On ARM, the Windows desktop, with familiar apps like Explorer, Internet Explorer and the Windows Live apps, plus Office – but everything else will be Metro.the inclusion of Office means pricing for manufacturers will be high – leading us to conclude that most Windows 8 tablets will be Intel-based.

WIndows 8 removes the now-familiar Aero Glass effect seen in Windows 7 and Windows Vista and replaces it with a much plainer appearance on the desktop.

Desktop

  • Windows 8 on ARM: Steven Sinofsky speaks

Windows 8 tablets don’t have start orb

Microsoft is also facing somewhat of a backlash as Windows 8 loses the start Orb, better known as the start button – it’s replaced by the start menu in the Metro interface.

Windows 8 start menu

Microsoft has had to defend the decisions it’s made with the start Menu in Windows 8.

Windows 8 tablets manufacturers

The first one Windows 8 tablet wasn’t a commercial model – a Samsung Windows 8 tablet shown off at Microsoft’s Build conference and given out to developers on 13 September 2011.

Samsung will definitely be making a full Windows 8 tablet as well as prepping its own Windows RT tablet ready for a launch alongside Windows 8 itself. the new tablet will apparently feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor.

Microsoft is also joining the party with Microsoft Surface – a tablet of its own making that will come with a keyboard cover. the Microsoft Surface release date is the same day as the Windows 8 release date – 26 October.

Surface has already appeared on Amazon, while Microsoft has admitted the new hardware has upset some of its partners.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has set his sights high, but not too high, for the tablet. “We may sell a few million,” he said during Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference.

He said overall sales of Windows PCs could hit 375 million in the next year, but that he’s unsure exactly how many of those will be Microsoft Surface tablet sales. but he said that the Surface “will have a distinct place in what’s a broad Windows ecosystem.”

The main version of Surface runs Windows RT – however, you won’t be able to get it until Windows 8 ships – and we can’t get its big brother, the Intel Core i5 Surface for Windows 8 Pro, for another three months after that.

Microsoft Surface

HP also said it would be making Windows 8 tablets but they will be Intel-based for the moment – check out the leaked HP Slate 8 details here)

It has been widely reported that Dell is pinning its hopes on Windows 8. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, CEO Michael Dell said Windows 8 tablets “have a lot of potential.” he spoke of the bonus opportunities as they will be compatible with existing systems and software.

“We’re very encouraged by the touch capability we are seeing in the beta versions of Windows 8,” added Dell’s chief commercial officer Steve Felice in a Reuters interview on March 16.

“We have a roadmap for tablets that we haven’t announced yet. You’ll see some announcements.. for the back half of the year,” he said. “We don’t think that this market is closed off in any way.”

Speaking on Dell’s Q2 earnings call in August – during which it revealed a 22 per cent fall in consumer sales – CFO and senior VP Brian Gladden tried to allay investors’ concerns with the promise of new hardware.

“You’ll see new Windows 8 ultrabooks, all-in-one tablets and converged devices in the fourth quarter and headed into next year,” he told them.

Details have leaked of a forthcoming Windows 8 tablet from Dell – the Dell Latitude 10. According to Neowin, it’s a 10.8 inch tablet with 1366×768 resolution, dual-core Intel Atom processor, fingerprint reader, 2GB RAM and 128GB SSD. Neowin also reports that a convertible tablet will follow. however, some suggest that the pretty-standard specs are disappointing.

On 9 may 2011, we reported on a rumour of a forthcoming Nokia Windows 8 tablet. the info comes from phone commentator Eldar Murtazin, who wrote on the Mobile Review forum that Nokia will launch a tablet in 2012, possibly pushed back to 2013. Nokia said at October 2011′s Nokia World that Windows 8 represents a “broader opportunity” for the company, (reported by TechCrunch).

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop later said that the company was looking at the tablet market and is considering just how to take on the might of the iPad.

“There’s a new tablet opportunity coming… Unquestionably, that will change the dynamics [of the tablet market].” it would appear the Nokia Windows 8 tablet could be slated for June 2012.

Digitimes claimed in March 2012 that a Windows 8 Nokia tablet wouldn’t be with us until the very end of 2012 at the earliest.

A leaked slide from Netbooknews.de indicates that Asus will begin selling Windows 8 tablets in Q3 2012. at the time of the launch of the Android-powered Google Nexus 7 in July it expanded further on this: “Asus will have several tablets ready at Windows 8 launch, however out of respect for Microsoft as a partner are unable to provide any more information at this time other than what was announced at Computex [in June].”

