Hasta La Gadget!

Dell Wyse, the company’s cloud services arm, is worried about your security. It’s also thinking that it’s time you didn’t need to drag that laptop wherever you go. As such, it’s working on Project Ophelia, a chunky Android stick that turns any HDTV or monitor into a display. What’s different to devices like FXI’s Cotton Candy, for instance, is that the hardware is a gateway to a cloud server where all of your content lives. Users can play games, display presentations or finish the last few lines of that essay wherever they are. The company isn’t talking about details (or how you’d control such a device), but it’s expecting to have it ready for prime-time by the summer.

Continue reading Dell’s Project Ophelia: an Android 4.0 stick that turns any display into a PC

Filed under: Desktops, Internet, Dell

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Remember when Xi3 announced a Kickstarter project for its modular computers late last year? Well, those machines are here today at CES, thanks in no small part to some lofty backing from Valve. We got a first look at its latest mini-PC, code-named Piston, tonight — and though a more comprehensive demo is to come, we walked away with some impressions nonetheless. Of course, Valve wouldn’t back this system if it didn’t have some serious graphics chops. It’s optimized to run Valve’s Steam platform — and specifically big-picture mode — and to that end it packs a quad-core chip. Most specs remain vague, though the Piston apparently offers up to 1TB of storage. The package is tiny yet rugged, with an aluminum chassis that’s made to resist heat (and that will certainly come in handy during gaming sessions). Xi3 is also touting the system’s low energy consumption; it runs on just 40W. And it’s somewhat future-proof, too, with a modular motherboard that lets you swap out components when newer tech becomes available. Our hands-on gallery will have to tide you over till we get a full walkthrough at Xi3’s booth tomorrow.

Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

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Yes, we’re back in magical Las Vegas. And while it was tough getting it through airport security, for the second year in a row, we’ve brought our stage with us. Starting Tuesday, we’ll be spending the week talking tech with some of CES’s biggest and most innovative companies. You can lock into an on-going livestream of the week’s events after the break and check out a full schedule of interviews just below that (Note: All of the below times are listed in ET).

Continue reading Engadget’s CES 2013 stage schedule

Filed under: Announcements, Cellphones, Desktops, Cameras, Displays, Misc, Handhelds, Household, Laptops, Peripherals, Podcasts, Robots, Tablets, Transportation, Wearables, Wireless, Storage, Networking, Software, HD, Mobile

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If you loved Vizio’s 2012 lineup of PCs, you’re going to just love what it has in store for 2013. The company is refreshing nearly its entire line, and while these new models usher in upgraded components, they have the same industrial design as the original lot. Perhaps the biggest change is that all of Vizio’s new PCs going forward will come with touchscreens, so that the Thin + Light is now the Thin + Light Touch, and the All-in-One is now the All-in-One Touch. (Fair enough!) As you can imagine, that makes the laptops in particular slightly thicker and heavier than they had been, but only slightly. Truly, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference. We were, anyway.

Additionally, Vizio has updated the trackpad drivers, though the touchpad we tested still felt a bit finicky. Just as important, the company’s also re-tooled the keyboard so that the buttons offer a springier feel. They keys have the same flat, close-together design they always had, so don’t be put off if you see these on the shelf at Best Buy. Even in our quick-hands-on, we immediately noticed our typing felt more accurate, more controlled than it had been with the last-gen models. Finally, Vizio says it’s doubled the battery capacity, which is great news because the first-gen laptop we tested couldn’t even crack four hours. This seems like a lofty ,claim given that touchscreens are known to hamper battery life anyway, but we’re vowing to keep our expectations low and hope for the best. All told, these tweaks address most user complaints, though the SD slot is sadly still MIA.

Under the hood, these machines will all have quad-core processors, with most models giving you a choice between an Intel Core i7 CPU and AMD’s high-end A10 chip. Most of them (read: the 15-inch Thin + Light and the 24- and 27-inch all-in-ones) will have 1080p screens, though the smaller 14-inch Thin + Light will rock a lower-res 1,600 x 900 panel. No word just yet on pricing, but we’re told these will go on sale in mid-February. Until then, the performance, sharp touchscreens, bigger battery and re-engineered keyboard look very promising indeed. Only when we test a final unit, though, can we tell whether Vizio finally figured out how to make a quality computer.

Continue reading Spotted: Vizio’s new touchscreen laptops and all-in-ones (hands-on)

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

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Sometimes a PC lineup just needs a little nip and tuck, you know? Toshiba certainly thinks so, as it’s sweeping through its everyday all-in-one and laptop ranges with tweaks. The most conspicuous update we see is for the higher-end Satellite P series portables, which receive a Windows 8-friendly touchscreen on the 14-inch model and a 1080p display for the 17.3-inch behemoth. Toshiba also says it’s sprucing up the LX815 and LX835 all-in-ones, as well as the Satellite C, L and S series laptops, although the company isn’t specific on what’s truly new — we’ve reached out and will let you know what tune-ups are enroute. Regardless of the scope, all the new mainstream models should ship in February, with prices to come later.

Continue reading Toshiba updates its all-in-ones, mainstream Satellite laptops for early 2013

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

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Source: Toshiba