One of the biggest gripes people have with Microsoft’s Windows 8 is the fact they completely replaced their traditional Start button experience found in previous versions of Windows with a UI that was specifically designed with tablet and touch-screen computers in mind. Getting to the desktop requires an additional unnecessary step, although according to a recently published rumor, it may look like Microsoft is considering cutting the extra step it takes to reach the desktop in Windows 8.
According to WinBeta, who cites a Russian-langauge website as its source, there’s some code in Windows 8.1 that disables its Metro Start Screen and sends the user “to the desktop automatically.” We know a number of you would absolutely make full use of this option as we also have a tendency to jump right into Windows 8′s desktop mode when we first turn on our computers. (more…)
ASUS’ distinctive Transformer AiO has been a long time in coming, having first reached our paws last June. For Americans, it’s at last more than just a fantastical idea: Amazon, J&R, Rakuten and other US-friendly online retailers now list the oddest of odd PCs as on sale, and usually in stock. For a typical $1,299, more adventurous buyers get a Windows 8 base desktop with a 3.1GHz Core i5, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, a DVD drive and a GeForce GT 730M. The real fun, of course, rests in its display. Remove that 18.4-inch LCD from its dock and it suddenly becomes a gigantic Tegra 3-based Android tablet running Jelly Bean. We’re not sure if we’ll ever completely wrap our heads around the concept, but those who understand ASUS’ expanded definition of an all-in-one can shop at the source links.
Medion isn’t the best-known PC badge outside of Europe, but it does have an occasional eye for sleek design. We’d say the Lenovo-backed company’s new Akoya P2004 offers that kind of style UK crowd. The all-in-one fits a 23.6-inch, 1080p display into a minimalist design that’s oddly charming for what’s ultimately a budget machine. No one would call the P2004 feature-loaded when it’s carrying a dual-core 3.2GHz Core i3, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and a DVD burner, but the price is right at a frugal £500 ($770). The catch? If you like what’s on offer, you’re going to have to swing by ASDA, which has the UK exclusive. Still, we wouldn’t object too much to picking up a fairly tasteful Windows 8 PC alongside the groceries.
The oncoming wave that is Google Babel (previously spoken of as Google Babble, as well) will soon be hitting your devices at full speed. This service will be a cross-device and cross-platform ecosystem for chatting with your friends and associates, and will be available not just on your Android smartphones and tablets, but your desktop computers too. And not only that – today’s leak includes mention of a “first class iOS experience’ as well!
This chat experience has been tipped as a combination of several of Googles already in-place systems: Talk, Hangouts, and Messenger. Though we’re expecting – along with the rest of the tech world – that Google Voice will also be integrated eventually, today’s tipsters have suggested such functionality will not come at the start. The following text comes from a Google memo passed on to Droid Life, their source being the anonymous kind.
• Brand new UI. We’ve designed a new UI that’s applied across all clients and promotes conversations. • Stay in sync. With just one conversation list and experience across mobile and desktop, everything is always in sync. Install the Chrome app, the Android app, and iOS app. • Desktop app. Stop laying whack a mole across blinking browser tabs. With the new Chrome app your conversations continue outside of the browser. • Keep a group conversation going to coordinate with your team, and start a Hangout with a single tap whenever you need to talk face-to-face. • Be notified…just once. Get notifications on your two phones, tablet, laptop, and desktop. Open it on one and watch the others disappear. If you’re actively using your computer or phone we’ll even intelligently notify you on just one of those endpoints. Magic! • Message more than just text. Add a photo to the conversation and/or send some of the 800+ emoji to your coworkers. Kittens and poop are particularly helpful in explaining complex issues. • Get nostalgic. Scroll back in time and relive any (on-the-record) conversation, on any device. • More ways to talk. For the first time we are building a first class iOS experience. Try out our very early preview on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
If what the above says is true, there are already working software builds out in the wild, and not just on Android. If development is as far as this and other recent leaks suggest, we may well see a working version of Google Babel revealed at Google I/O 2013. We’ll be at Google I/O 2013 from May 15th through the 17th and will be bringing on the Google news from start to finish – don’t miss it!
