windows 8 tablet | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:52:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png windows 8 tablet | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Asus VivoTab Smart (ME400C) Windows 8 Tablet Review https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-reviews/luke-hill/asus-vivotab-smart-me400c-windows-8-tablet-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-reviews/luke-hill/asus-vivotab-smart-me400c-windows-8-tablet-review/#comments Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:52:33 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=131084 Want a tablet but struggling to justify the laptop-like price tag? Want a laptop but thinking that the larger size could be an inconvenience? Asus aims to make those problems a thing of the past with its best-of-both-worlds VivoTab Smart (ME400C) ‘hybrid' tablet. Has Asus successfully implanted laptop-class, x86 hardware into a 10.1″ tablet form …

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Want a tablet but struggling to justify the laptop-like price tag? Want a laptop but thinking that the larger size could be an inconvenience? Asus aims to make those problems a thing of the past with its best-of-both-worlds VivoTab Smart (ME400C) ‘hybrid' tablet. Has Asus successfully implanted laptop-class, x86 hardware into a 10.1″ tablet form factor?

As far as large screen tablets go, it's hard to beat Apple's 9.7″ iPad with Retina display. But for many customers who value performance, the base model's laptop-like – £399 – price tag is equally difficult to justify. So how does a company offer mobile hardware that justifies a device's circa-£400 price tag, while maintaining the flexibility and ease-of-use of a large screen tablet? Asus' approach is to combine low-powered, laptop-class hardware with a 10.1″ IPS touch screen display and full-blown, 32-bit Windows 8 operating system.

Packing a 1.8GHz Intel Atom Z2760 dual-core processor, 2 Gigabytes of memory, 64 Gigabytes of storage and a full-blown Windows 8 operating system into a 580g, 9.7mm-thin, 10.1″ tablet form factor, Asus' VivoTab Smart appeals to both the laptop and tablet audiences. With its x86 chip and proper Windows 8 operating system, the VivoTab smart can operate in a conventional – desktop – environment to run ‘standard' software, as well as the fresh – tablet – alternative with modern apps.

Aiming to provide a solution which eliminates the performance and compatibility shortfalls of ARM-based tablets and increases the portability of a laptop, has Asus hit the mark with its VivoTab Smart ‘hybrid' Windows 8 tablet?

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Specifications:

  • Display: 10.1″ with Multi-Touch Screen WXGA (1366 x 768) Screen, IPS Panel
  • Processor: 1.8GHz Intel Atom Z2760 dual-core (1MB Cache, Hyper-Threading technology)
  • Memory: 2GB
  • Storage: 64GB + 32GB ASUS Webstorage space
  • WiFi: WLAN 802.11 b/g/n@2.4GHz
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth V4.0
  • Camera(s): 8MP rear-facing, 2MP front-facing
  • Battery: 25Wh Li-polymer
  • Operating System: Windows 8 32-bit
  • Dimensions: 262.5 x 171 x 9.7 mm (WxDxH)
  • Weight: 580g
  • Colours: White/Black/Red
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Intel Gaming Pentathlon powered by everyday devices https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/jules/intel-gaming-pentathlon-powered-by-everyday-devices/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/jules/intel-gaming-pentathlon-powered-by-everyday-devices/#respond Thu, 11 Oct 2012 09:05:26 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=111479 Arriving at the plush downtown offices of Hill & Knowlton, one of the world's oldest PR companies, on a chilly October evening – you would have been greeted by the site of a heap of IT journalists squatting, jumping, dancing and laying around big screens playing what appeared to be ‘games from one or two …

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Arriving at the plush downtown offices of Hill & Knowlton, one of the world's oldest PR companies, on a chilly October evening – you would have been greeted by the site of a heap of IT journalists squatting, jumping, dancing and laying around big screens playing what appeared to be ‘games from one or two generations ago'. And you would be right. The ‘trick' was what they were competing on. KitGuru operatives snuck in a camera and began secret snapping.

Flying through space, shooting alien saucers. Bouncing up and down like a demented panda. Running across a fixed set of terrain, shooting enemies with ‘blobby energy guns'. It all looks very familiar – like sitting in a Chinese restaurant when they play ‘hits of yesteryear', but not using the original singers. It's a little different, but we're all familiar with the tune and words. The Intel Gaming Pentathlon was not geared around the latest and greatest – but more around ‘Can you have a full on, 5-stage, gaming competition – without a graphic card in site?'.

