Hasta La Gadget!

We see lots of computers announced every year: many of them are forgettable, and we don’t even have the manpower here at Engadget to review them all. You might wonder, then, why we’ve been a little fixated on Vizio’s. Well, for starters, up until a few months ago the company didn’t even make PCs, and now it’s selling five. Secondly, they actually look pretty good, especially for an outfit that’s best known for its value-priced TVs.

We’ve already had a chance to take its 14-inch Thin + Light laptop for a spin, and came to the conclusion that although it had a flaky trackpad and poor battery life, it represented a good start for a company that hadn’t previously made a computer. Now we’re taking a look at one of the company’s all-in-one desktops — the 24-inch version, to be exact. At $800 and up, it, too, is attractively priced, with an eye-catching metal design, external subwoofer and a crapware-free Windows install. But is it as good as it looks? Let’s find out.

Continue reading Vizio All-in-One review (24-inch): a TV maker tries its hand at desktops

Filed under: Desktops

Vizio All-in-One review (24-inch): a TV maker tries its hand at desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In addition to its leading Spectre One, HP is refreshing its all-in-one (AIO) computers for Windows 8 with the HP Envy 20 ($799), Envy 23 ($999) and Pavilion 20 desktop machines. Both computers come with a touch screen (10-point multi-touch), and are completely Windows 8 ready (reminder: Windows 8 comes out on Oct 26).

HP did not go into the technical details as it may still tweak the final configurations, but you can expect the 3rd generation of Intel core processors, up to 3TB of storage and SSD options for those who want the fastest storage system. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: HP Spectre ONE All-In-One PC is beautiful, HP TouchSmart 610 with 2nd generation Intel Core processors available now,

Didn’t you hear? All of HP’s top-shelf product consumer products will henceforth have the word “Spectre” in the name. So, it makes sense that the company would expand beyond laptops and release a futuristic desktop bearing the same branding. Indeed, the company just announced the Spectre One, a 23.6-inch all-in-one with a skinny design and nice-to-have features like NFC.

Though that aluminum frame and tilting 1080p display are pleasing to look at, the real story isn’t what the Spectre One has, so much as what’s missing. You see, in order to get the system down to 11.5mm thick, the design team had to forgo certain features you might otherwise expect — features like a TV tuner, touchscreen and even an optical drive. It’s a gamble, to be sure, but HP is betting that fashion-forward, tech-savvy users won’t really mind. (The jury is out on whether a Windows 8 all-in-one without touch is a missed opportunity.) In any case, HP did include four USB ports (two of them 3.0), HDMI input, an Ethernet jack, Beats Audio and a memory card reader, with optional discrete graphics and SSDs. The components are also easily serviceable via a back door, if tinkering is your idea of fun. Lastly, the One ships with a keyboard, Magic Trackpad-style wireless touchpad and two NFC tags, which can be assigned to favorite websites.

In addition to the Spectre One, HP also trotted out three other all-in-ones. At the mid-range, you’ll find the Envy 20 and 23, which have 20- and 23-inch screens, respectively, with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. Rounding out the list, the company announced the low-end Pavilion 20, another 1080p system. Put simply, the two Envy systems have touchscreens, Beats Audio and will be offered with Ivy Bridge processors only; the Pavilion is non-touch, and will be offered with both Intel and AMD chips. Whichever you choose, HP’s old Magic Canvas UI for Windows is gone; in its place, the “Connected Suite,” which includes a mix of desktop and mobile apps for sharing photos, streaming music and remote access. Though the mobile applications work with iOS and Android devices, you’ll need a Windows 8 laptop on one end of the setup — specifically, an HP PC. That’s right: for now, at least, the software will only work on the company’s own computers.

The Envy 20, Envy 23 and Pavilion 20 will all be available on October 23rd, with the budget Pavilion going for $499 and the two Envys starting at $849 and $1,099, respectively. The Spectre One doesn’t arrive until November 14th, but when it does it will cost $1,299.

Continue reading HP announces Spectre One desktop, three other all-in-ones

Filed under: Desktops

HP announces Spectre One desktop, three other all-in-ones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If yesterday was the day Lenovo unveiled its new Android products, today’s the day it turns its attention to Windows 8: in addition to announcing a slew of laptops, the company introduced three IdeaCentre all-in-ones, all slated to go on sale in October when Windows 8 launches. Of these, the flagship is clearly the A520, with its tilting 23-inch screen that can lie nearly flat. Included in that press release, though, you’ll also find details about the B340 / B345, a smaller, more affordable desktop with a less flashy design.

Starting with the A520, it’s the little brother to the A720, which we first saw back at CES. Like the A720, it has a screen that can be tilted between 5 and 90 degrees, except this particular model has a smaller 23-inch display (compared with 27 inches for the A720). That 1080p display is of IPS caliber and supports 10-point multitouch. Under the hood, it can be configured with a Core i7 CPU, up to 8GB of RAM, up to 1TB of HDD storage and an optional Blu-ray player. If you need graphics horsepower, though, you might want to skip ahead to read about those B series models, since the A520 will only be offered with integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics.

Indeed, graphics might be a good place to start when we talk about the B340 and B345, since the GPU is the one thing that really separates them. Though both will be offered with a 1GB AMD Radeon HD7470A card, only the B340 will be available with a 2GB NVIDIA GeForce 615. Otherwise, you’ll find the same key specs on both models: a 21.5-inch (1080p) touchscreen display, with a choice of a Core i7 processor or AMD quad-core APU on the inside. The two are also VESA mount-compatible, and can be configured with optional TV tuners.

The A520 will sell for $999 and up, while the B series will start at $599. Again, both will arrive in October, at which point we should be neck-deep in Windows 8 PCs to review.

Continue reading Lenovo announces IdeaCentre A520, B340 and B345 all-in-ones running Windows 8

Filed under: Desktops

Lenovo announces IdeaCentre A520, B340 and B345 all-in-ones running Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While Sony’s keeping quiet on a lot of the precise technical specs, there’s plenty to talk about in the form-factor Sony has chosen for one of its debut Windows 8 VAIO devices. The Duo 11 slider pairs an 11.6-inch screen with a sliding — and very satisfying — hinge. This gives the slate two different ways to deal with Microsoft’s forthcoming OS. Handily, Sony has also developed a precise digitizer to work in tandem with the device. We’re liking the style of the slider, and that petite footprint is also rather appealing — aside from the paucity for keys. There are more impressions and a hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Sony VAIO Duo 11 slider PC hands-on (video)

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets

Sony VAIO Duo 11 slider PC hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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