Tag Archives: Windows8

Sharp’s first Windows 8 tablet has 10.1-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 IGZO display and water resistance (hands-on)

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Sharp's first Windows 8 tablet has 101inch, 2,560 x 1,600 IGZO display and water resistance

Kicking off this week's CEATEC show in Japan, Sharp has played to its strengths with its new Windows 8 tablet, the Mebius Pad, factoring in a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution display. That puts it pretty far ahead of the current crowd of 1080p Windows 8 tablets, including Microsoft's incoming Surface 2, although we admit, we'd have loved to have seen another incredible 4K tablet. Regardless, that's the highest resolution Windows 8 tablet we've seen yet. Alongside the company's 10.1-inch IGZO panel (known for their low-power credentials), the Mebius Pad runs on a slightly less-exciting Intel quad-core Atom processor (the Z3370), which we've had mixed feelings on when it comes to the Windows tablets its powered in the past. The basic Windows 8.1 model will arrive with Office for free, although you'll have to pay extra if you want it for the Pro edition. Also, following Japanese trends for practically any device, the slab is both water and dust-proof (it's in the midst of being certified for IPX5, IPX7, IP5X), while you'll be able to buy it with LTE radios on board, at least for Nippon, as the device is unlikely to leave Japanese shores once it launches in early 2014.

Unsurprisingly, in the flesh the screen looked good -- Sharp even provided a magnifying glass so we could get up close to those pixels. The 10.1-inch display is also satisfyingly bright -- if we're honest, it's unusual to see such a capable screen powered by an Atom processor. The tablet is headed towards business use (which explains the optional stylus) and the extra resolution found on Sharp's first Windows 8 tablet means there's more space for your spreadsheets and documents. The hardware itself is suitably thin and light, with the rear of the device bearing a passing resemblance to recent Sony hardware -- possibly due to the understated camera lens in the corner. We'll let you know if Sharp has plans to offer the tablet to global business types. %Gallery-slideshow99502%

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Acer Iconia W4 tablet spotted at event with Bay Trail chip, IPS display (video)

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Acer Iconia W4 tablet with Bay Trail caught on video

There have been persistent rumors of an upgraded Acer Iconia W3 tablet with an IPS display and, quite possibly, a faster Bay Trail-based processor. Those rumors are now reality, as Bouweenpc.nl has just tried an unannounced Iconia W4 at an Intel event. True to expectations, the 8-inch device was carrying both the new 1.33GHz Atom Z3740 processor and a much improved "wide view angle" (read: IPS) screen. Not much else may change, however -- the pre-release slate still carried the W3's 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Given that the W4 is running Windows 8.1, we wouldn't be surprised if it reaches the market sometime around the Windows update's launch in October. Check out Bouweenpc.nl's hands-on video after the break.

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Source: Bouweenpc.nl (translated)

Windows app install limit increases to 81 devices starting October 9th

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Windows app install limit increases to 81 devices starting October 9th

Windows users rejoice: the days of only being able to install apps on five different devices will soon be over. Starting October 9th, apps purchased with a single Windows Store account will be sharable among up to 81 devices. If you recall, we learned back at Build that Microsoft would be increasing the app roaming limit, but today's announcement clarifies some key details nonetheless. Says the company in a blog post: "The change we're introducing will reduce the friction that most active customers have in being able to access their favorite apps from any device, and will give developers additional opportunities to monetize." This of course means one other thing: you're going to need a bigger backpack.

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Source: Windows App Builder Blog

Microsoft reportedly close to unifying its app stores across Windows and Windows Phone

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Microsoft is apparently far closer to bringing together its disparate stores than many thought. The company has reportedly already demoed a single app portal for both Windows and Windows Phone behind closed doors at its annual company meeting in Seattle, according to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley. One of her sources tells her that the new unified store will likely launch alongside the next iteration of Windows, version 8.1, although other sources were less certain on this. In any case, the gossip tallies with comments by Microsoft's Terry Myerson last week, who said that he sees the unification of Microsoft's platforms and APIs as a priority.

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Source: ZDNet

Tonido brings personal cloud storage to Windows 8 devices (video)

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DNP Tonido brings personal cloud storage to Windows 8 devices

Codelathe's considerable expertise with Tonido's personal cloud storage gets a new venue today: Windows 8. After downloading a pair of apps -- one for your Linux rig, Mac or PC, and one for your mobile gizmo -- you're all set to stream most files from your home machine to your Redmond-running device. What's more, you can download whatever you're streaming so you can still use it if you go offline -- but keep an eye on your data cap if you're planning to pull down that Blu-ray rip of Looper.