Intel went one stage further, in that none of the 5 game competitor stations they had set up had a traditional PC anywhere near them.

One was being driven by a new/anonymous mini-gaming console. Another used an Ultrabook, while the station next to it had a HD screen being driven by what looked like a tiny phone.

World-class pro-team Dignitas had soldiers on hand to show the journalistic amateurs how to fight your way through. The action did not appear smooth but, we're told, it was connecting wirelessly - not through a LAN. Intel's reporting that the game itself, on an Ultrabook, delivers 40-70 frames a second.

Intel's message seems clear: Graphics on Ivy Bridge are usable, they provide an engaging experience and ‘you just wait until Haswell gets here in Q2'.

The ‘Haswell' part of the message is important, because Intel graphics have not finished evolving. The experts on hand were keen to point out that things really will get ‘quite tasty' in the new year. We're thinking back to the last days of Pentium 4, when Intel went on a global road trip to discuss benchmarking in the 21st century. At the time, Intel was getting pasted by AMD, so there was a lot of inquisition about Intel's motives for such a tour. Then Conroe arrived, the tour made perfect sense and Intel's desktop team have never looked back. It's extremely unlikely that Haswell will deliver a Conroe-type revolution but, if power consumption can be brought under control, then the future certainly looks more competitive.

Gritty journalists fighting it out using Intel inside Razr phones on an HD TV. But. No one is looking at the TV. Hmmm.

Pro-gamers, in the shape of Dignitas, were on hand to show how gaming should look – but the evening was really all about a bunch of technology and gaming journalists having a few beers, eating posh sandwiches and trying damn hard to beat their rival's scores on the 5 games being shown.

On that basis, Intel's messaging worked and made sense. They showed (evil PR geniuses that they are), that you can fill an evening with entertainment – even if what you're looking at on the screen seems more like a first generation Wii game than something you might expect on a £1,500 Ultrabook.

Will this generation of Intel gaming graphics worry nVidia and AMD?  Not a chance. The A10 5800k launch demonstrations were stunningly better. We saw side-by-side comparisons, on the latest games, where AMD's integrated solution was around 3x faster than Intel's mainstream graphics offer. But that's not quite what Intel is aiming at.

While AMD and the whole APU/Fusion programme has captured the hearts and minds of the next generation of console manufacturers – and Apple is treading its own unique path to retinal wonder, Intel is looking at markets like Tablets, with a known/trusted partner like Microsoft, and thinking “Can we be, just a little… cool?”

This chap finds himself revealing his Intel inner panda to his entourage of young ladies

KitGuru says: Fun was being had but, if we're honest, the idea of a £1,500 Ultrabook running a game that looks like Unreal tournament of yesteryear, doesn't make you want it at all – while seeing someone playing HD games with a tiny little phone is actually quite cool. The tablet experience will be the real battleground for Intel, but we're not sure how much impact they can make here until the Broadwell shrink of the Haswell chip in the 2014/2015 time frame, because it's all about power consumption and small power means small chips.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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Nokia reportedly working on a Windows 8 tablet https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/nokia-reportedly-working-on-a-windows-8-tablet/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/stephen-dougherty/nokia-reportedly-working-on-a-windows-8-tablet/#respond Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:57:27 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=82675 Rumour has surfaced that Finnish phone maker Nokia is planning to hit up the tablet PC market later this year with a Windows 8 + ARM entrant. Very little was said / known by the source about the tablet's specs at this early stage other than it supposedly being 10-inches and using a Qualcomm dual-core …

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Rumour has surfaced that Finnish phone maker Nokia is planning to hit up the tablet PC market later this year with a Windows 8 + ARM entrant.

Very little was said / known by the source about the tablet's specs at this early stage other than it supposedly being 10-inches and using a Qualcomm dual-core processor (most likely a Snapdragon S4).

Nokia is apparently outsourcing production of its first tablet to Compal Electronics in which the first batch of shipments is expected to total 200,000. While there's no definitive release date set at this point, it's been indicated by sources that sometime during Q4 2012 will be the earliest for its arrival.

Sources strongly believe with the likes of Nokia jumping onboard the Windows 8-on-ARM bandwagon that Microsoft will be grinning like a cheshire cat at Google and Apple with their respective counterparts, Android and iOS.

