Samsung reveals Windows 8 ultrabooks and tablet hybrids

Last week, Samsung promised it would reveal a “groundbreaking” Windows 8 device, sending out invitations to a press event in which the company would announce Windows devices, including ultrabooks with touchscreens. This evening, the Korean company unveiled the products, including pricing, which are part of its new “Smart PC” category. The groundbreaking device? Meet the Samsung Series 5 Ultra Touch Windows 8 ultrabook.

The base Series 5 Ultra Touch model starts at $809.99, and features a Core i3 processor (upgradable to an i5 for an extra $50), while both the i3 and i5 models have 4GB of RAM, a 1366×768 display, and a 500GB hard drive with 24 gigs of ExpressCache (high-speed SSD storage). It weighs in at 3.83 pounds, which is perhaps a tad hefty for an ultrabook. No word on battery life.

Other products included the rebranded Ativ Smart PC 500T ($749.99 with keyboard/$649.99 without keyboard) and 700T ($1,199.99), both of which are Windows 8 tablets. The 500T runs an Atom Z2760 processor, while the 700T runs a Core i5. The 500T features 2GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage space, while the 700T features 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space.

The laptops in the line include the Series 9 Premium Ultrabooks ($1,300 for the 13 inch model, $1,400 for the 15 inch model), the Series 7 15-inch notebook ($1,100), the Series 5 13.3-inch UltraTouch ($810 for the Core i3, $860 for the Core i5), and the Series 3 Notebook, which has a price range of $450 to $900 depending on configuration. Also announced were two All-in-One PCs, the Series 7 ($1,100 for the 23.6 inch model, $1,700 for the 27 inch model), and the 21.5 inch Series 5 at $800. Most of these devices will be available when Windows 8 is released on October 26th.


Samsung reveals Windows 8 ultrabooks and tablet hybrids is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
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CyberPower reveals Fang III Taipan SLI gaming notebook

CyberPower reveals Fang III Taipan SLI gaming notebook

CyberPower is one of the better known builders of gaming desktops, but the company also makes supercharged laptops capable of running the latest GPU-punishing titles. The Fang III Taipan is its latest portable offering, and it carries both high-end components and a high-end price. The default configuration will set you back a heart-stopping $1,819, but the 2.4GHz Core i7, 16GB of DDR3 RAM and pair of Geforce GTX 670Ms in an SLI arrangement ensure you’re getting your money’s worth. There’s also a 60GB SSD and 1TB hard drive under the hood so you don’t have to choose between performance or storage. You can also pair up a couple of SSDs in a RAID if that’s your thing. To get the most out of all that power there’s a 17.3-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LED panel and an Onkyo sound system with a subwoofer for your aural enjoyment. Obviously, the Taipan is only portable in the loosest of sense considering its bulky 8.6-pound frame, but we doubt anyone would really want to carry roughly $2,000 worth of computer with them in public anyway. Heck, if you really wanted to trick this thing out with 32GB of RAM, a 3.0GHz Core i7, 1TB of SSD storage and a pair of GTX 680Ms you could easily top $5,000. Hit up the source link to configure your own.

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CyberPower reveals Fang III Taipan SLI gaming notebook originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 18:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tips have 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display joining iPad mini at rumored Apple event

15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display back

While Apple’s supposed October 23rd event still exists only in the land of leaks and rumors for now, there’s mounting suspicions that it won’t just be a one-trick pony if it becomes real. Both AllThingsD and 9to5Mac claim to know that a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display is also on the cards for the presentation and would be just what you’d expect: a smaller version of the 15-inch model with four times the screen resolution of its conventional equivalent (2,560 x 1,600 here), all-flash storage and a price premium. There’s not much more to go on beyond talk of a D1 codename versus the 15-inch D2, although we won’t have long to find out if the rumor represents more than just wishful thinking. You might want to hold out on buying that MacBook Air for a week as a precaution.

