Acer Iconia W510 preview: as Acer moves into the Windows 8 era, it returns to its netbook roots

Posted on 09/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

Acer Iconia W510 preview

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Here it is, folks: our first Windows 8 device. No, not the first we've laid hands on, but the first built-for-Win-8 PC that we've been able to take home and spend some quality time with. If you don't remember today's specimen, you'd be forgiven: the Acer Iconia W510 is one of many, many tablet / laptop hybrids that have debuted over the past few months. Plus, this isn't even the highest-end Windows 8 PC Acer has to offer: unlike the W700, which has a 1080p screen and Ultrabook guts, the W510 runs off a Clover Trail-based Atom processor, and has a smaller 10.1-inch (1,366 x 768) display.

Accordingly, the price is also lower: the W510 will start at $500 for the tablet only, though you'll also be able to purchase it with the detachable keyboard dock for $750. (And if the dock really does double the battery life to 18 hours, you might want to.) Though the W510 won't be available for a few weeks yet -- it goes on sale November 9th -- we've gotten a hold of an early unit. An important note: the model we tested was pre-production, so we'll hold off on benchmarking for now and update our story with performance scores and a review card once we have the chance to test a final unit. In the meantime, if you're looking for a deeper dive on the hardware, you've come to the right place.

Gallery: Acer Iconia W510 preview

Continue reading Acer Iconia W510 preview: as Acer moves into the Windows 8 era, it returns to its netbook roots

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Acer

Acer Iconia W510 preview: as Acer moves into the Windows 8 era, it returns to its netbook roots originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Surface Windows 8 RT tablet hits the FCC?

Posted on 04/10/2012 by Michael Gorman

Well well, it looks like Microsoft's getting all its Windows 8 ducks in a row today. First, it sends out the invite for the Windows 8 launch event and a save the date for a Windows Phone 8 party, and now it looks like one of its Surface tablets has garnered FCC approval. Dubbed the Model 1516, the device in question can't be confirmed as a Surface slate, but we do know it's running Windows RT and has a membrane keyboard peripheral thanks to the docs submitted to Uncle Sam. We also know that it's got a stand, as the FCC label will be residing on the back panel beneath it, and the radios on board are of the Bluetooth and 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi variety. Does that add up to a Surface RT tablet? We sure think so, but see the evidence for yourself at the source link below.

Filed under: Tablets

Microsoft Surface Windows 8 RT tablet hits the FCC? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 8 launch event gets real, the celebration starts October 25th

Posted on 04/10/2012 by Michael Gorman

Microsoft's been doing its best to get Windows 8 ready for public consumption. After dogfooding the OS to employees and IT pros and getting unsolicited feedback from company co-founder Paul Allen, the time has come for its official unveiling. Microsoft told us to save October 25th on our calendars for a Win8 celebration, and now the invites are out. Naturally, we'll be there in New York City reporting on the event live, so come on back in three weeks to get your full Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface fix.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Software

Windows 8 launch event gets real, the celebration starts October 25th originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer’s Aspire S7 Ultrabooks coming October 26th, starting at $1,200 for the 11-inch version

Posted on 02/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

Back at Computex, Acer announced the Aspire S7 series -- the company's third line of Ultrabooks, and the first of the bunch to sport touchscreens. At the time, we were told they'd go on sale once Windows 8 started shipping and sure enough, Acer just sent out a press release confirming they'll be available October 26th, the day Win 8 officially launches. Prices will start at $1,200 for the 11-inch model (the S7-191), but you'll pay either $1,400 or $1,650 for the 13-inch version (S7-391), depending on which configuration you choose.

For those who missed the initial June reveal, the laptops all have 1080p IPS screens and backlit keyboards. The 13-inch model in particular has a display that can lie completely flat. Another key difference: the 11-inch version has an aluminum lid, while the 13-incher's is fashioned out of Gorilla Glass. Whichever you choose, the S7 comes with a USB to Ethernet adapter, a micro-HDMI to VGA dongle and a carrying case -- a first for Acer. They also make use of Acer's TwinAir cooling technology and are set up to work with AcerCloud, the company's free online storage service, which you can use with mobile apps on iOS and Android.

