The Ativ name may be silly, but Samsung Electronics is betting heavily on it as the namesake for anything related to Windows.
In a showcase Thursday that featured a slew of products, Samsung's Ativ line played a central role. Ativ has become the umbrella brand that includes laptops, tablets, all-in-ones, and smartphones, and some of the devices were on display.
Samsung is hoping history repeats itself with Ativ. It previously poured its resources into developing the Galaxy brand for anything associated with Android, and its flagship Galaxy S line of smartphones is a smash hit, with the Galaxy name extending into multiple lines of successful phones and tablets.
Microsoft could certainly use the jolt. The reception for Windows 8 has been tepid, with users uncomfortable with the new tile-based user interface. In May, Microsoft boasted of 100 million Windows 8 licenses sold, but critics contend usage and interest remains low.
The company announced the Ativ Q, a convertible device that can change between tablet and laptop forms and runs Windows and Android.
The device juggles both Windows 8 and Android 4.2.2, also known as Jelly Bean. Users can switch between the operating systems quickly, and you can pin Android apps on the Windows start screen.
It has a hinge design that allows it to change into four different forms: a flat tablet mode; a laptop mode; an angled display or floating display for more comfortable viewing; and a display mode achieved when you flip the display.
The device runs on a 13.3-inch display with an intensely rich 3,200x1,800-pixel resolution and 275 pixels per inch, which the company boasts is the world's highest resolution. The qHD display is optimized for use in bright sunlight conditions. It also includes a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor for the camera and an Intel i5 Haswell processor. It's 13.9 millimeters thick and 1.29 kilograms. It has 4 gigabytes of memory and a 128GB solid-state drive for storage. It has two USB ports, an HDMI port, and a slot for a microSD card.
The tablet also comes with an S-Pen stylus, that works with popular apps such as Evernote.
Samsung also announced the Ativ Tab 3, a slate powered by Windows 8.
The company boasts that the Ativ Tab 3 is the world's thinnest Windows 8 tablet, and said the device shares many design cues with the Galaxy line of tablets. Like the Galaxy Note line and Ativ Q, the Ativ Tab 3 comes with the S-pen stylus, which works with Office applications.
The tablet has a 10.1-inch display with a 1,366 by 768 resolution, weighs 550 grams, and is 8.2 millimeters thick. The tablet uses an Intel Atom processor, has 2GB of memory and 64GB of storage.
Microsoft Office 2013 is bundled into the tablet for free, Samsung said.
The Korean consumer electronics giant also unveiled the Ativ Book 9 Plus, which is the successor to its Series 9 line of laptops, as well as the Ativ Book 9 Lite, which is the budget-friendlier equivalent.
Samsung said the Ativ Book 9 Plus boots up in six seconds and wakes up from sleep mode in one second.
The Ativ Book Plus will come with a 13-inch display with 3,200x1,800-pixel resolution, a touch screen, and 12 hours of battery. It is 13.6 millimeters thick and weighs 1.3 kilograms. It will use one of Intel's Haswell series processors (i5 or i7), which the chipmaker boasts offers better horsepower with vastly improved battery life. It can hold a maximum of 8 gigabytes of memory and 256GB of storage. It has two USB 3.0 ports, a micro HDMI port, and mini-VGA port.
Its more affordable cousin, the Ativ Book 9 Lite, will also have a 13-inch display, but is a hair thicker and slightly heavier at 16.9 millimeters and 1.44 kilograms. Unlike the Plus, the Lite version will have a touch screen as an option. It will use a solid-state drive for storage, and a Samsung-specific quad-core processor. It will come with a maximum of 4GB of memory and 256GB of storage.
The Lite has one USB 2.0 port and one USB 3.0 port, as well as a micro HDMI and mini-VGA ports.
The Lite also comes in three colors: wine red, marble white, and ash black.
The company unveiled the Ativ One 5 Style, an all-in-one computer expected to compete against Apple's iMac or other fully integrated computers such as Dell's XPS One.
The all-in-one has a 21.5-inch touch-screen display with 1,290x1,080-resolution, 4GB of memory, up to 1 terabyte of storage, and a quad-core AMD processor. It will also have two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port, and a 3-in-1 card reader.
2013年6月20日星期四
2013年6月10日星期一
Acer Aspire P3-171-6820 Review
Design
Click to EnlargeThe Acer Aspire P3's design is most reminiscent of earlier Acer Windows 8 tablets, such as the W700 and the W510. The back and sides are made of a single piece of aluminum, which has a silver finish, and the corners are gently rounded. Unlike the Surface Pro, which has a trapezoidal shape, the P3 has a square design. We mean that literally and figuratively; it's functional, but not overly flashy.
Weighing 1.7 lbs., the Aspire P3 is lighter than the Microsoft Surface Pro, the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700t and the Acer Iconia W700, all of which weigh 2 lbs. The HP Envy x2 is a lighter 1.5 lbs. Still, at 11.63 x 7.5 x 0.4 inches, the P3's heft is noticeable when you hold it in your arm for an extended period of time.
