Tag Archives: Microsoft

AI

OpenAI Releases GPT-4 AI System That powers ChatGPT & Bing

OpenAI Releases GPT-4: A Multimodal AI That Can See and Write

OpenAI, a research organization backed by Microsoft, has just announced the release of its latest artificial intelligence model, GPT-4. GPT-4 is a large multimodal model that can accept both text and images as input and generate text outputs based on them. It exhibits human-level performance on various professional and academic benchmarks, such as law exams, code generation, and language translation.

What is GPT-4 and what can it do?

GPT-4 stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4, which is the fourth iteration of OpenAI’s series of large language models that use deep learning to learn from massive amounts of text data. GPT-4 has 1.5 trillion parameters, which is 10 times more than its predecessor, GPT-3.5.

GPT-4 is trained on a diverse dataset of text and images from the web, covering topics such as news, books, social media, Wikipedia, and more. It can generate coherent and fluent text on almost any topic given a prompt or a query. For example, it can write an essay about climate change, a summary of a book, or a product review.

But what makes GPT-4 different from previous models is that it can also accept images as input and generate text based on them. This means that it can perform tasks such as:

  • captioning photos
  • describing sketches
  • or creating websites from mock-ups.
  • It can also combine text and images to generate multimodal outputs such as memes or comics.

GPT-4’s capabilities are an improvement over the previous model, GPT-3.5, in terms of reliability,
creativity, and handling of nuanced instructions.

OpenAI tested the model on various benchmarks, including simulated exams designed for humans, and found that GPT-4 outperformed existing large language models. It also performs well in languages other than English, including low-resource languages such as Latvian, Welsh, Hebrew and Swahili.

How can you use GPT-4?

OpenAI has made GPT-4 available to developers and researchers through its ChatGPT platform and its API (with a waitlist). ChatGPT is a chatbot service that allows users to interact with GPT-4 using natural language. Users can choose from different personas and topics to chat with GPT-4 or ask it questions. The API allows developers to integrate GPT-4 into their own applications and customize its behavior using parameters such as temperature (creativity), top-p (diversity), frequency penalty (repetition), presence penalty (topic drift), stop sequence (end token), etc.

OpenAI has also been working on each aspect of the plan outlined in its post about defining the behavior of AIs,
including steerability. Developers and programmers can now describe the AI’s style and task in the “system” message. A great deal of personalization is possible for API users within bounds, allowing them to customize their users’ experiences.

What are the limitations and risks of GPT-4?

Even though GPT-4 offers many advantages over earlier models, it still has some limitations. Using language model outputs in high-stakes contexts should be done with caution since it can still “hallucinate” facts and make reasoning errors.
GPT-4 does not know about events after September 2021, so it can make simple reasoning mistakes
Assume false statements to be true and accept them as true. Moreover, its code might introduce security issues when confronted with challenging problems like humans.

There are times when GPT-4 makes confident, but incorrect predictions, and its work is not always thoroughly checked. The base model is good at predicting the accuracy of its answers, but this ability decreases after post-training. Despite GPT-4’s benefits, it poses new risks, including the generation of harmful advice and buggy code, or missing information.

OpenAI has made many changes to GPT-4 to make it safer than GPT-3.5 and has been working to mitigate risks.
For example:

* It uses filters to block harmful content such as hate speech or personal attacks;
* It uses alignment techniques to ensure that its outputs are consistent with human values;
* It uses transparency tools to provide provenance information for its outputs;
* It uses feedback mechanisms to allow users to report errors or abuse;
* It uses governance structures to oversee its development

software, Tech

Microsoft Announces an Update to Bing Which Integrates ChatGPT Models into it

Microsoft announces It’s new iteration of AI-powered Bing homepage that enables its users to ask, explore and have conversations with the latest and greatest  technology of OpenAI’s engine model which it calls: Your new Co-pilot to the web.

To those who still haven’t heard, ChatGPT is a conversational language model developed by a company called OpenAI. It uses a state-of-the-art natural language processing model that has been trained on a massive amount of data and designed to generate human-like responses to text inputs in variety of styles and different human tones., making it useful for applications such as chatbots and virtual assistants.

Link to try the new Bing Experience HERE, click !

Microsoft is only providing access to a limited version of the new Bing conversation experiences for now. In the future, however, you will be able to use the browser and AI conversations to their full potential.

New features include more accurate search rankings, more added-value content for your search queries, and a chatbot that will act as a smart assistant.

In the demo, we’ve seen many interesting examples of how the Open AI chatbot integrates with Bing and answers questions submitted by users

bing-demo-openAI

But the company has added some ready-to-use cases to explore as well:

Things like:

  • Write a rhythming poem
  • How to create a three course menu.
  • How to get fit.
  • Help create a quiz.
  • Help in writing a code.
  • Write a rhyming poem or essay.
  • Creating an itinerary for  a party.
  • Search for a fast big car

And more..

Bing-chatgpt-usecases

With the new and improved Bing, powered by AI and wrapped in a Microsoft-developed safety system called Prometheus, users can join a waitlist that hopefully extends its availability and use in the coming weeks. The new and improved Bing is available in limited preview mode for desktops only today.

Highlights from Bing and Microsoft Edge's February 2023 Event

 

Games

Microsoft’s $299 Xbox Series S and $499 Xbox Series X Officially Announced, Release Date & Pre-Order Info Revealed

Microsoft announces today the official release of Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X, with both devices set to arrive to market on November 10th, and pre-orders begin September 22, as retail prices starting at $299 and $499 respectively. 

Update: Xbox Series X pre-orders are live

US Xbox Series X:  ► Amazon | Microsoft | BestBuy
US Xbox Series S:  ► Amazon | Microsoft | BestBuy

Xbox Series S

The Xbox Series S which gets from Microsoft the formal description of a “next-gen performance in the smallest Xbox ever”  is said to be around 60% smaller than the Xbox Series X device, but with a similar CPU clocked at merely 3.6Hz and with a gaming performance of 1440p at up to 120 FPS and 4K upscaling. The console is set to be an all-digital edition which means without a disc drive included inside.

The fact that Xbox Series S delivers four times the processing power of an Xbox One console means you get a very capable device for a relatively small price.

Microsoft already teased the $299. Xbox Series S, in a tweet on Tuesday, claiming it would be the “smallest Xbox ever”.

Xbox Series X

As per Xbox Series X, which is described as the most powerful console ever made, it has been “designed to deliver a new level of fidelity, feel, performance and precision never seen before in console gaming”, boasting a more powerful GPU than what the smaller series offers along with a full hardware support for AMD’s latest RDNA 2 performance. 

The X series also enables you to “spend less time waiting and more time playing, as it virtually eliminates load times with the 40x boost in I/O throughput from last generation. With next-generation SSD and Xbox Velocity Architecture”

Both devices support Dolby Atmos, and Dolby Vision via streaming media apps like Disney+, Vudu and Netflix at launch. Plus: Dolby Vision support for gaming will come in 2021.

In addition to that you get access to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate experience including:

  • Over 100 high-quality games to play on console, including next-gen Optimized games
  • Over 100 high-quality games to play on PC
  • An EA Play membership to play more than 60 of EA’s biggest and best console and PC games
  • And over 100 games to play from the cloud

Microsoft is offering a bundle of the Game Pass Ultimate with Xbox Series S at $24.99 a month for 24 months and with Xbox Series X starting from $34.99 a month for 24 months.

Computers, Hardware

By Rethinking One Button Huawei MateBook Disrupts the Entire Laptop Market

 

In today’s computer market, it’s hard to disrupt an entire industry. Laptops may get faster, the visuals will get sharper, but at its core, the product is the same.

That was until two days ago, when Huawei shook up the laptop market. On Tuesday, the Chinese tech company launched their new MateBook series and changed everything. Huawei did it with one simple design change- the power button!

For years, the industry viewed the power button as serving one function. Within the limited real estate of a laptop, why is there one button for power and another for finger scanner?

Ever think of that? Me either.

Well, that’s what Huawei was thinking when they launched their MateBook.

A post shared by Huawei Mobile (@huaweimobile) on

A few years ago, I would have expected that Apple might have attempted such a bold redesign. With their eyes laser focused on beating Apple and Microsoft, Huawei simply disrupted the laptop market. They merged two functions and upgraded the power button.

Simple and convenient.

Clearly, this new power button/ finger scanner isn’t where Huawei stopped. All of the other aspects of MateBook X’s hardware are similarly impressive.

In their product launch, Huawei boldly showed who their competition in the laptop market is. Apple. In fact, the MateBook X and MacBook are so similar that Endgaget could barely distinguish between the two.
Huawei took them to task and clearly stated their position.

The MateBook X comes in rose gold.

Sound familiar?

In typical Huawei fashion, they focused on the user. What do all laptops users want? A powerful device, that’s simple and has a long lasting battery.

So, that’s exactly what Huawei created in the MateBook.

The MateBook X is a 13-inch Windows 10 ultra-portable is designed as a  traditional aluminum clamshell, instead of the original MateBook 2-in-1 configuration. Customers can choose from either an Intel “Kaby Lake” Core i5 or i7 processors instead of the less powerful Core m series. The MateBook visuals are super strong too by offering a 3:2 aspect ratio at 2K resolution with a 4.4mm bezel, which is pushing the bezel to the max.

Storage

The Huawei MateBook comes in either 256GB or 512GB SSD options. Sure, the RAM could be a point of contention since the laptop will only come in either 4GB or 8GB options.  I’m rather certain that most laptop users will be forgiving considering that the device is so light, thin, and portable. Honestly, to the average user, 8GB will suffice.

Battery

At the launch event, Huawei claimed that the MateBook can run 1080p video for 10 hours on a single charge. That’s serious.

It’s also not surprising.

Huawei has been improving battery life on all of their devices, like their Mate 9. In my review of this AI infused device,  the phone lasts almost an entire day.

Once again, like their phones, the Huawei MateBook X has a unibody aluminum design, which is optimal design for making the laptop super thin and super light.
At its thickest point, the Huawei MateBook X measures 0.49 inches- thinner than the MacBook (0.52 inches) and the MBP (0.59 inches). In terms of weight, once again, Huawei out-designed the competition by scaling down the MateBook X to only weighs 2.31 pounds compared to the MacBook Pro’s 3.02 pounds.

Photo Credit: Huawei

Untouchable?

With all of these impressive improvements and features, there’s some talk about the MateBook X not coming with a touchscreen. Personally, I don’t think it will deter users. When asked, Huawei responded that “they wanted to put their best foot forward…” I think that most users are still acclimating to the touch screen feature on a laptop. Keep the laptop simple. Don’t confuse the user.

Fanless?

Under the hood, the Huawei MateBook X is going fanless. That should insure that customers won’t worry about their device overheating.

Sound

In their ongoing focus on outperforming their competition, Huawei announced their partnership with Dolby. The MateBook comes with Dolby Atmos Sound inside. While many devices have Dolby Atmos software, Huawei is the first to integrate both software and hardware solutions. By placing the speakers above the keyboard and including software that optimizes the quality of the sound for movies and music, the MateBook will give users a true listening experience that offers quality both via headphones and speakers.

A post shared by Huawei Mobile (@huaweimobile) on

Ports

The MateBook went minimal on the ports. With only two USB C slots, one for power one for everything else, this may be an issue. Hopefully, most users will appreciate the dock offering HDMI, USB A, USB C and VGA that comes with the MateBook. A microSD card reader could have been a valuable addition.

