Sony VAIO Duo 11 slides its way past the FCC

Sony VAIO Duo 11 slides its way past the FCC

Sony is clearly bent on getting the VAIO Duo 11 to market on time — just as we’re recovering from our post-IFA jet lag, the Windows 8 slider has popped up for approval at the FCC. The PC put through the wringer is very much like what we saw at the show, with 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC and that signature stylus on offer. There’s no sign of 3G or 4G for the road warrior crowd. We don’t have any clues as to the exact US release timing from the FCC’s sign-off, but it does clear a path for an American release side by side with the European model in late October, if Sony yearns for some international synchronicity.

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Sony VAIO Duo 11 slides its way past the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Sep 2012 09:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thinix RetroUI lets Windows 8 users step off the Metro, stick to the classic desktop

Thinix RetroUI lets Windows 8 users step off the Metro, stick to the classic desktop

More than a few people are upset that Microsoft’s latest OS might require booting to Metro — sorry, the Windows 8 user interface — no matter little they care for that touch-optimized home screen. Hacks might already exist to revisit the conventional desktop, but Thinix is catering to that inner Luddite on a truly polished level through its just-launched RetroUI. The app skips more than just the sea of tiles: it can lock out certain Metro features altogether and push out to everyone on a network in the event that new UI is just too much for the office to handle. At $5 for every three PCs ($5 per PC in offices), it’s a cheap way to pretend that all of Windows 8’s changes are under the hood, and there’s still a fallback if you’ve decided to embrace Microsoft’s vision after all. Just don’t let Steve Ballmer know what you’ve done.

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Thinix RetroUI lets Windows 8 users step off the Metro, stick to the classic desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 06:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bad Piggies, the alternate-universe’s answer to Angry Birds, lands September 27th

Bad Piggies, the alternateuniverses answer to Angry Birds lands September 27th

Imagine a world where everyone’s evil and wears a goatee, while our avian allies from Angry Birds are actually the villains of the piece. That’s the premise behind Bad Piggies, Rovio’s newest productivity killer, which promises entirely new game mechanics (and no slingshots!). It’ll arrive on iOS, Android and OS X on September 27th, with Windows and Windows Phone 8 versions following shortly afterward.

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Bad Piggies, the alternate-universe’s answer to Angry Birds, lands September 27th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone companion surfaces for Windows 8, could take over syncing duties

Windows Phone companion surfaces for Windows 8, takes over mobile syncing duties

It’s tough to ignore that the Zune era at Microsoft is quickly winding to a close. That doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily be out of options for syncing a Windows Phone’s contents by the time the Zune desktop app fades away, however. A tip to The Verge has shown a companion app for Windows 8 users that will reportedly load the first time a Windows Phone 8 device syncs up, giving a fully Metro-friendly place to transfer any media. Windows 7 would get its own parallel, just in case some of us aren’t willing or able to upgrade our PCs in concert. The replacement desktop apps could be available at about the same time as the Windows Phone 8 launch, if the claims are at all accurate — which might leave less than two months before one more vestige of Microsoft’s MP3 player days goes away.

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Windows Phone companion surfaces for Windows 8, could take over syncing duties originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 19:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hate Windows 8 already? The Pro OEM edition will let you downgrade as far back as Vista

Hate Windows 8 already The Pro OEM version will let you downgrade, even to Vista

Relax, Gabe Newell. If you buy a new Windows 8 Pro PC and discover that you really do detest the OS that much, you may be able to switch back to an older version — either Windows 7 or Vista, but not near-death XP — under the same OEM license. Will many folks want to do that? Probably not, and in any case these so-called downgrade rights are actually only helpful in specific circumstances and they don’t come with boxed retail versions of the software. The main practical benefit (albeit still a niche one) is that a manufacturer could technically offer a Windows 7 disc in the box with a new Windows 8 machine and give customers a choice of OS. Alternatively, the manufacturer could install Windows 7 by default (effectively a factory downgrade) and supply Windows 8 Pro installation media so that customers can upgrade for free when they feel good ‘n ready. At some point, of course, staring at a redundant UI-switching button is going to grate.

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Hate Windows 8 already? The Pro OEM edition will let you downgrade as far back as Vista originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s dual-display Windows 8 laptop and other prototypes, hands-on

See that? It’s not your daddy’s flip hybrid tablet — it’s the new dual-display laptop prototype from the fine people at Samsung. The body of the notebook is certainly in the vein of a MacBook Air or ultrabook, with slim metal slides that taper off into a point. The palm rests, meanwhile, are a brushed metal, with black chiclet-style keys above. On the bezel above the screen is a camera.

The magic, however, doesn’t happen until you close the thing, turning on a display on the hood. Yep, it’s yet another attempt to capitalize on Windows 8’s dual-nature. Inside, you’ve got a fully functioning laptop and outside you’ve a touchscreen tablet that, yes, utilizes everyone’s favorite proprietary stylus, the S-pen, and there’s also a rear facing camera on the outside. Perhaps it’s all that functionality packed inside, but this prototype is certainly heavier than your standard ultrabook, and unlike most systems, a lot of that weight is located in the display — we’re sure there’s a fair amount of internals located up there.

