Acer’s Windows 8-based Iconia W510 tablet hits the FCC, ready for November launch

Posted on 12/10/2012 by Nicole Lee

Now that we've taken a look at the Acer Iconia W510, it's heartening to see it finally hit the FCC. The documentation doesn't tell us much we don't already know about the Windows 8 tablet, though it's interesting to note it packs a 7300mAh battery, which will hopefully lead to that promised nine-hour battery life. As a quick refresher, the W510 packs a Clover Trail-based Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, a 10.1-inch display, and will cost roughly $500 for the 32GB SSD model. The timing of the FCC listing does seem to point to Acer actually hitting that November 9th launch date, so keep your ~~fingers~~ tiles crossed.

Filed under: Tablets, Acer

Acer's Windows 8-based Iconia W510 tablet hits the FCC, ready for November launch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 20:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony VAIO Tap 20 battery-powered all-in-one arriving this month for $880 and up

Posted on 11/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

Sure, you were expecting PC makers to announce loads of Windows 8 hybrids, but a battery-powered all-in-one? Probably not. Nonetheless, that's exactly what Sony unveiled last month at IFA when it showed off the VAIO Tap 20. Designed with families in mind, it could stay plugged into an outlet, but it's built so that you can carry it easily enough from the kitchen to the living room, if that's where the kids are hanging out. (It's 11.4 pounds, so we're guessing you won't want to schlep it much farther.) Though we've already gotten a sneak peek at the machine, Sony announced today that it will go on sale in the US on October 26th (the day Windows 8 launches), starting at $880.

At that entry-level price, you'll get a laptop-grade Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive, though you can also configure it with i5 and i7 CPUs and an SSD. As the photos suggest, that 20-inch, 1,600 x 900 display can lie flat, which should come in handy with drawing apps and certain games, like jigsaw puzzles. In keeping with that kitchen-friendly, kid-proof theme, Sony's also billing the display as "drop-resistant" -- there's a rubber seal around the bezel that promises to keep water far, far away from the motherboard. Oh, and though this isn't exactly a premium desktop, the display at least uses IPS technology, so it's safe to say you can expect decent viewing angles if you're crowding around to watch a movie or have the screen lying flat. Rounding out the spec list, the Tap 20 also has built-in NFC, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, dual speakers and a subwoofer.

Software-wise, the Tap 20 comes with Artrage Studio Pro, along with Fingertaps, a Sony-made app that combines drawing functions with to-do lists and reminders, all arranged in a cute clothes-pin-style interface. Head over to the Windows Store and you'll also find some other Sony apps ready for download, including the Socialife aggregator, Music by Sony, VAIO Movie Creator and Album by Sony (the latter is a photo and video organizer). Again, this thing won't go on sale for another two weeks, but if you're curious we'll point you toward our earlier hands-on post for photos and video.

Continue reading Sony VAIO Tap 20 battery-powered all-in-one arriving this month for $880 and up

Filed under: Desktops, Sony

Sony VAIO Tap 20 battery-powered all-in-one arriving this month for $880 and up originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony’s VAIO Duo 11 Windows 8 slider goes on sale this month, starts at $1,100

Posted on 11/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

At least in the beginning, most of the made-for-Windows-8 devices you're going to see will have a very similar form factor -- namely, a tablet that slots into a detachable keyboard dock. Sony, though, is taking a different tack: the outfit is ignoring the hybrid trend altogether and will instead sell the VAIO Duo 11, one of a select few slider PCs to hit the market. Though we already got hands-on, we're just now learning about pricing and availability: the company just announced that the Duo is coming out October 26th (the same day as Windows 8) and will start at $1,100.

That's a lofty price, to be sure, but with a spec sheet that includes Ultrabook guts, a backlit keyboard, NFC, GPS and a 1080p, IPS, Gorilla Glass display, we don't see how it could've cost much less. Take a gander at the design, and you'll see it's mostly made of magnesium alloy and, having handled it ourselves, we can attest to the sturdiness of the hinge mechanism. Compared to other sliders, which often make do with cramped keyboards, this offers a reasonably spacious layout, though it comes at the expense of a trackpad. Indeed, there's no touchpad here; just an optical pointing stick. (Thankfully, it seems pretty precise.) Additionally, the Duo 11 supports pen input, and comes with a dual digitizer pen that can recognize 256 levels of pressure sensitivity. As a tablet-like device, it has not one, but two cameras, both capturing at 2.4-megapixel resolution.