Huawei’s first real attempt in launching a sleek, powerful, practical laptop seems to be a solid competitor in the market. With the MateBook series, Huawei is clearly boasting their ambitions to play with the big boys in the laptop market.

tablets

The Top 3 Best Tablets on the Market

 

When you’re ready to dish out some money for a new tablet, you obviously want to buy the best there is on the market. So, when time comes to buy, what should you look for? What are the best new models you can buy today? These are a few of the best tablets you can find on the market today, if you are ready to buy right now.

Amazon Fire 
With a 1.3 GHZ processor, a 7” screen, and excellent picture resolution (1024*600 pixels) you won’t find many tablets at this smaller screen size which has such excellent colour contrast and resolution. Add in the very light weight of only 11 ounces and you can literally carry this thing around without even feeling it in a bag. The 8 GB built in storage, and Amazon OS are fast, and allows for added storage if you need it. Excellent touch screen, easy to use features, and a small, sleek, elegant design, make this a must have tablet, especially for such a low-price point in comparison to other top manufacturer names in the marketplace.

Surface Pro 4  
This Microsoft tablet is another great option. It is sleek, has the unique kick stand design, detachable keyboard, lighted keys, and a very cool looking exterior. It features a larger screen size at 12.3” you can use it like a laptop, eliminating the need to own two devices. The 2.3 processor speed is extremely fast, so you won’t experience lag time or slow speeds, even if you are down or uploading, watching, or playing games, on the device. 1920×1200-pixel resolution also means sharper images, better depth perception, and great color disparity on screen. A bit pricey, but considering it can be a tablet as well as a laptop in one, it is a bundle and a great bargain.


iPad Pro 7
Apple has done it again. If you love large screen sizes, the 9.8” design is truly a great size you won’t find with many competitors on the market today. With the iOS operating system, you won’t be disappointed with speed, ability to browse the web, or do nearly anything (work or play) on this device. It is very responsive, has built in safety fingers (like fingerprint technology), and the 2048×1536-pixel resolution, makes it the very best, and provides the best screen resolution and image quality, regardless of what you plan on using the iPad to do. It is very thin, it is very light, and it comes from the most trusted developer in Apple.

A true must have device, but do consider the high price tag if you are comparing this with other Android based devices which are much cheaper in the price spectrum. The  iPad Pro7 can be very expensive depending on the model you go for. Luckily catalogue companies have started to provide different payment plans like buy now pay later, pay weekly, pay monthly. Over the past few years buying tablets on finance has become more and more popular due to the price of the product.

No matter what you are looking for when it comes to buying a new tablet, you have hundreds of options out there. For the budget shopper, for the high-end shopper, and for those who are in between, these are three great models to consider, which will offer great resolution, speeds, and quality, for the price point you can spend when purchasing a new tablet.

Games, Video

The Best Accessories For Your Xbox Gaming Console

 

If you truly want to delve into the gaming experience and make the most of your Xbox gaming, you need the right pieces, right? Of course. So, if you are looking for the right accessories to enjoy your gaming, these are some of the best Xbox accessories to consider investing in today.

Elite Controller
If you have the money, you might as well splurge on this wireless controller. Swappable analogue sticks, paddle buttons on the back, face buttons on the front, and side toggles, truly allow you to make the most out of any fighter or shooter game. No matter what you are playing, this controller provides the right length, button, and analogue stick, so you are never out of place with the gaming control.

Thrustmaster TMX
If you plan to play racing or driving games, this is it. With truly distinguished pedals, you’ll feel like you are in the Indy 500. Heavy duty, adjustable incline panels, progressive resistance for even the tightest turns, makes this the ideal pedal and wheel system for your favourite, high throttle, fast paced games. With progressive resistance, you also must press down harder to really pick up the pace, so it makes it feel even more so like you are in a race car, digging in at your competition’s heels.

Chatpad
If you like to trash talk, this QWERTY style keypad is the way to do it. With a full keyboard, you can easily input text with your thumbs, without having to take your other fingers off the gaming controller. It also comes with a well-made chat headset, so you can talk to other players when you are immersed in online gaming. Truly a must have for fighter games, or RPG games, where you are playing with others in a team simulation game on screen.

Energizer 2X
If you simply can’t stop playing, and need a quick charger for your controllers, this is the must have charger to invest in. You can charge two controllers at once, and truly get nearly a 100% charge in a matter of only minutes. The LED display light is a nice feature, that lights up green to inform you that the controller has fully charged up. If you need to have a backup on hand at all times, then this is the controller charger you should consider investing when the time comes to purchase one.

There are number of options that you can purchase so you can make the most out of your gaming experience. No matter what type of games you enjoy, who you are planning to play with, or if you are an on or an offline gamer, the right accessories are going to make the gaming action far more enjoyable. So regardless of what you are looking for when it comes to playing on your favorite devices, there are several great accessories you should consider purchasing. These are some of the top accessories which will truly enhance your gaming experience, and make you a far superior competitor online.

Computers, software

The History of Microsoft Windows [Infographic]

 

Are you a PC or a Mac user? Either way, you can’t really deny the success that Windows have had over the years – being the world’s number one operating system for PC users, but success aside, are you aware of all the things Windows have gone through since the launch of their very first operating system?

Thankfully, an infographic has been released by Best STL which manages to detail the rich and ground-breaking journey that the Windows platform has gone through in its 30 year lifetime.

Windows 1 was launched in 1985 – a year after the very first Apple Macintosh computer was released. Primarily run on MS-DOS installations, which allowed pre-existing MS-DOS software and new graphical programs to be run. The reception of the operating system was met with mixed responses from critics, but that was not to stop the company from moving forward in realising the power that Windows had.

Three years later and Windows 2 was released. This marked an important occasion for the company as it was the first system that featured Microsoft Word & Microsoft Excel –essential software that is still widely used today.

In 1990, Windows 3 was released & was the most comparable version to the Apple software, with graphical advancements that made it the most successful version of Windows thus far. It was also the first version to be pre-installed on hard drives by PC-compatible manufacturers, allowing consumers to have the system on their PC straight out of the box.

The success of Windows heightened with the releases of Windows 1995 and 1998 as more and more people started owning computers in their homes. Alongside the release of Internet Explorer, this meant there was more demand for a PC than ever before.

The most popular version of Windows probably still stands at 2001’s release of Windows XP. According to an article in 2009, it was reported as “still having nearly 59 per cent market share” and there is still demand for updates today. Even after the releases of Vista, 7, 8 and 9.

It’ll be interesting to see what Windows 10 brings when it is released at the end of July. Will it be a Windows 98 or XP type release or will it make just as much of an impact as the Millennial Edition or Windows 8 did? Have a look at the infographic below.

History-of-Microoft-Windows

software, tablets

Microsoft Apps to Come Preloaded On LG, Sony, Other Android Tablets

microsoft-powerpoint-in-android-tablet

Microsoft is one of these tech-oriented giant companies that seem to know a thing or two about software distribution across the pond. But what about apps? Glad you asked, because there’s something going on around the business of this corp these days – strategic wise, of course. Based on the details shared, the Windows maker announced that it has officially partnered with more than 20 Android tablet makers, among them are also big leaders like LG and Sony, to bundle its apps on future tablet versions or updates. Some of the apps which are due to come pre-loaded inside include the popular video messaging app Skype, as well as Bing, OneDrive, OneNote, Outlook Word, Excel, and a variety some others. A sort of an Office Suite, if you will. The purpose of this move is likely to create a cross-platform functionality for its apps. Whether this is an indication that Microsoft is giving up on its own platform or not, I have no idea, but time will surely tell.

[Microsoft Blog]

Computers, Hardware

Raspberry Pi 2 Receives a Huge Hardware Boost, Windows 10, Still Costs $35

For those who have never heard the name before, the Raspberry Pi is a small sized computer that runs Linux and sells for only $35. Over the last couple of years the device has been a great success and exceeded all expectations, with a whopping 4.5 million Pi boards units sold to date. And despite a relatively short existence the Raspberry Pi has already come a long way. One of the most obvious uses of the Raspberry Pi is as a super tiny portable computer, but the practical and effective uses of the Raspberry Pi know no bounds.

Earlier today Raspberry pi announced their new model the “Raspberry Pi 2”. They have improved the hardware / specs substantially (from the Model B+ ) and optimized the platform to work better with a wide variety of open-source apps, including WebKit, LibreOffice, Scratch, Pixman, XBMC/Kodi, libav and PyPy.

Looking at the board and the inside of the new P2, the CPU is now a Broadcom 900MHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7, while the RAM has been doubled to a full 1GB LPDDR2 courtesy of the guys over at Micron. And while the overall look is more or less the same, the Foundation says the new model is roughly six times more powerful than previous Rasp Pi hardware.

In some other great news, we hear that the Raspberry P2 will run Windows 10 out of the box – FREE of charge. According to the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the group has been working closely with Microsoft for the last six months to bring Windows 10 to the new Pi2 model.

The Raspberry Pi 2 is now available at the same competitive, low price $35 dollars from Element 14 and RS Components.

[Raspberry Pi]

General

Nokia Returns With The $250 N1 Android Tablet

nokia-n1-android-tablet

It’s been a while since Nokia has officially released a brand new Android/Windows tablet to the wild, so it is nice to see them adding one more. The Finnish company which was acquired by Microsoft a little under a year ago for $7.2 billion, is finally back on track with the addition of a 7.9-inch slate. So, what this is all about? We’re looking at a 6.9mm thick device, dubbed the Nokia N1, that features 2GB of RAM inside as well as WiFi connectivity and 32GB of internal storage.

While this N1 tablet looks a lot like Apple’s iPad mini 3, it is actually thinner and lighter than pictures would suggest. Nokia outfits the new slab with a nice HD display that measures 7.9 inches diagonally and features a resolution of 2048-by-1536 pixels on top (same as Apple’s 3rd-gen iPad mini model). The front-facing camera offers 5-megapixel resolution alongside an 8-megapixel shooter on the rear. In terms of speed and performance the N1 will arrive to the market with a 64-bit 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor on board, together with a duo set of speakers, and your choice of either “Natural Aluminum” or “Lava Grey” colors.

The tablet runs on Android 5.0 (which has just been confirmed to be called Lollipop) but there is a software layer that Nokia has added on top of its existing proprietary platform, called the Z launcher. Furthermore, the tablet is said to be one of the first devices in the world to feature the reversible type-C faster USB connector. Unfortunately, it is likely to be the only single USB port.

The N1 is due to launch in China for $249 sometime before the Chinese New Year which takes place on February 19, 2015, with a release in Russia and a few European countries to follow shortly after.

Hit the Play to watch the video

[youtube id=”IwJmthxJV5Q”]

tablets

Microsoft Announces New 12-inch Surface Pro 3 Tablet

2 Comments

microsoft-surface-pro-3-tablet

Microsoft has officially announced the new Surface Pro 3 tablet, or what it calls ‘The tablet that can replace your laptop.’  Well, we’re not so sure it will be happening anytime soon, the way that Microsoft would probably want it to be, but it sure has evolved a lot since the days of the early model.

Microsoft has really spent the effort this time, to go after Apple. Particularly against the company’s Macbook Air. What are they trying to prove? Probably that you don’t actually need it anymore. For real. Especially now, that you can get the better (and lighter) option which was made in the form of the surface Pro 3. Oh, well.

photo by pcworld
photo by pcworld

As for the device itself, it has a beautiful 12-inch Full HD screen display (3X2 aspect ratio), with 2160 X 1440 resolution, designed to work with literally any stylus pen you’d get. Of course that Microsoft will provide you with one so there’s no need to worry too much about this part (as long as you pay another $49 for it).