Acer originally told TechRadar that the forthcoming Windows 8 OS could bring Microsoft back to consumer tablet devices – so expect it to launch some Windows 8 devices.

“We think that Windows 8 tablets could well be a proposition for both consumers and professionals,” said a spokesperson.

At Computex 2012, Acer duly unveiled two new Windows 8 tablets that will be with us this year.

First up is Acer’s Iconia W700, which features an 11.6-inch full HD touchscreen and Dolby Home Theater sound. the model also boasts a micro HDMI, Thunderbolt, and three USB 3.0 ports.

The Iconia W700 will also include a rather bulky cradle for both landscape and portrait viewing options in either a 70 degree presentation mode or a 20 degree angle best suited for touch use.

Acer’s second tablet is the smaller Iconia W510, sporting a 10.1 inch screen. it has a keyboard attachment – Acer says the slice can extend the tablet’s battery for up to 18 hours of use and can be flipped 295 degrees for a presentation mode to watch videos or show Powerpoint presentations to your pet cat.

Lenovo is also working with Intel on a ThinkPad Windows 8 tablet, which will come with a pen stylus and optional physical keyboard dock much like the Microsoft Surface’s Type Cover keyboard.

Weighing 1.3 pounds and measuring 9.8mm thin, the tablet will run Microsoft’s Windows 8 and an Intel Atom processor.

It looks like this tab will replace the ThinkPad Tablet. Lenovo will also be releasing the ThinkPad Yoga convertible and it looks increasingly likely this will come in both x86 and ARM versions.

The Tablet 2 also sports an Intel dual-core Clover Trail processor, a 10.1-inch WXGA touchscreen, 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

Windows 8

Windows 8 tablets pricing

Entry level slates could hit the shelves with price tags of under $300 – although not everybody believes that price point would make sense. indeed, Windows 8 manufacturers seem to be suggesting that Windows 8 touchscreen devices won’t be cheap – Dell said in may that they would be priced higher – although he was mainly talking about laptops.

According to DigiTimes, Windows on ARM tablets will struggle to meet manufacturer’s target prices to compete against the iPad – in other words, they could be a good deal more expensive.

Windows 8 tablets will have a lot of support

During an earnings call in mid-August, Nvidia’s Jen-Hsun Huang also said: “I’m very bullish about Windows 8,” adding: “I think it’s going to be an amazing operating system. Windows 8 tablets and Windows 8 clam shells that Tegra is going into, I hope will translate into real growth for our company in the second half of next year.”

“We’re not leading the charge on Windows 8, but as we become comfortable that [Windows 8] is a viable ecosystem [and] that the quality of innovation and quality of services and quality of capabilities [are] being delivered there, we will certainly be open to that,” he said in response to a question.

Nvidia has been involved with delivering sample Windows 8 tablets to developers.

Motorola has also said it is “completely open to Windows as a platform” according to Cnet.

Australian site Smarthouse.au claims some vendors will even move away from Android tablets in favour of Windows 8.

Windows 8 tablets will be thin and light

While Dell makes some unusually shaped tablets already, the Samsung tablet is “similar in size and shape to the Apple iPad, although it is not as thin.” unlike the iPad, “it also includes a unique and slick keyboard that slides out from below for easy typing.”

Some Windows 8 tablets will be designed for business

“The company believes there is a huge market for business people who want to enjoy a slate for reading newspapers and magazines and then work on Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint while doing work,” the NYT says, quoting the inevitable “person familiar with the company’s tablet plans”.

Windows 8 tablets will have apps and an app store

Apps are a big part of Windows 8, with Microsoft convinced that “app development will move to the web” and it has built a Windows Store with manufacturer-specific entrances. Again, we saw a lot more detail on this in the Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

Windows 8 will come with a number of pre-installed Metro apps, which look set to include things like a camera, messaging, mail, calendar, SkyDrive, people, photos, video and music.

The apps will be in the Windows Phone Metro style and some, like messaging may incorporate mobile aspects like SMS support.

Dolby says its technologies will be integrated into Windows 8 tablets and PCs.

Windows 8 tablets

Windows 8 tablet specs

According to Microsoft, Windows 8 supports a 10.1-inch tablet display with 291 pixels per inch resolution. the new iPad has 265 ppi. That probably means HD resolution tablet displays will be a standard feature of Windows 8 tablets.

Intel has also blogged about new sensors that will be inside Ultrabooks as well as Windows 8 tablets.