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Tips have 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display joining iPad mini at rumored Apple event originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 17:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  sourceAllThingsD, 9to5Mac  | Email this | Comments

Retina MacBook Pro: The Best Worst Laptop I’ve Ever Owned [Apple]

A couple of months ago, I had a life-altering experience: I bought a new iPad. I use the term “life-altering experience” because before that day, I was a staunch opponent of all things Apple. I was a devout Linux and Android devotee, and I only really used Windows because I had to, and because I would never, ever be caught dead using a MacBook. I only bought the iPad because I needed a retina device to use for testing. At least that was my intention. More »

Retina Macbook Pro 13 GPU could be slower than first Macbook Air’s [rumor]

A Chinese source which claims to have had first-hand contact with the upcoming Retina Macbook Pro 13 (link, in Chinese) has noticed that the thermal design has not been build for two “hot” chips, which indicates that there is no discrete graphics processor (GPU) in the 13″ version of the Retina Macbook Pro. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Retina Macbook Pro Review (15″), Apple patent reveals new MacBook battery and SSD configurations,

Apple, other thin laptop makers pass latest round of EPEAT tests after summer mini-drama

MacBook Air 13-inch front view with grass wallpaper

Apple gave eco-friendly computer fans a brief jolt this July after it backed out of EPEAT certification, only to restore most devices just days later. While we can’t say we’re completely shocked at the follow-up, EPEAT has confirmed that at least one “ultra-thin” laptop from Apple has just cleared the verification process. The as yet unnamed system is more likely to be a Mac that had already earned the recycling-friendly rating in the past, such as the MacBook Air, rather than a sudden turnaround for the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. The look wasn’t exclusively devoted to the Mac side, though — EPEAT cleared Apple’s computer as part of a wider test that also greenlit extra-thin portables from Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba. We’ve reached out to get a more definitive list, but the approvals should ease the minds of those worried that ever-slimmer laptops are forcing us to give up our green efforts.

Continue reading Apple, other thin laptop makers pass latest round of EPEAT tests after summer mini-drama

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Apple, other thin laptop makers pass latest round of EPEAT tests after summer mini-drama originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Oct 2012 08:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD could slash up to 30 percent of its workforce according to reports

AMD could slash up to 30 percent of its workforce according to reports

AllThingsD and CNET are reporting that 30 percent of AMD’s workforce could be laid off, though one of several unnamed sources notes the cuts could be as low as 10 percent. If these reports hold true, this would be the second round of layoffs for AMD within a year’s time. The reductions will reportedly affect the firm’s engineering and sales employees, and may be serious enough to cause a paring back of product lines. The silicon giant could potentially reveal its plans as early as next week, which would coincide with the announcement of its third quarter financial results. With the company expecting a ten percent revenue drop in Q3, it looks like the latest figures will continue the trend of less than ideal results.

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AMD could slash up to 30 percent of its workforce according to reports originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows 8 now available to try at Best Buy

DNP Windows 8 now available to try at Best Buy

Microsoft’s already opened up the floodgates with Windows 8 pre-orders, and it looks as if those still on the fence now have a sandbox to goof off in. Pictured above is a trio of Windows 8 notebooks from a Best Buy located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and we actually called around to confirm with several other stores that a similar setup had been erected in their locales. Nah, we can’t make October 26th get here any faster, but at least you know where to head if you’re looking for a sample.

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Windows 8 now available to try at Best Buy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How the First Laptop Was Held Back by Its Humongous Price… And Sexism [Progress]

History remembers technology progressing at the speed of Moore’s Law, galloping between semiconductors and clock speeds. But the real challenge has always been getting people to accept it into their lives. And as Alexis Madrigal at the Atlantic reminds us, that has, from time to time, meant overcoming ingrained prejudices. More »

ASUS TAICHI 21 and VivoBook X202 go up for US pre-orders, spoil the party a bit early (update: VivoTab RT, too)

ASUS TAICHI closed

Just because ASUS has planned a grand October 23rd event to outline its US Windows 8 lineup doesn’t mean we can’t get an advance peek. Pre-orders have officially kicked off for at least two touchscreen PCs that also give us a very good feeling for the hardware we’ll see at our doors. The dual-screened TAICHI 21 is naturally the star of the show, but it will cost you: a base version of the 11.6-inch hybrid with a 1.7GHz Core i5, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD starts at $1,300, while an uprated model with a 1.9GHz Core i7 and a 256GB SSD will set early adopters back by $1,600. We’d say the VivoBook X202 is more likely to get some purchases sight-unseen at $600 for an entry laptop with an 11.6-inch touchscreen, a 1.8GHz Core i3, 4GB of RAM and a conventional 500GB hard drive. Both of the systems should arrive in tandem with Windows 8’s October 26th launch and compound the traffic jams for couriers and retailers on what could be a very busy day.

[Thanks, Donny]

Update: As Computerworld noticed, Newegg also has a pre-order listing for the VivoTab RT, which costs $599 in its lone 32GB configuration. It ships the same day as its bigger cousins.

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ASUS TAICHI 21 and VivoBook X202 go up for US pre-orders, spoil the party a bit early (update: VivoTab RT, too) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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