The Pro 3 is slim, measuring in only 9.1mm (0.36 inch) in thickness and weighs only 800 grams (1.76 pounds) with no keyboard attached. It will come in three hardware configurations: Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7, with all versions to be available for pre-order starting tomorrow with prices as follows:

  • i3-4GB RAM, 64GB – $799
  • i5-4GB RAM, 128GB – $999
  • i5-8GB RAM, 256GB – $1299
  • i7-8GB RAM, 256GB – $1549
  • i7-8GB RAM, 512GB – $1949

At this point we should mention that the Surface Pro 3 is about 1.2mm thinner than previous Surface variants, and is likely to be getting you roughly 10% more in performance. Battery life is claimed to be around 15%-20% better than any other Surface model.

Accessories wise, there will be a docking station with support for 4K display plus three USB 3 ports, two USB 2 ports, gigabit Ethernet, audio input/output, and a mini-DisplayPort connector, that will run you $199, as well as new type covers, redesigned with 68% bigger trackpad area. The kickstand on the back is now offering users a relatively comfortable near flat writing position that will bring the slab to an angle of up to 150 degrees. It’s particularly useful when you wanna get things done in the comfort of your laps.

 

Surface Pro 3 Specifications

Size 7.93×11.5×0.36 inches
Weight 1.76 lbs
Display 12 inch 2160×1440 multitouch
Processor Unspecified 4th generation (Haswell) Core i3, i5, and i7 options.
RAM 4 or 8GB
Storage 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Connectivity 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0 LE
Cameras Front and rear, both supporting 5MP still/1080p video
Ports USB 3, microSD, mini DisplayPort, headphones
Sensors Accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, 256 level pressure sensitive battery-powered pen
Battery 9 hours
Other TPM 2.0, front and rear-facing microphones, Dolby-enhanced stereo speakers

 

Update: Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 tablet now available to pre-order both in Europe and the U.S. (overall in 22 countries worldwide).

Check out the videos below

[youtube id=”1t7rSZT_77E”]

[youtube id=”mkKPt1gnl_0″]

second video is courtesy of expertzone

tablets

Microsoft to Announce an 8-Inch Surface Mini Tablet

microsoft-surface-pro-2

Surface Mini rumors have been floating around the internet for quite some time now, but today it looks like those rumors may finally be getting an email confirmation which has been officially received in the form of a Surface invitation. Yes, Microsoft has publicly invited people to come and attend a special company event which will take place in New York City on May 20th, and where it is expected to unveil a brand new 8-inch tablet to the market with an ARM-based chip under the hood and a handy stylus pen. The tablet will probably compete with 7.9 inch iPad Mini and is expected to run a full version of Windows 8.1 OS. The price is likely to match the iPad Mini starting price of $299/399 as well, but these are only speculations at this early stage. Do stay tuned to find out more updates from us!

tablets

Microsoft Launches Surface 2 Tablet With LTE Support

microsoft-surface-2-lte-tablet

Good news at last! Microsoft has officially announced that it will be releasing a Surface 2 with LTE support first thing tomorrow morning. The 10.6-inch tablet which touts a 1080p screen resolution, runs a Windows 8.1 operating system under the hood and said to be powered by AT&T’s 4G LTE wireless network. As part of the deal, the slab will go on sale for $679 with 64GB of internal memory, but the key point is that there is no obligation to the cellular company, as far as we know, however the slate itself does require an AT&T micro-SIM card to work properly. In addition, the new surface 2 tablet also supports LTE bands 4, 7 and 17, as well as internet access on 3G UTMS network and GSM 800/900/1800/1900MHz.

And while there’s still no word about a Surface Pro 2 with integrated LTE, the 4G Surface 2 will be sold exclusively at Best Buy and directly from Microsoft stores and MicrosoftStore.com. The tablet which packs a Tegra 4 quad-core processor inside comes equipped with a dual-position kickstand, paired with a full-sized USB 3.0 port, a 5MP rear camera and a 3.5MP shooter up front. Microsoft also keeps the “goodies box” from previous package, including a 200GB of SkyDrive storage for 2 consecutive years as well as unlimited Skype calls to landlines for one year long, in addition to Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013 RT and Outlook 2013 RT.

Good luck in trying to get yourself one.

[Microsoft]

tablets

Nokia Unveils The Lumia 2520, Its First Ever Windows RT Tablet

You probably have a lot of guts if you are ready to release a new product on the same day as Apple announces a new iPad lineup. This is something that only a company like Nokia would do. As a result of recent trends, the mobile giant is today announcing the official release of a new Windows RT slate. The 10-inch tablet which runs a full version of the Windows RT 8.1 OS will come equipped with a 2MP front-facing camera and a rear 6.7MP shooter with Zeiss optics technology on board to get you some real good photos and a great 1080p 60fps video experience. Other than that, the Lumia 2520 also includes a strong 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 chip under the hood, alongside a bright 650nit display made from Gorilla Glass 2. The slate is also going to be 4G LTE-enabled and has an 800mAh battery and a micro-USB 3.0 port. In addition to the basic Wifi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, the 2520 will also be expected to have NFC which is enable ease in making online payments, and A-GPS+GLONASS receiver, designed primarily for navigation use. 

Nokia is expecting to ship its first ever Windows tablet, the Lumia 2520, in Q4 for $499, with your choice of Red, White (glossy), Cyan, and Black (matte) colors.

[youtube id=”HVA4-Adlm7g”]

[youtube id=”EFXRYrZFxsg”]

 

[Nokia]

tablets

Dell Announces Venue 8 Pro and Venue 11 Pro Windows 8.1 Tablets

If Android operating system is not exactly your cup of tea and if you aren’t as enthused as holding a Microsoft Windows tablet in your hand, Dell’s Venue 8 Pro and Venue 11 Pro might be a really good option. Well, at least if you are willing to shell out a minimum of $300 for the 8-inch tablet, and up to $500 for the 10.8-inch model. Yes, the Venue 11 screen size is actually a little bit smaller than you’d expect, but not that much. In any case, the display on this particular Dell device is a full HD with 1920 X 1080 pixels resolution and with 10 multi-touch points at a time. Measuring in at 8.9mm thick and tipping the scales at 712g (or 798g, depending on setup), the new Venue 11 Pro has a matte-textured design and offers up to 10 hours of battery life. Moreover, this tablet uses Intel’s Atom quad-core Bay Trail processors under the hood, or alternatively, Intel’s fourth-gen Haswell Core i3/ Core i5 chips, has two cameras, front at 8-megapixel and back camera with 2-megapixel resolution, massive 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, WiDi wireless capabilities, Wifi, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC control. The Windows 8.1 device comes equipped with a range of ports, including HDMI out, a full-size USB 3.0, and a microSD card slot, expandable up to 64GB of storage on the go. 

Dell will also offer an accessory bundle to complement the Venue 11 Pro, including a folding style case with keyboard, similar to the one offered by Redmond with Microsoft’s flagship model, the Surface Pro, a Mobile Keyboard which will get you an additional built-in battery, full keyboard and touchpad capabilities plus USB and HDMI ports.

The Venue 8 Pro is Dell’s compact 8-inch iteration, running Intel’s new Atom quad-core processor code-named Bay Trail inside, along with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The 8.8mm thick device packs a 1,280 x 800 IPS display on board (with an optional digitizer pen), as well as a Micro-USB 2.0 port, 802.11n wifi connectivity, and a pair of cameras: 5-megapixel on the back, and a 1.2-megapixel in front. The tablet will be available in WiFi-only, HSPA+ and/or LTE configurations on October 18 for the reasonable price mentioned above.

Update: Dell’s Windows 8.1  Venue 8 Pro tablet finally goes on sale Stateside, and will be priced at starting price of around $300 while the stylus pen option will set you back $35. 

[youtube id=”6y_z6RW-s_c”]

[youtube id=”YhW4du9GUKY”]
[toggle title=”FULL PR TEXT”]

Dell Introduces New Line of Tablets and Updated XPS Laptops: Create, Share and Access Content from Virtually Anywhere

· New Dell Venue Pro tablets offer the ability to connect, share and access content with ease
· XPS 11 is the world’s thinnest, lightest and most compact 2-in-1 in the world with the world’s first Quad HD display on an 11.6-inch 2-in-1
· XPS 15 powerhouse laptop offers the world’s first 15.6-inch Quad HD+ display for jaw-dropping visuals and the ultimate experience

Bracknell, UK, 2nd October, 2013 – Dell today took a bold step in unveiling a new family of tablets and new laptops, including a 2-in-1 Ultrabook. The Dell Venue Pro line of tablets is comprised of two new ultrathin models designed to address the changing way people live and work today. Dell’s “damned sexy” tablets, as described by leading Enderle Group analyst, Rob Enderle, deliver leading performance and quality, backed by Intel processing technology. With compact designs that make it easy to stay connected on the go, the Dell Venue Pro tablets have an exquisite fit and finish.

In addition to the versatile new Dell Venue Pro tablets, Dell is introducing new XPS laptops, each with breakthrough displays for a phenomenal viewing experience with vibrant, crisp images in any available screen size. The new XPS 11, the thinnest, most compact 2-in-1 in the world, also features the first Quad HD (2560 x 1440) display on an 11.6-inch 2-in-1. The XPS 15 multimedia powerhouse boasts a stunningly thin design, and offers as an option the first 15.6-inch Quad HD+ (3200 x 1800) display in the world, which is the highest resolution available on a laptop of that size. Dell is also refreshing its award-winning XPS 13 Ultrabook with faster processors, touch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display and improved battery life. With these three laptops, Dell is leading the industry with the highest resolution displays possible.

“People today expect the best experience possible from their technology – they are counting on it to keep them connected and move with them, wherever they are,” said Sam Burd, vice president Dell Personal Computing Group. “The new Dell Venue tablets and XPS laptops give customers the stellar experience they expect from us, with performance that allows them to work how they want, when they want, in a design they’ll be proud to show off and own.”

Dell Venue Tablets: Connect, Share and Access Content With Ease
Dell Venue Pro tablets are designed to give people on-the-go a selection of sizes and options to meet their varying needs. With the 8 and 11-inch Windows-based tablets complete with keyboard and stylus options, Dell has created a dedicated brand of tablets to meet the needs of customers who are the epitome of the evolving workforce.
· The Dell Venue 8 Pro and Dell Venue 11 Pro Windows 8.1-based tablets combine the level of performance, design and responsiveness end-users love while giving IT departments what they need – the ability to integrate into an existing corporate environment with full compatibility with current Windows applications and Microsoft Office integration. Both tablets feature optional advanced security features and services such as TPM.
· The lightweight Dell Venue 8 Pro runs Windows 8.1, has a bright HD IPS display, advanced connectivity options and provides long battery life so range anxiety is no longer an issue. People can also stay productive with Office 2013 Home & Student, included with the device, and the optional Dell Active Stylus.
· The Dell Venue 11 Pro, also based on Windows 8.1, provides ultimate 2-in-1 flexibility with the power of an Ultrabook, convenience of a detachable keyboard and experience of a desktop. Unlike competitive tablets, it has a user removable/replaceable battery, and its large, Full HD display with wide viewing angles makes it easy to read and create content while staying mobile. It is also available with a variety of keyboard and stylus options:
o Dell Active Stylus makes it easy to annotate, draw or take notes.
o Dell Slim Keyboard, designed for travel, also serves as a cover for the screen when folded up.
o Dell Mobile Keyboard with integrated battery provides all day productivity with a full-sized keyboard while extending the battery life.
o Dell Tablet Desktop Dock for full productivity on a desk with USB 3.0 ports, and dual display out ports for display extension.

