Aug 20

Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 with NVIDIA ION on hold pending Windows 7 debut

Posted in: lenovo, netbook, nvidia ion, NvidiaIon, Today's Chili, windows 7, Windows7

We were all excited for Lenovo’s NVIDIA ION-powered IdeaPad S12, which was gonna be the first netbook to market with the HD-capable chipset — but alas, it was not yet meant to be. Gizmodo reports the company has decided to delay the portable until the end of October, just after Windows 7’s launch on the 22nd. By then it’ll have to face competition from Samsung, whose $599 N510 will launch first in September, and possibly a rumored HP device coming in the next few weeks. We can take solace in the fact that the ION upgrade will only add $50 to the current $499 tag, but having to wait

Filed under:

Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 with NVIDIA ION on hold pending Windows 7 debut originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Aug 20

Get your Windows 7 Release Candidate while you can (that means today)

Posted in: Microsoft, operating system, OperatingSystem, os, Today's Chili, Windows, windows 7, Windows7
Been meaning to try out Windows 7 for free before taking the plunge on a final retail copy? Then you might want to get your act together, as today is the last day that you’ll be able to download the Windows 7 Release Candidate direct from Microsoft itself. If you can spare a few minutes, however, we might suggest first checking out our Windows 7 install guide to get a taste of what you’re in for, and, of course, our full Windows 7 review, which is quite possibly the next best thing to actually using it.

Update: We’re already seeing a few issues with the download page, so anyone that’s lucky enough to get a download link should probably jump on it while they can.

Filed under:

Get your Windows 7 Release Candidate while you can (that means today) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments
Aug 20

Kohjinsha’s 11.6-inch EX6 convertible tablet says XP, means Windows 7

Posted in: Japan, tablet, Today's Chili, windows 7, Windows7

With Windows 7 on the horizon, multi-touch support in tow, people are suddenly interested in tablets all over again; a form factor that didn’t quite revolutionize portable computing as envisioned by an enthusiastic Bill Gates showing that first prototype way back in 2001. And with an Apple event just weeks away (presumably), fanboys of both persuasions seem convinced that tablets are once more the future of mobile computing. Manufacturers are certainly on board. Case in point: Kohjinsha, that just announced its EX6 convertible tablet with 1366×768 pixels slathered across a 11.6-inch LED-backlit capacitive resistive touchscreen. Inside you’ll find a 1.6GHz Atom N270 and 945GSE chipset, up to 2GB of memory and 160GB of disk, 802.11n WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, a pair of front and back-facing cameras, 2600mAh battery, 2x USB, and slots for SDHC/microSDHC, ExpressCard 34 cards, and even DVDs. Unfortunately, it’ll be shipped with XP when it hits retail at the end of this month for ¥59,800 (about $635) — something we expect you’ll rectify on October 22nd. As to whether it’ll support multi-touch under Win7, well, anybody see the appropriate sticker?

Filed under: ,

Kohjinsha’s 11.6-inch EX6 convertible tablet says XP, means Windows 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments
Aug 19

Windows 7 will cost half as much in the UK as in the US, crikey!

Posted in: Microsoft, operating system, OperatingSystem, os, price, pricing, Today's Chili, uk, Windows, windows 7, Windows7

Happy news for our British readers today — Microsoft is selling Windows 7 Home Premium in the UK at the bargain price of £65 for the full (non-upgrade) version. Converted to $107, that’s less than Americans have to shell out just for an upgrade ($120) and about half the price of the full thing ($200). The Professional and Ultimate varieties are also cheaper by about $40 each. With Windows 7 E now out of the picture (though seemingly still available for pre-order from the MS online store), it looks like Microsoft has chosen to match its lower price (listed with an £80 MSRP) with the new SKUs that will actually see retail shelves — a price online retailers are now undercutting. Jolly good. CNET was first to the story and was told by an Amazon UK rep that the current pricing is expected to be indefinite, but previous intel on the matter has indicated that Microsoft will be hiking UK prices from January 1, 2010. So if you wanna be safe, better get that brand spanking new OS before Christmas rolls around.

