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

Posted on 25/09/2013 by Timothy J. Seppala

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.

Filed under: Storage, Software, Mobile

Comments

Source: Tonido

Lenovo Miix is a watered-down ThinkPad Tablet 2, starts at $500 (hands-on)

Posted on 20/06/2013 by Dana Wollman

Comb through Lenovo's current product lineup, and you'll find a little something for everyone. A Windows 8 tablet for businesses? Check. How 'bout a consumer model? Yep, that too. But hey, you can never have too many, right? After releasing the IdeaTab Lynx tablet, Lenovo is now launching the Miix, a 10-inch model that's also meant to be used with a keyboard. All told, it's sort of like a watered-down ThinkPad Tablet 2, insofar as it has the same rubbery, soft-touch finish and some very similar specs. Chiefly, it has a dual-core Intel Atom processor along with a 10.1-inch, 1,366 x 768 display, 64GB of on-board storage, an optional keyboard case and a battery rated for 10 hours of runtime. The two even weigh about the same: 1.27 pounds for the Miix, and 1.25 pounds for the WiFi-only TP Tablet.

What's missing, of course, are all the goodies that make the ThinkPad more of a premium device -- you know, NFC, mobile broadband and an active digitizer for pen input. Also, whereas the TP Tablet 2 sports dual cameras, the Miix has just a front-facing webcam, and the resolution's been downgraded from two megapixels to 1.3. Expect it to hit shelves in Q3, with a starting price of $500 (that keyboard will cost $49 extra). For now, check out our hands-on photos below.

Gallery: Lenovo Miix hands-on

Gallery: Lenovo Miix

Filed under: Tablets, Lenovo

Comments

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 review

Posted on 11/02/2013 by Dana Wollman

Before we talk about the ThinkPad Tablet 2, Lenovo's new Windows 8 hybrid, we need to talk about the original ThinkPad Tablet, the one that came out in fall of 2011 to mixed reviews. It was an okay device, when push came to shove, with useful features like a full-size USB port, 1080p output and pen support -- a rarity on Android tablets. But the tablet itself was bulky, performance was sluggish, battery life was mediocre and there weren't even that many Android apps designed to be used with a pen. It was a concept that didn't totally work -- at least not with that OS -- and indeed, Lenovo's long since discontinued it.

Fast-forward to the present, and the ThinkPad Tablet's been resurrected in the form of a 10.1-inch Windows 8 device, one that starts at $579 and can be used with an optional keyboard dock. It's a much lighter product, at 1.3 pounds (down from 1.58), and although it uses a heavier-duty Atom processor, battery life is said to top out at about 10 hours. (The original lasted eight in our usual test.) Like the OG version, it allows for pen input on select models, but of course, Windows comes ready-made with a larger selection of apps where a pen might actually be useful. So is the second time a charm? In a word, yes.

Gallery: Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 review

Filed under: Laptops, Lenovo

Comments

Vizio Tablet PC hands-on (update: now with video)

Posted on 07/01/2013 by Dana Wollman

Vizio's not exactly a stranger to tablets -- it came out with an Android product back in 2011 -- but it's only just debuting its first Windows 8 slate, the Tablet PC. (How's that for an appropriate name?) Like so many other Win 8 tablets it has an 11.6-inch screen, but the similarities mostly end there. On the inside, it packs a dual-core, 1GHz AMD Z60 chip, making it one of the few tablets in this class that doesn't run an Atom processor. At the same time, the screen squeezes in 1,920 x 1,080 pixels -- an unusual resolution for a lower-powered product like this. Other known specs: 2GB of RAM, 64GB of flash storage, a 2-megapixel front camera and micro-HDMI / micro-USB ports. So far, we don't know how much this will cost, or even when it will be available, so it's going to be a little tough to compare this to other offerings in the marketplace. For now, though, we've managed to steal a few minutes of hands-on time here at CES. Meet us past the break for some first thoughts on the design, the performance and that crisp 1080p screen. And stay tuned for video -- we've got that coming too.