Both Dell Venue Pro tablets are based on Intel processing power for speed, responsiveness, and battery efficiency. The Dell Venue 8 Pro and Dell Venue 11 Pro feature the new Intel Atom quad-core Baytrail processors, code named “Bay Trail”. The Venue 11 Pro offers up to 4th Generation Intel Core i3 and i5 processor options and Intel vPro for manageability.

Dell XPS Laptops and 2-in-1: The Ultimate Experience with Gorgeous Displays
Dell’s award-winning XPS laptop line just got even better with the new XPS 15 powerhouse laptop, the introduction of the XPS 11 2-in-1, and an update to the flagship XPS 13 Ultrabook. In keeping with the XPS tradition of offering the best computing experience in any product category, the XPS laptops and 2-in-1 feature machined aluminium, carbon fibre, vibrant displays, and Corning Gorilla Glass NBT for performance, durability and the ultimate experience.

· Starting at 2.5lbs / 1.1kg¹ and just 11-15mm thin, the XPS 11 is the world’s thinnest, lightest and most compact 2-in-1 Ultrabook available today, offering a tablet-first design with laptop functionality. It easily transitions from tablet to laptop with a 360 degree rotating hinge design, and an innovative solid surface backlit touch keyboard that provides a superb experience from lap to bag. The XPS 11 has a bright, crisp viewing experience. The display also features True Color viewing powered by eeColor, which enables customers to enjoy true, rich consistent color in nearly any lighting environment.
· The XPS 15 continues to be a multimedia powerhouse delivering the highest resolution in its class, and incredible power in an ultra-thin, light wedge design, starting at 4.44lbs / 2kg¹. Designed for creative enthusiasts, the XPS 15 packs 4th Generation Intel Core i5 and i7 quad core processor options and NVIDIA discrete graphics options. Every XPS 15 boots and resumes within seconds with hard drive configuration options from 500GB to 1TB², both with a 32GB mSATA SSD, to a 512GB solid state drive, all including Intel Rapid Start Technology³.
· The award-winning XPS 13, with its 13.3-inch, edge-to-edge display that innovatively fits into a footprint similar to an 11-inch laptop, is razor thin and light, starting at under 3lbs / 1.3kg¹. It is now even faster with 4th generation Intel Core processors, Intel HD 4400 graphics, and has longer battery life for the mobile professional who values a sleek design, responsiveness and ultimate mobility. Its Full HD display provides a brilliant viewing experience and is now even more versatile with a touch option.

“Dell appears to have its innovative mojo back,” said Tim Bajarin, President of Creative Strategies. “These new products clearly emphasize Dell’s commitment to create innovative mobile solutions for businesses and consumers and I believe represent some of the best products they have made in many years.”

Get the Most Out of Your Technology with Dell Services
Dell customers can get the most out of their technology with Dell Services, dedicated to keeping them connected and productive, whether they’re using their tablet or XPS purchase for work or home. Dell’s technology experts are available around the clock. Consumers can include additional protection such as Accidental Damage Service, Premium Phone Support and Rapid Return for Repair services. Business customers can be rest assured that their devices will fit seamlessly and securely into their corporate IT environment with Dell ProSupport on the Dell Venue 8 Pro and Venue 11 Pro tablets.

Availability and Pricing
The Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet will be available from November 19th and the Dell Venue 11 Pro tablet will be available from November 7th on www.dell.co.uk. Pricing and availability for the XPS products will be available in the coming weeks. Starting prices for the new tablets are as follows:
· Venue 8 Pro: pricing available in the coming weeks
· Venue 11 Pro: £349 excluding VAT & freight

[/toggle]

tablets

Microsoft Announces the Surface Pro 2, Surface 2 Windows 8 and Windows RT Tablets

1 Comment

At a press event in Skylight Modern, New York City, Microsoft has unveiled two models of its new and improved Surface tablet lineup. The next generation of slates, which would include the Surface Pro 2 and the Surface 2, has been described by the good fellows from Redmond as Lighter, Thinner, and Faster… and it probably is true. The two proposed models are indeed smaller and lighter compared to the first generation. Thus, the Surface 2 will measure 8.9mm thick and weighs 676 grams, while the Pro version will be 13.4mm thick and weighs 907 grams.

So without any further ado, let’s jump straight into it:

Surface Pro 2

Microsoft says this is probably the “most productive tablet” they’ve ever built. According to the company’s head of the Surface product division, Panos Panay, the Surface Pro 2 is faster than 95% of all laptops available on the market today, with graphics performance improved by 50 percent, and 20 percent faster than its predecessor. What we’re looking at is a full laptop in a tablet design, said Panay. And he was right, the second-gen of the Surface Pro is probably the most powerful slab we have ever seen. It will run Windows 8.1 OS on a 1.6GHz Core i5 Haswell processor, while the ClearType Full HD display remains the same at 10.6-inch with the resolution of 1080p. 

The battery life on the Surface Pro 2 is 75 percent better than the Surface Pro, and overall has been optimized for up to 60 percent longer life compared to the previous model. The company has also introduced a new variant of Type cover, dubbed Power Cover, with a built-in battery, backlit light, and a snap-on keyboard arrangement. The new Power extension will be able to provide the Pro 2 about 2.5x more battery life over the first generation. Microsoft has also showed off the Type Cover 2, which is an upgraded iteration to the previous Type Cover attachment, now 1mm thinner, comes in various colors and has a backlit, plus proximity sensors to save on battery.

On the back of the tablet, there is a sturdy little two-way kickstand for viewing data in a more convenient way. 

Microsoft is also preparing a Docking Station for Surface Pro 2 and Surface 2 tablets. The station includes 3x USB 3.0 ports, 1x USB 1.0, Mini DisplayPort, Ethernet, audio in/out, and will be capable of powering some other monitors around.

Pre-orders for both the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 will kick off September 24th, at 8AM EST, and will hit the stores on Oct. 22. A 64GB  Surface Pro 2 will start at $899, but you can easily up the price if you will buy a different configuration.

Update: The Surface Pro 2 is now shipping with faster 1.9GHz Intel i5-4200U processor, instead of the 1.6GHz version the tablet was running about two months ago. Microsoft’s spokesperson said that “Microsoft routinely makes small changes to internal components over the lifetime of a product, based on numerous factors including supply chain partnerships, availability, and value for our customers,” and he also added that “With any change to hardware or software, we work to ensure that the product experience remains excellent.”

Surface 2

The Surface 2 is the replacement to the Surface RT tablet. It is said to run a Windows RT 8.1 on board, and likely to come with a Tegra 4 quad-core processor (which now has 72 graphics cores vs. the 12 of the original Surface). Alongside with Nvidia’s chip, you’ll find available 4 GB of RAM, a combination of Ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth connectivity, a full-sized USB 3.0 port , and either 32GB or 64 GB of standard storage options. Moreover, the Surface 2, which is easily one of the most beautiful slates we got to see so far, is showing a 25 percent increase in battery life over the first Microsoft Surface model, while managing to retain the same 1080p ClearType HD display. 

In terms of design, the Surface 2 will house that same two-angle kickstand on the back, for better display and use. Additionally, it has a robust and aesthetically pleasing finish on the outside while the casing is made of a dual-phase magnesium-based alloy.

The main camera has been updated as well and now features a 5MP rear lens and a 3.5MP shooter up front. With the new sensor on the Surface 2, you’ll be able to shoot a lot better low light videos on the go, or alternatively use it for making some great video conferencing calls. Yes, you will be able to make calls from almost any place in the world thanks to the free international bundle from Skype that Microsoft is giving you as part of the package.

Speaking about freebies, you also get 200GB of SkyDrive storage for 2 years when buying Surface 2.

The Surface 2 is due out October 22nd, with a retail price of $449 for the 32GB flavor.

[youtube id=”uNF_cx7hh4Y”]

 [youtube id=”6Ay7JiUZou4″]

 

Videos are courtesy of Mobilegeeks

tablets

Microsoft Surface Pro and Surface RT Now Available in More Countries

microsoft-surface-pro-front

Microsoft Surface tablets have in fact been around for more than six months already, but they’re now expanding into several new markets. According to a recent announcement by the Redmond giant, the company will have both its Windows 8 Surface Pro and Surface RT available worldwide, in 29 different markets (all in all). Launch is scheduled for April 25th, when the first batch of Surface RT devices is expected to hit the beautiful country of Malaysia and then, about a month later, to Mexico, and by the end of June, the RTs will officially go live in Thailand and Korea. The Surface Pro, on the other hand, is planned to have a second round of debut by the end of May in 19 additional markets across Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Finally, the company says it is trying to keep up with the growing demand for its 128GB Surface Pro device. So if you’re looking for one, rest assured that the product is consistently in stock.

[Microsoft]

tablets

Asus Updates VivoTab Windows 8 Series With a New VivoTab Smart Tablet

asus-vivo-smart-windows-8-tablet

Las Vegas — Asus has just added a new tablet to its latest and greatest Windows 8 VivoTab series, the ASUS VivoTab Smart. So what is so different about it that merited the “Smart” in its name? The 10.1-inch, 1366 x 768, screen display looks pretty much the same, and so does the camera pack (8-megapixel on the back plus 2-megapixel on the front) and the NFC technology support. The chip inside, however, is an Intel Atom Z2760 dual-core processor, and you’re also getting a brand new “TransSleeve” keyboard dock, that will serve you well in protecting your slate, as well as a comfortable and quiet typing surface, thanks to the low-profile physical keys, and as a solid case that doubles as a stand. Pricing and availability are still unknown at the moment.

Update1: More info is coming from the CES show floor. Apparently, the ASUS VivoTab Smart will be priced at $499 in the US market, while the case-keyboard-stand sleeve will most likely run you an extra 129 bucks. Take a look after the break.

Update2: The 10-inch Vivo Tab Smart is now set to hit British shores on January 31st, under the ME400 moniker, with prices to start at £399 for the basic Windows 8 tablet with a dual-core 1.8GHz Atom processor behind the lid. Besides that, the cover add-on will run at £39.99, while the cover plus keyboard extension will set you back £89.99. Full PR after the break.

[viddler id=”69b75757″]

Video courtesy of engadget

ASUS Launches VivoTab™ ME400 Tablet with Intel® Atom™ Processor
for Full Windows 8 Experience

Affordably priced 10.1-inch tablet with TranSleeve Keyboard provides full compatibility with existing Windows software and hardware

London, United Kingdom, (22 January, 2012) – ASUS today launched the VivoTab™ ME400 tablet with 10.1-inch HD display and full Windows 8 experience, all at an affordable price. The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 is perfect for work and play, at home or on the move. Thin and light, ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 features an Intel® Atom™ dual-core processor for full compatibility with new and existing Windows 8 software, and an optional TranSleeve Keyboard that magnetically combines screen protection with a wireless keyboard for enhanced productivity.
Perfect for productivity, ideal for entertainment

Just 9.7mm thin and 580g light, ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 has a 10.1-inch LED-backlit display with a crisp 1366 x 768 HD resolution. IPS display technology delivers 178-degree wide viewing angles and ensures clear and bright images, even when seen from the side. VivoTab™ ME400 also features 5-point multi-touch for fluid fingertip control with Windows 8. The TranSleeve Keyboard is an innovative accessory that is a cover, keyboard, and stand all rolled into one. It not only aids in the typing experience, but protects the tablet as well.

With its Intel® Atom™ Z2760 dual-core processor, the ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 delivers fast and responsive performance, while still providing up to 9.5 hours battery life on a single charge. The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 gives complete peace of mind to users too, thanks to complete compatibility with both Windows 8 Store and Desktop apps, along with plug and play support for a wide range of existing peripherals.

