ASUS VivoTab RT review: everything you loved about the Transformer tablets, but with Windows

Posted on 26/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

ASUS VivoTab RT review everything you loved about the Transformer tablets, but with Windows

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Read the comments on any of our ASUS Transformer Pad reviews. It doesn't matter if you pick the mid-range TF300 or the high-end Infinity. You'll invariably find someone saying, "That's nice, but can't it run Windows 8?" It's a perfectly sane request: sure, a tablet and optional keyboard dock make for a convenient setup, but how great would it be if you could use that keyboard to get work done in Microsoft Office? Ditto for the dock's USB port: being able to plug in a thumb drive is a good start, but it'd be even sweeter if you could drag and drop files, as you would on a PC.

Well, ladies and gents, you can quit your fantasizing. ASUS is ready to start shipping the VivoTab RT (TF600), and we're guessing it's pretty darn close to whatever Franken-tablet you've been dreaming up. Which is to say, it takes everything we loved about ASUS' Transformer Pads, and adds Windows RT. Like other tablets in ASUS' lineup, it has a 10-inch Super IPS+ display with claimed 178-degree viewing angles and a 600-nit brightness rating. Other tried-and-true specs include a quad-core Tegra 3 chip; an 8-megapixel, autofocusing rear camera capable of recording 1080p video; SonicMaster audio; and long battery life -- in this case, up to nine hours for the tablet and up to seven for the keyboard dock. At 8.3mm thick and 1.2 pounds, it's also about as thin and light as any Transformer Pad. Lastly, the VivoTab has NFC -- something you won't find on any of ASUS' older slates.

The VivoTab RT should be available beginning today, starting at $599 for the 32GB tablet with a keyboard dock included. A 64GB tablet-and-dock bundle will retail for $699. So is this as good a buy as ASUS' earlier tablets. And how does it compare to other Windows RT devices being offered at a similar price? Let's find out.

Gallery: ASUS VivoTab RT review

Continue reading ASUS VivoTab RT review: everything you loved about the Transformer tablets, but with Windows

Filed under: Tablets, ASUS

ASUS VivoTab RT review: everything you loved about the Transformer tablets, but with Windows originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS VivoTab RT tablet arrives October 26th, starting at $599 for the 32GB model; keyboard dock included (update: eyes-on!)

Posted on 23/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

In case you haven't heard, a lot -- and we mean a lot -- of Windows devices are going on sale this week. Today it's ASUS' turn to give its lineup a formal coming-out party: the company is hosting a press event here in New York City, where it just announced the dockable VivoTab RT will be available on October 26th, starting at $599 for the 32GB model, keyboard included. Alternatively, you can buy the 64GB tablet and docking station for $699. As we previously reported, an LTE version is coming to AT&T. Finally, ASUS says it will also sell the tablet and dock individually, but we haven't yet learned final pricing for those items. We'll update this post when we do.

Gallery: ASUS VivoTab and VivoTab RT launch event

If this is your first introduction to the VivoTab RT, here's a quick recap: it basically offers everything people loved about ASUS' Android-based Transformer tablets, except it runs Windows RT instead. Like the Infinity and other recent ASUS tablets, it has a 600-nit Super IPS+ display, offering 178-degree viewing angles and Gorilla Glass protection. Other specs include a quad-core Tegra 3 chip (the new T30, to be exact), 2GB of RAM, NFC and an 8-megapixel rear camera with an auto-focusing f/2.2 lens. Then there's that keyboard dock, which has a USB 2.0 port and built-in battery rated for seven hours. (The tablet itself is said to last up to nine hours.) Finally, of course, as a Windows RT device it comes loaded with all of the same stock applications you'll find in full Windows 8 (Mail, IE 10, etc.), along with Office 2013 Home & Student. The main difference: you won't be able to install legacy Windows programs.

The VivoTab RT arrives the same day as the Surface for Windows RT and indeed, we'll be eager to compare the two, especially since pricing for the keyboard-tablet bundles is identical. In fact, ASUS sent us one to test, and you can expect a review any day now. Until then, we've embedded some press photos below, in case you're just getting your first look.

Continue reading ASUS VivoTab RT tablet arrives October 26th, starting at $599 for the 32GB model; keyboard dock included (update: eyes-on!)