Continuing our tour of the device, the 2.84-pound system is home to a surprisingly robust collection of ports, including HDMI-out, two USB 3.0 sockets, an Ethernet jack (!), memory card slot, headphone jack and VGA. Yes, VGA. This might be a good time to clarify that Sony envisions this as a machine for road warriors, though it comes not with Windows 8 Professional, but Home Premium. That would also explain the battery situation: in addition to the built-in 4,960mAh cell, it will be offered with an optional slice battery that promises to double the runtime. Bonus: the spare has its own AC port, so you can plug it directly into the outlet. Again, the Duo 11 starts at $1,100 with a Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD (you can upgrade to a 256 drive and a Core i5 or 7 CPU if you wish). That's all she wrote for now, but check out our hands-on for more photos and a quick video.

Continue reading Sony's VAIO Duo 11 Windows 8 slider goes on sale this month, starts at $1,100

Filed under: Laptops, Sony

Sony's VAIO Duo 11 Windows 8 slider goes on sale this month, starts at $1,100 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Aspire V5 and M5 laptops will be available with touchscreens this month

Posted on 11/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

Make no mistake, one of the biggest trends you'll see this fall is PC makers slapping touchscreens on their current machines so as to make them a little more Windows 8-appropriate. And Acer is no exception: the company is introducing touch-enabled versions of its existing Aspire V5 and M5 laptops, both of which will go on sale this month.

Starting with the M5, it's the touch-enabled version of the M5 Ultrabook we reviewed earlier this year. Though the standard version is available in 14- and 15-inch screen sizes, the touchscreen model (aka the 481PT, pictured above) will only be offered with a 14-inch (1,366 x 768) panel. This, too, has a Core i5 CPU and 6GB of RAM, though its 500GB hard drive is paired with a 20GB SSD for faster boot-ups. Like the non-touch version, it's rated for eight hours of runtime. Surprisingly, even though it's classified as an Ultrabook, it manages to make room for an optical drive -- impressive, given its 0.81-inch-thick chassis is still relatively slender. Both machines will be sold exclusively at Best Buy in the US, with the regular M5 starting at $700 and that touch-enabled version going for $800.

As for the budget-minded V5 series, the touchscreen will only be offered on the 14-inch version (the V5-471P). Max specs include up to 8GB of RAM and up to 750GB of HDD storage. (Either way, you get a 1,366 x 768 display, a Core i5-3317UB processor and your requisite Intel HD 4000 graphics.) That model starts at $750, though the non-touch models are priced at $500 and up.

Continue reading Acer Aspire V5 and M5 laptops will be available with touchscreens this month

Filed under: Laptops, Acer

Acer Aspire V5 and M5 laptops will be available with touchscreens this month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Logitech outs two wireless mice and an external trackpad, all optimized for Windows 8

Posted on 10/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

It'll be another two weeks before Windows 8 PCs go on sale, but if you like, you can pick out your gesture-enabled peripherals now. Logitech just announced two wireless mice and an external trackpad, all optimized to support gestures in Windows 8. Starting with the mice, the Touch Mouse T620 has the same design as the M600 announced earlier this year, except it supports Win 8 gestures out of the box. (The M600 will get a software update allowing it to work the same way.) Similar to its predecessor, the T620's entire top surface is touch-enabled, which means you can do things like swipe the right side for the Charm Bar, or swipe from the left to rotate through open programs. You can also double tap with one finger to return to the Start Screen, and double tap with two fingers to show the desktop.

Moving on, the Zone Touch Mouse T400 has a touch strip that you can use to move up and down through pages, as well as scroll through the live tiles on the Start Screen. In a brilliant twist, though, the touch strip itself is comprised of two buttons, which you can use to toggle open apps or bring up the Start Screen, depending on which end you press. Finally, the Wireless Rechargeable Touchpad T650 is a Magic Trackpad-style touchpad with a spacious glass surface, which seemed impeccably responsive during our brief hands-on with it. Unlike the two mice, which run on AAs, the T650 has a rechargeable battery, which you can re-juice over USB.