This being a prototype, the Samsung rep we spoke with had no clue on what such a device might cost or when it might come to market — or even if this thing will ever see the light of day, so don’t get your dual-hopes up just yet. The hybrid was sitting right next to the 2,560 x 1,440 Series 9 prototype we recently scoped out and in front of a wall of concepts that explore the brave new world of elastic form factors to their fullest. Check out a video and some notes on the other devices after the jump.

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Samsung’s dual-display Windows 8 laptop and other prototypes, hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung smuggles new Series 9 prototype into IFA: 2,560 x 1,440 on a matte display (hands-on)

Well, this snuck up on us. Close to the end of the first official open-floor day at IFA, Samsung managed to eke out yet another product we want to get our hands on, soonish. This 13-inch Series 9 WQHD Ultrabook beams Windows 8 on 2,560 x 1,440 display (oh yes), making a visible leap beyond the existing Series 9 13-incher, which sticks to a more typical 1,600 x 900. Better still, the surface of the screen has a gentle matte finish. The engineering sample arrived in the Samsung spokesperson’s hands just seven days ago. The resolution matches ASUS’ high-grade gamer monitor in pixels, if falling ever so slightly short of the Retina Display on Apple’s newest MacBook model. There was no news on what the manufacturer will call the new display tech, further specifications, or even whether this was just a proof of concept — the device was chilling in the corner of the electronics giant’s innovation gallery. Hopefully, Samsung won’t hold out on those details for much longer. Take a look for yourself in our hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Samsung smuggles new Series 9 prototype into IFA: 2,560 x 1,440 on a matte display (hands-on)

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Samsung smuggles new Series 9 prototype into IFA: 2,560 x 1,440 on a matte display (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft confirms first wave of Xbox games for Windows 8

Microsoft confirms first wave of Xbox games for Windows 8

Been wondering what your gaming options will be when you first take a new Windows 8 PC or Windows RT tablet out of the box? Microsoft has confirmed today that its first wave of Xbox titles (as they’re now known) for the OS will include 40 games, 29 of which come from Microsoft Studios. Those include quite a few familiar titles like Angry Birds (and Angry Birds Space), Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, as well as the old mainstays like Solitaire, Minesweeper and Mahjong — anyone hoping for the likes of a Halo or Gears of War title are out of luck for now, though. As we’d heard previously, all Xbox games will be accessible from within the pre-installed Games app, and they’ll each boast most of the Xbox Live features you’d expect, including achievements and leaderboards. You can find the full list after the break, and Microsoft promises that more will be added “through holiday and beyond.”

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Microsoft confirms first wave of Xbox games for Windows 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 10:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer announces Aspire M3 and Aspire V5 laptops with touchscreens (update: hands-on photos)

Acer announces Aspire M3 and Aspire V5 laptops with touchscreens

In case you haven’t noticed, there are two kinds of Windows 8 devices on display at IFA this week: laptop / tablet hybrids, and already-announced laptops, refreshed to include touchscreens. Acer’s newest two Ultrabooks fall into that second category: the company just announced touch-enabled versions of its Aspire M3 Ultrabook and Aspire V5 thin-and-light. For now, Acer isn’t saying a word about price or availability, so for now you’ll have to be content with a few spec details, all embedded after the break.

Update: We’ve added some more pictures of Acer’s new touch-friendly Ultrabooks in the flesh.

Continue reading Acer announces Aspire M3 and Aspire V5 laptops with touchscreens (update: hands-on photos)

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Acer announces Aspire M3 and Aspire V5 laptops with touchscreens (update: hands-on photos) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer Aspire ZS600 AIO announced at IFA 2012: 23-inch multi-touch Windows 8 PC (hands-on)

Acer Aspire ZS600 AIO announced at IFA 2012 23inch multitouch Windows 8 PC

As we inch closer towards that October 26th release, the glut of announced Windows 8 devices continues to grow and today is no exception. At Acer’s press conference here at IFA 2012, the company unveiled its new all-in-one PC: the Aspire ZS600. At first glance, the AIO’s adjustable aluminum frame enclosure didn’t much strike us “contemporary” per the company’s claims, as it seemed to blend into the vast array of similar PCs showcased at the booth. And without any available keyboard dock to help us navigate that vibrant 23-inch full HD display, we were left to make use of the screen’s 10-point multi-touch which proved a tad frustrating, bordering on ineffectual — at least on this demo model. We also witnessed a considerable amount of glare in our brief time testing the product, though it’s worth noting we were surrounded by a multitude of showroom lighting.

Powering this multimedia-focused family AIO along is Intel’s 3rd generation chipsets (up to Core i7) joined by Dolby Home Theatre 4.1 for superior sound and AcerCloud for convenient personal media streaming. The company’s offering users the ability to configure it with up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GT 640, as well as a generous 2TB SATA hard disk. As far as optical options go, consumers can choose from a Blu-ray player or standard DVD drive. You’ll have to sit tight for this fella to head to market, but rest assured you should see it on retails shelves before year’s end — we hope. While you wait, why not check out our gallery below?

Mat Smith contributed to this report.

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Acer Aspire ZS600 AIO announced at IFA 2012: 23-inch multi-touch Windows 8 PC (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 08:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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