MORE: Top 10 Tablets to Buy (or Avoid) Now
A strip of white plastic runs along the top of the back, with a 5-MP camera in the left corner. The top edge of the P3 has two air vents, and the bottom has two speakers. The left side has a microUSB port, a full-size USB 3.0 port and the power jack. The right side has a headphone jack, the power button and a volume rocker.
Display
Click to EnlargeThe 11.6-inch touch-screen display on the Aspire P3 has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, which is the same as the HP Envy x2, but a lower resolution than the Surface Pro, the ATIV and the W700, all of which have 1080p displays.
Though not as sharp as those higher-resolution displays, the Aspire P3's colors were vivid on high-def trailers for "Man of Steel" and "The Wolverine." Explosions were full of fiery reds and oranges, and we saw little to no pixelation or artifacts in darker scenes. We also enjoyed the wide viewing angles -- up to 178 degrees -- on the P3's display.
At 392 lux, the Aspire P3's display shone brighter than the tablet average (327), the HP Envy x2 (306) and the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700t (329), and was on a par with the Microsoft Surface Pro (394 lux).
The P3's 10-point touch screen was responsive to our inputs; we easily flicked through the Start screen, and were able to execute pinch-to-zoom and Windows 8 gestures with ease. Spend enough time in the desktop environment, though, and you'll want to attach a mouse. Even with the lower resolution, it still was a pain to target icons with our fingers.
Audio
The P3's audio was above average -- for a tablet. The bottom-mounted speakers were powerful enough for a few people to listen to music and movies comfortably. Bono's vocals and The Edge's guitar strums were crisp and clear on U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name," but the bass was underwhelming -- so the end result was that the track sounded tinny. Tweaking the settings using the Dolby Home Theater v4 control panel helped a little bit.
Keyboard
Click to EnlargeIncluded with the Aspire P3 is a Bluetooth keyboard case that adds 1.3 lbs. to the tablet's overall weight. It's important to note that this keyboard doesn't attach mechanically to the tablet, as some other Windows 8 hybrids do. When open, the bottom lip of the slate rests in a groove right above the keyboard, so that the device is propped at a good angle for typing.
Though unique, this setup doesn't feel very secure. We had no trouble using the P3 on our lap, but we would expect the tablet to flop backward easily if we were on a bumpy bus ride or turbulent flight.
Overall, the P3 offered only a fair typing experience. Although the keys are large and well-spaced, the Caps Lock is miniscule and crammed next to the tilde key. Also, the layout required more force than usual for our inputs to register. Several times while writing this review, we missed a letter or two because we didn't press the key hard enough.
Above the keyboard is a power button, two blue status lights and a microUSB port used to charge the accessory. The power button and lights are hidden when the tablet is propped up, but we like that the keyboard automatically paired with the tablet so that we didn't have to mess with any Bluetooth settings.
Performance
Click to EnlargePowered by a third-generation 1.5-GHz Intel Core i5-3339Y Processor, 4GB of RAM and a 120GB SSD, the Aspire P3 turned in above-average benchmark scores. However, other Windows 8 tablets are faster.
The P3's PCMark7 score of 3,642 is higher than the tablet average of 2,877, but lower than the marks scored by most other tablets with Intel Core processors. For example, the Surface Pro, the Samsung ATIV and the Acer Iconia W700 -- all of which have a 1.7-GHz Intel Core i5-3317U processor -- turned in scores of 4,721, 4442 and 4,439, respectively. The HP Envy x2, which has a 1.8-GHz Intel Atom Z2760 processor, scored a measly 1,428.
The 120GB SSD booted Windows 8 in a fast 8 seconds, nearly three times as fast as the average (22 seconds) and beating out the ATIV (13 seconds), the Surface Pro (10 seconds) and the x2 (14 seconds).
However, the Aspire P3's SSD wasn't as fast when it came to duplicating 4.97GB of multimedia files. It took the Acer 62 seconds, a rate of 82.2 MBps. Although the tablet average is 63 MBps, the Surface Pro is a much faster 124 MBps, the W700 was 138 MBps and the Samsung scored 170 MBps. The Envy x2, which uses Flash memory, came in last, at 22 MBps.
The P3 took 8 minutes and 34 seconds to match 20,000 names and addresses in OpenOffice, which is about half the time it takes the average tablet (17:17) but slower than the Surface Pro (5:33) and the ATIV (5:50). The Envy x2's Atom processor was no match; it took that tablet nearly half an hour to complete the task (29:45).
Graphics
The Intel Graphics HD 4000 are fine for watching movies, but not much more. The P3's 3DMark11 score of 425, while on a par with the Surface Pro (424), is significantly below the average of 683, as well as the graphics on the Samsung ATIV (566).
Even on the recommended settings, the P3 could only average 17 frames per second in "World of Warcraft." On these same settings, the Surface Pro managed 31 fps, while the Samsung ATIV notched 23 fps. You're better off sticking to less-demanding games in the Windows Store.
