After winning yesterday’s Corsair Overclocking competition at Computex, the same folks were brought over to ASUS’ ROG event earlier today, where they overclocked an Intel Haswell Core i7-4770K from its typical 3.5GHz to a staggering 6.88GHz — just a tad less than yesterday’s 6.98GHz — on an ASUS Maximus VI Extreme motherboard. As a bonus, the DRAM frequency was also pushed to 4.1GHz, which is believed to be the fastest yet on Haswell. As usual, the overclockers poured liquid nitrogen onto the chip every now and then to keep it cool, thus giving us the above photo opportunity.
ASUS’ ROG presentation here at Computex wasn’t all meaty graphic powerhouses — it also displayed a new mechanical keyboard for discerning typists gamers, albeit underneath a piece of black cloth. We were told that the temporarily named “Armor Keyboard” wasn’t quite ready to show off its design just yet, but when it comes out towards the end of Q3 this year it will, surprisingly, boast the title of ASUS’ first in-house-designed mechanical gaming keyboard. As you’d expect, this backlit device will feature “ultra-responsive” mechanical key switches, as well as dedicated media and programmable hot keys located along the periphery. We’ll be keeping an eye out for more information about it later this year, naturally.
This week at Computex, ASUS has revealed the MeMo Pad HD 7, a direct competitor for the Google Nexus 7, both of them working with a 7-inch display and both of them made by the same company. Though it may seem strange at first for ASUS to create a tablet that’s so extremely similar to the machine they’ve got in their deal with Google, the different bits and pieces offered with this new machine may make all the difference. And it all starts with color choices.
With the ASUS MeMo Pad HD 7, users will get the choice of several different color back panels – yellow, pink, gray, and white are included in this initial release. The Nexus 7 comes in black – or white, if you’ve got the limited edition Google I/O 2012 iteration. If you put color aside, this machine looks so similar to the Nexus 7 that it is, at first, difficult to tell the two apart.
Both devices have the same display size and resolution, 7-inches and 1280 x 800 pixels strong, that being 221 PPI. Both machines work with Android, but the MeMo Pad HD 7 works with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box with ASUS’ own custom user interface on top.
It’s important to note here that the Nexus 7 benefits from being part of Google’s Nexus program, meaning that it works with Google’s most basic non-skinned version of Android and receives regular updates whenever Google brings new versions of Android to the market. The MeMo Pad HD 7, on the other hand, still works with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and has no such promise of updates on any schedule.
The new ASUS tablet works with an unnamed ARM Cortex-A7 quadcore processor while the Nexus 7 employs the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quadcore processor we know to have support from its manufacturer. While for most common users the brand of the processor has little effect on their end experience, here we know the Tegra 4 to be reliable in its ability to conserve battery life (with 4-PLUS-1 technology, that is), and it has a whole dedicated gaming environment to boast in the NVIDIA TegraZone, as well.
One thing the ASUS MeMo Pad HD 7 has that the Nexus 7 doesn’t is a back-facing camera. While the Nexus 7 famously had its camera axed because ASUS said it wasn’t necessary, the MeMo Pad HD 7 works with a 5 megapixel camera on its back and a 1.2 megapixel camera on its front. The Nexus 7 works with just the front-facing camera on its front for selfies and video chat.
The original release of the Nexus 7 was bafflingly cheap when it was launched, but here in 2013 it appears that the price point is ready to drop once again. While you’ll pay $199 USD for the smallest version of the Nexus 7 (small in 16GB of internal storage, that is), the MeMo Pad HD 7 starts at $129 for an 8GB model. There’s also a $149 model incoming with 16GB internal storage, though there’s still a question of availability.
ASUS hasn’t been clear quite yet on where the MeMo Pad HD 7 will be available, while the ASUS-made Google Nexus 7 is available, and has been available for some time, in both the USA and in international markets. Because of this, the question of which machine is better for your living room is academic: you’ve only got one choice (for now).