Windows 8 tablets release date, specs and prices

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Aug 26

Microsoft starting to reveal some tablet specs

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Allan Swann Published 16 August 2012

After an underwhelming initial announcement, Microsoft has finally started spelling out exactly what hardware capabilities its Surface tablet and other Windows RT devices will feature.

Microsoft has started to reveal not only the hardware partners that will be building Windows 8/RT tablets, but also some of the specs that should be expected.

While HP and Toshiba have already opted out of producing the ARM-based Windows RT tablets (and Acer has reservations), it has been left to Dell, Lenovo and Samsung (so far) to produce tablets for launch day. Microsoft says there are more partners to follow.

HP and Toshiba will be developing x86 Windows 8 models only; Lenovo has also announced the Windows 8 ThinkPad Tablet 2, which will running some variant of the Intel Atom processor (raising concerns that Intel’s Core i3, i5 and i7 chips are too power hungry to run in tablets).

"our engineering collaboration has been better than ever as we work to bring better performance, reliability, and battery life to new PCs designed for Windows 8. We also know many are interested in how we extended this process to a new generation of PCs built on the ARM platform. this post details how we have collaborated on the development of Windows RT and new PCs designed for the operating system," said Mike Angiulo, Microsoft’s VP of the Ecosystem and planning team.

But what about Microsoft’s own Surface tablet? It was released to much fanfare (and consternation) in June, yet next to nothing is known about it ahead of its October 26 launch date. a strange marketing decision by Microsoft that appeared to anger its OEM (soon to be ODM) partners.As you can see from the image above, Asus is building a Windows RT tablet. It has formerly announced the Tegra 3 chipped – Asus Tablet 600. It also builds Android tablets such as the high profile Google Nexus 7.

Microsoft has said one of the key focuses for its RT line will be that they are ‘always on, always connected’ – unsurprising as this is a normal feature of most tablets – and is one of their form factors key reasons for success – no 30 second boot up times.

"It will turn on in less than a second at the touch of a button, which is a mobile phone experience but in a full PC," said Angiulo.

The Windows RT tablets, or RT PCs as Microsoft insists on calling them, will weigh between 520g and 1200g. The iPad 3 weights 652g (Wi-Fi), vs. the iPad 2′s 600g. Microsoft has made no announcements concerning whether there will be any 7-inch tablets, but the Google Nexus 7 weighs 340g.

Perhaps the most important factor in the tablet’s design has been finally released – battery life. Microsoft claims that it will get 8 to 13 hours of HD video playback out of various Windows RT models, and 320 to 409 hours of standby time.

This was based on 720P HD video at a screen brightness of 200nits, running unfinished firmware and tested on screen sizes of 10.1"-11.6", and battery sizes spanning from 25-42 watt hours (the iPad 3 has a 42.5wh battery).

Needless to say, these figures are impressive – even at the low end bettering iPad 3 levels. The hypothetical high end (13 hours) would be longer than an iPads battery life under normal conditions (the iPad 3 is around 10 hours total under moderate usage – HD video tends to last around 5-6 hours).Microsoft has admitted, however, that this includes several form factors – including laptops. Windows RT had previously been announced as an ARM-chip tablet only OS – which not only makes those figures less impressive (laptops have much larger batteries), but adds another level of confusion to the market place – if it does indeed plan to release any Windows RT laptops (CBR presumes this was for testing).

While it is useful to have some consideration of weight and battery life, much will come back to the processors used. Microsoft’s own Surface is powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 3, which also powers the Google Nexus and a host of smartphones. Samsung has its high end Exynos processors, and Qualcomm has its already popular Snapdragon processors (which were to be used in HPs RT tablet, before those plans were shelved). all are based on ARM architecture, but much comes back to power management and optimisation – the HTC One X smartphone, for example, had astonishingly powerful performance on launch with a NVidia Tegra, but this lack of optimisation meant the battery life was ravaged severely – sometimes only squeezing out 5 hours of use.

So while these Windows RT teaser specs are interesting, it’s still a long road ahead before we actually know anything solid about Microsoft’s Surface and its RT partners’ performance – let alone how much they cost.

Microsoft starting to reveal some tablet specs

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Aug 20

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Will Be Lenovo’s Windows ...

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Last week we heard that Lenovo would be launching a new convertible Windows RT tablet later this year, and now it would appear that the device will be one that Lenovo first announced back at CES in January of this year, the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga was first show off at CES, although very few specifications on the device were announced, the original device had an Intel processor, where as the new Windows RT version will come with an ARM based processor.