Cameras
Click to EnlargeImages taken outdoors using the P3's rear-facing 5-MP camera were colorful and fairly detailed. We could make out individual leaves on trees and blades of grass near us, but the camera wasn't able to pick up finer-detailed masonry on the building across the street from us.
Indoors, a test shot revealed good color saturation but a fair amount of noise, and less detail. A Furby looked like an amorphous orange blob.
The front-facing 1-MP camera picked up our skin tone well, but our lavender shirt was a bit washed-out. It wasn't the most detailed shot, but the camera will more than suffice for video chats.
Battery life
Click to EnlargeAcer says the 4-cell, 5280-mAh battery in the P3 should last up to 6 hours on a charge. On the LAPTOP Battery Test (Web surfing via Wi-Fi), we found it lasted 4 hours and 21 minutes. That's even worse than the Surface Pro, which lasted an anemic 4:37, and nearly two-and-a-half hours worse than the tablet average of 7:04.
MORE: 10 Tablets with the Longest Battery Life
In comparison, the Samsung ATIV endured for 6:38, the W700 lasted 6:48 and the HP Envy x2 lasted 6:52 (11:57 with its keyboard dock attached).
Software
Click to EnlargeIncluded on the Aspire P3 are AcerCloud, Netflix, Nero BackItUp 12 Essentials, Amazon, Cut the Rope, Merriam-Webster dictionary, iCookbook SE, and Skype.
Trials of Microsoft Office, McAfee Internet Security Suite, and Norton Online Backup are also included.
Configurations
Our $899 review unit of the Aspire P3-171-6820 is the top-end configuration, and features a 1.5-GHz Intel Core i5-3339Y processor, 4GB of RAM and a 120GB hard drive.
Verdict
Click to EnlargeYes, Acer is calling the Aspire P3 an Ultrabook, but this is really a Windows 8 tablet at its core and should be judged as such. At $899, the Acer Aspire P3 is positioned between the $624 Atom-powered Iconia W510 and the more powerful -- but more expensive -- $999 Iconia W700. However, the P3's battery life is far too short for us to recommend it, regardless of price or performance. Although it costs $300 more, the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700t comes with a better keyboard dock and has an integrated stylus. More importantly, it lasts longer on a charge. What good is a tablet if it can't even get you through half the day?
Click to EnlargeThe Acer Aspire P3's design is most reminiscent of earlier Acer Windows 8 tablets, such as the W700 and the W510. The back and sides are made of a single piece of aluminum, which has a silver finish, and the corners are gently rounded. Unlike the Surface Pro, which has a trapezoidal shape, the P3 has a square design. We mean that literally and figuratively; it's functional, but not overly flashy.
Weighing 1.7 lbs., the Aspire P3 is lighter than the Microsoft Surface Pro, the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700t and the Acer Iconia W700, all of which weigh 2 lbs. The HP Envy x2 is a lighter 1.5 lbs. Still, at 11.63 x 7.5 x 0.4 inches, the P3's heft is noticeable when you hold it in your arm for an extended period of time.
MORE: Top 10 Tablets to Buy (or Avoid) Now
A strip of white plastic runs along the top of the back, with a 5-MP camera in the left corner. The top edge of the P3 has two air vents, and the bottom has two speakers. The left side has a microUSB port, a full-size USB 3.0 port and the power jack. The right side has a headphone jack, the power button and a volume rocker.
Display
Click to EnlargeThe 11.6-inch touch-screen display on the Aspire P3 has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, which is the same as the HP Envy x2, but a lower resolution than the Surface Pro, the ATIV and the W700, all of which have 1080p displays.
Though not as sharp as those higher-resolution displays, the Aspire P3's colors were vivid on high-def trailers for "Man of Steel" and "The Wolverine." Explosions were full of fiery reds and oranges, and we saw little to no pixelation or artifacts in darker scenes. We also enjoyed the wide viewing angles -- up to 178 degrees -- on the P3's display.
At 392 lux, the Aspire P3's display shone brighter than the tablet average (327), the HP Envy x2 (306) and the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700t (329), and was on a par with the Microsoft Surface Pro (394 lux).
The P3's 10-point touch screen was responsive to our inputs; we easily flicked through the Start screen, and were able to execute pinch-to-zoom and Windows 8 gestures with ease. Spend enough time in the desktop environment, though, and you'll want to attach a mouse. Even with the lower resolution, it still was a pain to target icons with our fingers.
Audio
The P3's audio was above average -- for a tablet. The bottom-mounted speakers were powerful enough for a few people to listen to music and movies comfortably. Bono's vocals and The Edge's guitar strums were crisp and clear on U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name," but the bass was underwhelming -- so the end result was that the track sounded tinny. Tweaking the settings using the Dolby Home Theater v4 control panel helped a little bit.
Keyboard
Click to EnlargeIncluded with the Aspire P3 is a Bluetooth keyboard case that adds 1.3 lbs. to the tablet's overall weight. It's important to note that this keyboard doesn't attach mechanically to the tablet, as some other Windows 8 hybrids do. When open, the bottom lip of the slate rests in a groove right above the keyboard, so that the device is propped at a good angle for typing.