All of these accessories use proprietary 2.4GHz wireless technology instead of Bluetooth, which means you'll need a free USB port to accommodate the accompanying transceiver. The dongle can pair with up to six Logitech peripherals at once, but that's a bummer if you also happen to own gear made by a Microsoft or HP. As you might have guessed, these are compatible with Windows PCs only, though you could use them with Win 7 if you so chose. Look for all three this month, with the Touchpad T650 priced $80, the Touch Mouse at $70 and the T400 at $50.

Continue reading Logitech outs two wireless mice and an external trackpad, all optimized for Windows 8

Filed under: Peripherals

Logitech outs two wireless mice and an external trackpad, all optimized for Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 shipping this month for $1,099, ARM-powered Yoga 11 coming in December

Posted on 09/10/2012 by Sarah Silbert

Lenovo is pulling back the curtain on several Windows 8 devices today, and among the bunch is a somewhat familiar face: the IdeaPad Yoga. We first got a look at the 13.3-inch device back at CES in January, where it stood out with a flip-and-fold design that lets it transform into a tablet from a notebook and vice versa. In addition to unveiling full spec and pricing information for the Yoga 13, Lenovo is announcing an 11-inch version.

The IdeaPad Yoga 13 will go for $1,099 and up when it hits Best Buy and Lenovo's online store October 26th (Best Buy pre-orders will start Otober 12th.) The hybrid device will pack a Core i5 or Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor, up to 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of SSD storage. As we already knew from our preview earlier this year, the Yoga boasts a 1,600 x 900 IPS multi-touch display, and there's a 720p front-facing camera for video conferencing. At 0.67 inches thick and 3.4 pounds, this guy is a bit chunkier than some of the slimmest Ultrabooks, but it's certainly no hulk either. Connections include USB 2.0, USB 3.0, a media card reader and HDMI output. Lenovo rates the Yoga 13 for seven hours of battery life.

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 shipping this month for $1,099, ARM-powered Yoga 11 coming in December

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Lenovo

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 shipping this month for $1,099, ARM-powered Yoga 11 coming in December originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx: an 11.6-inch Windows 8 hybrid arriving in December for $600 and up

Posted on 09/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

With a couple exceptions, we hadn't heard much about Lenovo's Windows 8 plans until now. Okay, it teased the IdeaPad Yoga back at CES, and recently unveiled the business-friendly ThinkPad Tablet 2. But surely the company wasn't going to stop there, right? Hardly. Lenovo just announced the IdeaTab Lynx, an 11.6-inch laptop / tablet hybrid aimed at mainstream consumers. Like so many other products with this form factor, it runs a dual-core, Clovertrail-based Atom processor, paired with 2GB of RAM and either 32 or 64GB of solid-state storage, depending on the configuration you choose. Unsurprisingly, the detachable keyboard dock has a built-in 6,800mAh battery of its own, which promises to double the tablet's runtime from eight hours to 16. In this case, though, the machine benefits from Lenovo's keyboard know-how, so as small as the 1.45-pound dock is, it still offers an AccuType layout similar to what you'd find on Lenovo's bigger notebooks.

Detach the tablet from its dock and you have a 1.4-pound tablet that measures 9.45mm thick. That 11.6-inch, 400-nit screen is of IPS caliber, so the viewing angles should be decent if you attempt to use it outdoors or watch movies from an odd angle (say, with the screen dipped forward on an airplane tray). Poke around the device and you'll find micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports, along with a microSD slot for external storage. It also has a 2-megapixel webcam up front for video chatting, though interestingly, there's no camera module on the back side. The dock, meanwhile, adds two full-sized USB 2.0 ports. According to Lenovo, the Lynx will be available in December, starting at $600 for the standalone tablet. (The keyboard dock will be a $150 add-on.) Until then, we've got some early hands-on photos below, along with the usual spate of press shots.

