The last big things to happen to trackpads were the addition of multitouch gestures and elimination of a dedicated button. The next big thing is going to be force detection. We’ve seen force detection pop up a couple of times before—most recently in the keyboard cover for the Microsoft Surface—but with the introduction of the Synaptics ForcePad, that technology is about to go much more mainstream. More »
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
In mature, competitive markets flooded with products, many brands come and go. Last week, though, two companies came to New York City to celebrate milestone anniversaries of their electronic products. Lenovo celebrated the 20th anniversary of the ThinkPad as Casio marked the 30th anniversary of the G-Shock watch. The notebook PC remains among the most versatile and complex devices consumers use today while the watch is one of the simplest. Yet some commonality between these two products may include lessons for other technology products that wish to remain around for decades.
Continue reading Switched On: The watch and the workhorse
Filed under: Laptops, Wearables
Switched On: The watch and the workhorse originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 16:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Friday has come and gone, which means that the weekend is here once again. The latest iPhone 5 rumors have propelled Apple’s stock to its highest point ever, and it turns out the company’s funds will go toward helping tap a recently-discovered underground river in Crook County, Oregon. Earlier today we saw a picture of what was reported to be the Samsung Galaxy Note II, but later on in the day Daniel YU informed everyone that it was just his mock-up used without his permission. That’s disappointing, but his mock-up looks great, so be sure to check that out.
According to Lenovo, Windows RT tablets could cost $300 less than Windows 8 tablets, and it appears that Yahoo is on the lookout for a new COO. After discovering a glitch with digital signatures earlier in the week, Microsoft is once again publishing Windows Phone apps, and Twitter’s new API update restricts some third-party apps, so watch out for that. UK retailer Clove is reporting that the black Samsung Galaxy S III will be out in October, and a new Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 bundle comes packed with bonuses that students are going to find hard to resist.
There’s a particularly nasty Trojan dubbed “Shamoon” that’s making the rounds, and in some rather surprising news from the day, it seems that OnLive is shutting down today. OnLive executives said throughout the day that everything with the company is fine, but later, more evidence that supports such a shutdown surfaced. Not good. Both models of the Nexus 7 are now in stock again on the Google Play store, and third parties were right there to begin pushing all sorts of accessories for it, while we’re hearing rumors that claim Apple’s set-top box will come with cloud DVR and a simple UI.
The beta for Steam’s upcoming Big Picture Mode will be kicking off at the beginning of next month, and HP is getting serious about tackling the consumer tablet division (or at least trying to again). The iPad Mini – and future iPad iterations for that matter – will apparently be getting a special ITO film, and Warren Spector is really pushing for Epic Mickey on the Xbox 360 and PS3, but he needs your help in convincing Disney.
Finally tonight, we have a number of original articles for you to peruse. Don Reisinger asks if there will one day be a universal gaming console, Ben Kersey has SlashGear’s review of The Expendables 2, and Chris Burns has a hands-on with the Motorola PHOTON Q. Enjoy your weekend, folks!
SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: August 17, 2012 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Wondering what Skype’s Windows 8 interface might look like? Sure, you could use your imagination — and probably guess the design with a fair amount of accuracy — or you can poke around an early hands-on over at Neowin, complete with a half-dozen UI grabs. While still in preview state, the app appears to be “relatively solid,” enabling calls and chats with “little issue.” From the looks of it, touch fiends will be able to tap around just as accurately as their mouse-bound counterparts can click, with large buttons available throughout. Judging by the app’s current state, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect a more formal appearance any day now, letting early Windows 8 users take the native app for a spin before the rest of us get access in the fall. Hit up our source link below for a gallery of screen grabs.
Filed under: Internet, Software
Skype for Windows 8 preview, user interface revealed in web leak originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft gobbled up Skype with an acquisition in May 2011, and it looks like the VoiP application will finally see a graphical overhaul with the upcoming release of Windows 8. Neowin has gotten its hands on a leaked version of the Skype for Windows 8, showing off the familiar aesthetic that Microsoft is aiming for in the latest version of its operating system. Neowin says that the app is still far from finished, but that most functions seem to be working without any issues.
The design of the new app means it’s especially finger friendly, which should come in handy on the various Windows RT tablets that OEMs are planning for release later in the year. Desktop users shouldn’t have any issues either, with Neowin saying that the app is fast and fluid and so far crashfree. Everything is very clean and simple having taken advantage of Microsoft’s Modern UI, with text tweaked to distinguish between the different people in a conversation, and the size of text has seen a boost to aid readability.
Skype for Windows 8 has been marked as an app preview, so either Microsoft is internally beta testing the software or plans to release a limited preview to the public in the near future. A similar situation occurred with Skype for Windows Phone, with Microsoft releasing a beta earlier this year for users to tinker with before making a final version available in April. Functionality of the app seems fully baked as well, with voice and chat working along with Skype’s credit services and pinned favorites.
The only real question remaining is when Microsoft will release this new version of Skype. The company hasn’t commented on the leak, but we imagine they’re holding off on a release until October 26th when Windows 8 will be officially released along with Microsoft’s Surface tablet.
[via The Verge]
Skype for Windows 8 shown off in leaked pics is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Lenovo claims that the new devices which will run on Microsoft’s Windows RT software will be approximately $200 to $300 more affordable compared to competing devices that run on the Windows 8 software. Microsoft has plans to release a couple of versions of its new operating system later this October, delivering a new touchscreen interface to computers and tablets alike. Windows 8 functions on Intel and AMD processors, while Windows RT will play nice on on ARM processors that is more often than not seen in cell phones and smartphones.