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Source: Tonido

Microsoft Surface 2 event wrap-up

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Microsoft Surface 2 event wrapup

We weren't surprised when Microsoft unveiled new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets at its New York City event. However, the company still had a few surprises up its sleeve, including a Music Kit, significantly improved keyboard covers and a 4K-ready docking station. You may have missed out on a few of the announcements the first time through, but don't worry -- we've rounded up all of the Surface news in one place, including our hands-ons and post-event commentary. Check out the stories linked after the break and you'll know what to expect when Microsoft ships its second-generation Windows slates.

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Microsoft reveals Surface Music Cover, gives DJs and producers more musical tools (updated)

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Microsoft reveals Surface Music Cover, gives DJs more musical tools

The new Surface Pro 2, with its prodigious computing capabilities, has been built as a computing productivity machine for just about anyone. Spreadsheets, editing video and mixing music are all in the new Pro's wheelhouse, and that last task is why Microsoft is also revealing the Surface Remix Project and the Music Cover to go along with it. The Music Cover, as you might expect, comes with pressure-sensitive buttons that allow budding DJ's to craft and fine tune their next remix. It has 16 programmable pads for easy access to instruments and sounds, while there are pause / play and slider controls to adjust the volume and tailor transitions to your liking. And, just like the regular typing cover, it's backlit, so you'll be able to mix on the fly at any late-night sonic soiree. There is one downside, however: the Music Cover only works with the Surface 2, Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2, so original RT owners need not apply come October 22 when it goes on sale.

Update: It turns out, the Music Cover will be distributed as a kit (for free!) to select musicians with the launch of its Remix Project on the 22nd, but we don't know when the rest of us will get a crack at it. Want to know if it's worth your dollars when the time comes? Check out our hands-on of the new hardware and software right here.

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Source: Surface #RemixProject

Microsoft’s new Surface Pro 2 gets official

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Microsoft's new Surface Pro 2 gets official

The Surface RT's full-fledged Pro counterpart just got an update. Today, Microsoft unveiled the follow-up to that x86 / Windows 8-compatible tablet: the Surface Pro 2 and it still comes with a stylus. According to Microsoft's claims, this new tablet boasts 50 percent more color accuracy, better graphics performance, an improved speaker setup and some speed gains -- it's purportedly 20 percent faster than the original.

For those wondering, the Pro 2's display has been kept consistent with the original, which means it remains a 10.6-inch 1080p panel, and it's even been ported to the new Surface 2. Battery life has gotten a significant 75 percent boost as well thanks to the 1.6GHz Core i5 Haswell processor inside and now runs much quieter. The Surface Pro 2 can also be paired with Microsoft's new Power Cover to give the tablet 2.5x its standalone battery life or the Type Cover 2, which is now 1mm thinner and backlit.

The kickstand has also been revised for the refresh, as it's now a two-stage affair, addressing the issues many users had with the old Pro's awkward angle. As for ports, Microsoft says the Surface Pro 2 is loaded up with support for three USB 2.0, one USB 3.0, mini DisplayPort, Ethernet, audio in/out and, of course, charging. The Surface Pro 2, when docked, can output up to a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution on an external display and is capable of editing 6K video, backing up the company's repeated assertion that this tablet is actually a "full power PC."

Pre-orders for both of Microsoft's next-gen Surface tablets go live tomorrow, the 24th, at 8AM EST with units set to ship to 21 markets on October 22nd. Pricing for the base Surface Pro 2 (i.e., 64GB / 4GB RAM) starts at $899 (the same as the original Pro), although that retail sticker shock will climb depending on the model -- it'll be available in configurations of up to 512GB / 8GB RAM.

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Firefox for Windows 8 enters Aurora channel with touch and gesture support

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Firefox for Windows 8 enters Aurora channel with touch and gesture support

The path to bring Firefox to Windows 8 may be longer than Mozilla had originally anticipated, but the first important milestone to its January arrival is now at hand. Firefox for Windows 8 has graduated into the Aurora (pre-beta) channel, which provides experienced users and tire kickers a more reliable alternative to the previous nightly builds. In this release, the browser includes touch and gesture support, and it even offers up Firefox Sync and Windows Share integration. There's plenty to appreciate on the backend, too, such as WebGL, asm.js and hardware-accelerated HTML5 video. According to Mozilla, it'll focus on improving performance and responsiveness over the coming weeks, which is something to look forward to, if your trial run is less than ideal.

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Source: Mozilla (1), (2)

Firefox’s Windows 8 UI won’t be ready until January

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Windows 8 die-hards waiting on Mozilla's Metro Firefox update will have to wait a little longer: the company says it won't be ready until next year. According to a recently published archive of meeting notes, the final public release of the Windows 8 interface won't be available until January 21, 2014. The document is filled with meeting jargon and completion numerics, but the notes do pin the delay a "decrease in average team velocity" across previous iterations. A bummer, perhaps, for folks waiting for a stable build, but at least you can still get your fix through Firefox nighties, right?

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Via: Computer World

Source: Mozilla