Gallery: Vizio Tablet PC hands-on

Update: As promised, our video tour of the tablet can be found after the break.

Continue reading Vizio Tablet PC hands-on (update: now with video)

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Vizio debuts its first Windows 8 tablet, an 11.6-inch slate with a 1080p display, AMD processor

Posted on 06/01/2013 by Dana Wollman

After breaking into the PC market last year, it was only a matter of time before Vizio released its first Windows 8 tablet. The company just announced the Vizio Tablet PC, an 11.6-inch slate running full Windows (i.e., none of this RT business). What's interesting is the combination of specs here: on the one hand, it packs a dual-core, 1GHz AMD Z60 chip, making it among the first Windows 8 tablets with an AMD processor inside. At the same time, it rocks a 1080p display -- not the sort of resolution you'd expect to find on a low-power tablet with a Z-series or Intel Atom CPU. Also, like the rest of Vizio's PCs, this has a Microsoft Signature software install, with zero bloatware. Otherwise, the specs are pretty standard: 2GB of RAM, 64GB of solid-state storage, a 2-megapixel front camera and micro-HDMI / micro-USB ports. Vizio hasn't announced pricing or exact availability just yet, but we hope to get hands-on with this thing very, very soon.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Kupa X15 Windows 8 tablet gets production ready, now on sale starting at $1,100

Posted on 27/12/2012 by Joseph Volpe

When we first saw the Kupa UltraNote back at MobileCon 2012, the convertible Windows 8 slate had all the markings of a reference design: NFC, fingerprint scanner, LTE, digitizer and Intel Core i7 processor. But production realities change things some, and now that this particular tab is finally on sale, a few of its specs have been swapped out. Starting at $1,100 and rebadged as the X15, this 10.1-inch slate still reps a 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display, dual 1.3-megapixel front-facing / 5-megapixel rear cameras, support for WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0, as well as up to 128GB SSD, but now comes in four configurations. Most notably, its allotment of DDR3 RAM's been doubled to 8GB across the board, although users seeking that previously announced Ivy Bridge Core i7 will have to opt for the high-end Ultra model as the lesser Elite, Pro and Lux builds all feature an Intel Core i5. LTE support seems to have been dropped altogether in favor of HSPA+ connectivity on the Ultra and Lux units. If you're interested in what Kupa's selling here, you'll need to contact the company directly -- there's no easy link on its site to simply purchase the X15 tablet outright.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Source: Kupa

Hulu Plus app heads to Windows 8 PCs and tablets, tailored for new UI (video)

Posted on 22/10/2012 by Ben Gilbert

Windows 8 users, what with their "Modern" UI and pinned applications, won't have to stoop to using Hulu Plus in an antiquated internet browser any longer. Hulu today announced its brand new Windows 8 and Windows 8 tablet application, which is designed specifically for use with the tiled UI that Micrsoft's new multiplatform OS is based around. The new app aims to take advantage of that UI in a variety of ways -- pinning an episode or show to your start screen, for instance, or multitasking with other apps while Hulu continues playing in a smaller window, cropped to the left. We've dropped a video walkthrough of the app just below the break.

Those with early access to Windows 8 can grab the app right now in the Windows Store through this link (at least, when it goes live again -- it seems to be down right now); the app will be available to the rest of us at launch on October 26th, and on Windows 8 tablets the same day.