We are expecting Lenovo to launch their new Windows RT tablet some time in October, probably around the launch of Windows 8 which takes place on the 26th of October.

As soon as we get some more information on the new Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga, including a full list of specifications, pricing and an actual launch date we will let you guys know.

Source The Verge

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Will Be Lenovo’s Windows RT Tablet

Aug 19

Different Tablets for Different Lifestyles

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The is a Guest Post by Nicky Elkins.

There are a lot of different tablets out on the market these days. so, when it comes to buying the rightone, it can be hard to decide. Finding a tablet that fits into your lifestyle is very important whetheryou are a business person, student, parent, or an entire family. if all you want to do is to play gamesor surf the web, then you may not want a tablet that is capable of putting together business plans andproposals. Here are some of the top tablets out on the market, their main uses, and who they might begood for.

Asus Eee Slate B121

The Eee Slate B121 by Asus is aninteresting tablet. It is built with an Intel Core Processor, an HD interface, and access to the Asus WebStorage system for cloud computing. This tablet is great for students and business professionals. It runsWindows 7 and, unlike many tablets, it is able to run Microsoft Office products like Word, Excel, andeven Power Point. It doesn’t matter how you want to operate the tablet, more than likely it can do it.It comes with a Stylus and Bluetooth Keyboard so you are able to type with a key board if you want,or you can use the touch screen keyboard. however, if you prefer to take notes or write up reports byhand, you can certainly use the Stylus. the Eee Slate has handwriting to text capabilities so you canwrite in your own handwriting and convert it to text, or keep it in your handwriting. It has the capabilityto search through documents that are either in plain text or your handwriting, which makes it easy forstudents to study. the Eee Slate is paving the way for portable computing by being not only a portabletablet, but a full on computer including essential ports, out puts and in puts, like USB and Mini-HDMI. Ofcourse, everyone wants to have fun, and the Slate definitely has some games available to play, but notas much as other tablets that have access to app stores.

Lenovo ThinkPad

tablets so it is easy to put in a back pack, purse, or briefcase. It has a dual core processor, built in WiFi,and has access to Amazon’s cloud storage system. This tablet is set up through Amazon, so any books,movies, or apps that are purchased go through the users Amazon account. the Kindle Fire is good forany avid reader because of its access to thousands of books made for kindle, including textbooks forstudents, and magazines or newspapers. Unlike the first generation Kindles, the Fire has a full colorscreen making it great for apps, movies and TV shows, as well as surfing the internet. so, if you aresomeone who enjoys reading at the doctor’s office, at the gym, or even before bed, the Kindle Firewould be a great tablet for you.

Apple iPad

The Apple iPad 2 is one of the leading tablets out on themarket. the iPad 2 is great for someone who wants to surf the web, play games, read, or be social.Running on the iOS 5 this tablet has multiple capabilities like reading from their Newstand that hasnewspapers, magazines, and different journal subscriptions, messaging with iMessage, using the built inTwitter app, Safari Reader and web browsing, and plenty more. It’s screen has an amazing retina displaythat is great for viewing text, photos, videos, and is even capable of video editing. Since it is from apple,you have access to iTunes and the App store. Social media and conversing is made easy on the iPad withthe different Apps you can download, the built in Twitter, and front facing camera for Facetiming. Thistablet is great for everyone in the family because of all of the apps that are available, but it can be easilydamaged. so, before you let your children have a go at it; make sure you get a durable case to protectthe screen. Unlike many other tablets, the iPad 2 does lack the ability to read or play Flash programs. Alot of people use it the same way they would a laptop, but many find it difficult to type on the screenkeyboard, which you can buy a keyboard that is compatible if you would like. the iPad is great if youwant to play and surf the web more than do stuff for work or school. the newer and more updated version is the new iPad.

Different Tablets for Different Lifestyles

Aug 14

Acer pleads Microsoft not to make Surface cheap

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Acer chairman JT Wang has his fingers crossed that Microsoft won’t price its Surface tablet lower than his company’s own offerings, CNET reports.

But a Digitimes report says Microsoft is looking to create a price chasm between Surface and competing tablets. “Microsoft is currently looking for solutions such as creating a price gap to minimise the negative impact on other vendors’ product lineups,” the report says.

If Microsoft does price it at $199 (the same price as Google’s Nexus 7), it would have a big impact on sales of competing products. But anywhere around $499 to $599 would have “a lot smaller” impact, according to the report. Hence Acer is praying for the higher price.

