Hasta La Gadget!

We’re live from Microsoft Windows president Steven Sinofsky’s keynote at D9, and there’s something rather exciting on stage — a pair of experimental Windows 8 dev boards running an OS that looks very much like Windows Phone 7’s Metro UI. All Things D actually sat down with the man earlier today and got a sneak peek at what to expect starting with the live tiled screen you see above — and yes, like Windows Phone 7, this OS is designed for touch.

There’ll be two kinds of applications for Windows 8, one that runs in a traditional desktop, and the other pseudo-mobile apps based on HTML5 and Javascript, but both environments — rather, the entire OS — have been designed from the ground up for touchscreen use. Keyboard and mouse will still be options for both sets of programs, but there are multiple virtual sets of keys for different form factors, including a split keyboard for vertical slate use. Multitasking is simply a matter of swiping running apps into the center of the screen, and you can pull windows partway to “snap” them in place alongside other windows — even mixing and matching traditional desktop programs with web apps simultaneously (like Twitter alongside your spreadsheet). There’s a new version of Internet Explorer 10 (which runs Silverlight) and an app store built into the touchscreen interface, along with integrated services like Office 365. Microsoft says the new OS will run on laptops, tablets and desktops when it appears — whenever that might be.

All Things D didn’t have any details on when we’ll get pricing or availability, but we’re looking at some Intel Atom-based demo units on stage right now, and Microsoft says it will have ARM designs (the OS will support NVIDIA, TI and Qualcomm) viewable on the Computex show floor, and more will be revealed at the Build Windows developer conference in September. We should note that “Windows 8” is just a codename for what we’re seeing here — “we’ll figure out the real name in due time,” Sinofsky told the crowd — but we don’t see much harm in calling it Windows 8 for now.

Update: Video after the break!

Continue reading Microsoft unveils Windows 8 (video)

Microsoft unveils Windows 8 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A show as packed to the walls will shiny new technology as Computex could surely benefit from a few space saving devices, like, say, this new all-in-one from LG. With the high-end configuration you’ll get a second generation Intel Core i7 processor, AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics, a 750GB hard drive, 8GB of RAM, and a Blu-ray player all packed inside the system’s slender 1.8-inch thick frame. The V300’s multitouch 23-inch Film-type Patterned Retarder (FPR)-enabled display offers up 3D with the aid of polarized glasses. The AIW is set for a Korean launch in July, followed by trips to Europe, the Middle East, and other parts of Asia. No word on if or when it’ll hit desks in the States, but at least you won’t have to find much room on your desk when it does.

Continue reading LG V300 does multitouch, 3D, all-in-one

LG V300 does multitouch, 3D, all-in-one originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 May 2011 19:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just a few weeks after unveiling its ZMS-20 and ZMS-40 StemCell processors, ZiiLabs has now designed a new family of slates to house them. Developed with the OEM market in mind, the company’s new Jaguar Honeycomb tablets come in two breeds — one with a seven-inch, 1024×600 LCD and another with a ten-inch 1280×800 display. Unlike their ZiiO predecessors, these 64GB siamese twins call for both capacitive and resistive touchscreen capabilities, support OpenGL ES 2.0 3D graphics and, as you can see in the image above, feature front- and rear-facing five-megapixel cameras. And, of course, there’s a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 ZMS-20 or quad-core ZMS-40 helping them purr right along, both clocking in at 1.5 GHz. The two Jaguars will be uncaged at next week’s Computex tradeshow in Taiwan, but you can find more information in the PR that awaits you after the break.

Continue reading ZiiLabs unveils Jaguar family of Honeycomb tablets for OEMs to devour

ZiiLabs unveils Jaguar family of Honeycomb tablets for OEMs to devour originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 11:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember that Omnio WOWKeys keyboard we mentioned back in November — the one that brings full-sized QWERTY functionality to your iPhone or iPod Touch? Well, it’s now available for your consumption. Once you lock your iDevice into the port on the right, it will automatically begin charging and syncing with iTunes. From there, you can start typing text directly into your handheld, or use the keyboard’s twelve hotkeys to control music playback functions, turn off the display, or switch between PC and iPhone mode. You can even use your mobile’s touchscreen as a trackpad for your Mac or PC, though you’ll need an app like Mobile Mouse Pro to do so. Basically, it’s an EeeKeyboard. All told, this kind of synergy will cost you around $100, so if you’re interested, hit the source link for more details, or head past the break for a pretty cringe-inducing video.

Continue reading Omnio’s WOWKeys keyboard now shipping, ready to dock your iPhone for $100 (video)

Omnio’s WOWKeys keyboard now shipping, ready to dock your iPhone for $100 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 May 2011 09:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kobo today kicked off Book Expo America with the launch of a new six-inch, one-button touchscreen e-reader — named, appropriately enough, the Kobo eReader Touch Edition. Priced at $130 — $10 cheaper than Amazon’s Kindle — the pocket-sized device strives for a reading experience more akin to that of old timey paper books, courtesy of a Zeforce infrared touchscreen, new Pearl eInk technology, and a freescale i.MX507 processor for faster page turning. Click on through for more details and our impressions of this little reader.

Continue reading Kobo unbuttons for $129 eReader Touch Edition, we go hands-on (video)

Kobo unbuttons for $129 eReader Touch Edition, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 10:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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