Gallery: Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx hands-on

Gallery: Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx: an 11.6-inch Windows 8 hybrid arriving in December for $600 and up

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Lenovo

Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx: an 11.6-inch Windows 8 hybrid arriving in December for $600 and up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 priced at $649 and up, still on track to ship this month

Posted on 09/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

Back when Lenovo formally announced the ThinkPad Tablet 2, it shared almost everything there was to know about its new Windows 8 slate: specs, an approximate shipping date and details on the optional accessories. The one thing Lenovo didn't reveal? The price. Well, you can rest easy now because the company just announced the tablet will start at $649, making it slightly more expensive than other Atom-powered slates running Windows 8. (To be fair, it does offer NFC and pen input, so perhaps we can all agree to call it even.) As a quick refresher, other key specs include a 10.1-inch (1,366 x 768) IPS display, a 10-hour battery, dual 2MP / 8MP cameras and optional 3G / 4G connectivity, with AT&T's LTE network being the spectrum of choice in the US. You'll also be able to buy it with an optional keyboard and a dock with three USB ports, HDMI-out and an Ethernet jack. That's all coming soon, so hopefully our full review won't be too far off either.

Continue reading Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 priced at $649 and up, still on track to ship this month

Filed under: Tablets, Lenovo

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 priced at $649 and up, still on track to ship this month originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo announces ThinkPad Edge Twist, a business-oriented convertible coming this month for $849

Posted on 09/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

Lenovo was first out of the gate with a form-shifting Windows 8 machine when it unveiled the IdeaPad Yoga at CES. Now the company's back with a convertible for its business customers, the ThinkPad Edge Twist. In many ways, it's a convertible in the most conventional sense of the word: unlike the Yoga, whose screen folds all the way back, the Twist has a 12.5-inch display that can swivel all the way around and fold down into tablet mode. As a member of the Edge family, in particular, it blends design elements from Lenovo's business and consumer lines, with metal accents, rounded edges, an island-style keyboard, a magnesium frame and, of course, that signature soft-touch finish.

Stealing the show is that 12.5-inch, 350-nit, Gorilla Glass-coated display, which uses IPS technology for wider angles. On the inside, the Twist runs your choice of a Core i5 or i7 processor, with up to 8GB of RAM and either a 128GB SSD or a 7,200RPM hard drive (320GB or 500GB). Battery life, meanwhile, is rated at up to seven hours. At 3.48 pounds, it's heavier than some larger-screened Ultrabooks, but at least that 0.79-inch frame makes room for a full-sized Ethernet jack. (It also has a memory card reader, two USB 3.0 ports, mini-HDMI output and a mini-DisplayPort.) As for business-friendly features, the laptop offers TPM and can be configured with an optional 3G radio. Look for it on October 26th, starting at $849. Until then, enjoy those hands-on shots below.

Gallery: Lenovo ThinkPad Edge Twist hands-on

Gallery: Lenovo ThinkPad Edge Twist

Continue reading Lenovo announces ThinkPad Edge Twist, a business-oriented convertible coming this month for $849

Filed under: Laptops, Lenovo

Lenovo announces ThinkPad Edge Twist, a business-oriented convertible coming this month for $849 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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‘Contre Jour’ is now playable in the browser, one third of the levels require IE 10

Posted on 09/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

Say it with us: Developers! Developers! Developers! That's Steve Ballmer's mantra and indeed, it says a lot about the way Microsoft has gone about promoting Internet Explorer. In addition to a series of prime-time ads (maybe you've seen 'em), the company has been using certain HTML 5 apps to show devs what they can do using IE 10's deep multitouch support. Now the outfit's back, this time with a game: Contre Jour is coming to the web, and while it runs in any modern browser, you'll need IE 10 and a Windows 8 machine to play a third of the levels (it shouldn't make a difference if you have a touchscreen or a multitouch trackpad). That's because in some parts of the game, you'll be required to use as many as three fingers at once to pull off certain maneuvers. In IE 10 you can do this, so you get access to all 30 levels; if you're using a different browser that doesn't support these gestures, the levels will remain locked. Hit up the source link to play the game for free, and if a game based on "The Little Prince" doesn't do much for you, at least check out the Behind the Scenes section -- coding geeks should appreciate the deeper explanation as to how the web app was built.

Gallery: Contre Jour for IE 10