The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 features high-quality cameras front and rear. The 8-megapixel rear camera with auto-focus, five-element lens and 1080p Full HD video recording captures precious moments with crystal clarity, while the front 2-megapixel camera is perfect for face-to-face video chat. The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 also features renowned ASUS SonicMaster audio technology for incredible sound quality for all kinds of listening material from its built-in stereo speakers.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 comes in ceramic white, diamond blue and poppy red, and is available as of the 31st January 2013 from Argos and CarPhone Warehouse. The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 has an SRP of £399.

ASUS TranSleeve Keyboard will be sold separately.

tablets

Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro Finally Gets Official, Ships In January

2 Comments

The world has been waiting for this day to come for couple of months now (since Microsoft has launched the Surface RT tablet), and today, ladies and gents, it finally arrived, as the Redmond-based company officially announces a full-fledged Windows 8 Pro Surface for the masses. The new device, which claims to be a substantial upgrade to the ordinary Surface RT, starts at $899 for the “basic” 64GB version, and will go all the way up to $999 for the 128GB flavor. In addition, you’ll have to spend about a hundred bucks more if you want to have one of Microsoft’s latest and greatest add-ons, the Touch or Type Cover. Regretfully, they are not included in the bundle. Note, however, that the stylus pen does.

And while the overall design is similar to Redmond’s regular RT device, in many respects (same beautiful VaporMG casing and equivalent 10.6-inch display), some changes have been made inside. In that regard, we’re looking at a full 1920 x 1080 screen resolution instead of 1366 x 768, with the CPU power climbing up to a third-gen Core i5 processor, and the GPU is the Intel HD Graphics 4000, with 4 gigs of RAM. Good news in the battery department as well, according to Microsoft it will be strong enough to deliver “approximately half the battery life of Surface with Windows RT” (roughly 4.5 hours). In addition, you’ll find a Mini DisplayPort, capable upscaling your slate to 2560 x 1440 resolution, and a full-size USB 3.0 interface that is huge for data transfer speeds.

The Pro edition will be available sometime in January 2013, and is sure to be in popular demand.

[Microsoft]

tablets

Microsoft Surface RT Pricing unveiled, $499 or $599 with Touch Cover keyboard

2 Comments

We were quite pleased when Microsoft announced their long awaited Windows 8 tablet, the Surface, back in June. But one thing that was missing was the price, and today this secret information has finally been revealed (surprisingly, Microsoft has already pulled the page a few minutes after publishing it). Powered by a Windows RT operating system and equipped with a stunning 10.6-inch display, the new tablets will go on sale on October 26th, starting at $499 for the basic 32GB configuration without Touch Cover, and up to $699 for  the 64GB version with a Touch Cover keyboard bundled in the box.

Though Microsoft has since taken the page down, the original product listing revealed that pre-orders will start soon, with Touch Cover prices set to run at $119, and Type Cover for $129.99, independently.

Hop past the break for the “secret” webpage screenshot.

Update: Looks like Microsoft has officially confirmed the prices above, with additional info about specs and shipping dates. Apparently, the Surface will be available for purchase “at all Microsoft Store locations” in the United States and Canada, while online orders to start at the very same date in 8 different countries, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and the United States.

[Microsoft]

tablets

Samsung ATIV Tab Windows RT Tablet Revealed

At IFA 2012, we were expecting an explosion of new Windows 8 tablets, and the show certainly didn’t disappoint. Samsung ‘s 10.1-inch ATIV Tab is probably the latest newcomer in that scene. It offers a 1.5GHz dual-core processor under the lid, paired with a 1,366 x 768 display, 2GB of RAM, your choice of either 32GB or 64GB of storage capacities, internal Wi-Fi connectivity and Bluetooth 4.0. The 20.1 ounces slab you are watching straight down, at the picture below, will run the Windows RT operating system onboard, while the chosen battery pack is the 8,200mAh. In addition, the slate is equipped with a 5MP rear camera and a 1.9MP front-facing shooter, as well as a standard USB 2.0 port, a micro-HDMI and near-field communication (NFC) support. No word on price/availability yet. Hands-on video after the break.

[youtube id=”Wdnf4B–5Go”]

Video, courtesy of  unleashthephones

tablets

Unannounced Sony VAIO Duo 11 Hybrid Tablet Leaks, Runs Windows 8 With Keyboard Station (Update: Now Official)

We have already had a chance to see some random images of Sony’s purported Xpreria hybrid device, in the past few weeks. But surprisingly, it looks like there is yet another viable option, we’ve never heard of, that’s likely to join the company’s lineup. At least that’s what the cool PocketNow guys are claiming. And while details are scarce at the moment, the only thing we can all be sure about, when it comes to this brand new VAIO Duo 11 (or whatever they call it), is that it will run on Windows 8 OS and not Android (if the photos do indeed exist and are real). As for the slab itself, it is likely to go out in the form of a tablet-laptop convertible machine, paired with a sleek detachable keyboard dock for optimal typing, as well as a handy mini stylus pen that you use to draw freely on screen, which according to sources will probably match the size of the tablet name (11-inch). Other specs, price and availability are still unknown.

Update: Sony has just made an official introduction of the VAIO Duo 11 slider tablet, at IFA 2012. The screen is confirmed to be 11.6-inch at a 1080p resolution, with the launch date set for October 2012. This isn’t your usual tablet, my dear fellows, it’s more like an ultrabook than your average day-to-day slab. Inside, you’ll find Intel’s newest Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 chip, with all the latest technology around (e.g GPS, NFC), while storage capacity is at 128GB or 256GB SSD. Be sure to checkout the hands on video after the break.

[youtube id=”jIEVdRh_v4g”]

[via PocketNow]

tablets

Microsoft Unveils The Surface, a 10.6-inch Windows 8 Tablet

2 Comments

Microsoft has just unveiled a Windows 8 tablet, called Surface. In a late night press conference from Los Angeles, CEO Steve Ballmer stunned the world when he officially announced that his company is making a brand new slate running an Intel i5 CPU on board and powered by the all-mighty NVIDIA ARM processor. The 9.3mm thick device that will come out sometime before the end of 2012, is said to include a 10.6-inch Gorilla Glass 2 HD display on top, along with two 2×2 MIMO antennas for better WiFi connectivity, 32GB or 64GB of storage at your choice, and a slew of common ports such as micro HDMI, microSD and USB 2.0. The surface is made from high-quality elements and coated with VaporMg magnesium materials. Such process and specs require great efforts to adapt, but nonetheless, the retail cost will continue to remain very attractive, says Ballmer, very similar to those other ARM tablet machines available in the market.

But that’s not all, ladies and gents… Let me direct your attention to additional stuff the Redmond team has recently introduced. Yes, there’s another tablet configuration out there, and if the first model was built to be compatible with the very basic Windows RT OS version, the latter – A Premium Device – is said to be strong enough to support Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 Pro. So what does it pack inside? First and foremost, an Ivy Bridge Core i5 processor, that is tucked with a bigger 42 W-h battery, either 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, a similar batch of micro SD, micro HDMI and Mimo WiFi installations, and last but not least, the latest USB 3.0 ports. The 10.6-inch ClearType touchscreen is claimed to feature a higher 1080p resolution and the tablet itself will boast a dedicated pen with a special “Palm Block.” No word on price or availability yet, but we’ll keep you posted. In any case, they’ll be “on par with Ultrabook-class PCs” and out roughly 3 months after the Windows 8 official release.

Accessories wise, Microsoft has partnered with a group of aftermarket suppliers to develop both cover and keyboard accessories to the Surface line of tablets. Yesterday, the company has officially introduced two of those futuristic peripherals, Touch Cover and Type Cover. The first, is a 3mm thick cover made of Polartec materials, which hooks to the Surface with those Smart Cover-like magnetic attachments. No, that ain’t original but if it works, it works, right? Well, that’s your decision. Anyway, the Type Cover is the kind of things we’re used to seeing over the last couple of years. In general, we’re looking at a 5mm-thick keyboard docking station product that turns your tablet into a hybrid netbook/tablet machine. As simple as it seems.

[youtube id=”dpzu3HM2CIo”]

[youtube id=”PP6aTFgkNL4″]

[youtube id=”jozTK-MqEXQ”]

Second video by laptopmag

 

Microsoft Announces Surface: New Family of PCs for Windows

Microsoft-made hardware to be available starting with release of Windows 8 and Windows RT.

LOS ANGELES – June 18, 2012 – Today at an event in Hollywood, Microsoft unveiled Surface: PCs built to be the ultimate stage for Windows. Company executives showed two Windows tablets and accessories that feature significant advances in industrial design and attention to detail. Surface is designed to seamlessly transition between consumption and creation, without compromise. It delivers the power of amazing software with Windows and the feel of premium hardware in one exciting experience.

Advances in Industrial Design

Conceived, designed and engineered entirely by Microsoft employees, and building on the company’s 30-year history manufacturing hardware, Surface represents a unique vision for the seamless expression of entertainment and creativity. Extensive investment in industrial design and real user experience includes the following highlights:

Software takes center stage: Surface sports a full-sized USB port and a 16:9 aspect ratio – the industry standard for HD. It has edges angled at 22 degrees, a natural position for the PC at rest or in active use, letting the hardware fade into the background and the software stand out.

VaporMg: The casing of Surface is created using a unique approach called VaporMg (pronounced Vapor-Mag), a combination of material selection and process to mold metal and deposit particles that creates a finish akin to a luxury watch. Starting with magnesium, parts can be molded as thin as .65 mm, thinner than the typical credit card, to create a product that is thin, light and rigid/strong.

Integrated Kickstand: The unique VaporMg approach also enables a built-in kickstand that lets you transition Surface from active use to passive consumption – watching a movie or even using the HD front- or rear-facing video cameras. The kickstand is there when needed, and disappears when not in use, with no extra weight or thickness.

Touch Cover: The 3 mm Touch Cover represents a step forward in human-computer interface. Using a unique pressure-sensitive technology, Touch Cover senses keystrokes as gestures, enabling you to touch type significantly faster than with an on-screen keyboard. It will be available in a selection of vibrant colors. Touch Cover clicks into Surface via a built-in magnetic connector, forming a natural spine like you find on a book, and works as a protective cover. You can also click in a 5 mm-thin Type Cover that adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.

An Amazing Windows Experience

Two models of Surface will be available: one running an ARM processor featuring Windows RT, and one with a third-generation Intel Core processor featuring Windows 8 Pro. From the fast and fluid interface, to the ease of connecting you to the people, information and apps that users care about most, Surface will be a premium way to experience all that Windows has to offer. Surface for Windows RT will release with the general availability of Windows 8, and the Windows 8 Pro model will be available about 90 days later. Both will be sold in the Microsoft Store locations in the U.S. and available through select online Microsoft Stores.

Contributing to an Expanded Ecosystem

One of the strengths of Windows is its extensive ecosystem of software and hardware partners, delivering selection and choice that makes a customer’s Windows experience uniquely their own. This continues with Surface. Microsoft is delivering a unique contribution to an already strong and growing ecosystem of functional and stylish devices delivered by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to bring the experience of Windows to consumers and businesses around the globe.

