Tag Archives: Win8

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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LG 13-inch Z935 Windows 8 Ultrabook hands-on

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LG 13inch Z935 Windows 8 Ultrabook handson

Major companies have a notorious reputation for quietly bringing unannounced products to trade shows like IFA 2013 and tossing them in some random part of the booth, which means we're always walking in expecting to find something new. Fortunately, LG did not disappoint us this time, as it showed off a new 13-inch "Ultra PC" Ultrabook called the Z935. Reps told us that this model, due to arrive in Korea this November for $1,000, is a minor refresh to its existing series of Ultrabooks; the Z935 in particular gets a bump in IPS display resolution to Quad HD (2560 x 1440) and also sports a Haswell SoC. The Win8-powered machine measures 314 x 219 x 13.6mm and weighs 1.15kg, much like the Z360 we peeked at in January. There's a USB port and HDMI port to the right, along with a headphone jack, while a pair of microSD slots are tucked away just a tad underneath the right-hand side, hidden barely out of sight but still easily accessible; USB and ethernet ports line the opposite side. All told, there are only a few minor design changes here, and we've put together a gallery of images for you to see it from all angles. We're still waiting for the full listing of specs, but we'll keep you posted as soon as we hear more.

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Rhapsody debuts app for Windows 8 at Microsoft Build 2013

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Rhapsody debuts app for Windows 8 at Microsoft Build 2013

Today during Microsoft's 2013 edition of Build, Rhapsody announced that it's releasing a version of its music app designed for the Windows 8 operating system. As you might expect, the Win8 variant will bring many of the same features found on its iOS and Android counterparts, including the ability for subscribers to create playlists and stream / download songs from Rhapsody's ample library of tunes. There will be some tidbits tailored specifically for Redmond's OS, however, such as a Snap Mode for simple multitasking and an option that allows tracks to be pinned to the Metro-style home screen. The company told us the application will hit the Windows store shortly, so we'll be sure to update this post as soon as we have a link to the download.

Update: Rhapsody's Windows 8 app is now up for grabs via the Windows store, linked down below for your convenience.

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Source: Windows store

Windows Blue to be called Windows 8.1?

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Windows Blue to be known as Windows 81

It's a world of code names out there, and final products rarely ever inherit the name given to them during the development process. It appears that Microsoft doesn't plan to buck the trend with the client version of Windows Blue, an OS refresh that Mary Jo Foley says is destined to become Windows 8.1. The screenshot you see above of Build 9375 was leaked on WinForum.eu and Foley has confirmed it with her sources; apparently Blue is poised to be kept under the Windows 8 umbrella instead of Win9, so the 8.x naming scheme would fit. Additionally, her sources have indicated that the Blue update for RT will simply be known as Windows RT 8.1. While we wait for official word from Microsoft, check out our screenshot tour of a recently leaked build of the update -- after all, its functionality is a bit more important than whatever it gets named.

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Source: ZDNet

Lenovo ThinkPad Twist review: an old form factor gets new life with Windows 8

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Lenovo ThinkPad Twist review

It used to be that "convertible PC" could mean only one thing: a laptop whose display swiveled around, folding down into tablet mode. Now that Windows 8 is here, though, the category has become a bit muddied. How else to describe our recent collection of reviews? In just the past few weeks alone, we've tested a laptop whose screen folds all the way back, an Ultrabook whose display flips inside the hinge and yet another with a slide-out keyboard. Anything goes -- at least until consumers decide which form factor they like best.

But when Lenovo calls its new ThinkPad Twist a convertible, you can rest assured it's using the old-school definition. As the name implies, it has a rotating screen that allows it to be used as a 12-inch slate. And, like all the business-friendly ThinkPads that came before it, it sports a well-engineered keyboard, a secondary set of touch buttons and, of course, that signature red pointing stick. Now, though, it runs a much more finger-friendly OS, and has a touchpad that can support all the new gestures in Windows 8. It's one of several new touch-capable notebooks from Lenovo, but it's the only one geared toward business users. So is this worth the upgrade from an older ThinkPad? And is it a better buy than Lenovo's other Win 8 convertible, the IdeaPad Yoga 13? Read on to find out.

Gallery: Lenovo ThinkPad Twist review

Continue reading Lenovo ThinkPad Twist review: an old form factor gets new life with Windows 8

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Acer Aspire S7 review (13-inch): great Ultrabook, a shame about the battery life

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Acer Aspire S7 review

Back in June, when Acer first announced the Aspire S7 Series, two things seemed noteworthy: these were the company's first touchscreen Ultrabooks, for one, and they were easily its best-made. Whereas the earlier S3 and S5 skew a bit boring, the S7 is made of aluminum, with either a metal or Gorilla Glass lid, depending on whether you choose the 11- or 13-inch version. What's more, it has a 1080p IPS display, which looked just as nice in our initial hands-on as the spec sheet would have you believe. Throw in a choice of Core i5 and i7 processors and a RAID 0 SSD configuration, and you can easily expect the same fast performance we recorded on the S5. So is this it? Has Acer finally built an Ultrabook we can heartily recommend? More to the point, does the 13-inch model get enough things right to justify that $1,400 starting price? Find out in our review after the break.