Just as promised, ASUS has unveiled its Zenbook Infinity at Computex 2013 in Taipei. Being the first laptop — let alone an Ultrabook — to boast a Gorilla Glass 3 lid, it’s able to take advantage of three times the scratch resistance than the material’s predecessor. This has allowed ASUS to achieve a maximum thickness of just 15.5mm, or about 14 percent thinner than the previous line of Zenbooks. But would the glass survive a drop? According to the product manager, the laptop’s passed various drop tests, but only time will tell if it’s as good as he promised.
Despite the slimmer body, the Zenbook Infinity surprises us with a built-in touchscreen as well as a backlit keyboard. There’s also a USB 3.0 port on each side, along with an SD card slot, micro-HDMI port and a Mini DisplayPort. No word on the other specs or prices just yet as this laptop won’t be out until Q4, so stay tuned for future announcements. Check our our eyes-on video after the break.
The company known as Organic Transit has made an effort this year to show off a vehicle known as ELF, letting it be seen for the first time at the international technology trade fair known as CeBIT. This machine is made to fill a previously un-touched niche between car and bicycle, made to work with users hoping to make their short commutes as easy as possible.
This machine works with a solar-powered motor that assists with pedaling, runs on three wheels, and comes in at a height that’s the same as a sedan. As this vehicle can “go anywhere a bicycle can”, it’s allowed to traverse more than just the road, allowing for cross-over movement that’d be hindered with a motorcycle. As it works with a motor, it’s not as restricting to a rider’s time as a human-powered unit is.
“Many commuters have thought about taking their bikes to work, but worry about staying fresh, falling over, climbing hills, carrying groceries, getting caught in the rain or even safety. ELF takes care of those concerns with a covered body and a solar-powered motor that assists in pedaling. Commuters can use the motor on the way to work and then pedal as a workout on the way home.” – Rob Cotter, CEO, Organic Transit
One way to work, one way back, allowing for more than one method for getting either way. Organic Transit has pushed this unique set of abilities to the public with an initial sales run of 120 ELF cars, all in their first three months. Once limited supply is up, they’ll be able to ship more of their 1,200 pre-orders.
Though the idea that this machine is allowed most places a bicycle can go might surprise those that find the base cost of $4,000 USD to be a bit hindering, but considering the complete lack of a need for gas has had its effect. This machine works with solar power, you must keep in mind, and with the same amount of power “equivalent to one gallon of gas”, this vehicle can travel 1,800 miles.
The company making ELF is located in Durham, North Carolina, and they assemble each unit in a warehouse in downtown Durham “for all to see.” Cotter has made plain his intent to follow this model of downtown urban locations for offices so that the work on these vehicles can be seen by the public.
Let us know if you see an ELF hitting the streets where you live soon – we’ll be trying to track down a few of our own. ELF races, here we come!
Next month Google will be releasing two new “Google Edition” smartphones that carry their original brand names, the HTC One and the Samsung GALAXY S 4. As the draw to these devices here in 2013 is based at least in part to the hardware manufacturers’ own software editions and modifications, Google’s releases come with both positive and negative values to them compared to their carrier or “Developer” editions. As the HTC One with “Nexus user experience” is introduced this week, we’ve taken a look at what users will gain – and what they’ll lose.
Sense
The original HTC One works with HTC’s newest “Sense” user interface – this comes with features like BlinkFeed, a full-page news reader experience. The original HTC Sense camera user interface was (and is) also a large selling point for the HTC One, this including features like HTC Zoe, Highlights, and the “living gallery”. That includes the Sense picture gallery interface too, mind you.
Everything on a visual level added by HTC for the HTC One with Sense does not appear on the HTC One Google Edition. That’s not to say the device couldn’t be hacked and these things added back in, but that’d defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?
Camera
While you’ll not be getting the HTC Sense camera software experience here with the HTC One Google Edition, you’ll still be working with “UltraPixels”. As the “UltraPixel Sensor” is a hardware component, it’ll still be present here in the Google Edition of the device. You’ll still be picking up “UltraPixels” that are 2.0 micrometers large.
The Google Edition also includes the HTC ImageChip, the f/2.0 Aperture, and the same lens, as well as the Optical Image Stabilizer. The question remains whether the resulting photos – same size, though they may be – will be as high quality as the standard HTC One. Testing this will also be difficult due to the fact that there won’t be a control situation – adding the HTC Sense camera software to the Google Edition would simply turn it back into the standard edition of the phone.