Inside, the SSDs are all arranged in RAID 0 configuration, which means you can expect the kind of absurdly fast I/O speeds we recorded on the Aspire S5. (The lack of redundancy in that RAID 0 setup also means you might want to be extra vigilant about backing up your stuff.) The battery life is rated for six hours on both models, but the 13-inch version will be available with an external cell that can supposedly double the runtime. Meanwhile. RAM is fixed at 4GB, and integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics are the standard. All told, just the kind of specs you'd expect on a high-end Ultrabook.

Again, these will ship on October 26th, starting at $1,200 for the smaller 11-inch model. In the meantime, we've got a few additional specs after the break, and you can always revisit our hands-on from Computex if you want to re-live the magic of a crowded press conference.

Continue reading Acer's Aspire S7 Ultrabooks coming October 26th, starting at $1,200 for the 11-inch version

Filed under: Laptops, Acer

Acer's Aspire S7 Ultrabooks coming October 26th, starting at $1,200 for the 11-inch version originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZTE shows off new V98 Windows 8 slate, we go hands-on

Posted on 28/09/2012 by Michael Gorman

ZTE shows off its first Windows 8 slate, we go handson

Intel just outed its new Atom SoC, and at its tablet event in San Francisco today, the company had a whole slew of slates packing the Clover Trail silicon on hand. Dell's Latitude 10, the ASUS Tablet 810, Acer's Iconia W510 and W700, Lenovo's ThinkPad 2, the HP Envy x2 and Samsung's Series 5 were all there. However, it was the handsome slice of Windows 8 from ZTE that really caught our attention. Called the V98, it has a 10.1-inch, 1366 x 768 LCD on top of an aluminum chassis with a beveled edge similar to what you'd find on a white iPhone 5. Beneath that handsome exterior is the aforementioned Intel Z2760 chipset, 64GB of ROM, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (plus a microSD slot if you need more digital space). There's 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, tri-band UMTS and quad-band GSM radios, plus NFC and LTE can be had as options. It's got an accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensors, a magnetometer and a gyro, too. An 8-megapixel camera is stuck in the back, while a 2-megapixel shooter resides round front. ZTE managed to stuff all that and a 7,000mAh battery inside a svelte 8.9mm-thin package.

We got to spend a little bit of time with a prototype ZTE model, and found the hardware to be solid for a hand-built unit. Its aluminum chassis makes for quite a rigid device in hand, and the machined and polished bevel gives the V98 a very high-end look. The chromed plastic volume rocker, power button and screen orientation lock switch nestled in the plastic radio reception strip at the top of the device are decidedly less luxurious, however -- the travel of each was shallow, and the finish on the plastic appeared a bit cheap to our eyes. That said, the rotating magnetic aluminum door that reveals the SD card and SIM slots is slick -- far easier to open and close than the plastic port covers found on most other slates. There's also a 30-pin docking port on the bottom edge of the tablet, but ZTE informed us it'd be another month or so before the dock is ready for public consumption. Unfortunately, the V98 won't be available for purchase until Q1 of next year, but you can see if its worth waiting for in our gallery of shots below.

Gallery: ZTE V98 Windows 8 tablet hands-on

Filed under: Tablets

ZTE shows off new V98 Windows 8 slate, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 20:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer announces Aspire M3 and Aspire V5 laptops with touchscreens (update: hands-on photos)

Posted on 31/08/2012 by Dana Wollman

In case you haven't noticed, there are two kinds of Windows 8 devices on display at IFA this week: laptop / tablet hybrids, and already-announced laptops, refreshed to include touchscreens. Acer's newest two Ultrabooks fall into that second category: the company just announced touch-enabled versions of its Aspire M3 Ultrabook and Aspire V5 thin-and-light. For now, Acer isn't saying a word about price or availability, so for now you'll have to be content with a few spec details, all embedded after the break.

Update: We've added some more pictures of Acer's new touch-friendly Ultrabooks in the flesh.