Additional Product Information

Surface for Windows RT

OS: Windows RT

Light(1): 676 g

Thin(2): 9.3 mm

Clear: 10.6″ ClearType HD Display

Energized: 31.5 W-h

Connected: microSD, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video, 2×2 MIMO antennae

Productive: Office ’15’ Apps, Touch Cover, Type Cover

Practical: VaporMg Case & Stand

Configurable: 32 GB, 64 GB

Surface for Windows 8 Pro

OS: Windows 8 Pro

Light(1): 903 g

Thin(2): 13.5 mm

Clear: 10.6″ ClearType Full HD Display

Energized: 42 W-h

Connected: microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, 2×2 MIMO antennae

Productive: Touch Cover, Type Cover, Pen with Palm Block

Practical: VaporMg Case & Stand

Configurable: 64 GB, 128 GB

(1), (2). Actual size and weight of the device may vary due to configuration and manufacturing process.

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. OEMs will have cost and feature parity on Windows 8 and Windows RT.

For more information about Surface, visit http://www.surface.com.

Computex, tablets

Lenovo Shows Off a 10.1-inch Windows 8 ThinkPad Tablet

1 Comment

Another day, another Windows 8 tablet demo over at Computex 2012. This time a Lenovo Thinkpad prototype, spotted around the Intel booth, running a full-fledged Win 8 software behind the lid, and said to include a 10.1-inch 1366 x 768 screen, sitting on top of a 9.7mm black sturdy body that packs two cameras (8MP rear, 2MP front), a docking connector, a volume rocker, and a micro-HDMI port. At this point in time, we are looking at one of the very early-stage devices out there, and the final product might look just a little different – And that’s probably why most specs are scarce right now. As far as CPU goes, it’s mainly some sort of an Intel Clover Trail processor, while the battery is rumored to deliver around 10 hours of continuous and reliable performance to each and every charge. And make no mistake, this is a Windows 8 slate and not an Android 4.0 device – It is a bit confusing and does take time to get used to, we know. The overall look seems to be more thought out and reserved, you get a typical Thinkpad design around the slab, with a softy scratches-free plate covering the upper hood. But as we’ve mentioned it’s still early days, so please keep a look out for more details and info.

[youtube id=”wj9U0yvAOho”]

Video by netbooknews

Photo by CNET

Computex, tablets

Acer Announces 11.6-inch Iconia W700 and 10.1-inch W510 Windows 8 Tablets

3 Comments

At Computex 2012, Acer has just unveiled a new line of Windows 8 tablets under its Iconia family, the Iconia W700 and Iconia W510. In general, it feels like we’re at the early beginning of a very exciting time for Microsoft and Windows 8 tablets, and Acer’s recent introduction was quite a fine start.

The first model that we’re going to see from Acer in the coming months is the sturdy 11.6-inch W700, which has a 1920 x 1080 full HD screen display on top, with up to 10 fingers support. In addition, it offers three USB 3.0 ports, along with up to 8 hours of battery life and an integrated Dolby Home Theater audio system that lets you share your music directly with others. Other than that, the W700 comes with a dedicated keyboard and a proprietary cradle attachment solution that enables quick and easy mounting at 70 degrees for landscape, or 20 degrees of viewing mode. The brand new tablet is also equipped with a built-in Thunderbolt video/storage connection, paired with a micro HDMI, two speaker grills on the back, headphone and power jacks around the chassis and of course, a set of volume controls. A rear five-megapixel autofocus camera is also included in this fancy schmancy package, tucked with the usual VGA shooter that sits on the front.

Up next, is the Iconia W510 which sports a 10.1-inch IPS touchscreen, crammed with a bunch of stereo speakers on both sides, and a slew of integrated ports, such as microSD, micro-USB, HDMI and a SIM card slot. There’s also a detachable apple-like keyboard dock goodness included in the bundle, that can stretch your tablet’s battery life up to 18 hours of continuous work. But it’s not just the extended battery at stake, the dock houses a full-size USB 2.0 port, paired with a proprietary connector, etched into the left side of the object.

Regretfully, there are no further details as to devices specifications, price, or availability, so stay tuned or hop the break to see the full breakdown.

[youtube id=”8UL9mXQ0_L8″]

[youtube id=”q5V_OGwSUww”]

Videos by netbooknews.com

 

Acer Presents Windows 8® Tablets

Featuring multipurpose viewing on Full HD touchscreens

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (June 4, 2012) – Acer presents two of its newest Windows® 8 tablets at Computex Taipei. The ICONIA W510 evolves the computing experience with three different modes of touchscreen operation, while the ICONIA W700 is the best-performing Windows 8 tablet with the added versatility of a cradle. Both designed to set new standards in ergonomics and user-friendliness.

The most unique part of the W510 tablet is the tri-mode, allowing users to touch, type and view. Aside from the conventional tablet mode, it can be used in productivity mode. A detachable keyboard dock can be connected to the tablet for optimal typing as well as extending the battery life up to 18 hours. Rotating the tablet 295 degrees allows it to be used in presentation mode, which is excellent for watching a video, browsing a webpage or viewing a PowerPoint presentation.

In addition, the W510 has Always On, Always Connect technology, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen, providing a wider viewing angle with more vibrant, consistent and accurate colors. It is an everyday tablet with convertible functions, smartly designed for modern day explorers whose primary needs are freedom of usage for slate, keyboard and hands-free touch.

Acer’s W700 comes with a multipurpose cradle that allows for several viewing options. When using it in landscape, it can be tilted up to 70 degrees for better viewing, or 20 degrees for convenient touch. Furthermore, it can be used vertically like a portrait for easy browsing and reading. The W700 also has three USB 3.0 ports for expansion.

The W700 is equipped with an 11.6-inch Full HD touchscreen as well as Dolby® Home Theater® for multimedia pleasure; it is set to become the optimum-performance Windows 8 tablet for modern day explorers on-the-go, at home or in the office.

tablets

HP Slate 8 Tablet Pops Up In The Wild With Windows 8 On Board

3 Comments

HP is trying to diversify its business beyond PCs, to include other regions, such as tablets for example. Now, we all remember how the previous attempts ended – The company has discontinued selling its most promising TouchPad series. However, It still kept a team of engineers working on some other projects (in that area). The Slate 8 is allegedly HP’s latest foray in the contemporary tablet market. With the brand new Windows 8 OS running on board, the unconfirmed 10.1-inch business device, is rumored to pack an eight to ten hours battery inside, alongside a digital pen, some sort of a docking station, an outdoor viewing option, and a bunch of security features, tucked with some HP protection tools preloaded. It is very thin, measures only 9.2 millimeters thick, and about 0.68kg of weight. Finally, assuming the image below is correct, we’ll most likely have to wait just a bit longer to find out more about the pricing and availability, so stay tuned, will you?

 

[via ZDNet]

Applications, Mobile, software, tablets

Untethered iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak for iPhone 4S and iPad 2 Finally Goes Live

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. A “Dream Team” of iOS experts have just rolled out an untethered jailbreak for Apple’s dual-core A5 iDevices, dubbed Absinthe A5, and designed to target iPhone 4S and iPad 2 running iOS 5.0.1 on board. Please note that it’s for Mac users only, at the moment, but a Windows version is probably going to be out very soon. As usual with most hacks, proceed with caution, but definitely proceed. Click the following link to learn more about the new release, get jailbreaking file here or hit the jump to watch the video.

Update: Well, that didn’t take long. Shortly after the Absinthe A5 untethered jailbreak released for OS X users, the Dream Team further extended their hacking solutions and returned back with a new jailbreak file, designed for Windows aficionados. So either click the source link below, or get the real thing right over here. Once again, you should plan carefully every step.

[youtube id=”ZKR7F-3kGvY”]

video by iJailbreak

[greenpois0n]

tablets

Lenovo’s 10.1-inch IdeaPad Tablet P1 Officially Introduced With Windows 7 On Board

You may be thinking that getting a Windows 7 tablet isn’t a good deal considering the iOS and Android alternatives available at the market right now. Well, in that case, think again because a brand new, light-weight tablet, powered by Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system is on its way to the market, the Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet P1. It is equipped with a 10.1-inch shell design, while running a 1.5GHz Intel processor inside, as the screen resolution is at 1280 x 800 and the touchscreen display will utilize capacitive touch technology. Furthermore, it arrives with 2GB of DDR2 memory, as well as 64GB of SSD storage, microSD card reader, USB 2.0 hub, Bluetooth, WiFi and 3G connectivity. In addition, there’s a full stylus pen technology support and a 2-megapixel webcam for video telephony is placed in the front. The two-cell battery delivers up to six hours of continuous work, while colors wise, you get to choose between a dull silver-gray or a vivid Clementine Orange. Both price and availability are yet to be determined.

[Lenovo [PDF]]

tablets

ASUS Eee Slate Gets a Whole Bunch of Interactive Ads

Whether you’re an artist, a blogger, a mom or just a business owner, looking to be productive and efficient, the Asus team seems to have a brand new Windows 7 slate to offer. That’s right folks, there is a new player on the field and it plays for all the marbles. With a 12.1-inch display and a Core i5 processor on board the new high-end Eee Slate combines Microsoft’s Windows 7 platform along with Wacom’s digitizer technology and a special dedicated whitish stylus pen to design and execute your very own storyline through drawing and rendering shapes, figures and models. Too bad it’s more than twice the cost of Apple’s iPad 2 wonder. Hit the jump to watch the action.

 

[via Electronista]

 

Continue reading ASUS Eee Slate Gets a Whole Bunch of Interactive Ads →

Media Players

Microsoft Discontinues Zune

Microsoft is going to kill the Zune player, if a Bloomberg report is to be believed. According to “A person familiar with the decision” the Redmond giant will stop the Zune production entirely, and will put considerable effort into the Zune software that already has a good and seamless integration with the Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7 platform. And while uncertainty remains regarding Microsoft’s final decision, the stakes unfortunately are extremely high. That being said, we’re definitely likely to see Microsoft keep on selling you their Zune product piece-by-piece until the stock runs out.

 

[Bloomberg]

General

Onkyo Tablets Roadmap Unveiled, Teasing Fans With What To Expect

Onkyo may soon be releasing a new line of Android and Windows tablets if a recently roadmap slide is to be taken seriously. The documents, which were officially introduced by the Japanese corp, show three Windows 7 SlatePC tablets, the TW317A5, TW217A5, and TW117A4, which are all going to include an Oak Trail upgrade sometime around June, while their 10-inch siblings – which supposedly carry an Android platform on board –  the Android SlatePad TA117C1 and TA117C3 due later this year, along with a third batch, listing a 7-inch display and an ARM Cortex chip under the lid. Prices are yet to be determined.

[via Netbooknews]

tablets

Fujitsu’s Unnamed Windows 7 Slate To Include Intel Oak Trail CPU Inside (Update: Stylistic Q550)

1 Comment

Fujitsu is no stranger to the world of portable devices. As a matter of fact, the company has already released a few of them during the last few months. The latest one, which doesn’t have an official title yet, is said to arrive with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, powered by a Windows 7 platform along with Intel’s new Oak Trail Atom Z670 processor that is capable in providing low battery consumption for a long period of use. Besides that, the 1.5 pound tablet boasts 2GB of RAM, removal battery pack and a pair of VGA webcams, one on each side. Software wise, the device sports a new breed of layer that Fujitsu skinned atop of the Windows 7 OS, but that’s probably the only thing that the company was willing to share at the moment and frankly, we need to know more before committing our limited financial resources. In any case, availability is expected for Q2 of this year, so stay tuned for plenty more to come.

Update: Now that Fujitsu’s 10-inch mystery tablet is finally making its way out to the market, we’re glad to learn that the Windows 7-powered device was finally given a name – and is now known as the Stylistic Q550. And while we’re still unfamiliar with price and availability details, other specs include this aforementioned Oak Trail processor, along with smartcard slot, front and rear cameras, 32GB / 64GB SSD storage at your choice, USB hub, optional 3G connectivity and fingerprint reader for security log. Hit the break for a quick introduction video.