HDR Video will not be included on the Google Edition, as that is another HTC Sense software element. At the moment it would seem that 1080p video support remains good to go.
Beats Audio and Boomsound
The hardware remains the same – you’ll still have two forward-facing speakers that’ll be just as loud as they were on any other edition of the device. The difference is in the software. HTC has confirmed that this effectively means that there wont be any Beats Audio indicator in your status bar, but that you’ll still be getting the benefits of Beats Audio on the hardware end.
IR-Blaster for Remote Control
While the built-in “TV” app will no longer be there as it is in the standard edition of the HTC One, the infrared hardware will still be built-in. This is a transmitter (and receiver) appearing under the power button of the HTC One. If you’ve got the right app, you can control your television, stereo, or whatever other odd devices you’ve got around that still work with infrared control technology.
The big difference here is that because Android has no native apps that utilize IR-Blasters, you’ll have to head to Google Play to download one. And there are plenty of them out there, that’s for certain.
UPDATE: We’re now hearing conflicting reports on how the IR-Blaster will be (or wont be) in play. As Android doesn’t have native apps – and no native support of – infrared technology, it would seem that users will have to retro-fit HTC’s drivers to make it all function – or whip up some of their own. That is, unless Android 4.3 adds this functionality, of course.
Hardware Buttons
The HTC One with Nexus experience will function the same as the original with its two button set-up below its display. This means that a short press of the Home button will bring a user Home, a long press will bring up Google Now, and a double-tap will show Recent Apps. The Back button still just goes back.
As a side note: as it is with all Android devices that continue to be released with hardware buttons, apps that have not updated to Google’s design specifications will continue to show the black bar. This is the same button bar that appears on devices like the Nexus 4 and Galaxy Nexus due to their lack of hardware buttons up front.
We’ve been hearing a lot about Windows 8.1 lately, and while it’s been confirmed for a little while, very few details have made their way into the ether. However, Microsoft unwrapped plenty of details about the upcoming update, and there are a handful of updated apps and new features, as well as the return of the Start button, as previously rumored.
First off, the Start button is back, but don’t get too excited just yet. As rumored yesterday, the new Start button doesn’t work like in past Windows iterations, and clicking on it will simply bring up a metro-style list of all the apps installed, but you can move these around to your liking. So while it’s not exactly like the traditional Start button that we know and love, it’ll be slightly similar.
Personalization will be an added bonus when the Windows 8.1 update lands next month. Users will be able to use their lock screens as a slideshow to show off their favorite set of photos from vacation, and it’ll even pull photos from SkyDrive. Users will also have more options as far as choosing a Start screen background, and Microsoft also included motion wallpapers that animate. You can make your desktop background the same background on the start screen as well, in order to make the start screen less segregated from everything else going on around you.
There’s also some minor changes coming to the Start screen itself, including the ability to quickly move around apps to your liking by resizing them and moving multiple apps around at the same time. You’ll also be able to create groups and name them what you want, and to see a quick list of all your apps on one page, you simply swipe up from the bottom to make it happen.
Windows 8 Search also is receiving a nice little bump, allowing for quicker search results and reducing the time it takes to search for something and actually clicking on it to bring it up. Currently, searching for something will bring up results in categories, but the update will deliver direct links to users, getting rid of an extra step that wasn’t a huge deal to begin with, but quicker is always better in our eyes. Bing search results from the web will also appear alongside your local files.
As for built-in apps in Windows 8, Microsoft is improving all of them in some way or another, as well as improving multitasking between apps. Microsoft says that the Photos app will come with some new editing features, and the Music app has been redesigned. As for multitasking, Windows 8.1 will allow users to “snap” up to three apps on one screen, and you’ll be able to resize apps to any size you want, so those with multiple monitors will be able to have a ton of apps open and viewable at once, which is pretty cool.
Cloud storage is also a larger focus in Windows 8.1. Microsoft’s SkyDrive is integrated much more deeply into the operating system than before, allowing users to save files directly to SkyDrive without any friction. The new SkyDrive app also gives you access to your local files, as well as files that are in the cloud. Plus, you’ll even be able to access these files offline. Settings will also be saved to SkyDrive, meaning that when you log into a new Windows 8.1 device using your Microsoft account, all of your personalized settings will activate.