Gallery: Acer Aspire S7 review

Continue reading Acer Aspire S7 review (13-inch): great Ultrabook, a shame about the battery life

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Windows 8 review

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Windows 8 review

It's unusual, to say the least, for us to spend a year with a product before publishing our review. In the case of Windows 8, we've written thousands of words already, starting with our first hands-on in September of 2011, followed by deep dives on the Developer Preview, Consumer Preview, Release Preview and RTM build. Even our readers have had ample time to get acquainted with the OS -- it's been available as a public download since February. And yet, we've never tested a final version of the software running on brand new, made-for-Windows-8 hardware. With the OS now on sale (alongside dozens of new PCs), it's finally time for us to double back and revisit everything we've previously written in the form of a final, comprehensive review.

And what a challenging assignment this was: it's hard enough to give an OS the full review treatment without burying the reader in minute details. It's even tougher when the software was built for so many different kinds of hardware. Combining a traditional desktop with Windows Phone-inspired Live Tiles, Windows 8 was designed to be equally at home on traditional PCs and more finger-friendly devices, like tablets and hybrids. In addition to walking you through the operating system's various gestures and built-in apps, then, we'll spend some time talking about which form factors are best suited to this redesigned version of Windows. Read on to see what we found out.

Gallery: Windows 8 screenshots

Continue reading Windows 8 review

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Windows 8 review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft offering free Media Center upgrade to Windows 8 Pro users until January 31st 2013

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Microsoft offering free Media Center upgrade to Windows 8 Pro users until January 31st 2013

Home theater PC enthusiasts weren't too thrilled when Microsoft announced that it was stripping Media Center and its codecs for DVD playback and broadcast TV from Windows 8 in favor of a paid add-on. The folks from Redmond are offering a temporary reprieve, in an effort to reward early adopters. Windows 8 Media Center Pack is for free to customers who purchase Windows 8 Pro... at least until January 31st 2013. This promo requires that you enter your product key at the company's website in order to receive your free upgrade. Sadly, when the discount period for Pro upgrades ends, so too does the ability to score Media Center for free. Microsoft never revealed the price for its Media Center Pack, only referring to it as "economical." While we appreciate affordable software, there's nothing more cost effective than a freebie.

[Thanks, Neal]

Update: As commenters (and tipsters) have pointed out, the Media Center upgrade is available to non-Pro users for $9.99 or €9.99, respectively. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Microsoft offering free Media Center upgrade to Windows 8 Pro users until January 31st 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS outs ET2300 all-in-one desktop with articulating, 23-inch touchscreen, optional Thunderbolt (update: eyes-on!)

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ASUS outs ET2300 all-in-one desktop with articulating, 23-inch touchscreen, optional Thunderbolt

If you're a PC maker launching a new lineup of Windows 8 devices, you're going to look awfully square if you don't have at least one touch-enabled all-in-one to show off. Clearly, ASUS got the memo. Here at a press event in New York City, the company announced the ET2300, a 23-inch desktop whose display can be pushed down to lie basically flat -- a pretty ubiquitous form factor these days. Starting with that IPS screen, it has 1080p resolution and promises horizontal viewing angles of 178 degrees. Under the hood, it runs your choice of Core i3, i5 or i7 processor, with either integrated Intel graphics or NVIDIA's GT 630M GPU. (Even then, you can choose between one and two gigs of dedicated video memory.) Other specs include up to 8GB of RAM, up to 2TB in HDD storage, a slot-loading DVD drive, Intel Wireless Display and optional Thunderbolt connectivity. Additionally, like ASUS' other products (even its tablets and phones), it makes use of SonicMaster's audio technology. We haven't heard anything regarding pricing or availability just yet, but we'll update this post if we do.

Gallery: ASUS ET2300 all-in-one desktop hands-on

Mat Smith contributed to this report.

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ASUS outs ET2300 all-in-one desktop with articulating, 23-inch touchscreen, optional Thunderbolt (update: eyes-on!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS TAICHI dual-screen Ultrabook coming in November for $1,300, 13-inch version to follow a month later

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ASUS TAICHI dual-screen Ultrabook coming in November for $1,300, 13-inch version to follow a month later

Although we've now seen many dozens of Windows 8 devices, the ASUS TAICHI remains one of the most memorable -- it's unusual, after all, for a PC maker to make a laptop with displays on both sides of the lid. Even when it was announced, ASUS shared some high-level specs, but now we also know how much it'll cost, and when it will be available. As leaked the 11-inch version (aka the TAICHI 21) will go on sale next month, starting at $1,299. A lofty price, to be sure, but no one ever said dual 1080p IPS displays would come cheap. At the entry level, you get a Core i5-3317U processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. For $1,499, it comes with 256GB of storage. Finally, there will be a $1,599 configuration with a 256GB drive and a Core i7 processor. And what of the 13-inch version ASUS showed off earlier this year? An ASUS rep says the TAICHI 31 won't ship until December.

Across the board, the TAICHI comes with Intel HD 4000 graphics, two USB 3.0 ports, a 5-megapixel rear camera, a 720p webcam up front, Bluetooth 4.0 and Intel's Wireless Display technology. Again, the smaller, 11-inch version will ship in November with the 13-inch model following a month later. In the meantime, we'll direct you to our hands-on from June if you're hankering for hands-on photos and video.

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ASUS TAICHI dual-screen Ultrabook coming in November for $1,300, 13-inch version to follow a month later originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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