KitGuru says: One thing can be ascertained. The tablet market is going to be more lively than ever in time for Christmas 2012. Question is, how will Google and Apple fare amongst the inevitable tsunami of incoming WoA devices towards the end of the year?

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Can AMD play in the Windows 8 Tablet sector? https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/carl/can-amd-play-in-the-windows-8-tablet-sector/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/carl/can-amd-play-in-the-windows-8-tablet-sector/#respond Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:21:22 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=77125 Windows 8 is just around the corner and many companies are preparing their strategy to get market share in the tablet sector. AMD have a tough fight ahead, having to release very power efficient chip designs, especially with ARM so strong in this sector. Windows 8 is causing much debate online in enthusiast circles. Comments …

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Windows 8 is just around the corner and many companies are preparing their strategy to get market share in the tablet sector. AMD have a tough fight ahead, having to release very power efficient chip designs, especially with ARM so strong in this sector.

Windows 8 is causing much debate online in enthusiast circles. Comments on the interface are one of the hot topics and many people don't like the style, especially for a desktop environment. Microsoft are keen to focus on the tablet market, especially as Apple have been dominating the sector for the last year. ARM chip manufacturers such as Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Nvidia have strong plans, so AMD will face a bloody fight to attract potential customers.

John Taylor, director of client product marketing and software at AMD held an interview with CNET and they got to ask him some questions on the upcoming plans. He said “or tablets, it will decidedly be the Hondo chip. We're acknowledging that we still have a couple of watts to shave off to really be a more ideal tablet platform (to achieve optimal power efficiency). But we think that Temash gets us much, much closer to that in 2013.”

When asked about Windows 8 convertibles he said that a 17 watt power consumption design was the best they will offer, called ‘Trinity'. It will offer discrete graphics performance and dedicated video processing capabilities with strong battery life.

Kitguru says: AMD may not seem to be bothered about the smartphone market, but they look to be planning ahead to take on ARM designs in the ultraportable market.

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Punters may have to pay a fortune for Windows 8 tablets https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/ipad-apple/colin-beatty/punters-may-have-to-pay-a-fortune-for-windows-8-tablets/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/ipad-apple/colin-beatty/punters-may-have-to-pay-a-fortune-for-windows-8-tablets/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:12:24 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=74364 Many people are waiting with baited breath for the upcoming release of Windows 8 tablets, however if initial reports from the Far East are to be taken seriously, it looks like many of the tablets may cost between $600 and $900, which could translate to a minimum of £500. If this is right, Microsoft may …

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Many people are waiting with baited breath for the upcoming release of Windows 8 tablets, however if initial reports from the Far East are to be taken seriously, it looks like many of the tablets may cost between $600 and $900, which could translate to a minimum of £500. If this is right, Microsoft may have a hard sell in an iPad dominated market.

Digitimes reported that problems between Microsoft and Intel may be part of the problem, with Intel “unwilling to drop their related hardware and Clover Trail-W prices.”

It is worth pointing out to UK punters that an iPad 2 can be bought in the US for $500 (16GB version), so the Microsoft tablets may very well cost even more than the Apple products. If the upper end price point of $900 is accurate, then the tablet price will be very close to the entry level Ultrabooks which Intel are keen on selling in 2012. If that is the case, then Microsoft are on a slippery road.

Microsoft may very well have to look at processors from other companies such as ARM or Nvidia if they want to achieve reasonable price points. They will also need to be seriously sexy to get the attention of the mainstream punter who has already accepted the iPad tablet computers with open arms.

Kitguru says: Would you pay more than an iPad for a Windows 8 tablet?

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Windows 8 tablet, will you really want one? https://www.kitguru.net/channel/slyvia/windows-8-tablet-will-you-really-want-one/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/slyvia/windows-8-tablet-will-you-really-want-one/#comments Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:57:11 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=71919 Windows 7 has been a huge success for Microsoft, after the lukewarm reception of Vista. Next year, the focus for Microsoft will be on Windows 8, but is this an operating system you will really need? The industry has been buzzing now for months regarding the upcoming Microsoft operating system. Windows 7 has not proven …

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Windows 7 has been a huge success for Microsoft, after the lukewarm reception of Vista. Next year, the focus for Microsoft will be on Windows 8, but is this an operating system you will really need?

The industry has been buzzing now for months regarding the upcoming Microsoft operating system. Windows 7 has not proven a success when running on tablet computers, with many users complaining that the operating system was never really designed from the ground up to handle a touch screen.

