Hasta La Gadget!

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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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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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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JBL has been sprinkling a fair amount of its sonic-spice atop desks of late, now it wants to sneak some of the same under your TV. Enter three new all-in-one soundbars just announced by the firm, which it claims bring surround sound performance. As well as that virtual surround experience, the JBL Cinema SB 100, 200 and 400 also sport an equalization switch that optimizes sound depending on where you put it (i.e., mounted on a wall, or on a furniture unit). The SB 400 has a separate wireless subwoofer, while the 200 has one built-in, leaving the 100 with the connections to bring in your own. Likewise, the 400 and 200 models also come with Bluetooth, for added audio content streaming options. If you’ve got a soundbar-shaped hole in your media set-up, then prices start are $199, $299 and $549 according to your feature requirements. To hear the specs in more detail, sound out the PR after the break.

Continue reading JBL announces Cinema SB 100, 200 and 400 soundbars

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

JBL announces Cinema SB 100, 200 and 400 soundbars originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As we inch closer towards that October 26th release, the glut of announced Windows 8 devices continues to grow and today is no exception. At Acer’s press conference here at IFA 2012, the company unveiled its new all-in-one PC: the Aspire ZS600. At first glance, the AIO’s adjustable aluminum frame enclosure didn’t much strike us “contemporary” per the company’s claims, as it seemed to blend into the vast array of similar PCs showcased at the booth. And without any available keyboard dock to help us navigate that vibrant 23-inch full HD display, we were left to make use of the screen’s 10-point multi-touch which proved a tad frustrating, bordering on ineffectual — at least on this demo model. We also witnessed a considerable amount of glare in our brief time testing the product, though it’s worth noting we were surrounded by a multitude of showroom lighting.

Powering this multimedia-focused family AIO along is Intel’s 3rd generation chipsets (up to Core i7) joined by Dolby Home Theatre 4.1 for superior sound and AcerCloud for convenient personal media streaming. The company’s offering users the ability to configure it with up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 640, as well as a generous 2TB SATA hard disk. As far as optical options go, consumers can choose from a Blu-ray player or standard DVD drive. You’ll have to sit tight for this fella to head to market, but rest assured you should see it on retails shelves before year’s end — we hope. While you wait, why not check out our gallery below?

Mat Smith contributed to this report.

Filed under: Desktops

Acer Aspire ZS600 AIO announced at IFA 2012: 23-inch multi-touch Windows 8 PC (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 08:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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