Hasta La Gadget!

We’re just two short months away from the launch of Windows 8, and unsurprisingly, we’re beginning to see Microsoft‘s manufacturing partners tease upcoming products. The latest is Samsung, which earlier this week released a video teasing its new Windows 8 notebook. When it comes to actually seeing the notebook, the video leaves something to be desired, but then again that’s the entire point of a teaser isn’t it?

However, there are a few brief glimpses of the new notebook to be found in the video, but most of it centers around making reference to Leonardo da Vinci. It’s difficult to say with any certainty what this new device is, but it’s entirely possible that it’s a tablet/notebook hybrid instead of just a straight-up notebook. The few shots we see give us the feeling that it’s the Samsung Series 7 Hybrid that we saw back at Computex in June, but hard to confirm considering that each shot is up-close and never long enough.

For what it’s worth, the teaser is titled “Something Smart is Coming,” which also suggests that this could be a tablet/notebook hybrid. Whatever it is, it’s clear that Samsung thinks this is going to be big, as the video shows that Samsung considers this to be the next step in “the evolution of technology.” The description of the video on YouTube says that a reveal is coming soon, which almost definitely means that Samsung will be showing this off at IFA 2012.

If that’s the case, it would make sense that it is indeed the Series 7 Hybrid we’re seeing in the video. When we saw it at Computex, the company didn’t part with any pricing or release information, and there’s a pretty good chance that information is coming at IFA 2012. Of course, given the nature of “the tease,” we could be completely off. One thing is for sure, though: we don’t have much longer to wait before we find out what Samsung is plotting, so keep an ear to SlashGear for more information!

Samsung’s incoming Windows 8 notebook teased in brief video is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Acer first took the wraps off its Aspire V5 series at CeBIT in March, teasing the line of notebooks with designs that are 30 percent thinner than other laptops in their category. A few months later, in June, the company officially unveiled the 14- and 15-inch Aspire V5s, with Ivy Bridge processors and prices starting at $630. Rounding out that family is the 11-inch the Aspire V5 171. We have a bit of an identity crisis on our hands with this guy: though it looks like a netbook and weighs a light three pounds, it packs a Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor befitting a full-fledged machine, but it costs a budget-minded $550 ($500 with Acer’s current promotion). Many products in this price range are clunky 15-inchers, so where exactly does this Aspire V5 fit in? Join us past the break as we sort that out.

Continue reading Acer Aspire V5 review: an 11-inch Ivy Bridge laptop for $550

Filed under: Laptops

Acer Aspire V5 review: an 11-inch Ivy Bridge laptop for $550 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ergo Electronics, the company behind the GoTab, is looking to help bring Android to UK classrooms in the form of the GoNote, a combo tablet / netbook running Ice Cream Sandwich. The device has a 10-inch 1024 x 600 display, a 1.2GHz ARM Rockchip RK2918, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, expandable via a MicroSD slot. Aimed at students, the GoNote also has four USB 2.0 ports and a VGA camera on-board. It’ll be hitting in the UK in September for £150 ($236) in black and white options. More info in the press release after the break.

Continue reading GoNote 10-inch hybrid netbook / tablet bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to UK classrooms next month

GoNote 10-inch hybrid netbook / tablet bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to UK classrooms next month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 02:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With Apple this week becoming the most valuable public company in the history of the world, word that their own Apple Store outlets are doing fantastic as well seemed inevitable. As Jim Dalrymple of The Loop reports he’s spoken with Apple about, their stores have had almost 300 million visitors worldwide inside their fiscal 2012 year. That year begins in October 2011 and, of course, isn’t quite ofter yet.

This amount of visitors, also noted by Dalrymple, is nearly the population of the United States according to last year’s census. Apple Stores across the globe are bringing in more than five times the revenue per square foot that Best Buy did in 2011 according to CNET, and the store’s unique point in the Genius Bar has some impressive numbers of its own as well. Apple notes that 50,000 people get serviced at the Genius Bar in their Apple stores every single day.

Many Apple stores have what the company notes is over 100 “unique hands-on opportunities” with products such as the iPad, iPhone, iPods of all kinds, and Mac computers as well. With Apple’s extended line of associated brands in speakers, printers, accessories, and the like, the company provides a full experience to the average computer-loving customer. Apple’s newest stores have just opened in Canada, the total number now reaching 375 worldwide.

Have a peek at the timeline below for more information on recent events in and around Apple Stores across the globe. Apple continues to grow to be one gigantic company with their own retail storefront, manufacturing, software, and support services as well.

Apple Stores tout 300 million visitors in less than a year is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Back in our day, we used to listen to music on shiny plastic discs with lasers, not any of your new-fangled Zunes and what not. That was back when bands had sensible names, like the Dave Clark Five. These days, however, CDs and DVDs are remnants of a simpler time, a time before these kids were playing their Lady Gagas on their Rio Carbons. Fujitsu will be putting those outdated media formats to work again, with a recycling program that uses the material to build shiny new notebooks, starting with the Lifebook P772/E enterprise laptop, with more models to follow. According to the company, the new program is set to reduce the use of new plastic by 10 tons a year and slice C02 emissions by around 15 percent. More information on the program can be found after the break. Now please get off our lawn.

Continue reading Fujitsu making laptops from unwanted CDs and DVDs

Filed under: Laptops

Fujitsu making laptops from unwanted CDs and DVDs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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