Though unique, this setup doesn't feel very secure. We had no trouble using the P3 on our lap, but we would expect the tablet to flop backward easily if we were on a bumpy bus ride or turbulent flight.
Overall, the P3 offered only a fair typing experience. Although the keys are large and well-spaced, the Caps Lock is miniscule and crammed next to the tilde key. Also, the layout required more force than usual for our inputs to register. Several times while writing this review, we missed a letter or two because we didn't press the key hard enough.
Above the keyboard is a power button, two blue status lights and a microUSB port used to charge the accessory. The power button and lights are hidden when the tablet is propped up, but we like that the keyboard automatically paired with the tablet so that we didn't have to mess with any Bluetooth settings.
Performance
Click to EnlargePowered by a third-generation 1.5-GHz Intel Core i5-3339Y Processor, 4GB of RAM and a 120GB SSD, the Aspire P3 turned in above-average benchmark scores. However, other Windows 8 tablets are faster.
The P3's PCMark7 score of 3,642 is higher than the tablet average of 2,877, but lower than the marks scored by most other tablets with Intel Core processors. For example, the Surface Pro, the Samsung ATIV and the Acer Iconia W700 -- all of which have a 1.7-GHz Intel Core i5-3317U processor -- turned in scores of 4,721, 4442 and 4,439, respectively. The HP Envy x2, which has a 1.8-GHz Intel Atom Z2760 processor, scored a measly 1,428.
The 120GB SSD booted Windows 8 in a fast 8 seconds, nearly three times as fast as the average (22 seconds) and beating out the ATIV (13 seconds), the Surface Pro (10 seconds) and the x2 (14 seconds).
However, the Aspire P3's SSD wasn't as fast when it came to duplicating 4.97GB of multimedia files. It took the Acer 62 seconds, a rate of 82.2 MBps. Although the tablet average is 63 MBps, the Surface Pro is a much faster 124 MBps, the W700 was 138 MBps and the Samsung scored 170 MBps. The Envy x2, which uses Flash memory, came in last, at 22 MBps.
The P3 took 8 minutes and 34 seconds to match 20,000 names and addresses in OpenOffice, which is about half the time it takes the average tablet (17:17) but slower than the Surface Pro (5:33) and the ATIV (5:50). The Envy x2's Atom processor was no match; it took that tablet nearly half an hour to complete the task (29:45).
Graphics
The Intel Graphics HD 4000 are fine for watching movies, but not much more. The P3's 3DMark11 score of 425, while on a par with the Surface Pro (424), is significantly below the average of 683, as well as the graphics on the Samsung ATIV (566).
Even on the recommended settings, the P3 could only average 17 frames per second in "World of Warcraft." On these same settings, the Surface Pro managed 31 fps, while the Samsung ATIV notched 23 fps. You're better off sticking to less-demanding games in the Windows Store.
Cameras
Click to EnlargeImages taken outdoors using the P3's rear-facing 5-MP camera were colorful and fairly detailed. We could make out individual leaves on trees and blades of grass near us, but the camera wasn't able to pick up finer-detailed masonry on the building across the street from us.
Indoors, a test shot revealed good color saturation but a fair amount of noise, and less detail. A Furby looked like an amorphous orange blob.
The front-facing 1-MP camera picked up our skin tone well, but our lavender shirt was a bit washed-out. It wasn't the most detailed shot, but the camera will more than suffice for video chats.
Battery life
Click to EnlargeAcer says the 4-cell, 5280-mAh battery in the P3 should last up to 6 hours on a charge. On the LAPTOP Battery Test (Web surfing via Wi-Fi), we found it lasted 4 hours and 21 minutes. That's even worse than the Surface Pro, which lasted an anemic 4:37, and nearly two-and-a-half hours worse than the tablet average of 7:04.
MORE: 10 Tablets with the Longest Battery Life
In comparison, the Samsung ATIV endured for 6:38, the W700 lasted 6:48 and the HP Envy x2 lasted 6:52 (11:57 with its keyboard dock attached).
Software
Click to EnlargeIncluded on the Aspire P3 are AcerCloud, Netflix, Nero BackItUp 12 Essentials, Amazon, Cut the Rope, Merriam-Webster dictionary, iCookbook SE, and Skype.
Trials of Microsoft Office, McAfee Internet Security Suite, and Norton Online Backup are also included.
Configurations
Our $899 review unit of the Aspire P3-171-6820 is the top-end configuration, and features a 1.5-GHz Intel Core i5-3339Y processor, 4GB of RAM and a 120GB hard drive.
Verdict
Click to EnlargeYes, Acer is calling the Aspire P3 an Ultrabook, but this is really a Windows 8 tablet at its core and should be judged as such. At $899, the Acer Aspire P3 is positioned between the $624 Atom-powered Iconia W510 and the more powerful -- but more expensive -- $999 Iconia W700. However, the P3's battery life is far too short for us to recommend it, regardless of price or performance. Although it costs $300 more, the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700t comes with a better keyboard dock and has an integrated stylus. More importantly, it lasts longer on a charge. What good is a tablet if it can't even get you through half the day?