[Via Pocket lint]

Read – CNET article
Read – Microsoft UK online store
Read – Windows 7 Home Premium at Amazon UK for £65

Filed under:

Windows 7 will cost half as much in the UK as in the US, crikey! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments
Aug 18

Acer reportedly set to launch three touch-enabled, Windows 7-based devices

Posted in: multitouch, rumor, Today's Chili, touch, Windows, windows 7, Windows7

Another company producing yet more products that take advantage of Windows 7’s much-vaunted touch capabilities? Amazing but true, at least according to DigiTimes, which is reporting that Acer is set to launch no less than three “touch-enabled products” loaded with Windows 7. That word apparently comes straight from a product manager in the company’s mobile computer department, who also went on to say that touch-enabled netbooks might see “good market acceptance” if they’re marketed as cheaper alternatives to tablet PCs, although it’s not clear if the products in question are actually touch-enabled netbooks. In other touch-related news, Acer is also reportedly looking at using in-cell touch panel technology when it becomes widely available, which should be cheaper to produce than conventional touch panels that don’t have all the necessary touch components built right in at the LCD panel level.

Filed under: , ,

Acer reportedly set to launch three touch-enabled, Windows 7-based devices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Aug 14

Zune 4.0 software won’t play nice with HDTV Media Center recordings

Posted in: dvr, Microsoft, Today's Chili, windows 7, Windows7, zune, zune hd, ZuneHd

With the launch of the Zune HD and the CEDIA show just around the corner, we’ve been hoping this could mean an all new integrated future for Windows Media Center and other Microsoft platforms — until now. As a few commenters pointed out yesterday, the corrected spec sheet received from Microsoft indicated HDTV and protected Windows Media Center DVR-MS (the files used by Vista Media center) recordings were not supported. We reached out for clarification and received the following:

“Zune HD, and the forthcoming Zune 4.0 PC software, will support and transcode Windows Media Center recorded TV file formats from Windows Vista or Windows 7 that contain MPEG-2 video, in either the DVR-MS or WTV formats. Support is limited to unencrypted SD and HD recordings. HD Files with AC3 audio are not supported by Zune.“

As you may or may not be aware, at least in the U.S. , and most other countries, any high definition broadcasts you snag from antenna, ClearQAM or otherwise use Dolby Digital AC-3 audio, meaning the Zune software won’t be able to convert them. Current workarounds for bringing Media Center recordings on the go should still be a go, but all we can see is the missed opportunity to tie the two platforms together with easy one click transcoding support. Hopefully Microsoft still has something up its sleeve to pull together Zune and Windows 7 Media Center, but portable DVR recordings ain’t it.

Filed under: , , ,

Zune 4.0 software won’t play nice with HDTV Media Center recordings originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Aug 14

Engadget Podcast 159 – 08.14.2009

Posted in: Apple, engadget podcast, EngadgetPodcast, feature, Features, keynote, Microsoft, podcast, samsung, tablet, Today's Chili, windows 7, Windows7, zune hd, ZuneHd

Get ready for a wild one, folks — we recorded this week’s Engadget Podcast with a live (chatroom) studio audience, and things got a little rowdy. Join Josh, Paul and Nilay as they run down the new Zune HD, Windows 7, two new Dell machines and three new Samsung cameras before finally — at the urging of the crowd — tackling the Apple tablet rumors. Definitely a fun show — we’ll have to do more like this in the future. Until then, what are you waiting for? Get downloading!