Windows 8 is set to rectify this, and for the first time it may give Microsoft a viable platform to launch an attack on industry leaders. Apple.

Forrester have released a study however which show that consumer interest in a Windows tablet has dropped significantly in the latter part of 2011. According to their report, at the start of 2011, 46 percent of potential tablet owners wanted a Windows device, by Q3 this number had dropped to a rather frightening 25 percent.

Forrester claim that Microsoft just aren't associated with tablet computers, with people seeing them more as an operating system based organisation. What many people still don't get, is that Windows 8 is primarily meant for tablet, and touch screen based systems.

The operating system is being designed from the ground up to support both X86 and ARM processors. British chip maker ARM has a strong foothold in the mobile sector and it is imperative that Microsoft ensure maximum compatibility with the mobile range of designs currently leading this sector. It isn't all smooth sailing however as the x86 desktop apps won't run on ARM based mobile devices, regardless of the operating system code.

Very few people have yet to play with a Windows 8 tablet beta tablet, but Wired say they are excited, as they played with one for a while this year. They said “(we have seen a) Windows 8 tablet in action, and the experience opened our eyes to just how useful — and, yes, even fun — a Windows 8 tablet might be. Sure, Microsoft was demoing a mere reference design, but what we saw was so intriguing, we’re legitimately excited to see final, shipping products.”

Wired add “Windows 8 tablets will run an updated version of the Metro UI found on Windows Phones, and the UI appears to transfer remarkably well to larger touch screens. You’ll get that same fun, friendly and animated “Live Tile” home screen found on Windows Phones, but with (theoretically) much more processing power to drive more powerful apps.

Windows 8 will go beta in February, which would peg a full software release around June 2012. Everything we’ve seen thus far suggests that Microsoft has really taken the time to develop a platform that will succeed on tablets, without abandoning the company’s PC roots.”

It is difficult to know if Microsoft will be successful in this sector, but it will certainly be refreshing to see a serious iPad challenger running outside of Google Android's operating system. Microsoft won't also be limiting their hardware partnerships to a single, or even two machines. Christopher Flores, a Microsoft representative spoke to Wired and said “Windows 8 tablets will come in different sizes and different orientations, and have different battery lives depending on their capabilities.”

While they seem to be targeting the tablet market well, what about traditional desktop users? Is Windows 8 going to be a huge step up from Windows 7? The enthusiast favourite operating system which has proven successful with gaming?

According to internal documentation we received from AMD, it looks as if it is going to be a very strong gaming platform, as internal benchmark results can show anything up to 10% performance improvements when paired up with a high end AMD discrete solution. That is not to be sniffed at, but we wonder if people will warm to the dramatic new interface implementation…

Kitguru says: Windows 8 on your wishlist for 2012?

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Microsoft contemplate releasing Windows 8 tablet PC https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/tablet-pc/yong-lei/microsoft-contemplate-releasing-windows-8-tablet-pc/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/tablet-pc/yong-lei/microsoft-contemplate-releasing-windows-8-tablet-pc/#respond Thu, 09 Jun 2011 07:15:48 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=48525 Microsoft are said to be debating internally whether they should release a self branded Windows 8 tablet, for release in 2012. Microsoft representatives have not confirmed the rumor but sources close to Texas Instruments say they are involved in the joint design of an upcoming tablet. Apple are currently dominating the tablet market, with a …

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Microsoft are said to be debating internally whether they should release a self branded Windows 8 tablet, for release in 2012. Microsoft representatives have not confirmed the rumor but sources close to Texas Instruments say they are involved in the joint design of an upcoming tablet.

Apple are currently dominating the tablet market, with a huge percentage of overall sales and Google are marketing their operating system directly to OEM's, trying to chip away at the market shares. Microsoft have not yet had much success with self branded products, apart from the Xbox and Xbox 360 which have been a steady stream of revenue for the company. Their TV range, Zune media player and Kin smartphone have been less than stellar sellers.

Microsoft CEO Ballmer, sizing up the competition

Microsoft will continue to push their IDP plans for Windows 8, but the potential release of an own brand tablet would be big news in the industry, if accurate. Many potential tablet partners for Windows 8 might not find this prospect very appealing however.

KitGuru says: Would you buy a Microsoft branded Tablet running Windows 8 if the price was right?

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