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When Microsoft announced the Surface Windows tablet, this came as a shock to many, especially to the company’s manufacturing partners who apparently were not aware of Microsoft’s intentions until the very last minute. The Surface is set to debut later this year and while it remains to be seen if it will prove to be a strong competitor against Apple’s iPad, the reaction by many have shown that it is at the very least well received by those who have tried it.

While this might sound a bit premature, is it possible that Microsoft could already be working on the next-gen Surface without waiting to see how well the first one takes off? It certainly does seem that way thanks to a Microsoft Careers page which is currently on the hunt for engineers and managers who will be responsible for the “next generation” of Surface devices. Of course this does not mean that a Surface 2 is already in the works, but at the very least it seems that Microsoft has already begun planning it. Either way we’re pretty excited about the tablet and can’t wait to see how it fares in the fiercely competitive tablet market.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Acer wants Microsoft to rethink their decision to launch the Surface tablet, Microsoft’s Surface tablet will not cost $1,000, Swedish website says price was marked up,

When Microsoft unveiled their Surface tablet, it is without doubt that they probably angered several of their manufacturing partners in the process. After all, if Microsoft were to start making its own hardware, what were they going to do? Apparently those feelings are mirrored by Acer and in a report from the Financial Times, Acer’s CEO, JT Wang, was quoted as saying that the launch of the Surface tablet would be “negative for the worldwide ecosystem” and asked them to rethink their decision. He also went on to say:

“We have said think it over. Think twice […] It will create a huge negative impact for the ecosystem and other brands may take a negative reaction. It is not something you are good at so please think twice.”

“If Microsoft is going to do hardware business, what should we do? Should we still rely on Microsoft, or should we find other alternatives?”

What do you guys think? Do you think that Acer is worried that their role with Microsoft will diminish, or do you think that Acer is right when they say it will have a huge negative impact?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Microsoft’s Surface tablet will not cost $1,000, Swedish website says price was marked up, Microsoft Surface smartphone concept looks pretty good,

When a team of Harvard researchers wanted to create the ultimate liquid- and solid-repelling surface, they looked toward the Nepenthes pitcher plant, where curious insects check in and never check out, thanks to slippery walls that lead to their tiny, horrific fate. The tropical plant inspired the creation of SLIPS (Self-healing, Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surface), a synthetic material that utilizes nano/ microstructured substrates, capable of repelling just about anything you can throw at it. During a visit to the hallowed Crimson halls, the team was kindly enough to show off the material through a series of messy, messy demos, dropping water, motor oil, liquid asphalt and newly-mixed concrete on aluminum and glass. The team even went crazy with a can of black spray paint, comparing the results to a Teflon surface. The outcome was the same in all case — an amazingly repellent material.

The team has published a number of papers on the stuff, including ones that demonstrate its ice- and bacteria-repelling properties. Oh, and like its natural inspiration, SLIPS does a great jobs keeping bugs off its surface. You can check out our demos and one unhappy ant filmed by the SLIPS team. No insects were harmed in the making of our video, at least — and the lab assures us that ant had a good life before learning the hard way why it shouldn’t mess with Harvard scientists.

Continue reading SLIPS liquid repeller is inspired by carnivorous plants, enemy to insects and graffiti artists alike

SLIPS liquid repeller is inspired by carnivorous plants, enemy to insects and graffiti artists alike originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony’s next-generation tablet appears to have leaked on internal slides spotted by German news site, Mobiflip. In short, it’s thinner and lighter than the Tablet S, while internal specifications also trump it, including a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, Android 4.0 (“or later”), 3G connectivity and three storage options; 16, 32 and 64GB. The whole tablet follows the same folded magazine design of Sony’s existing tablet, is splashproof and houses a 6,000mAh battery that the slides suggest will manage 10 hours of WiFi-based web browsing. There’s even some tentative pricing, with the different-sized models marked up at $450, $550 and $650, respectively. The pictures also cover Sony’s plans to add a lightweight keyboard to its next tablet, similar to Microsoft’s Surface plans, but with some Smart Cover-esque kickstand skills thrown in for good measure. We’ve added a shot of the keyboard cover after the break, but you can take a tour of the rest of the slides — which include a raft of accessories and docks — at the source link below.

Update: We’ve been in touch with a Sony spokesperson, who had “no comment at this stage.” We may have to wait until next month, when European trade show IFA kicks off — with Sony in attendance — until we hear anything more concrete.

Continue reading Sony Xperia Tablet leaked from internal slides: Surface-style keyboard and tentative $450 price tag

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Sony Xperia Tablet leaked from internal slides: Surface-style keyboard and tentative $450 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 07:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redmond’s upcoming Surface slate is brimming with potential — but Microsoft recognizes that building its own tablet comes with some inherent risks. In the firm’s recently submitted annual report, Microsoft tells the Security and Exchange Commission that the new family of slates could loosen ties with some of its partners. “Our surface devices will compete with products made by our OEM partners,” the report reads, “which may affect their commitment to our platform.” This, of course, echos Acer’s sentiment, which accused Microsoft of forgetting the PC builders that helped it become what it is today. Then again, maybe Acer was just preemptively upset it wouldn’t get picked for Windows 8’s starting line-up.

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Microsoft admits Surface might ruffle OEM feathers, vindicates Acer in annual report originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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