Whatever you think about Microsoft’s Surface Pro, it’s impossible to deny its beautiful design, and the quality of the the tech behind it. It’s a siren, luring you into an oddly metaphored whirlpool of unsure typing. I’ve been using it for close to two weeks now, and the entire time I couldn’t escape one feeling: Microsoft should have made a laptop. More »
Google Chromebooks are aplenty at the moment, with Acer, Samsung, Lenovo, and HP all offering Chromebooks at different shapes and sizes. However, it looks like Google may take matters into their own hands, because a video has leaked today that features a touchscreen Chromebook laptop that has a Retina-quality 2560×1700 resolution.
The video was originally uploaded to YouTube, but has since been taken down, and the company responsible for uploading the video, SlinkyMe, says that the video made its way to YouTube after its servers were compromised by hackers. Of course, we don’t know if that was actually the case, since it’s also possible that the video was just accidentally set to “public.”
The Google-designed Chromebook is supposedly called the Pixel, most likely named after the high-resolution display. It’s not said whether the device is both designed and manufactured by Google, or if they’re partnering with a manufacturer to put it together for them, similar to how the Nexus series of mobile devices operates.
Of course, this isn’t the first time that a Google-designed Chromebook has been made. The company released the CR-48 Chromebook, which only made its way to a handful of people and actually never went on sale. Of course, just like with the CR-48, the Pixel looks to be simply designed and takes a few queues from the MacBook, including the aluminum shell and the chiclet keyboard. We’ll be on standby if more details emerge of the Google Pixel.
[via Liliputing]
Google-designed Chromebook Pixel leaks, features Retina-quality touchscreen is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
It’s tough to forget the ASUS TAICHI: out of all the Windows 8 convertibles we’ve seen (and we’ve seen a lot) this is the only one with two screens on board. In particular, it’s got one on the inside, which you’d use in regular notebook mode, along with a touchscreen on the outside that allows you to use the PC as a tablet. If you like, you can shut the lid completely and turn the machine into a slate-type of device, but you can also leave the lid open so that you’re mirroring your desktop, or displaying something different on each one (imagine the possibilities for presenters!). As an added trick, that outer screen also accepts pen input, though you’ll have to splurge on the highest-end configuration to get it with a stylus.
For now, ASUS is selling the 11.6-inch TAICHI 21 ($1,299 and up), though a 13-inch version is going to start shipping later this month. Hopefully, though, our review after the break answers questions you’d have about either model. Namely, what’s it like to use a machine with two screens, anyway?
Gallery: ASUS TAICHI 21 review
There are plenty of Linux desktop environments to choose from, but if KDE has a special place in your heartware, you’ll be pleased to know its first 2013 update is out. Making the jump from 4.9 to 4.10 brings various tweaks to Plasma Workspaces, including upped support for high-res displays, a streamlining of the default Air theme, and plenty of behind the scenes adjustments. All running software can now be controlled through a common menu system, search indexes happen faster, and the new Nepomuk Cleaner will help rid those clogged drives of unnecessary data. In addition, printer management has been improved, and the enhanced Dolphin file manager communicates more freely with mobile devices. A thorough, lovingly crafted changelog is available at the source link below, but if you’re particularly fond of surprises, then head straight for the download. Happy upgrading!
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Software
Via: Phoronix
Source: KDE
If you’re into the “more pixels” ultrabook mantra and suitably flush, the 3 pound Dell XPS 13 with a 13.3-inch 1080p display, now on Dell’s shelves, may be your machine. The soon-to-be-private outfit flaunted it at CES 2013, saying it also had a much wider 72 percent color gamut (instead of 45 percent for the 720p models), which definitely jibed with the more brilliant display we saw. The barrier for entry will be a little dearer than Dell first said, though, as a 3rd-gen Core i5 model with 8GB of RAM, Intel HD 4000 graphics, Windows 8 and a 256GB SSD will run $1,400, $100 more than it first promised. A 3rd-gen Core i7 model will start at $1,600 with the same specs. You’ll be able to grab the latter model by February 14th, while the Core i5 (and lower-priced 720p) versions are in stock and shipping by next day. Considering similar models and the imminent arrival of a certain Mr. Haswell, we hope it won’t be a hard sell at that price — even with the 1080p screen.