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ASUS VivoTab RT tablet arrives October 26th, starting at $599 for the 32GB model; keyboard dock included (update: eyes-on!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell begins accepting orders for its XPS 10 tablet running Windows RT, prices start at $499 (updated)

Posted on 23/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

Surface isn't the only Windows RT tablet going on sale this week: Dell's XPS 10 ships on Friday, though it's actually for purchase now on Dell's site. (It won't ship until mid-December, so don't get too excited.) The tablet starts at $500 for the 32GB tablet by itself, which is right in line with Microsoft's Surface pricing. The 64GB model is priced at $600. Interested in that optional keyboard dock? (Of course you are!) Dell is selling two bundles: one with the 32GB tablet for $680, and another with the 64GB one for $780. Though the keyboard comes at a premium, especially compared to Microsoft's Touch Covers, it offers some things Microsoft doesn't -- namely, a USB port, HDMI output and a built-in battery. Whichever model you choose, the XPS 10 has a 10.1-inch screen with 1,366 x 768 resolution and a dual-core Snapdragon S3 processor clocked at 1.5GHz. And, unlike some other Windows RT tablets, this one supports both finger and pen input. Hit up the source link for more info, and check out our fresh round of hands-on shots below.

Update: As some of you have pointed out, that $499 starting price includes a one-year service plan, valued at $100. You can opt out of this plan and get the standalone tablet for $399.

Gallery: Dell XPS 10 hands-on

Filed under: Tablets, Dell

Dell begins accepting orders for its XPS 10 tablet running Windows RT, prices start at $499 (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP announces the ElitePad 900, a business-friendly Windows 8 tablet arriving in January

Posted on 01/10/2012 by Dana Wollman

Remember those hazy days of summer when HP ran an ad during the Olympics, slipped in a a shot of an unannounced tablet and thought we wouldn't notice? (P'shaw!) Well, you can finally lay your speculation to rest, as HP just formally unveiled the mystery tab, along with a slew of accessories. It's called the ElitePad 900 and, as rumored, it's a 10-inch Windows 8 slate meant for business users, with features like pen input, drive encryption and optional 3G / 4G.

Like HP's high-end EliteBook laptops, the ElitePad has a premium look, marked by a machined aluminum back cover and 400-nit IPS display coated in Gorilla Glass. Also similar to the EliteBooks, it meets the military's MIL-spec 810G durability requirements, and can withstand three-foot drops, among other accidents. All told, it weighs 1.5 pounds and measures 9.2mm thick. Going by weight, that's more along the lines of what you'd expect from a larger, 11-inch tablet, but 1.5 pounds is still manageable, especially considering how armored this thing is.

On the inside, it runs an Atom-based Intel Clover Trail processor, buffered by up to 2GB of RAM. Like so many other systems with this kind of chip, it promises about 10 hours of runtime -- a clear improvement over similar devices packing Core i5 CPUs. Storage-wise, you'll have your choice between a 32 or 64GB SSD. The screen has a resolution of 1,280 x 800, making it the one feature likely to disappoint power users. Take a tour around the device and you'll find an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1080p shooter up front for video chats. Hidden behind a service door on the back are two slots: one for microSD cards, and another for 3G / 4G SIMs.

And how 'bout those accessories? In addition to the tablet, HP will be selling two so-called SmartJackets, cases that do a little more than just shield the device from wear and tear. One of them, for instance, has two USB ports, HDMI output, a full-size memory card slot and room for an optional battery slice. That battery, by the way, has a capacity of about eight hours, so while the case does add some heft it could be worth it if you need a PC that will last through a flight from New York to Tokyo. As for the second case, its defining feature is a built-in keyboard, which plugs directly into the tablet.

Though HP announced the ElitePad 900 today, the tablet won't go on sale here in the US until January. Hopefully we'll also get a final price as we get closer to that launch date. Luckily, we've already gotten a chance to play with it, so meet us after the break for hands-on photos and a short walk-through video detailing our first impressions.