Microsoft says that there’s plenty of information still to come, including changes to built-in apps (and we have yet to hear about a boot-to-desktop feature). Plus, we should be hearing a heck of a lot more about the update come next month when Microsoft hosts their annual BUILD conference, where the company will officially release Windows 8.1 into the wild.
This week Google and LG have made the unicorn of the Nexus lineup – that being the White Nexus 4 – a reality. Here at SlashGear we’re taking the time to unbox and have a closer look at the device and its brand new Bumper Case as it makes its way to online stores and eventually into the retail space in the USA. And yes, it’s basically the same package: it’s just white.
One of the only big differences between the original Nexus 4 and this white iteration is the makeup of the band around the edge. While the original Black version has a slightly grippy feel to it, this White is a bit more slippery. This might be just the bit you were looking for if you’re all about the shine over the ability to hold on to your phone.
Otherwise this machine works with the same guts as its Black affiliate: 4.7-inch display at 1280 x 768 pixel resolution, IPS LCD technology covered with a pane of Corning Gorilla Glass 2. Dimensions of the device remain 133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1 mm with a weight of 139 grams, and the back works with the same 8 megapixel camera as specified in Google’s own listing of the original Black.
Inside you’ll find the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, this just a step down from the Snapdragon 600 found in the Samsung GALAXY S 4 and the HTC One. Android 4.2.2 is here on the device right out of the box, while we do expect updates to Google’s mobile OS sooner than later.
Also in the package we’ve gotten is Google’s white iteration of their own Bumper Case. This case acts as a protector between your Nexus 4 and the ground and acts as a bit of a bonus grip that you might not otherwise have with LG’s preference for slippery, slippery plastic. This device will be available from Google soon, and it’s unknown at the moment whether or not T-Mobile – or other carriers in the future, for that matter – will be carrying this color in stores.
BONUS: As you may have already noticed, the videos above have been filmed with Google Glass – or #throughglass, if you prefer. This adds to a collection of features filmed with Google Glass that will be continuing to expand through the future here on SlashGear, another of which was our 2014 Lexus IS Prototype Test Drive earlier this week – stay tuned for more!
The road to an HTC One release with the United States’ largest carrier has been a confusing one, that’s for certain. But with a few pointed bits of analysis and a brief chat with notorious tipster insider @evleaks, SlashGear has come to understand the obviousness of the truth. The Verizon HTC One is real, and there’s more than one good reason why it hasn’t appeared on store shelves yet.
The HTC One is finally reaching a point at which its production is at full steam, HTC having at first faced some supply problems at manufacturing plants overseas. If HTC were to have worked with Verizon to release the device any sooner than now, their supply problems might only have multiplied.
According to @evleaks, Verizon’s preference for keeping phones stocked for close to a year – where possible – remains solid. Because of this, it would be essentially against policy, so to speak, to dump the DROID DNA just six months after its initial debut – it was first introduced back in November of 2012, mind you. It’s also true that the longer a phone remains in production, the cheaper it gets to manufacture: this is another reason why the one hero phone model works so well.
So will Verizon wait until November 13th, 2013 to put out another HTC phone? Probably not.
The image you’re seeing here comes from Evleaks, sourced from someone “that needs advance knowledge of upcoming devices.” Likely someone in advertising, public relations, or accessory manufacturing, that is. Here you’ll see all of the HTC devices that’ve been carried by Verizon over the past couple of years alongside the “One”.
It would appear that the device tipped yesterday – the T6 – isn’t quite locked in to this manifest as of yet.
While nothing in the way of release dates is confirmed as of yet, our discussion today suggested an “early summer” release for the HTC One, likely before July, with the HTC “T6″ being picked up by Verizon in the fall. The T6 will fully replace the DROID DNA while the HTC One will allow for a transition point between the two.
Now here’s the burning question: are you willing to wait a few more weeks for the HTC One on Verizon’s 4G LTE network? Or is this your breaking point?
