Hasta La Gadget!

Well, that’s a form factor you don’t see that often. Of all the Windows 8 PCs we’ve seen so far, the Dell XPS 12 is tough to forget, if only because it’s the only one whose screen flips inside the hinge like an easel. We already got hands-on at IFA last month, but now we’re learning some key details — you know, like pricing and availability. Dell just announced that it will go up for pre-order today, starting at $1,199. (It will ship October 26th, the day Windows 8 launches.) That’s a princely sum indeed compared to some of the other Windows 8 ultraportables we’ve seen, but it’s important to remember that this runs not on an Atom processor, but an Ultrabook-grade CPU. And while you might assume that 12.5-inch display makes do with 1,366 x 768 resolution, it’s actually a dense 1080p panel. Hopefully we’ll get to review a final unit soon, but in the meantime feast yourself on a fresh round of hands-on shots below.

Filed under: Laptops, Dell

Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 convertible priced at $1,199 and up, ships this month with pre-orders starting today originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Break out the party streamers and balloons — if only in an orderly fashion, because this is the day Office 2013 has been released to manufacturing. The completion swings Microsoft’s attention towards a rollout staggered over the next few months. Wider availability will have to wait until the first quarter of 2013 — such synchronicity with your branding, Microsoft — but companies who’ve sprung for volume licensing will get access as early as mid-November to December 1st, depending on whether or not they’re embracing a Software Assurance plan. In the meantime, Microsoft is offering an easy path for anxious workers by promising a free copy of Office 2013 to everyone who buys Office 2010 from October 19th onwards. The upgraded software might not be cheap for those who aren’t already buying a Windows RT tablet, but it’s likely to be an important piece of the puzzle for anyone hunting down a touchscreen Windows 8 PC.

Filed under: Software, Microsoft

Microsoft Office 2013 releases to manufacturing, reaches most of us early next year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 21:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, you were expecting PC makers to announce loads of Windows 8 hybrids, but a battery-powered all-in-one? Probably not. Nonetheless, that’s exactly what Sony unveiled last month at IFA when it showed off the VAIO Tap 20. Designed with families in mind, it could stay plugged into an outlet, but it’s built so that you can carry it easily enough from the kitchen to the living room, if that’s where the kids are hanging out. (It’s 11.4 pounds, so we’re guessing you won’t want to schlep it much farther.) Though we’ve already gotten a sneak peek at the machine, Sony announced today that it will go on sale in the US on October 26th (the day Windows 8 launches), starting at $880.

At that entry-level price, you’ll get a laptop-grade Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive, though you can also configure it with i5 and i7 CPUs and an SSD. As the photos suggest, that 20-inch, 1,600 x 900 display can lie flat, which should come in handy with drawing apps and certain games, like jigsaw puzzles. In keeping with that kitchen-friendly, kid-proof theme, Sony’s also billing the display as “drop-resistant” — there’s a rubber seal around the bezel that promises to keep water far, far away from the motherboard. Oh, and though this isn’t exactly a premium desktop, the display at least uses IPS technology, so it’s safe to say you can expect decent viewing angles if you’re crowding around to watch a movie or have the screen lying flat. Rounding out the spec list, the Tap 20 also has built-in NFC, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, dual speakers and a subwoofer.

Software-wise, the Tap 20 comes with Artrage Studio Pro, along with Fingertaps, a Sony-made app that combines drawing functions with to-do lists and reminders, all arranged in a cute clothes-pin-style interface. Head over to the Windows Store and you’ll also find some other Sony apps ready for download, including the Socialife aggregator, Music by Sony, VAIO Movie Creator and Album by Sony (the latter is a photo and video organizer). Again, this thing won’t go on sale for another two weeks, but if you’re curious we’ll point you toward our earlier hands-on post for photos and video.

Continue reading Sony VAIO Tap 20 battery-powered all-in-one arriving this month for $880 and up

Filed under: Desktops, Sony

Sony VAIO Tap 20 battery-powered all-in-one arriving this month for $880 and up originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While we had expected ViewSonic’s TD2220 to arrive earlier this year, we’ll forgive its lackadaisical timekeeping just this once. The two-point touch, 1,920 x 1,080 LED display arrives in North and Latin America in the third week of October — around the same time as the similarly digit-friendly Windows 8. When it does, it’ll reduce the contents of your bank balance by $330, but that’s a small price to pay for the privilege of confusing onlookers unused to seeing such technology in action.

Filed under: Desktops, Displays

ViewSonic’s TD2220 two-point touch monitor gets priced at $330, will ship to coincide with Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Make no mistake, one of the biggest trends you’ll see this fall is PC makers slapping touchscreens on their current machines so as to make them a little more Windows 8-appropriate. And Acer is no exception: the company is introducing touch-enabled versions of its existing Aspire V5 and M5 laptops, both of which will go on sale this month.

Starting with the M5, it’s the touch-enabled version of the M5 Ultrabook we reviewed earlier this year. Though the standard version is available in 14- and 15-inch screen sizes, the touchscreen model (aka the 481PT, pictured above) will only be offered with a 14-inch (1,366 x 768) panel. This, too, has a Core i5 CPU and 6GB of RAM, though its 500GB hard drive is paired with a 20GB SSD for faster boot-ups. Like the non-touch version, it’s rated for eight hours of runtime. Surprisingly, even though it’s classified as an Ultrabook, it manages to make room for an optical drive — impressive, given its 0.81-inch-thick chassis is still relatively slender. Both machines will be sold exclusively at Best Buy in the US, with the regular M5 starting at $700 and that touch-enabled version going for $800.

As for the budget-minded V5 series, the touchscreen will only be offered on the 14-inch version (the V5-471P). Max specs include up to 8GB of RAM and up to 750GB of HDD storage. (Either way, you get a 1,366 x 768 display, a Core i5-3317UB processor and your requisite Intel HD 4000 graphics.) That model starts at $750, though the non-touch models are priced at $500 and up.

Continue reading Acer Aspire V5 and M5 laptops will be available with touchscreens this month

Filed under: Laptops, Acer

Acer Aspire V5 and M5 laptops will be available with touchscreens this month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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