Dire warnings for PCs, Windows 8 -- this time from Citi
Citi Research is revising its forecast for negative PC growth as it paints a dark picture of the incredible shrinking PC market.
Citi is cutting 2013 PC year-to-year growth to negative 10 percent from negative 4 percent growth, according to a note to investors late Friday.
"The Citi global technology team is revising down its 2013 PC growth estimate to -10% y/y (from -4%) based on further sub-seasonal demand" in the first quarter and slowing notebook production.
In a section titled "Y/Y Growth in 2H? Don't Think So," Citi says that despite investor optimism on a resumption of year-to-year growth in the second half of 2013, "we do not expect [PC] units to grow" due to a "softening in PC end-demand" and "muted benefit from Haswell and Windows Blue [Windows 8.1]."
In short, no uplift from Windows 8.1 or Haswell -- Intel's newest processor.
Citi was not impressed by product rollouts at Computex centered on Haswell.
We do not see any meaningful catalysts near-term supported by our product and company meetings at Computex in Taiwan last week which revealed a focus on convertible & higher-end Ultrabooks running Haswell, which addresses the smaller premium notebook market. We also believe investors will be disappointed when they learn that low-priced touch-capable notebooks (sub-$600) will not be available to consumers until 4Q13.
Here's the scary part for PC companies. "While we had previously modeled a +2% y/y growth in PC units in 2014-2015, we now expect cannibalization from tablets...to more than offset any 'stabilization' in demand resulting from stretched replacement cycles or more compelling notebooks."
If the market plays out this way in the coming years, that's a one-two punch for PC vendors: no hoped-for uptick from companies replacing older PCs and no return of demand due to fresh designs.
Tablets will surge in 2013, as the PC market collapses, er, shrinks, according to Citi's Global PC Shipment Forecast:
Tablets: 237 million units forecast to ship this year vs. 144 million in 2012.
Notebooks: 179 million units vs. 201 million in 2012.
Desktops: 137 million units vs. 148 million in 2012.
And what about emerging markets? "Overall, we think the real issue lies in the emerging markets where we are seeing further demand deterioration primarily driven by the shift towards inexpensive tablets."
Everyone is affected in emerging markets, even Apple. "We point out that this trend is significantly impacting Apple's position in the tablet market as iPad's share has shrunk to below 40% in 1Q13 compared to 57% just a year ago."
Citi is cutting 2013 PC year-to-year growth to negative 10 percent from negative 4 percent growth, according to a note to investors late Friday.
"The Citi global technology team is revising down its 2013 PC growth estimate to -10% y/y (from -4%) based on further sub-seasonal demand" in the first quarter and slowing notebook production.
In short, no uplift from Windows 8.1 or Haswell -- Intel's newest processor.
Citi was not impressed by product rollouts at Computex centered on Haswell.
We do not see any meaningful catalysts near-term supported by our product and company meetings at Computex in Taiwan last week which revealed a focus on convertible & higher-end Ultrabooks running Haswell, which addresses the smaller premium notebook market. We also believe investors will be disappointed when they learn that low-priced touch-capable notebooks (sub-$600) will not be available to consumers until 4Q13.
Here's the scary part for PC companies. "While we had previously modeled a +2% y/y growth in PC units in 2014-2015, we now expect cannibalization from tablets...to more than offset any 'stabilization' in demand resulting from stretched replacement cycles or more compelling notebooks."
If the market plays out this way in the coming years, that's a one-two punch for PC vendors: no hoped-for uptick from companies replacing older PCs and no return of demand due to fresh designs.
Tablets will surge in 2013, as the PC market collapses, er, shrinks, according to Citi's Global PC Shipment Forecast:
Tablets: 237 million units forecast to ship this year vs. 144 million in 2012.
Notebooks: 179 million units vs. 201 million in 2012.
Desktops: 137 million units vs. 148 million in 2012.
And what about emerging markets? "Overall, we think the real issue lies in the emerging markets where we are seeing further demand deterioration primarily driven by the shift towards inexpensive tablets."
Everyone is affected in emerging markets, even Apple. "We point out that this trend is significantly impacting Apple's position in the tablet market as iPad's share has shrunk to below 40% in 1Q13 compared to 57% just a year ago."
2013年5月30日星期四
Can Windows 8.1 Make My Wife Love Windows Again?
“I hate Windows 8.”
No, not me. I actually rather like Windows 8, especially on a touchscreen device. My wife, however, is another matter — and, for her, the just-announced Windows 8.1 can't arrive soon enough.
She shared her Windows 8 enmity when I asked how things were going with our new Asus ET2300 touchscreen all-in-one PC. I'd purchased the system a month earlier when our HP Pavilion running on Windows 8 had succumbed to heart (or perhaps hard drive) failure.