BONUS: As you may have figured out from the listings of HTC devices by code, the M7_WL is the model coming to Verizon. The HTC One is called “M7″ in code while the “WL” always works with GSM/WCDMA/CDMA2000/LTE radio bands. The same is true of the T6, it appearing as the T6_WL “Crater” earlier this week.
The T6 (that, again, being the enlarged HTC One closer in size to the DROID DNA), has also appeared in these forms via HTC Soku : T6_UL : cassiopeia : GSM/WCDMA/LTE T6_U : columba : GSM/WCDMA T6_ULA : delphinus : GSM/WCDMA/LTE T6_WL : crater : GSM/WCDMA/CDMA2000/LTE T6_WHL : eridanus : GSM/WCDMA/CDMA2000/LTE
This doesn’t necessarily guarantee the device for each of the main carriers here in the USA, but it’s definitely encouraging!
Lexus has come a long way since the days of the buffed-up Toyota luxo-barge, and the 2014 Lexus IS is arguably the best illustration of that. True, the new 3-Series rival may not have the same wealth of outlandish madness as the LFA sportscar (though it does borrow some of the $375k limited-edition’s cabin features) or the brutish luxury of the LS, but the striking design and eager pricing make for a freshly competitive car. Lexus brought us out to the Michigan International Speedway to see how the 2014 IS ticks.
Design
Distinctive, striking, and divisive: Lexus gives the 2014 IS the most extreme treatment of its L-finesse design language we’ve seen on a sedan to-date. The company’s designers describe the styling ethos as a combination of “intriguing elegance” and “incisive simplicity” which, in this case, means a sweeping, creasing riot of curves and surfaces that don’t ape BMW reserve or Cadillac crispness.
The enormous, pinched hourglass grille – Lexus refers to it as a “spindle” – is the most obvious flourish, starting low on the front edge of the hood and dipping deeply into where you’d traditionally find a separate front spoiler. With its chrome edging it’s certainly distinctive but, like many other elements of the new IS’ design, it works much better in person than in photos, which rob it off some of the three-dimensional complexity you get in the metal.
The F Sport spec pack – an option on the IS 250 and IS 350 – trades the standard grille bars for honeycomb mesh, and the IS looks all the better for it. Either way, though, the shape of the grille and how it cuts down to the front of the car makes the IS look lower and “sucked down” to the asphalt, emphasizing the broad, low stance.
Face-on, you also get the impact of the new car’s daytime running lights, which rather than being integrated into the main light clusters as we’ve seen on other cars, are split out into tick-style flourishes underneath. It’s an effect that looks particularly good in the darker finishes, like the nebula gray or matador red.
From that point back it’s a pleasing collection of sweeping lines and creases, including a strong shoulder-line – pinching up neatly into the rear door window – and a sharply rising twist that begins as the front doors end and pulls up all the way to the wrap-around rear lights. Get the lighting right, and they reflect and shine in particularly pleasing ways, giving the flanks a silkiness that the old IS didn’t get near.
Engines and Performance
You only get two engine options in the 2014 IS, and neither of them are new. The 2.5-liter V6 and 3.5-liter V6 from the old car are carried over, though now there’s no manual option (which Lexus admits only around 1-percent of IS buyers every actually specified).
Instead, you get either the standard 6-speed auto, or – an option on the IS 350 – an 8-speed auto that was previously found on the IS F. Each slots paddle shifters behind the chunky steering wheel, or the ratios can be flicked through by jabbing at the stubby stick in the center. Of course, you can also leave the 2014 IS in auto mode.
With 204HP and 184 lb-ft of torque, the IS 250 sits roughly on a par for power with the naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter Cadillac ATS (the entry-level BMW 320i does better in torque but falls behind in horsepower). Official numbers are 7.7s 0-60mph for the RWD model (8.3s for the AWD) and it doesn’t feel the most spritely “performance sedan” we’ve driven. The 6-speed gearbox is solid in its changes, but not especially eager.
Far better is the IS 350 which steps up to 306HP, particularly if you’re running that through the 8-speed ‘box. Lexus’ quotes 5.6s for your 0-60mph run, and behind the wheel we can believe it, with the car eager to thrum through the gears with a pleasingly throaty growl from the engine. Lexus knows that good sound makes for more enjoyable driving, too, with the F Sport package piping a little more of the under-the-hood audio into the cabin.