Gallery: Acer Aspire M3 Touch Ultrabook hands-on

Gallery: Acer Aspire M3 Touch

Continue reading Acer announces Aspire M3 and Aspire V5 laptops with touchscreens (update: hands-on photos)

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Acer announces Aspire M3 and Aspire V5 laptops with touchscreens (update: hands-on photos) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP announces 15-inch Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook, Envy 4 Ultrabook with touch

Posted on 30/08/2012 by Dana Wollman

If you thought laptop / tablet mashups were trendy, we can think of at least one other theme you're going to see repeated ad nauseam over the coming months: PC makers putting touchscreens on things that didn't used to have them. That's right, in addition to all those funky-looking hybrids, you're going to see lots of familiar-looking laptops get upgraded with touch in time for the Windows 8 launch. Exhibit A: HP, which just announced two conventional notebooks with touch. This includes a finger-friendly version of the 14-inch Envy 4 Ultrabook, as well as the Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook, a 15-inch version of the Spectre XT announced earlier this year. Both will be available during the holiday season. That's the short version, but if you follow past the break, we've got a lot to talk about in the way of specs. Join us, will you?

Continue reading HP announces 15-inch Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook, Envy 4 Ultrabook with touch

Filed under: Laptops

HP announces 15-inch Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook, Envy 4 Ultrabook with touch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP unveils Envy x2 laptop / tablet hybrid: 11-inch IPS screen, NFC and pen support, arriving later this year

Posted on 30/08/2012 by Dana Wollman

You didn't think the world's top PC maker was going to sit out the laptop / tablet hybrid trend, now did you? HP, one of the last OEMs to share its Windows 8 plans, just announced the Envy x2, an 11-inch tablet that comes with a keyboard dock. And while that form factor may already seem tired, HP is dressing it up with some higher-end features, including an aluminum build, NFC, pen support, Beats Audio and a 400-nit, IPS display. (The resolution is 1,366 x 768, as is the case for many of these 11-inch Windows 8 hybrids.)

The tablet itself measures about 8.5mm thick and weighs 1.5 pounds, while the dock weighs 1.6. Unlike competing products, the device combines magnets and a mechanical latch to keep the tablet from falling out of its dock (watch us manhandle the x2 in the video below to see what we're talking about). All told, we were impressed by how surprisingly light the tablet and dock feel -- given the metal armor encasing it all, it's easy to assume otherwise.

Under the hood, the x2 runs an Atom-based Clover Trail processor. Though HP isn't ready to talk battery life, we've noticed that every other OEM releasing a Clover Trail device is promising between nine and 10 hours of runtime, so we expect the x2 to deliver comparable performance. What's more, the dock has a built-in battery of its own, so you'll definitely have some reserve power there. Poke around on the dock and you'll find two USB ports, HDMI output and a full-size SD slot. The tablet itself is home to an 8-megapixel rear camera and microSD slot, in case the 64GB of built-in storage isn't capacious enough.

Right now, it's unknown how much the x2 will cost, or when, exactly, it will go on sale, except that it's expected to arrive in time for the holiday shopping season. For now, feel free to poke around our hands-on photo gallery, and avail yourselves of our walk-through, embedded just past the break.

Gallery: HP Envy x2 hands-on

Continue reading HP unveils Envy x2 laptop / tablet hybrid: 11-inch IPS screen, NFC and pen support, arriving later this year

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets

HP unveils Envy x2 laptop / tablet hybrid: 11-inch IPS screen, NFC and pen support, arriving later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung announces Series 5 and Series 7 Windows 8 tablets with S Pen apps, optional keyboards

Posted on 29/08/2012 by Dana Wollman

Samsung already showed off its Series 5 Hybrid back at Computex, but what we didn't know was that Sammy had yet another tablet / laptop mash-up in the works. The company just formally announced the Series 5 and it turns out it's going to be joined by the next-gen Series 7 Slate as well. (Also known as the ATIV tabs in regions outside the US.) The two 11-inch tablets more or less look alike, except the Series 5 is powered by an Atom-based Clover Trail processor, while the Series 7 packs Core i5 guts. Both support pen input, and will come with the same S Pen apps found on the Galaxy Note 10.1. As for that optional keyboard dock, Samsung previously touted its magnetic hinge, but the dock has since been retooled with a sturdier latch-based mechanism. (Check out the video below to see it in action -- the tablet really does seem incapable of falling out.)

