Hasta La Gadget!

It looks like the Taichi hybrid laptop from Asus is too elusive to handle. First unveiled at Computex 2012 in Taiwan, the Taichi sports a dual IPS display that easily converts the device into a tablet or a notebook, depending on your mood. When the Asus Taichi visited the FCC last month, we were already assuming that it will arrive just in time for the holiday season. But it’s not. According to PC World, Asus is delaying the shipments of the hybrid in the U.S.

An Asus spokesperson reportedly told the publication via email that the shipments could start next month, but it could also be delayed up to next year. In short, Asus’s roadmap is still uncertain. Asus allegedly denied to specify the reason for the delay nor did it gave any information about the availability of the hybrid worldwide. In case you didn’t know, the Asus Taichi comes in two models – one running Intel Core i5 and another running Intel Core i7.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Google Reportedly Working On A Touch-Enabled Chromebook, Surface is the most popular Windows 8/ RT device, says report,

Asus has announced that it has delayed shipments in the US for the interesting dual screen Taichi ultrabook. Those machines have been available for US customers order from several websites including Amazon.com. The Taichi is a dual screen ultrabook with a screen on the outside for tablet use and a second screen on the inside for traditional notebook use.

These ultrabooks were originally pegged to ship this month after the launch of Windows 8. Asus is now stating that the machines are expected to start shipping in the United States in December. However, Asus is also opening the door for the Taichi shipments to be pushed even further out.

Asus has offered no specific reasons for the delay of the ultrabooks leaving us to speculate. If you’re unfamiliar with the Taichi dual screen ultrabook, the device considered a Windows 8 hybrid and is available in two models. The 21 DH51 uses an Intel Core i5 processor and has a 128 GB SSD for storage. It sells for $1299 online.

The other model is the Taichi 21 DH71. This machine has a faster Intel Core i7 processor and the 256 GB SSD. This particular machine was reportedly priced at $1299 on Amazon, but that price has been pulled. The machine was listed for $1599 on other online sites. Both models have dual 11.6-inch screens supporting HD resolution and 4 GB of RAM. The machines also have a five-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and dual USB 3.0 ports.

[via PC World]

Asus delays dual screen Taichi ultrabooks is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Google’s Nexus 7 3G is back in stock in the UK, with stocks of the 7-inch tablet finally restored after selling out shortly after the first listing went live. The ASUS-made slate – which is priced at £239 with 32GB of storage and an unlocked HSPA+ modem – currently ships in 3-5 days, according to Google’s Play store, as per the WiFi-only 16GB and 32GB versions.

The most expensive Nexus 7, the HSPA+ model supports pentaband 3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz) for use across most of the European 3G networks, and comes without a SIM or data plan. Instead, buyers are left to shop for their own plan of choice, whether that be a cheap pay-as-you-go deal for intermittent use, or a more sizable bundle for heavier users.

While not quite as speedy to sell out as the Nexus 4 smartphone, Google’s limited supplies of the 3G variant of the Nexus 7 didn’t hold up to prolonged interest, and the slate has been unavailable for the past week or so. That’s in no small part because of its affordability: it’s £130 less than the cheapest iPad mini WiFi + Cellular, though Apple’s tablet does support 4G on select networks.

As for the Nexus 4, Google’s smartphone still has no estimated availability date for UK shoppers from the Play store. That leaves either patience or a comparatively expensive carrier deal the only two options.

Nexus 7 3G back on sale in UK is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It’s entirely possible for robots to juggle or play catch. They’ve usually been relegated to playing with their own kind, however, which is as good an excuse as any for Disney Research to experiment with a ball-tossing robot tailored to games with humans. The animatronic creation uses a depth-aware motion camera — there’s conflicting mentions of using both the Microsoft Kinect and ASUS’ Xtion Pro Live that we’re hoping to sort out — to track any mid-air balls as well as throw them back to a human participant. Disney’s robot does more than just move the robot’s arm to account for imperfect tosses, too, as it knows to feign a dejected look after a botched reception. The company suggests that its invention would ideally bring two-way interaction to theme parks, so it’s more likely to show up at Disneyland before it stands in for a parent in the backyard. It’s just as well; when the Robopocalypse comes, the last thing we’ll want at home is a machine that can toss grenades.

Update: Team member Jens Kober has filled us in on just why both cameras are mentioned. The team started off using the Kinect and switched to the Xtion Pro Live, once it was available, to get hardware-synced timing between a regular camera and the depth camera. The project didn’t require the panning motor or microphone array of Microsoft’s system.

Continue reading Disney Research robot plays catch and juggles with humans, won’t replace their parents (update: cameras explained!)

Filed under: Robots, Microsoft, ASUS

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Via: Gizmodo

Source: Popular Science

Looking to save some coin on your tech purchases? Of course you are! In this round-up, we’ll run down a list of the freshest frugal buys, hand-picked with the help of the folks at Slickdeals. You’ll want to act fast, though, as many of these offerings won’t stick around long.

Shopping from the comforts of your favorite chair is infinitely better than battling the crowds of retail goers that will be taking to the streets in a few short days. With this in mind, we offer a new batch of tech deals that could allow you to keep your seat while making a much needed purchase. A 55-inch Samsung LED HDTV anchors today’s list, while a pair of 15-inch laptops, an Intel SSD and a DSLR / printer bundle claim a spot as well. Scoot past the break to sort through the particulars, and as always, be mindful of those rebate forms and coupon codes.

Continue reading Slickdeals’ best in tech for November 21st: 55-inch Samsung HDTV and Canon DSLR bundle

Filed under: Cameras, Home Entertainment, Laptops, Storage, Samsung, ASUS, Intel, Dell, Canon

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Source: Slickdeals