Lexus claims to have done special things with the 2014 IS’ suspension and handling, and – thanks to some side-by-side comparison with the outgoing 2013 car – it’s clear that’s no empty boast. The power-assisted steering is noticeably meatier, and we were able to throw the new car around corners with more confidence than its predecessor. Among the changes are a more solidly constructed chassis, and that platform makes for more predictable handling.
That’s not to say the new IS is only happy if you’re thrashing it. At more appropriate speeds it’s smooth and stable, with no bump or shudder; rear seat passengers reported an altogether comfortable ride. The F Sport variant unsurprisingly tightens things up with an eye on more aggressive driving, but it’s still capable of wafting if you’re designated driver.
It’s worth noting that the cars we were testing were prototypes; we’ll revisit the IS when production models are available.
Interior
Lexus made its name, in part, by throwing just about everything its rivals would leave optional into the standard mix. The IS isn’t quite so comprehensive – the LS, after all, starts at over $70k – but you still get a good amount of baseline equipment.
Dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, a power moonroof, Bluetooth audio, and HD Radio are standard, along with “NuLuxe” faux-leather. If you want the real hide, you’ll have to step up to the Luxury Package which also throws in wood trim accents, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming mirrors, electric memory seats, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert. A more affordable Premium Pacgae adds heating/ventilation to the NuLuxe seats.
There’s also the Navigation Package, with a 7-inch color display, backup camera, voice command, and Lexus Enform, the company’s internet-connected hub complete with Bing search, Pandora streaming, Facebook Places, Yelp integration, and navigation. A Mark Levinson Audio Package ($3,225) adds a 15-speaker A/V system to that, with a 1,500W Class-D amp, subwoofer, and machined aluminum controls. It certainly sounds impressive, though the standard-fit audio system is no slouch on its own.
Sit inside, and the tiered dashboard layout is packed with controls but reasonable straightforward to familiarize yourself with. A navigation control in the center console scrolls through the main 7-inch LCD, and only the analog clock reminds you of Lexus’ more staid history. The meaty steering wheel feels great – though it’s peppered with buttons – and the seats are comfortable and sit lower in the car than before, leaving you feeling sportily cocooned.
Step up to the F Sport package, however, and the 2014 IS’ real interior glitz appears. The sports seats get more ample bolstering and hold you nicely in the corners, though they’re still NuLuxe rather than proper leather (albeit with heating as standard). Most exciting is the moving instrumentation, borrowed from the LFA: press a button and the combo speedometer/tachometer slides across to reveal a 4.2-inch LCD with secondary information, such as fuel economy. Press it again, and it slides back to dominate the binnacle with no distractions.
Again, compared to the outgoing car, the new IS is a marked improvement. The seats hug you more closely – a boon during more outlandish cornering – while, in the back, the seats in both regular and F Sport trim are comfortable, and – a first for Lexus – can be dropped down with a 60/40 split for accommodating bigger items of luggage.
Wrap-Up
The 2014 IS kicks off at $35,950 for the IS 250 RWD, and $39,465 for the IS 350. AWD is a roughly $2,500 upgrade, while the more appealing F Sport package is $3,000. That’s about $3k more than the cheapest – though less powerful – 3-Series, and around $1,500 more than the entry-level ATS, the 2014 IS’ most obvious competitors.
It’s likely to be aesthetics, not specifications, that prompt most decisions about the new IS, however. Opinions of those we’ve talked to are split; some, like us, appreciate how Lexus has opted for something that’s distinctive, though others prefer the more mainstream good looks of BMW’s car. As we said, though, it’s undoubtedly a car that looks better in real life than on the screen.
For that matter, it’s also a car that benefits hugely from the larger engine option. Where the IS 250 is solid, the IS 350′s extra grunt gives it some much-needed sparkle. If you can afford the F Sport package then we’d say it’s well worth it, with the worked-over suspension particularly benefiting. That’s not a cheap car by any means, but it’s the spec level that’s most fitting to the no-holds-barred design and capable chassis.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