Continue reading HP announces the ElitePad 900, a business-friendly Windows 8 tablet arriving in January

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HP announces the ElitePad 900, a business-friendly Windows 8 tablet arriving in January originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel: 20-plus Windows 8 tablets with Intel CPUs are in the works

Posted on 05/06/2012 by Dana Wollman

Funny thing about this year's Computex. There are very, very few ARM-based tablets to be found. Most of the slates we've seen have been running Windows 8 paired with a PC-grade X86 Intel processor (and that's not even counting all of the touchscreen Ultrabooks we've seen!). Well, Intel just dropped a number that confirms we haven't been imagining things. Here at its press conference in Taipei, Chipzilla said more than 20 Windows 8 tablets with Intel innards are on the way, meaning those new slates from Acer, ASUS and Samsung are just scratching the surface. That just leaves one question: who's next?

Intel: 20-plus Windows 8 tablets with Intel CPUs are in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 02:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS outs Tablets 600 and 810, Transformer-like slates running Windows 8

Posted on 04/06/2012 by Dana Wollman

How many times have we posted a review of an ASUS Transformer tablet only to read comments that say, "Put Win8 on it and I'll buy it." Well, folks, it's time to put your money where your mouth is. ASUS just announced the Tablet 600 and the Tablet 810, two Transformer-like slates running Windows 8. The difference? The 600 is an ARM-based tablet running Windows RT, while the 810 is a full-fledged Intel-powered model with full Windows 8 installed.

Like any Android-powered Transformer, the 600 packs a quad-core Tegra 3 chip, except it has twice the RAM (2GB). At the center of it all is a 10.1-inch, 600-nit, 1366 x 768 Super IPS+ display with viewing angles similar to what you'll find on current Transformer tablets. Around back, it has an auto-focusing 8-megapixel camera with an LED flash, complemented by a 2-megapixel shooter up front. Other specs include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and your usual array of sensors, including GPS, a gyroscope, e-compass and, last but not least, NFC.

Gallery: ASUS Tablet 600 hands-on

Moving on, the 810 features an unspecified Intel Medfield CPU with 2GB of RAM. Like the 600, it has a Super IPS+ display with 1366 x 768 resolution, only the panel here is a bit larger, measuring 11.6 inches. What's more, this guy makes use of a Wacom dual digitizer, allowing for both pen and finger input.

Gallery: ASUS Tablet 810 hands-on

And that's not all: we've got video demos of both devices -- head past the break to see 'em in action.

Continue reading ASUS outs Tablets 600 and 810, Transformer-like slates running Windows 8

ASUS outs Tablets 600 and 810, Transformer-like slates running Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 03:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel adds rugged Studybook tablet to its student-friendly Classmate lineup

Posted on 10/04/2012 by Dana Wollman

File this under: "Wait, that didn't happen already?" Intel just announced the Studybook, that tablet you see up there, and believe it or not it's only the first slate to join the company's lineup of Classmate products for schools. That's sort of wild, given the popularity of tablets and also the fact that there are so many kid-proof models floating around. And yet, the closest Intel had come until now was with the Convertible Classmate PC, a device that was more of a netbook with a touchscreen.

Like the rest of Intel's Classmate series, the Studybook is meant to find a home in schools here in the US and around the globe, including developing markets. And by most measures, this reference design is exactly the kind of product you would have expected Intel to cook up for such an audience. Starting with raw specs, you're looking at a 7-inch (1024 x 600), Atom-powered tablet that can be configured to run either Android or Windows 7, depending on the school district's needs. As you'd expect, it's been designed to take a beating from careless kids: the plastic, 525-gram (1.2-pound tablet) can withstand 70-centimeter (2.3-foot) drops and has a rubber band reinforcing the bezel to keep sand and other elements out. You'll also find rubber gasketing around the ports, which include USB 2.0, HDMI, a headphone jack and microSD / SIM slots. Though it comes standard with 1GB of RAM, the amount of built-in storage will vary from school to school: four to 32 gigs, or a 128GB SSD.

Just as important as the specs is the software package, which includes Kno's e-reader app, as well as the LabCam suite, which lets you do things like attach a special lens (sold separately) to use that rear-facing 2-megapixel camera as a microscope. As for price, Intel is quick to emphasize it doesn't set the cost (that would be OEMs), but it believes manufacturers who use this design can sell the finished product for $200 or less. No word, then, on when this might show up in a classroom near you, but for now we've got hands-on photos below and a pair of walk-through videos just past the break.

Gallery: Intel Studybook press photos