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: Powerglove – Tetris

Hear the podcast

00:03:23 – Zune HD lands September 15th, up for pre-order today
00:19:55 – Windows 7 review
00:23:45 – How-To: Install Windows 7 and live to tell about it
00:28:05 – Dell’s Zino HD crams desktop parts into miniature enclosure
00:38:46 – Dell’s slim new Inspiron Z family is totally carb free
00:47:02 – Dell Mini 3i smartphone captured in pair of spy shots
00:54:20 – Video: Samsung’s TL220 and TL225 cameras add a LCD in front to help with your self-portraits
00:55:20 – Samsung’s new compacts in person: front LCDs, GPS and WiFi don’t go to waste
00:59:50 – Samsung crams WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 2.0 into well-specced CL65 point-and-shoot
01:08:15 – Apple might be planning keynote for week of September 7th, might have new products on offer

Subscribe to the podcast

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).
[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.
[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace

Download the podcast

LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)

Contact the podcast

1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.

Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget

Filed under:

Engadget Podcast 159 – 08.14.2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , ,
Aug 13

Entelligence: Stains on the sleeve of my operating system

Posted in: Android, Apple, column, feature, Features, Google, Linux, mac os x, MacOsX, Microsoft, os, os x, OsX, palm, PC, Today's Chili, webos, Windows, windows 7, Windows7

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he’ll explore where our industry is and where it’s going — on both micro and macro levels — with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

I originally started this column on my take on what an Apple tablet might be (I literally dreamed about it and started to write it down when I woke up). I was really into it, which explains why I didn’t save it as I wrote. I think you can see where this is going.

Like a cartoon character who notices that he’s no longer standing on solid ground and suddenly begins to fall, I reached over to save, but was too late. My trusty XP install suddenly blue screened. Muttering just a few choice words, I rebooted, only to blue screen again. No problem, there’s always “safe mode.” Too bad safe mode blue screened as well. With little hope of getting anything recovered, I gave up, fired up my Mac and started from scratch. It’s not the first time this has happened to me, where for some reason or another I’ve lost work on my computer. I suspect it’s happened to a few of you out there too.

But this latest bad experience changed my thought process from Apple tablets to what’s wrong with the whole PC landscape and today’s operating systems.

Continue reading Entelligence: Stains on the sleeve of my operating system

Filed under:

Entelligence: Stains on the sleeve of my operating system originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , ,
Aug 12

HP Pavilion Elite makes an offer you (probably) can’t refuse: Blu-ray, Win 7, quad-core CPU for $650

Posted in: blu-ray, deal, HP, Today's Chili, windows 7, Windows7

Sure, it’s not as sleek as some of the other options out there, but the specs of this HP Pavilion Elite e9110t desktop, for the $649.99 asking price, are pretty stunning: a 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Quad processor, NVIDIA GeForce G210, 6GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive , 802.11n, Blu-ray player, and a free Windows 7 upgrade when it finally launches. Offer ends this Saturday, August 15th, but if you’re interests have piqued and your wallet has giving the go-ahead, dealnews has all the details and pertinent coupon codes.

[Via CNET]

Filed under:

HP Pavilion Elite makes an offer you (probably) can’t refuse: Blu-ray, Win 7, quad-core CPU for $650 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Aug 12

Windows 7 review

Posted in: Features, Microsoft, operating system, OperatingSystem, os, review, Today's Chili, Windows, windows 7, Windows7

Oh, Windows. You inform and entertain us. You are inescapable, and your Start menu is full of items relevant to our productivity. You move us. Sort of. To be honest, we’re not sure what sort of state this fair planet of ours would be in without the ruggedly functional operating systems the folks at Redmond have handed to us over the years, and while Windows Vista might have proved that Microsoft wasn’t invincible, it did nothing to demonstrate that Windows as an idea — and for most, a necessity — was at all in jeopardy.

Windows 7 arrives on the scene three short years after Vista, shoring up its predecessor’s inadequacies and perhaps offering a little bit more to chew on. We’ve been playing with the OS ever since the beta, along through the release candidate, and now at last have the final, “release to manufacturing” (RTM) edition in our grubby paws. Does it live up to its understandable hype and the implicit expectations of a major Microsoft release? Let’s proceed on a magical journey to discover the truth for ourselves.

Continue reading Windows 7 review

Filed under:

Windows 7 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

No Comments