Via: Lilliputing
Source: Dell Store
Unveiled during this year CES, LG’s new sexy Windows tablet, the Tab-Book Ultra Z160 is finally set to arrive in Korea’s store this month. Powered by a Core i3 or i5 the Z160 comes with a 11.6″ IPS touch panel, HDMI out, USB 3.0, a SSD in just 1.25kg and for a thickness of 19.4mm and with a 6.4h battery life. Pretty short on Specs LG did not comment as well on the Z160 exact launch date or price. Still if you are interested in something more powerful than the average Android …
Here’s a fun fact: in the three months since Windows 8 went on sale, Engadget has reviewed 16 laptops, including a few hybrid form factors. Yep, that’s right: more than one a week for the past 12 weeks, and that’s not even counting a couple tablets running Windows RT. So, now that we’ve given over our collective social lives to writing about Win 8, we finally feel qualified to make a few recommendations. Here, in our first-ever laptop buyer’s guide, we’ll walk you through the most promising of the bunch — everything from convertibles to laptop / tablet mashups. Indeed, we’ve got lots of touch-enabled systems ahead (including nods to models that didn’t make the cut), but if you’re simply in the market for a good, old-fashioned notebook, we have a few of those to recommend, too. So without further ado, join us.
Note: With regard to the Windows PCs we highlight here, we’ll be focusing on machines that run full Windows 8, specifically. For recommendations of ARM-based tablets running Windows RT you can look to our tablet buyer’s guide.
Filed under: Laptops, Apple, Samsung, Sony, Microsoft, ASUS, Dell, Acer, Lenovo
After what seemed like ages of hints and feints, Dell has finally, officially reached a deal to go private. It’s going to be led by its founder Michael Dell, with a financial assist from private equity firm Silver Lake and PC enthusiast Microsoft. Will it be enough to make the company—and more specifically, its products—relevant again? More »
If you were biding your time until late February to pick up a ThinkPad Helix, we’ve got some bad news: Lenovo’s revealed on Facebook that the convertible Ultrabook has been pushed back to a March or April release. For a refresher, the Helix packs an 11.6-inch 1080p Gorilla Glass display and carries a $1,499 price tag in its base configuration. Mum’s the word on what’s forced the flexible hardware closer to spring, but we’ve reached out to Lenovo for confirmation and more details.
[Thanks, D]
Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Lenovo
Source: Lenovo (Facebook)
Just last week, we spotted a leak of HP’s first Chromebook, and it was probably pretty embarrassing for them since they leaked it on their own website. However, it seems the new Chromebook has come earlier than the leak suggested anyway, with availability starting today instead of the rumored February 17 release date.
Granted, the Pavilion 14 is a little bit more expensive than what you’ll pay for other new Chromebooks, and while it doesn’t come with any hardware that’s crazy impressive, the overall design of HP’s Chromebook might be a big seller for some people. The 14-inch display has a 1366×768 resolution, and on the inside there’s an Intel Celeron 847 processor clocked at 1.1 GHz.
Other than that, there’s 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, which certainly isn’t a lot by any means, but users will get 100GB of Google Drive storage for free for the first two years. As far as ports go, there’s HDMI, three USB 2.0 ports, an SD card slot, and Ethernet. The laptop also weighs in at around four pounds, making it a bit chunkier than other models.
This marks HP‘s first go at a Google Chromebook, joining the likes of Samsung and Acer, who have more competitively-priced options at $249 and $199, respectively. If battery is a huge concern for you, HP’s Pavilion 14 comes in at four hours and 15 minutes, which isn’t too great for a Chromebook considering that Samsung has them beat, but either way, you can buy it now for $330.
HP unveils Pavilion 14 Chromebook, available now for $330 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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