David Schmoock, head of Lenovo’s North America operations, said, “RT will play in consumer and retail at very aggressive price points. It will do well but it’s going to be more of a consumer price point play to begin with.”
Since Windows 8 is far more compatible with numerous other Windows software, making it the ideal attraction to corporations, while Windows RT will “be a very good consumer box,” according to Schmoock. The thing is, Windows 8 tablets are far more expensive, costing approximately $600 to $700.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Lenovo ThinkPad prototype that runs on Windows 8 spotted, Lenovo to release Windows 8 hybrid device in 2013,
Microsoft and its OEM partners haven’t been particularly forthcoming on how much the first round of Windows 8 tablets are going to cost, but one Lenovo executive just gave us a hint. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, David Schmoock, Senior VP of Lenovo’s North American division, said that full-on Windows 8 tablets would ring up between $600 and $700, noting that ARM-based Windows RT slates would sell for $200 to $300 less. “RT will play in consumer and retail at very aggressive price points,” he said. This echoes previous reports that suggested Microsoft would introduce the Surface with a competitive $200 price tag. The Lenovo VP didn’t reveal any specific prices, of course, but his estimates would put the ThinkPad Tablet 2 somewhere between $300 and $500. Schmoock also commented on Ultrabook sales, stating that he didn’t think Intel would meet its lofty saturation goals: 40 percent of the market by the end of 2012. “They’ll be a lot bigger than they are now,” he admitted, “but I don’t know if it will get all the way up to 40 percent.”
Filed under: Tablet PCs
Windows 8 RT tablets to sell for $300 less than Intel-based counterparts, says Lenovo exec originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Acer hasn’t exactly been coy when it comes its opinion on Microsoft’s Surface tablet, but Lenovo believes that it can beat the tablet with some good old fashioned competition. CEO of Lenovo, Yang Yuanqing, voiced his opinions on the company’s latest earnings calls, saying, “Although we don’t like Microsoft providing hardware, for us, it just adds one more competitor,” when asked about Surface.
Lenovo certainly seems confident of its abilities, going on to say that it would beat out Surface in hardware: “[They’re] just one of our many competitors. We are still confident that we are providing much better hardware than our competitors including Microsoft. They are strong in software, but [we] don’t believe they can provide the best hardware in the world. Lenovo can.”
Still, Lenovo didn’t totally call out Microsoft, saying that the company still had a strong relationship due to the Windows partnership: “To be frank, we’re not that worried about [Surface]. Microsoft is still our strategy partner. We are very optimistic on the Windows 8 launch so we will fully leverage that to launch our new products.” The company recently launched its ThinkPad Tablet 2, designed to run Windows 8 on an Intel Atom processor, with HSPA+ and LTE connectivity options, plus security and fingerprint support.
Meanwhile, the company is reportedly planning on releasing an ARM-based convertible tablet later in the year when Windows 8 officially launches. The idea was first shown off with the IdeaPad Yoga, a convertible ultrabook that allowed the screen to fold back on itself so that it could be used like a tablet. The ultrabook is running one of Intel’s ULV Core processors as well as Windows 8 Pro. The ARM version, however, is reportedly running one of NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 processors on Windows RT.
[via CNET]
Lenovo plans to beat Surface with superior hardware is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Many hardware manufacturers are none too happy about the imminent arrival of Microsoft’s Surface—especially Acer’s CEO. But Lenovo’s head honcho doesn’t seem fussed in the slightest. More »
The week is halfway over folks – just two more work days to go and the weekend is here again. Today brought a wealth of Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 stories, with the company officially unveiling it for the US today. We were right there with a review of it, and we also compared Samsung’s new flagship tablet to the 3rd generation iPad, just in case you were curious as to how the Galaxy Note 10.1 stands up. A little bit later in the day, Samsung announced the price of Galaxy Note 10.1 and also revealed some accessories, so if you’re planning to pick one up, be sure to check that out.
Speaking of Samsung devices, we may have received our first glimpse at the front panel of the Samsung Galaxy Note II today, and a video of the Jelly Bean update for the Samsung Galaxy S III surfaced today as well. Looking at Samsung’s current court battle with Apple for a moment, Samsung delivered the argument many on its side were waiting for, saying that the iPhone’s design is “obvious.” HTC rallied employees today by saying that it’s coming back, Amazon might have a new Kindle Fire in the works, and we were treated to a mock up of what the rumored iPad Mini might look like if it, you know… existed.
Verizon will begin offering an LTE-enabled version of the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 later this week, and a new SwiftKey update brings Google Voice recognition with it. Facebook is in trouble with data protection officials in Germany again, a reported iPad Mini dock connector surfaced today, and we happened upon some specs for the Motorola RAZR HD. Anonymous claimed today that it had hacked the PlayStation Network, but Sony was right there to say that it was all a hoax. Microsoft detailed the problems it’s currently having with the Windows Phone marketplace, and Pinterest revealed new apps for both Android and iOS, and if you’re planning to pick up, be sure to have a look at our review first.
LG announced that it has sold 5 million smartphones worldwide, and Netflix is about to roll out to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Nokia has reiterated its commitment to Windows Phone, and the Windows 8 RTM software build is now available. Finally tonight, the Waverider hypersonic aircraft has crashed during an Air Force test flight, and the Humble Indie Bundle for Android 3 is now available, so if you’re in need of some games, be sure to check that out!
That does it for the evening wrap-up everyone, so go and enjoy what’s left of Wednesday!
SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: August 15, 2012 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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