Microsoft is still keeping its cards close to its chest regarding the price of the Surface. all it’s said on the matter is: “Suggested retail pricing will be announced closer to availability and is expected to be competitive with a comparable ARM tablet or Intel Ultrabook-class PC.” But that isn’t all that much help given the huge variety of ARM tablets out there.

Microsoft surprised all its partners by announcing Surface, its own Windows 8 tablet. Competing with your partners doesn’t seem great business sense to me, but I’ll assume Microsoft knows what it’s doing.

Acer seems particularly irked by Microsoft’s decision. it told Microsoft to think twice about the device just this week. the same JT Wang told the Financial Times: “We have said, ‘Think it over. Think twice.’ it will create a huge negative impact for the ecosystem and other brands may take a negative reaction.”

a couple of months ago, a senior VP from Acer also told Reuters that Microsoft will fail in its fight with Apple and the iPad.

trouble in paradise, then. is Acer right to be annoyed at Microsoft? And how much should the Surface cost? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.

Acer pleads Microsoft not to make Surface cheap

Aug 12

Why Lenovo Believes in Windows 8 Tablets – ...

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Just hours after Acer’s CEO complained that Microsoft’s Surface tablet would generate a “negative impact” on the tablet market, Lenovo announced its own entrant to the Surface market, the ThinkPad Tablet 2. Clearly, Lenovo sees a market for a Windows 8 tablet that Acer does not. But what?

Business users, most likely.

“It appears the Lenovo is targeting business users and is shipping with an Intel processor,” Michael Gartenberg, a mobile analyst with Gartner, noted. “It’s also worth noting the digitizer is an extra add on.”

In fact, the digitizer – the optional digital pen that Microsoft will support with Windows 8, and Lenovo has chosen to include as an option for the Tablet 2 – is just one of a number of differentiating features that separate the Tablet 2 from Microsoft’s Surface.

Campbell Kan, Acer’s president for personal computer global operations, helped open the debate this week by telling the Financial Times that it is considering alternatives to Windows 8. “If Microsoft… is going to do hardware business, what should we do?” he asked. “Should we still rely on Microsoft, or should we find other alternatives?”

With the Tablet 2, however, Lenovo is making a tangible commitment to Windows 8.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 measures less than 0.4 inches thick and weighs just over 21 ounces grams, making it both thinner and lighter than the Microsoft Surface Pro, which measures more than half an inch thick and weighs almost 32 ounces. However, the Tablet 2’s screen is also a bit smaller: 10.1 inches, versus the 10.6-inch screen that the Surface includes. Battery life will be about 10 hours, Lenovo claims, and connectivity options will include 4G WWAN, which is not avialable on the Surface.

The Tablet 2 will use the Intel Atom “Clover Trail” X86 processor, which is due this fall. Lenovo will include Windows 8 Pro on board, which makes the Tablet 2 a rival to the Surface Pro.

That will instantly place the tablet into the upper pricing echelon, but also free it from the cost constraints that will limit the ingenuity of the basic ARM-based, Windows 8 RT tablets. It’s worth noting, though, that the price is about the only key feature that Lenovo hasn’t yet revealed.

Riding the trend toward the consumerization of IT and BYOD (bring your own device) to the workplace. Lenovo added a number of features that straddle the consumer and professional markets: a full-sized USB port for external storage and peripherals, front- and rear-facing cameras, noise-canceling microphones, an HDMI port and wireless video streaming.

But as ThinkPad fans know, Lenovo’s sweet spot is serving the business user. Acer, with its low-cost Acer and Gateway brands, has traditionally served the consumer. both the ThinkPad brand and its associated enterprise features may help woo IT managers enamored of the fit and finish of Lenovo products.

Lenovo’s enterprise-focused capabilities include an optional fingerprint reader, as well as the ability to encrypt both the internal and external storage. Lenovo also offers additional business features such as VPN access, Windows management tools and the ability to manage application deployment and block users from installing certain apps.

Lenovo also chose to include that optional stylus, a feature that Microsoft executives demonstrated during the Surface Pro unveiling. It’s still unclear what capabilities the stylus will have, although many suspect that the Surface, at least, includes a Wacom digitizer inside it.

Lenovo clearly disagrees with JT Wang, chief executive and chairman of Acer, who claimed that the Surface will create a “huge negative impact for the ecosystem.” But analyst Gartenberg said he still believes in the validity of the unified approach that Microsoft is offering.