As you can imagine, that difference in processor entails more than just different clock speeds. The two-watt Atom chip inside the Series 5 is rated for about nine hours of battery life, whereas the Core i5-powered Series 7 is expected to last between four and five hours on a charge. (The Series 5 is lighter, too, at 1.65 pounds, compared with 1.89 for the Series 7.) And, being a lower-powered device, the Series 5 has no vents. Last major difference: the Series 7 has a 1080p screen, while the Series 5's resolution tops out at 1,366 x 768.

On the software side, Samsung is loading all of its Win 8 systems with its various Media Hubs -- yes, just like the ones you'll find on the company's Android devices. You'll also find AllShare, a DLNA media-sharing app; S-Launcher, a widget that replicates the missing Start Menu in Windows 8; and eSettings, a centralized options menu for folks who maybe haven't learned where all the settings are in Win 8. As for those S Pen applications, you've got S Note, among other carry-overs from the Android side. As with the Note 10.1, the pen itself can recognize 1,024 degrees of pressure sensitivity.

Both tablets will arrive October 26th, the day Windows 8 starts shipping. The Series 7 will be available in one $1,119 configuration with 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and the keyboard. The Series 5, meanwhile, will cost $649, and will include 2GB of RAM and a 64GB solid-state drive. If you like, you can purchase the keyboard for $100, or you can buy the two as a bundle for $749. We'll be back with reviews in October but until then, check out our walk-through below. (Note: we didn't get a chance to play with AllShare, the S Pen apps or the Hubs, but hopefully we can give you a more detailed demo of the software soon.)

Gallery: Samsung Series 7 Slate hands-on (2012)

Gallery: Samsung Series 5 and Series 7 Slate

Continue reading Samsung announces Series 5 and Series 7 Windows 8 tablets with S Pen apps, optional keyboards

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets

Samsung announces Series 5 and Series 7 Windows 8 tablets with S Pen apps, optional keyboards originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba unveils U925t Ultrabook with slide-out touchscreen, keeps the price a secret for now

Posted on 29/08/2012 by Dana Wollman

DNP EMBARGO Toshiba unveils U925t Ultrabook with slideout touchscreen, keeps the price a secret for now

If Computex was a coming out party for Windows 8 Ultrabooks, Toshiba was one of the wallflowers: though the company teased some concept devices, it only let journalists photograph them from certain angles, and with their screens turned off. Now, though, we're closing the summer with yet another tradeshow, and Toshiba is using the occasion to demo its wares in more detail. The company just announced the Satellite U925t, that Windows 8 slider we showed you earlier in the summer. No word on price, except that it's expected to be "slightly north" of the Satellite U845W, which starts at $1,000. We do know that it will ship on October 26th, the day Win 8 formally launches.

In the meantime, Toshiba hasn't left any specs to the imagination. What we have here is a 12.5-inch Ultrabook with a slide-out, Gorilla Glass touchscreen. Pushing the screen up reveals a built-in keyboard, and we were pleasantly surprised in our hands-on to find that it's actually quite spacious. (With this form factor, the propped up display usually cuts into the usable keyboard space.) The keys are also backlit, and have the same feel as what you'll find on Toshiba's U845 and U845W Ultrabooks. That is to say they're shallow, and very, very quiet. The whole package weighs "just over three pounds" and measures about 0.8 inches thick, making it easy enough to stuff in a carry-on.

When you push up the display you'll also find another surprise: an autofocusing 3-megapixel camera on the back side. For good measure, there's also a lower-res shooter up front. On the inside, it packs a Core i5 processor, Intel HD 4000 graphics and a 128GB SSD. Like many other Ultrabooks, it also has Intel's Wireless Display tech on board, though you'll of course have to buy the requisite set-top box separately. Taking a tour around the device, you'll find a mix of tablet- and laptop-style trappings: two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, vents, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a volume rocker and a button for turning off screen auto-rotation.

Software-wise, Toshiba is bundling Desktop Assist, a utility designed to give Windows 8 newbies quick access to files, programs and the like. You'll also see Live Tiles for things like Toshiba Central (a support hub), Book Place and Toshiba App Place. That's all she wrote for now, but expect us to follow up closer to October 26th with a more specific price. Until then, we've got hands-on photos below, along with a short walk-through video.

Gallery: Toshiba Satellite U925t hands-on