When it happened, I knew I was going to buy a Windows 8 system. I also knew that there was a 50/50 chance my wife wouldn't like it. It's not that my wife isn't computer savvy; she is, and I've had a personal computer in our shared home since 1991. What she doesn't like is change. We have owned many different PCs in the past 20-odd years, and the only thing I can depend on is that my wife will not like whatever new operating system ships with the computer. This, however, is the first time she has expressed outright hatred.
Like most homes, ours is a non-homogenous environment: two Windows 7 laptops, a Windows 8 laptop, a Windows 8 desktop, multiple Apple iPads, two iPhones and a couple of Android phones. It sounds crazy, but it’s mostly not. I do most of my productivity work on laptops and use my tablet for email, web browsing and media consumption. My wife and kids use the desktop system, mostly for bills, email and school work.
When it came time to buy a new PC, we did consider a Mac, but my daughter, a Windows devotee, wouldn’t hear of it. As I said, I like Windows 8 and was happy to get a giant touchscreen computer.
Displeasure Centers
Being the big help I always am, I first responded to my wife’s tech despair by telling her she “hated” Windows 8 because she didn’t understand it. No, she responded. “I simply hate it.”
Later, when we had both calmed down, I asked her to list her Windows 8 issues. She told me that Windows 8 was harder to use, added steps and always forced her back to the “Start menu.”
SEE ALSO: Don’t Blame Windows 8 for All PC Sales Woes
To be fair, Windows 8 is not like the Windows 7. It dumped the beloved Start button, and the new Start menu is really nothing like a menu at all. No wonder my wife is thrown by its oddness.
Windows' Start menu, for those who haven't spent time with the newish OS, is an entirely separate environment (once called "Metro," now called "Modern"). It’s like the old Start menu turned inside-out, and when you’re in it, you can’t see the still-familiar-looking desktop. It’s a huge difference and just the kind of change my wife, a very average Windows user, would hate. For someone not into technology and, more importantly, change, it’s almost appallingly different.
While the intention of the Modern Start menu is to not only make everything easy to find but also work expertly with touch-based systems, my wife views it as an impediment to her daily computing habits. My advice that she tap the “Windows button” on the keyboard and then type to find a desired app (even while in desktop mode) was met with stony silence.
She’s not a happy computing camper.
Windows 8.1 to the Rescue
Knowing my wife's issues, I thought telling her about the Windows 8.1 preview — changes I thought she'd be pleased with — would give her hope. She doubted it.
I don’t.
I’m beginning to think, by the way, that my wife’s reaction to Windows 8 may not be all that uncommon. According to Antoine Leblond, Corporate VP of Windows Program Management, the company has a "huge amount of telemetry and understanding about how people are using the product.” Even though Leblond insisted that Microsoft is still pleased with the design assumptions made for Windows 8, the telemetry clearly informed its decision to change a number of key Windows 8 attributes.
Starting with the Start button.
The dismissal of one of Windows' most iconic features pleased virtually no one, and yet Microsoft stuck by its decision, insisting that people would grow used to it. Plus, that button was, for all intents and purposes, still there — just hidden in the lower-left corner.
Hot corners are a key part of the Windows 8 user interface, and the lower-left one was reserved for a tiny popup that looks like a miniature version of the Modern Start environment. Once it appears, users can click to access the Start menu.
“We made a mistake here. Everywhere else we showed the Windows logo, but in lower left-hand corner we showed something else. Too clever,” said Jensen Harris, Director of Program Management for Windows.
Users like my wife, though, want to see things — easily. With Windows 8.1, they get their wish. There's a new Start button icon in the lower left-hand corner. One click still takes you to the Modern Start environment. Harris told Mashable that the change “adds some familiarity back.”
Where My Apps At?
Longtime Windows users remember a time when “apps” were known as “applications,” and that they were all a click away under the Start button. In Windows 8.1, a user setting allows access to a list of apps when you hit the Start button, instead of throwing you all the way back into the Start menu.
Mind you, the list still has that Metro/Modern look and may still appear too foreign for my wife, but I suspect she’ll also find what she’s looking for much more easily.
Another major enhancement that should ease her frustration is the new Search app, or — as I like to think of it — Universal Search.
One of Windows 8’s marquee features is the “Charms” bar. It appears when you hit the upper-right or lower-right corner in Search. Used by more than 90% of those who reported usage stats to Microsoft, it may be one of Windows 8’s most popular features, but was also oddly limiting.
Search results were always constrained to one area or another. You could run a search on apps or files, the web or system tools, but never everything at once. Now Search looks at everything, including the web.
Results are so extensive that Microsoft chose to call them “search heroes.” I guarantee my wife will find what she’s looking for, though she may be overwhelmed by all the information in the results.
Not So Alien
Microsoft did some other work to make the most significant Windows OS update since Windows 95 seem even more familiar.
It’s no longer throwing every new application installation at the end of the Modern Start menu; instead, Windows now asks where to put new apps. It has even added the option to use your “Desktop” background on the Start menu. Although this doesn’t really change that Start menu in any meaningful way, it does help make it look like the Desktop — where newbie Windows 8 users spend most of their time — and the Modern Start Menu are, in fact, part of the same system.