Continue reading Fujitsu’s Unnamed Windows 7 Slate To Include Intel Oak Trail CPU Inside (Update: Stylistic Q550) →

tablets

Acer To Launch a 10.1-inch Windows 7 Tablet

As if the big Android tablets announcement wasn’t enough, Acer also announced that it would be launching a 10.1-inch Windows 7 device. And while we are still awaiting further details on what this tablet should be packing inside, external outfit will measure 15mm thick and somewhere around the 2.2 pounds. Interestingly, it is said to have an AMD processor on board rather than an Intel Atom CPU or perhaps a Qualcomm Snapdragon one. Surely, it will offer some sort of a docking station to buy, along with dual 1.3MP cameras, WiFi connectivity and a 3G HSDPA WWAN. Stay tuned for plenty more to come.

Upate1: The guys over at DigiTimes are now reporting that Acer  plans to use AMD’s dual-core C-50 Ontario APU inside its next 10.1-inch Windows 7 tablet. The impact of these news on a day-to-day use is actually huge – This will not only improve performance (thanks to the built-in Radeon HD 6250 graohics chip), it will also lower the power consumption dramatically (9W only). That is, of course, if all these mind-changing rumors are true. Stay tuned.

Update2: And looks like Acer’s Windows-powered Iconia W500 tablet is finally up for pre-order for $549, with shipping starting Friday, April 15 and a line of specs that includes a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 touchscreen display, a 1GHz Ontario (C-50) AMD Fusion processor, up to 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, HDMI out, three/six-cell battery at your choice, and an AMD Radeon HD 6250 card for the graphics. Interesting stuff happening within the Microsoft-tablets climate.

 

Continue reading Acer To Launch a 10.1-inch Windows 7 Tablet →

Computex, News, tablets

ASUS 10-inch EPad Tablet Surfaces in Computex 2010

1 Comment

Asus is really getting us confused. It wasn’t so long ago when we wrote a post, reporting about the new EEE tablets lineup the company is expected to launch shortly, with new models like 12-inch Eee Pad EP121 and the 10-inch Eee Pad EP101TC. So far so good, right? Wrong! Because the guys at jkkmobile have just spotted (in Computex 2010) yet another model which suspiciously looks pretty similar to the EP101TC, this time carrying an “EPad” title written on a placard, up front. Now, whether it’s the same tablet or not, this “new” revelation houses a 10-inch capacitive display, running Windows 7 for the OS and probably, just probably NVIDIA Tegra 2 under the coat. The CPU is clearly from Intel, however we can’t be sure what other internal parts this bad boy will boast. For the meantime, make sure you check out the hands-on video after the jump.

Continue reading ASUS 10-inch EPad Tablet Surfaces in Computex 2010 →

Computex, News, tablets

LG UX10 tablet Makes First Appearance at Computex 2010

Details scarce at the moment, but this is definitely an exciting time to join the tablets parade, and LG is one of the many companies that currently seek to do so. Need a proof? Check out its latest LG UX10, which undoubtedly belong to this burgeoning category, with that 10.1-inch LED capacitive touchscreen (not very responsive at the moment), featuring an Intel Atom Z530 processor under the lid, tucked with 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, an SD card slot, a micro-HDMI output, 1.3mp camera and Windows 7 Home Premium for the OS – yes, it runs a Microsoft platform inside. Price and availability are yet to be determined, but a short hands-on video is right after the break.

[via engadget]

Continue reading LG UX10 tablet Makes First Appearance at Computex 2010 →

Computers, News

Microsoft To Terminate The Dual-Screen Courier Tablet

2 Comments

Remember the Courier? This “top-secret” dual-screen tablet prototype that Microsoft was working on for the past year or so? Well, turns out  it’s no longer included in Redmond’s next-gen products, and word on the street is that the software giant has regretfully decided to shut down its very ambitious project and take it out of its most innovative labs forever – in short, you won’t get it! And while many of us, gadget freaks, are desperately trying to come to terms with the shocking news, the courier teams were ordered to stop working on this specific development mission as it’d “no longer be supported.” Why, you may ask? We have no idea, but here’s what Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s VP of corporate communications had to say about it:

At any given time, across any of our business groups, there are new ideas being investigated, tested, and incubated. It’s in Microsoft’s DNA to continually develop and incubate new technologies to foster productivity and creativity. The “Courier” project is an example of this type of effort and its technologies will be evaluated for use in future Microsoft offerings, but we have no plans to build such a device at this time.

Thing is that we truly have no clue whether this sad end to one of Microsoft’s most exciting projects has anything to do with Palm’s recent acquisition by HP, or maybe with the fact that Apple is doing pretty well with its latest greatest iPad tablet. One thing’s for sure, we will definitely keep an eye out for further plans for a marketable slate machine and really hope for a better day – in the portable world – to come.

[via Gizmodo]

Applications, Audio, Games, Media Players

Zune HD Now Has Doom

1 Comment

It was just a matter of time before someone would eventually come up with a crazy first-impression shooting game for Zune HD players, and make it live for everyone to snag – especially now, when Microsoft’s iPod killer has been officially hacked and the OpenZDK toolkit that grants access to game developments, has finally become available. Now frankly, what good is a portable gaming console without the option to play Doom with it? The answer to this cardinal question is literally similar to a well known campaign slogan – Yes We Can! At least that’s what ZuneBoards forum member, Netrix, says and you can get the impression yourself in his video, right after the break. You see, It’s very simple to execute, as long as you run those Doom WAD gaming files through the app itself.

[via ZuneBoards]

Continue reading Zune HD Now Has Doom →

Applications, Audio, Media Players

Zune HD Firmware v4.5 Goes Live

3 Comments

Well folks, looks like Redmond has just released the latest Zune HD firmware update v4.5 to the pond, which adds some cool features to your portable Microsoft multimedia players, including Smart DJ mix that will let you do exactly what Apple’s iTunes Genius does, personalized recommendations, TV Marketplace support, and more video codec support such as Xvid files and MPEG-4 part 2 format. Like always, plug your Zune HD player to the Zune PC software and get this latest update right away.

Update: Apparently, the Zune HD (and probably previous Zune players as well) just got hacked – for real! So now, you literally have access to Microsoft’s XNA game development platform, which means you can practically load inside everything you’ve ever dreamed about, including games, apps, fun emulators to play with and more. But that’s not all, because according to Zuneboards a group of hackers has just released what they call the OpenZDK toolkit that allegedly, lets you develop lots of stuff for the Zune through their software. In other words, get ready for a whole new range of games and apps withing this exciting sphere.

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Zune HD 64 Sprouts Out In The Wild (Update: Confirmed)

2 Comments

Well, look what do we have here, a 64GB Zune HD player, sneaking out on Microsoft’s Zune official website just like that, out of the blue, boasting twice the size of an ordinary 32 gigs version and maybe with some other interesting treats hidden under the lid. Regretfully, it’d be hard to tell right now since most details are slim or missing. So meanwhile, ’till it gets tangible, you can hit the bottom link  and hope for juicy info like price and availability to show up as soon as possible.

Update1: The new 64GB Zune HD is now confirmed and due out on April 12th for $349.99 and myriad of colors including Platinum, Black, Blue, Red, Green, Purple and Magenta, while both 16GB and 32GB versions to get a price reduction, that will set prices at $199.99 and $269.99, respectively. Press release after the break.

Update2: Apparently, it’s now available for your orders, at $349.99, as predicted, but won’t include the v4.5 firmware update preloaded, so you’ll have to upgrade on your own.

[Zune]

Continue reading Zune HD 64 Sprouts Out In The Wild (Update: Confirmed) →

Computers

Windows Phone 7 Series Gets a Neat Tablet Concept To Hold Onto

Here’s something that Redmond guys could actually use as their next tablet creation – and rest assure that Microsoft will have one eventually, whether you’d call it tablet, slate or a courier. Created by a designer called Umang Dokey, this nice looking Windows Phone 7 tablet concept is definitely something we could literally envision in our geeky minds, coming out somewhere in the next 24 months, with a bunch of easy-to-use tiles, constructed in one screen, one place, panning free. We don’t really know if those dual joysticks at the back of the device could actually feet Microsoft’s futuristic doctrine, but the flipping kick stand that turns into a viable QWERTY keyboard would probably be a nice add-on to have. Check it out for yourself by hitting the jump and watching the video right after the break.

[via Recombu]

Continue reading Windows Phone 7 Series Gets a Neat Tablet Concept To Hold Onto →

Computers, News

HP Slate Shows Up In Adobe Flash Demo and A Marketing Teaser

It’s been over two months since we last saw the HP Slate in action, popping out at CES and making first appearance, courtesy of Mr. Microsoft himself, Steve Ballmer. Back then, it was just a preliminary introduction, but today you get to see the big picture, as shown in a short teaser the company has launched at its own Youtube channel (which admittedly made us super excited) and in Adobe’s walkthrough demo that literally  introduces the flash capabilities (the iPad would probably miss) and how efficient they are to our personal working environment, through HP’s future tablet that regretfully, lacks pricing or shipping dates, as of today. Hit the break to catch the action.

[hpcomputers]

Continue reading HP Slate Shows Up In Adobe Flash Demo and A Marketing Teaser →

Applications, Games, Mobile, Phones

21 Amazingly Free iPhone and iPod Touch Games

2 Comments

Mobile gaming is still in primeval stages – that’s unquestionable – but the foreseeable future is likely to be promising. In a rapidly growing market with over 20,000 iPhone and iPod Touch games available on Apple’s App Store, it’s not that hard guessing this is just a matter of time until portable games will start dominating our very own smartphones while overpowering desktop platforms. Especially now, when Cupertino teams up with more developing companies and Redmond that finally joins the party with Windows Phone 7 Series which suppose to integrate Xbox Live architecture in Microsoft’s coming machines. Still, it would probably take some time until substantial changes will eventually become real  – a year or two in our humble opinion. Anyway, ’till then, if you already play games on iPhones or iPod touch players, but  feel short in cash to start funding all those neat apps that show up in big numbers, every day and after, here’s a list of twenty one games, free of charge, for you to download. Please feel free to add your favorite “cost-nothing” apps, down in the commenting section.

Continue reading 21 Amazingly Free iPhone and iPod Touch Games →

Mobile, News, Phones

Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Series Announced, Due Out This Holidays Season

1 Comment

It’s hot at the Mobile World Congress 2010, in Barcelona, as Microsoft officially unveils its latest and probably biggest Windows Phone 7 series, a new and pretentious Windows Mobile rendition, identical to all carriers and future device brands, with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon architecture onboard, handling smoothly the featured (unsized) capacitive touchscreens, built into those dev demo prototype phones. Basically, it’s a a whole new mobile system Redmond has literally built from the scratch and tweaked to be used on mobile machines in a way that you’ve never seen before. True, it would likely take time to get used to the 7 series, but its harmonic look and feel is surprisingly refreshing and conveniently flows. Yes, if you had this “deja vu” feeling of a Zune HD interface control, you’re probably not alone, but Microsoft has taken it few steps forward and created more in-depth platform with many new features like Xbox Live integration, social networking interaction, myriad of apps and widgets installed. “Every Windows series phone will be a Zune”, that’s what we’ve been told, and synchronizing your handheld  music with PC computers is claimed to be very easy and simple to work.