As far as Google Babel goes – it does appear indeed that this service will be rolling out soon, and along with it some cool Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. In the line of desserts, this flavor will be bringing on a set of features we’ve not yet been able to guess. While Ice Cream Sandwich was a sweet combination of tablet and smartphone builds and Jelly Bean was the solidification of the one true Android, Key Lime Pie could be anything!
Stick around for more hot Google software integration news all week long, and don’t forget to join us for Google I/O 2013, too!
If you were thinking about picking up a VIZIO notebook or PC in the near future – wait just a second! They’ve just released the full lineup in Full HD mode with touchscreen interactivity and Windows 8! Of course while some of their lineup had one or two of these features before, now you can rest easy – greatness is here for all!
You’ll be seeing several different lineups here, each of them delivering the sleek metal looks and attention to detail we were so impressed by when we first reviewed one of their PCs last year (that was right before they switched over to touch!) Now you’ll want to head down to the timeline below to see all the touchscreen action and up-close-and-personal looks and touches we’ve had with these devices at CES 2013 before we go on a review rampage – make it so!
VIZIO All-in-One models
24-inch All-in-One Touch The smaller of the two options here is the first available for pre-order in Microsoft’s online store. You’ll find that this model brings on the more conservative (just by a bit!) display size complete with dual HDMI input, enhanced 2.1 audio system with subwoofer, and wireless controls – you’ll get a remote control for your entertainment bits and pieces, a multi-gesture touchpad, and a keyboard, too! Have a peek at our early review of the pre-touch iteration of the 24-inch All-in-one now! This model will sell for USD $1,279.99.
27-inch All-in-One Touch The one big difference between the 24- and 27-inch models here is the size of the display. They’ve both got the same number of inputs and outputs and all that good stuff, same accessories in the box and the same massive HD 1080p touchscreen technology at your disposal. This 27-inch model will sell for USD $1,549.99.
VIZIO Notebooks
14-inch HD+ Thin + Light Touch The smaller of the two new models we’ve got here has a 14-inch HD+ display and options for either AMD (A10 APU) or Intel (Core i7) processors. This model starts at USD $1,089.99.
15.6-inch Full HD Thin + Light Touch This is the top-of-the-line offering in laptop technology from VIZIO, bringing on Full HD on a 15.6-inch display also with the same quad-core processor options that the 14-inch model is available with: either AMD (A10 APU) or Intel (Core i7). You’ll also find this model available for pre-order now in Microsoft’s online store! This larger version will start at USD $1,189.99.
Included with each
All VIZIO machines here work with advanced Wi-Fi with 802.11ac (that’s the newest generation able to offer up to three times faster delivery of data past 802.11n.) They’ve all got 10-finger touchscreen technology up front, SRS Premium Sound HD audio systems with no less than DTS technology making it all roll right, and Microsoft Signature for Windows. With Microsoft Signature you’ve got a clean install of Windows 8 – no bloat-ware at all!
Sound like the lineup for you? Let us know if you’re planning to go all the way with VIZIO this season!
UPDATE: Comprehensive price list
We’ve now got the full list of prices as they’ll appear straight through the VIZIO online store immediately if not soon!
It was at this year’s CES when VIZIO decided to announce its new line of laptops and desktops and today, the company is announcing pricing and availability for their previously announced PCs.
VIZIO’s 14-inch Touch Thin + Light notebook (CT14T-B0) will soon ship with an AMD A10 APU at the base price of $1,089.99, while the Intel Core i7-equpped CT14T-B1 will start at $1,419.99. If 14 inches isn’t your cup of tea, then you can grab the 15.6-inch version of this notebook starting at $1,189.99 for the AMD A10 version and $1,469.99 for the Intel Core i7 version.
If you’re looking for more of a desktop experience, VIZIO’s 24-inch Touch All-in-One (CA24T-B0) will begin shipping soon for $1,279.99 for the AMD A10 APU equipped version, while those looking for the Intel Core i7 version (CA24T-B1) will be looking at a starting price of $1,439.99. The 27-inch Touch All-In-One (CA27T-B1) will start at $1,549.99.