With those same settings, Windows 8.1 will even let you boot straight into Desktop mode. For Windows 7 users, and maybe my wife, it will feel just like being home again.
Among the many other changes in Windows 8.1, some very visible, and others a bit more under the hood. Overall, though, Windows 8.1 should be a more refined and perhaps palatable system for people who hate change: people like my wife. I hope she can hold out until the fall.
No, not me. I actually rather like Windows 8, especially on a touchscreen device. My wife, however, is another matter — and, for her, the just-announced Windows 8.1 can't arrive soon enough.
She shared her Windows 8 enmity when I asked how things were going with our new Asus ET2300 touchscreen all-in-one PC. I'd purchased the system a month earlier when our HP Pavilion running on Windows 8 had succumbed to heart (or perhaps hard drive) failure.
When it happened, I knew I was going to buy a Windows 8 system. I also knew that there was a 50/50 chance my wife wouldn't like it. It's not that my wife isn't computer savvy; she is, and I've had a personal computer in our shared home since 1991. What she doesn't like is change. We have owned many different PCs in the past 20-odd years, and the only thing I can depend on is that my wife will not like whatever new operating system ships with the computer. This, however, is the first time she has expressed outright hatred.
Like most homes, ours is a non-homogenous environment: two Windows 7 laptops, a Windows 8 laptop, a Windows 8 desktop, multiple Apple iPads, two iPhones and a couple of Android phones. It sounds crazy, but it’s mostly not. I do most of my productivity work on laptops and use my tablet for email, web browsing and media consumption. My wife and kids use the desktop system, mostly for bills, email and school work.
When it came time to buy a new PC, we did consider a Mac, but my daughter, a Windows devotee, wouldn’t hear of it. As I said, I like Windows 8 and was happy to get a giant touchscreen computer.
Displeasure Centers
Being the big help I always am, I first responded to my wife’s tech despair by telling her she “hated” Windows 8 because she didn’t understand it. No, she responded. “I simply hate it.”
Later, when we had both calmed down, I asked her to list her Windows 8 issues. She told me that Windows 8 was harder to use, added steps and always forced her back to the “Start menu.”
SEE ALSO: Don’t Blame Windows 8 for All PC Sales Woes
To be fair, Windows 8 is not like the Windows 7. It dumped the beloved Start button, and the new Start menu is really nothing like a menu at all. No wonder my wife is thrown by its oddness.
Windows' Start menu, for those who haven't spent time with the newish OS, is an entirely separate environment (once called "Metro," now called "Modern"). It’s like the old Start menu turned inside-out, and when you’re in it, you can’t see the still-familiar-looking desktop. It’s a huge difference and just the kind of change my wife, a very average Windows user, would hate. For someone not into technology and, more importantly, change, it’s almost appallingly different.
While the intention of the Modern Start menu is to not only make everything easy to find but also work expertly with touch-based systems, my wife views it as an impediment to her daily computing habits. My advice that she tap the “Windows button” on the keyboard and then type to find a desired app (even while in desktop mode) was met with stony silence.
She’s not a happy computing camper.
Windows 8.1 to the Rescue
Knowing my wife's issues, I thought telling her about the Windows 8.1 preview — changes I thought she'd be pleased with — would give her hope. She doubted it.
I don’t.
I’m beginning to think, by the way, that my wife’s reaction to Windows 8 may not be all that uncommon. According to Antoine Leblond, Corporate VP of Windows Program Management, the company has a "huge amount of telemetry and understanding about how people are using the product.” Even though Leblond insisted that Microsoft is still pleased with the design assumptions made for Windows 8, the telemetry clearly informed its decision to change a number of key Windows 8 attributes.
Starting with the Start button.
The dismissal of one of Windows' most iconic features pleased virtually no one, and yet Microsoft stuck by its decision, insisting that people would grow used to it. Plus, that button was, for all intents and purposes, still there — just hidden in the lower-left corner.
Hot corners are a key part of the Windows 8 user interface, and the lower-left one was reserved for a tiny popup that looks like a miniature version of the Modern Start environment. Once it appears, users can click to access the Start menu.
“We made a mistake here. Everywhere else we showed the Windows logo, but in lower left-hand corner we showed something else. Too clever,” said Jensen Harris, Director of Program Management for Windows.
Users like my wife, though, want to see things — easily. With Windows 8.1, they get their wish. There's a new Start button icon in the lower left-hand corner. One click still takes you to the Modern Start environment. Harris told Mashable that the change “adds some familiarity back.”
Where My Apps At?
Longtime Windows users remember a time when “apps” were known as “applications,” and that they were all a click away under the Start button. In Windows 8.1, a user setting allows access to a list of apps when you hit the Start button, instead of throwing you all the way back into the Start menu.
Mind you, the list still has that Metro/Modern look and may still appear too foreign for my wife, but I suspect she’ll also find what she’s looking for much more easily.
Another major enhancement that should ease her frustration is the new Search app, or — as I like to think of it — Universal Search.