The home screen itself includes dynamic vertical tiles, with customizable shortcut links to variant apps, contacts and other in-house modes, designed in a way you can flip them down from head to toe, but also pan left and right to sub-directories and other hidden rows. It boasts that same big and bold Zune HD  text style, which relatively changes and gets magnified the moment you slide the screen and start to scroll. And navigating between the menus makes you realize that Microsoft completely revamped the OS code, making it concentrate in four major segments: People, Games, Pictures, Music plus Video hub homes. Each hub is an independent unit that’s responsible for different tasks, where you can watch and share your personal stuff (images/videos) via hub or cloud,when it comes to ‘pictures’ window, or in other case connect with friends and get updates from family/other contacts through social media services in the ‘People’ spot and the most fascinating thing – play Xbox LIVE games, create avatars, and profiles, at the ‘Games’ area zone – Cool. At the end of the day it’s a new platform that suppose to serve our next-gen phones, so naturally it would also include a non-supportive Adobe flash Internet Exploder browser and Outlook email app to handle mails on the go. Oh, and don’t forget, there’s a dialing phone somewhere inside.

Hardware wise, Microsoft mobile phones will include 3 buttons each: Start, Search and Back, while capacitive displays will have 4-points multi-touch compatibility, with flipping, panning and pinch to zoom gestures support. As mentioned, Microsoft has partnered with Qualcomm, which means we’re likely to see Arm Snapdragon chipset, tossed inside the bowel.

Microsoft as you may know, teamed up with worldwide carriers like AT&T, Deutsche Telekom AG, Orange, SFR, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telstra, T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, while manufacturers partnerships include Dell, Garmin-Asus, HTC, HP, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Qualcomm.

It would probably take time to realize whether Windows 7 series is a game changer or not, but we’re glad to see that Microsoft is finally raising the mobile OS bar and placing it in a whole new and distinguished level that would likely make many people across this realm start scratching their heads and rearrange their thoughts. When will this crazy and exciting software go out and hit the roads? I guess you’ll have to be patient here and wait ’till it gets to the market somewhere around the end of the year, right next to holidays madness season days.

Update: We’ve added the full hands-on walkthrough video, right after the break. A bit long but definitely worth a try.

Continue reading Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Series Announced, Due Out This Holidays Season →

Applications, Internet, Media Players

Zune HD Twitter App Officially Out, Cursing Tweets Excluded

Tweet tweet, Zune HD finally gets a twitter app – now available for downloading via Marketplace, free of charge. Design wise it looks great, but once ending with registration process and firing up the application, this is where it start getting buggy and the UI performs a bit sluggish. Despite malfunctions, you can send tweets, follow your Twitter feed, view replies, search on Twitter, send direct messages and watch your favorites tab as long as you want – until it freezes up (no lists support at the moment).

Update1: Surprisingly, it forces you to be polite while using the app, otherwise your cursing tweets will snappily get trashed and brutally thrown out of the line. Stay tuned for more about that.

Update2: Microsoft has taken this Zune HD Twitter app censorship way too far from expected, and couple hours later, after setting the stage for turmoil, and getting knocked from every possible direction, it finally unleashed a statement, vowing to fix these chopped cuss words “issues” as soon as it finds a proper code line replacement. Here’s what Redmond had to say:

The recently released Twitter for Zune HD application has been abbreviating some explicit words in tweets when viewed on the device; however these explicit words do appear in their full text on the Twitter site or on any other Twitter client. We have identified the issue and are taking steps to update the application as soon as possible to ensure Twitter for Zune HD users are able to view tweets in their original state.

Update3: And one day later… Microsoft releases firmware update v1.1, which allows free Twitter expression, without any censorship or limitations. Bugs, lags and other malfunctions are yet to be fixed though.

[via Zune Insider; engadget]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Zune HD Firmware Update v4.3 Goes Live, Wider Keyboard and 3D Games support Included

Check this out guys, Microsoft has just rolled out firmware version 4.3 for its fabulous Zune HD players. The update, originally released in order to solve pesky playcount syncing issues, surprisingly adds/upgrades some neat UI features – amongst you can find the long awaited 3d games and applications support, together with a wider touchscreen keyboard and autofill text suggestion bot. Other improvements offer a faster browser and better webpages rendering engine, while apps and loading time have turned slightly snappier than before. The v4.3 release is now available when clicking “Player Update” in your Zune, so hurry up and make it vibrant.

Update: In addition to that new Zune HD firmware update, Microsoft has released a slew of pretty cool (and free) 3D games – already available through the Marketplace slot – amongst you can find titles like PGR: Ferrari Edition, Lucky Lane Bowling, Vans Sk8: Pool Service, Piano, Checkers, and Audiosurf. Full PR was added after the break, along with a gaming experience demo.

Zune-HD-firmware-update-v43

[Via MobileTechWorld]

Continue reading Zune HD Firmware Update v4.3 Goes Live, Wider Keyboard and 3D Games support Included →

Audio, Computers, News, Video

eviGroup's 10-Inch Pad Tablet Announced, Personal Assistant Included

1 Comment

We barely find these days portable media devices that get released with an artificial intelligence software, which can practically serve as your day by day personal assistant. However, we do see a lot of Internet and tablet machines, being launched on a daily bases, across the globe. One of those hybrid units that bravely combines all of the above, and stuffs them into a one tiny “piano-finish” frame, is eviGroup’s 10.2-inch Pad Tablet, that boasts (besides this 1024 x 600 display) a WiFi connectivity together with 3G WWAN, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, three USB ports, a 1.3MP webcam, a built-in microphone, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard-drive to keep your files inside. The system that operates this entire platform is Microsoft’s Windows 7, which comes preloaded with the optional Seline10 robotic creature that basically activates everything you do, either it’s text, handwriting, interface navigation and even voice controls. Seline seems to easily recognize your different moves, and technically transform them into actions. Regretfully, the company hasn’t yet unleashed any preview videos to demonstrate this ten years technology development working in practice. Nevertheless, collecting just under €500 ($745) out of your savings, will get you one, whenever it comes around.

evigroup-pad-tablet

[via slashgear]

Computers, News

Microsoft’s Multi-Touch Courier Tablet Pops Up In The Wild, Brings WOW effect Into The Room

3 Comments

So the guys at Gizmodo were lucky and generous at the same time, to share with us the future of touchscreen tablet PCs, the way it looks through Redmond’s eyes. The “top-secret” model that was surprisingly exposed out of the labs called the Courier, and seems to portray a sort of a futuristic booklet prototype that presumably packs dual 7-inch displays that can be used either with a stylus pen or multitouch gestures. A built-in 3MP camera seems to be included as well at the back cover, while “home” button is  placed at the middle, sending users back to default page whenever they want. Charging mode is believed to be inductive (like Palm Pre’s Touchstone), while both external design and UI platform are said to be made in collaboration with outsourced agencies. The rest unfortunately is still considered enigmatic, but to get a sense of feeling just hit the jump, watch the video and start dreaming.

Update1: ZDNet guys are saying the entire Courier platform is hovering a Windows 7 OS (although you can’t install Windows 7 apps on it) , and that the mission is being defined as “an incubation project” which aims to go live somewhere on mid-2010.

Update2: Engadget says the Courier will function as a “digital journal”, based on that gorgeous Windows Zune HD platform we’ve seen before, powered by Tegra 2 chipset (no official confirmation yet). We’ve added two  HD videos of that revolutionary interface. check them out, after the break.

Microsoft-Courier-tablet

[via Gizmodo]

Continue reading Microsoft’s Multi-Touch Courier Tablet Pops Up In The Wild, Brings WOW effect Into The Room →

Audio, Media Players, Video

Zune HD Officially Goes Live, Already Considered a Hit On The Streets

It’s here! Microsoft officially rolls out its highly rated Zune HD media player, and boy this thing looks good. Yes, we know, most details are pretty much known at this point, but still deserve a round of applause, aren’t they? And just in case you missed the buzz, those fancy shcmancy specs we get, include a beautiful 3.3-inch Gorilla glass 480 x 272 OLED capacitive 16:9 aspect-ratio touchscreen, which hides underneath a built-in HD Radio receiver, seating along with a wireless WiFi antenna connection and a fine batch of accelerometer sensors for landscape use. Excited? We are, but that’s not all, since Redmond has wisely tossed in Nvidia’s mighty Tegra processor, which is technically constructed from eight different sub processors inside, that flawlessly handle their tasks at a time. Now that’s a real beast, isn’t it? OH Yeah. Storage wise, you get to choose between 16GB or 32GB flash capacities that fairly priced at $219.99 and $289.99, respectively.

zune-hd

Continue reading Zune HD Officially Goes Live, Already Considered a Hit On The Streets →

Computers, IFA, News

Toshiba's 7-inch JournE Multimedia Tablet Unveiled

While Apple’s rumored tablet Mac is still on the prep and Arrington’s Crunchpad PC tablet doesn’t take off yet, it’s the Japanese giant Toshiba which steps up these days and catches the big tech headlines, around its latest impressive 7-inch tablet unit, that was first introduced at the IFA trading show in Berlin, yesterday morning. Naturally, like all tablet devices, Toshiba’s JournE multimedia machine is no different, with its sharp and wide touchscreen display, that packs underneath an SD slot expansion that seats right next to 1GB of internal storage (poor), an ARM4 processor, a 802.11b/g WiFi antenna, a 3.5mm headphone jack and even an HDMI connecting port which up-scales 1080p high-def movies with the  bundled dock station you get. Still in a prototype stage, the 14mm thick frame can easily handle all common codecs files available in the market, such as H.264, DivX, and WMV, but will also run some of the most popular online multimedia services like Flickr, Youtube, Picasa, Facebook and others. However, if that’s not enough, Microsoft’s Windows CE 6.0 Pro that runs the entire operation inside, is also provided with many of the OS goodies, including Explorer browser, MSN Messenger, internal video player and many more. Additionally, for those who prefer the non-finger usage, a stylus pen will be added as well, when this thing goes out to the market, somewhere in Q4 this year. And if 250 Euros is too much for you to shell out right now, then hit the break and watch the video.

Update: Apparently Toshiba’s JournE Multimedia tablet is claimed to include VoIP and ebook apps that will be available for downloading via a future app store, which the company planes to open. Additionally, Toshiba’s mysterious online store is also reported to be offering featured music albums and wide range of movie hits – all priced competitively. Stay tuned for more to come.

toshiba-journe-tablet

[via engadget]

Continue reading Toshiba's 7-inch JournE Multimedia Tablet Unveiled →

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Zune HD Coming Out On September 15th, Already Available For Pre-Order

With so many rumors and speculations floating around, it’s time to organize the latest details we know about the coming release of the Zune HD. Apparently, according to a Gizmodo tipster, the official debut is now scheduled to September 15th (one week past September 8th). In addition, both Zune HD 16GB and 32GB models are already available for a pre-order in Amazon and Newegg, priced at $219.99 and $289.99, respectively (requires a $25 deposit).  From what we know, the player itself will be equipped with a tiny impressive on-screen keyboard that brings up a nice small arch graphic whenever you tap a letter, to distinguish it from its neighbors (See image after the break). Other than that, the internet browser is claimed to be an Opera one, but we can’t be 100% sure, yet. Meanwhile, until things get more clear (and there’s not much time left), checkout the latest hands-on video from CrunchGear, or the Grand Tour video (courtesy of Tech Flash Videos), featuring Brian Seitz of Microsoft’s Zune team demonstrates the Zune HD. Hit the jump, to read the updates.

zune-hd-colors

Continue reading Zune HD Coming Out On September 15th, Already Available For Pre-Order →