No exact date was revealed for VIZIO’s upcoming laptops and desktops, but considering they’ve just been priced, we’re sure the wait won’t be too long until you can get your hands on any one of these PCs.
Some of Lenovo’s pro customers can be very fussy: hospitals and schools want multiple computers in a small area, but without skimping on the usual features they’d expect from desktops. If any PC could resolve those contradictory demands, it might be the company’s new ThinkCentre Edge 62z. The extra-angular design purportedly fits a 18.5-inch all-in-one into a third of the space of a 20-inch display, all while carrying up to a Core i3 processor and a DVD burner. Whether or not you see the 62z as a feat of engineering, the design has some room to grow with up to 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive. The price may be the real clincher for some customers — Lenovo expects this lower-tier ThinkCentre Edge to cost $549 when it reaches the US in May, which could squeeze it into a few more IT budgets.
Facebook is launching a new advertising test feature that will allow advertisers and marketers to bring ads straight to your Facebook newsfeed. The new test feature is part of Facebook Exchange, Facebook’s way of allowing businesses to cater there ads to people based on their online browsing history. The test feature will be rolled out to a small alpha group at first, and will expand over the next few weeks.
The new service will be an add-on to Facebook’s current Page post link ads. Facebook has clarified that while it will be introducing ads directly to users’ newsfeeds, it won’t increase the total number of ads that appear on their page. As of right now, the new newsfeed ads will only appear on the desktop version of Facebook, and the mobile version should be seeing the changes sometime in the near future.
There are only a small set of Demand Side Platforms (DSPs) that Facebook will be working with at first. They include TellApart, MediaMath, and Nanigans, however more DSPs and advertisers will get their chance to take a shot at the service in the near future. While this new service will be an annoyance to many Facebook users, it will be extremely beneficial to both Facebook and businesses.
Facebook users aren’t going to be left out in the cold however. Facebook users should be receiving Facebook’s new newsfeed and timeline (a love/hate relationship) that should bring a nice, cleaner user interface to the social network. Facebook has also implemented conversation threads onto Facebook Pages so that people can carry out much more organized conversations and debates. There are a lot of new changes coming to Facebook soon, and we may probably hear about more new Facebook features soon. Stay tuned.
It’s that time of year again for all those diehard gaming and graphics fans. The annual GPU Technology Conference has just kicked off live in San Jose in the heart of Silicon Valley. There’s plenty going on again this year, especially with NVIDIA‘s new GTX Titan graphics card taking front and center. Read on for more details on what to expect.
Obviously this will be all about developers, gaming, and high performance graphics, but we’re also expecting some exciting news on the NVIDIA GPU front (aka TITAN) as well as some details on their impressive mobile chipset recently announced, the NVIDIA Tegra 4 and Tegra 4i.
From Ray Tracing to Crysis 3 gaming and graphics will obviously be the star of the show here. From emerging technology, emerging companies and much more we’ll be here live with all the details.
The official GTC Keynote is about to begin here shortly this morning with NVIDIA’s own Jen-Hsun Huang taking the stage as usual to share some details. We’re expecting the focus to be on content, developers, partners, and a few nice announcements about the products mentioned above. Stay tuned for all the details live from SlashGear! Don’t forget to check out our Tegra Portal for more NVIDIA news.
Dell is pulling back the curtain on the XPS 18, its new portable all-in-one. This machine is a natural competitor to the Sony VAIO Tap 20, with a built-in battery rated for five hours of runtime, although it weighs a much lighter 4.85 pounds (versus a whopping 11.4). Still, though the XPS 18 can function as a tablet, it’s portable in the sense that it can move from office to living room; it’s not going to accompany you on daily subway rides.
With an 18.4-inch, 1080p display, the XPS 18 makes for a pretty enormous slate, and we were only comfortable holding it in our hands for a few minutes, though resting it on our lap worked well. The AIO sports flip-out plastic feet on its backing, and these can prop up the device vertically or at an angle. Of course, you can also use the XPS 18 as a tablet by simply laying it flat on a table or desktop, and this is the ideal mode for playing games and the like on the 10-point touchscreen.
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