One of Windows 8’s marquee features is the “Charms” bar. It appears when you hit the upper-right or lower-right corner in Search. Used by more than 90% of those who reported usage stats to Microsoft, it may be one of Windows 8’s most popular features, but was also oddly limiting.
Search results were always constrained to one area or another. You could run a search on apps or files, the web or system tools, but never everything at once. Now Search looks at everything, including the web.
Results are so extensive that Microsoft chose to call them “search heroes.” I guarantee my wife will find what she’s looking for, though she may be overwhelmed by all the information in the results.
Not So Alien
Microsoft did some other work to make the most significant Windows OS update since Windows 95 seem even more familiar.
It’s no longer throwing every new application installation at the end of the Modern Start menu; instead, Windows now asks where to put new apps. It has even added the option to use your “Desktop” background on the Start menu. Although this doesn’t really change that Start menu in any meaningful way, it does help make it look like the Desktop — where newbie Windows 8 users spend most of their time — and the Modern Start Menu are, in fact, part of the same system.
With those same settings, Windows 8.1 will even let you boot straight into Desktop mode. For Windows 7 users, and maybe my wife, it will feel just like being home again.
Among the many other changes in Windows 8.1, some very visible, and others a bit more under the hood. Overall, though, Windows 8.1 should be a more refined and perhaps palatable system for people who hate change: people like my wife. I hope she can hold out until the fall.
Razer announces 14-inch Blade and 17-inch Blade Pro Windows 8 laptops
In January 2012, Razer launched its first PC hardware product with the 17-inch Blade laptop, with its unique Switchblade hardware and software user interface. Today, Razer announced the successor to its first notebook, the Blade Pro, along with a new 14-inch version of the Blade PC. Both laptops will run on Windows 8.
Razer's press release states that like the original Blade, the Blade Pro will have a 17-inch screen but weighs just 6.5 pounds and is 0.88 inches thick. It will also include the latest version of the Switchblade hardware and software UI, featuring an LED trackpad and 10 Switchback keys that can change their appearance and functions depending on which game or application is running on the laptop.
Inside the Razer Pro will be a unnamed 4th generation Intel Core processor (yes, the one with the code name Haswell that will get its official launch next week) along with NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 765M GPU, 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SDD, with options to increase the storage to 256 GB or 512 GB. Pricing will start at $2,299. Pre-orders begin on June 3rd and the first units will start shipping later that month.
Razer is also pushing for the Blade Pro to be used by people who frequently access more professional apps such as Photoshop, Maya and more, including adding support for those apps in the Switchblade UI.
Razer has also announced it will have a 14-inch version of the Blade notebook, with the same processor, memory and storage options as its larger 17-inch Blade Pro brother, but in a case that's just 0.66 inches thick. Razer says that it is thinner than a standing dime, which is what was teased in an earlier video. However, the 4.1 pound laptop will not have the Switchblade keys or LED trackpad. Pricing for the 14-inch Blade will begin at $1,799. Like the Blade Pro, pre-orders for the 14-inch Blade start June 3rd and it will start shipping later in June as well.
Razer's press release states that like the original Blade, the Blade Pro will have a 17-inch screen but weighs just 6.5 pounds and is 0.88 inches thick. It will also include the latest version of the Switchblade hardware and software UI, featuring an LED trackpad and 10 Switchback keys that can change their appearance and functions depending on which game or application is running on the laptop.
Inside the Razer Pro will be a unnamed 4th generation Intel Core processor (yes, the one with the code name Haswell that will get its official launch next week) along with NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 765M GPU, 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SDD, with options to increase the storage to 256 GB or 512 GB. Pricing will start at $2,299. Pre-orders begin on June 3rd and the first units will start shipping later that month.
Razer is also pushing for the Blade Pro to be used by people who frequently access more professional apps such as Photoshop, Maya and more, including adding support for those apps in the Switchblade UI.
Razer has also announced it will have a 14-inch version of the Blade notebook, with the same processor, memory and storage options as its larger 17-inch Blade Pro brother, but in a case that's just 0.66 inches thick. Razer says that it is thinner than a standing dime, which is what was teased in an earlier video. However, the 4.1 pound laptop will not have the Switchblade keys or LED trackpad. Pricing for the 14-inch Blade will begin at $1,799. Like the Blade Pro, pre-orders for the 14-inch Blade start June 3rd and it will start shipping later in June as well.
2013年4月24日星期三
Acer W3-810 8 Inch Windows 8 Tablet Leaked
A photograph and some specifications have been leaked of a new Windows 8 tablet from Acer, the Acer W3-810, which will come with an 8 inch display and will be powered by a 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor.
As you can see from the photo below, the Acer W3-810 will come with a keyboard dock, unfortunately we do not have any other information on the tablets specifications as yet.
As you can see from the photo below, the Acer W3-810 will come with a keyboard dock, unfortunately we do not have any other information on the tablets specifications as yet.
As soon as we get some more information on the Acer W3-810 Windows 8 tablet, including some more photos and a full list of specifications we will let you guys know.
订阅：
博文 (Atom)