Continue reading Hulu Plus app heads to Windows 8 PCs and tablets, tailored for new UI (video)

Filed under: Desktops, Handhelds, Home Entertainment, Laptops, Tablets, Software, Microsoft

Hulu Plus app heads to Windows 8 PCs and tablets, tailored for new UI (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

Hulu | Email this | Comments

Distro Issue 61: Acer aims high with its Iconia W510 Windows 8 hybrid

Posted on 12/10/2012 by Billy Steele

With the release of Windows 8 just around the corner, the arrivals of tablets and hybrids that are decked out with the aforementioned OS are also imminent. Sure, we've already seen a number of these, but up until now, we've yet to spend any quality time with the announced hardware. In this week's edition of our tablet magazine, though, we finally get to take one back to Engadget HQ for a detailed preview. We offer our thoughts on Acer's Iconia W510 -- a laptop / tablet hybrid that sets its sights on the premium end of the Windows 8 gadget spectrum. On the regular review front, we put the Canon EOS M and the Samsung Galaxy Note II through their paces before serving up in-depth analysis of each. Eyes-On climbs aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, Visualized gets electrified and Nest's Matt Rogers tells all in the Q&A. The weekend won't last forever, so jump down below to snag the latest issue before settling in for a little weekend R&R.

Distro Issue 61 PDF
Distro in the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Google Play Store
Distro APK (for sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

Filed under: Announcements, HD, Mobile

Distro Issue 61: Acer aims high with its Iconia W510 Windows 8 hybrid originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

iTunes, Google Play | Email this | Comments

Atom-powered Acer Iconia W510 on sale November 9th for $500 and up

Posted on 09/10/2012 by Sarah Silbert

Acer recently announced pricing and availability for its Iconia W700, and now its other Windows 8 tablet, the Iconia W510, is getting that same treatment. The 10.1-inch slate will ship for $500 and up when it goes on sale November 9th.

The W510 sports an IPS display with a 1,366 x 768 resolution, and that panel is coated in Gorilla Glass 2 for some extra scratch resistance. Unlike the Ivy Bridge-packing W700, this device runs a 1.5GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2760 processor (from the Clover Trail series) with 2GB of RAM and up to 64GB of solid-state storage. Connections include a microSD card reader, micro-HDMI and a micro-USB 2.0 port. Acer also offers a $150 keyboard dock, which connects to the tablet from the top and offers a full-size USB 2.0 port. Without the dock, the tablet is rated for up to nine hours of battery life; the dock adds another nine. We got a chance to play with an early unit of the W510 -- head over to our in-depth preview for a closer look.

Gallery: Acer Iconia W510 press photos

Continue reading Atom-powered Acer Iconia W510 on sale November 9th for $500 and up

Filed under: Tablets, Acer

Atom-powered Acer Iconia W510 on sale November 9th for $500 and up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Acer Iconia W700 Windows 8 tablet ships this month with a cradle and keyboard included, starts at $800

Posted on 04/10/2012 by Sarah Silbert

Acer was one of many companies to preview its Windows 8 devices at Computex this summer, showing off its Iconia W700 tablet along with the W510. As the release date for Microsoft's much-anticipated OS draws near, Acer is announcing the slate once again, this time with full pricing and availability.

To jog your memory, the Iconia W700 is an 11.6-inch slate with a Core i3 or Core i5 Ivy Bridge chip under the hood. As we've come to expect from Iconia devices, the W700 boasts an IPS display, and this particular panel has a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. There's a 1-megapixel, 720p front-facing shooter, and a 5-megapixel camera capable of 1080p video capture sits on the back. The tablet comes with a cradle that sports three USB 3.0 ports and lets you dock the device in either landscape or portrait mode. A Bluetooth keyboard, which comes already already paired with the tablet, is included in the box, along with an HDMI-to-VGA dongle.

Acer says the tablet is good for up to eight hours of usage. The W700 will be available in three configuration options, all of which will go on sale October 26th. For $800, you get a Core i3 CPU, 4GB of RAM and an 64GB SSD. Stepping up to $900 gets you a Core i5 CPU and the same RAM and memory options, while the $1,000 model includes a Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. Head past the break for the full PR, plus our hands-on video, in case you needed a refresher.

Gallery: Acer Iconia W700 Windows 8 tablet hands-on