“Consumers may be more attracted to the complete approach Microsoft is offering and those looking for an optimal tablet experience may care less about legacy applications going forward,” Gartenberg said. “At this point, Microsoft’s bold decision to make their own hardware to showcase their vision of the next generation of personal computing seems like a good decision… especially in a market that will be driven by consumer adoption and not necessarily business adoption.”

He’s almost certainly right – volume tablet sales have driven by consumers, not the enterprise. But if Lenovo can put the Tablet 2 into the hands of its enterprise sales teams, it has the opportunity to move 10,000 or so at a time. Lenovo is the second-ranked PC maker worldwide for a reason, and it’s not because of consumer PCs.

Why Lenovo Believes in Windows 8 Tablets – Even if Acer Doesn’t

Aug 09

Sprint Community: Announcements: The Lenovo ...

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Are you ever out and wish you had your computer with you and even more, wish it were connected? many times, we find that we would like to be able to connect and do tasks while we are mobile. if this is you or you know someone who needs this convenience, keep reading.

Sprint is excited to bring you an exclusive offer pairing the new Lenovo IdeaPad® U310 Ultrabook™ with a free 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot.  this offer includes the Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Ultrabook, MiFi® 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Novatel Wireless or Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless and three months free Mobile Broadband service with a two-year Mobile Broadband service agreement for just $799.99 (plus tax).

Once you get a chance to experience it, we think you’ll appreciate the convenience of being able to connect wherever you are without facing the hassle of hunting down a hotspot.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Ultrabook is a sleek and stylish device inspired by Intel® that features components from mobile devices such as fast start-up and the creative capabilities and performance of a PC.  It combines affordability and a super-slim design with ultra-responsive technologies.

The Ultrabook coupled with the 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot offers you connectivity and the flexibility to connect whenever you want.  We offer affordable data plans for the 3G/4G Mobile Hotspots starting at $34.99 for 3GB of combined 3G/4G data while on the Sprint network. Customers also can choose the $49.99 plan with 6GB of combined 3G/4G data. (Excluding taxes and surcharges) 

This knock-out combination is one that offers convenience for a variety of people such as students, business owners, busy moms and anyone that is looking for the ease of a notebook that requires connectivity on the go.

Press Release: Lenovo IdeaPas® U310 Ultrabook™ now Available Through Affordable Bundles Offer Exclusivetly from Sprint

Sprint.com/Ultrabook

3G/4G Mifi by Novatel

3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless

Sprint Community: Announcements: The Lenovo IdeaPad® U310 ULTRABOOK™ Now Available

Aug 05

Lenovo takes on the iPad with Windows 8-powered ...

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A leaked marketing document from hardware OEM Lenovo shows how the company is serious about taking on Apple and its incumbent tablet, the iPad.

In an attempt to differentiate its ThinkPad Tablet 2 from the competition, the company has drawn up a marketing document — leaked to The Verge — highlighting the differences between its tablet, other random Windows 8 tablets, and the iPad.

The bottom line of the highlights is that Lenovo’s tablet runs Windows while the iPad do not.

The tablet will also be powered by a dual-core Intel Clover Trail processor, and will be kitted out with 2GB RAM, 64GB storage, and feature a 10.1-inch WXGA display.

While it’s obvious that the iPad isn’t going to be able to handle some of the checkbox feature — PC apps and Windows 7 tools to manage devices are never going to make it to the iPad — it’s clear that Lenovo is positioning the ThinkPad Tablet 2 as the ideal device for enterprise over Apple’s offering. Encryption for external storage and multiple user logins are features that will appeal to enterprise users.

Combined with optional pen for input and a rather smart looking keyboard, the ThinkPad Tablet 2 looks like it might have real potential. RAID mirroring for a tablet seems like clutching at straws, and comes across as little more than a way to get a full ten checkpoints up on the iPad.

Interestingly, Lenovo avoids any battery comparisons.

While any tablet is ultimately a tradeoff device when compared to a desktop or notebook, by running Windows and offering a keyboard Lenovo hopes that its ThinkPad Tablet 2 will be seen as less of a compromise.

Given that Windows-powered tablets have existed for over a decade and they all failed to make even a modest impact on the market, Lenovo’s enthusiasm may be a little misplaced.

There’s no word on pricing or a release date, but the appearance of certification documents on the FCC website means that this should be out around the same time as Windows 8 is launched on October 26th.

Image source: The Verge.

Lenovo takes on the iPad with Windows 8-powered ThinkPad Tablet 2

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