CES 2013: Lenovo ThinkPad Helix Convertible Ultrabook With "Rip and Flip" Design
Subject: Mobile | January 6, 2013 - 07:21 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: ultrabook, Thinkpad, tablet, Lenovo, helix, convertible tablet, ces 2013, CES
The ThinkPad line from Lenovo just got a bit more interesting with the announcement of the Helix, a new touch-enabled convertible tablet form factor that includes a new design labeled as "rip and flip."
Hardware specifications on the Helix are pretty impressive given the small form factor and include Ivy Bridge-based Core i7 processors, up to 8GB of memory and a 256GB SSD, two USB 3.0 ports, RJ45 port, mini-DisplayPort and even mini-HDMI. The machine will also have optional LTE radios to go along with the 802.11n WiFi and even NFC support.
The display panel is an IPS 11.6-in 1080p rated at 400 nits - that is very high brightness for a Lenovo machine in my experience. The screen is rated for 10 point touch capability as well in case you need BOTH HANDS for your project.
Also new is the Lenovo glass ClickPad which I am very eager to get my hands and try. That is the one area where MacBooks have continued to dominate in terms of notebook design and if Lenovo's ThinkPads can match or improve then we might have a winner on our hands.
The machine will weigh in at 3.68 lbs for the tablet and dock, 1.84 lbs for the tablet on its own, for great portability. Battery life claims are at 5 hours on the tablet alone and 10 hours with the tablet and base combination, but as with all battery life specifications plan on cutting that to 50-60% for real-world usage scenarios.
The new form factor of the ThinkPad Helix is being branded as "rip and flip" due to the tablets ability to be pulled off the keyboard / trackpad dock easily with a single release point. Folding it down into a standard clamshell design results in your standrad laptop configuration, but with only a 20mm z-height.
Lenovo will start shipping the ThinkPad Helix in mid-February with a starting price of $1,499.
Keep checking our CES 2013 coverage at http://pcper.com/ces and continue on after the break for the full press release!
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
Lenovo Makes a Play for the All-In-One Crowd with the IdeaCentre A730
Subject: Systems | January 6, 2013 - 06:00 PM | Chris Barbere
Tagged: system, Lenovo, ideacenter, ces 2013, CES, A730
Lenovo has announced their new IdeaCentre A730, "the world's slimming 27-inch multi-touch all-in-one". Mesuring less than an inch thick, the A730 can support up to 10 touch points and is optimized for Windows 8.
Key Features include:
- 27-inch multi-touch frameless display measuring just 24.5 mm (0.9 inches) thick
- 10 finger multi-touch technology, optimized for Windows 8
- Widely adjustable screen angle for comfortable use
- Large 27” Quad or Full HD display
- Up to 3rd Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor
- Up to NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 745M 2GB graphics
- Up to 1TB HDD storage or 1TB SSHD storage with 8GB SSD cache
A widely adjustable, frameless display allows the screen to be set into almost any position and folded back for added comfort.
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
Lenovo ThinkVision LT1423p Touch Mobile Monitor
Subject: General Tech, Displays, Mobile | January 6, 2013 - 06:00 PM | Morry Teitelman
Tagged: windows 8, thinkvision, mobile, LT1423p, Lenovo, CES
Not one to be left out of the fray, Lenovo latest mobile announcement for CES comes in the form of a 13.3 inch, Windows 8 touch optimized mobile monitor.
Courtesy of Lenovo
The ThinkVision LT1423p Mobile Monitor is being markets as a touch enabled secondary screen to be used by on-the-go professionals wanting the added productivity that a touch screen provides for the Windows 8 experience. The screen is an AH-IPS LED-based display with an edge to edge Gorilla Glass coating for added strength and durability. The monitor also support both wired and wireless forms of connectivity for added versatility.
KeyFeatures
Courtesy of Lenovo
- Windows 8 touch optimized wired mobile monitor
- 10 point multi-touch Gorilla Glass screen with anti-reflection and anti-fingerprint surfaces
- One USB3.0 interface for its signal and power or optional WiFi wireless connectivity for ultra-mobility
- Digitizer pen with 256 pressure, 2540lpi resolution, and a 133pps data rate
- 4-directions wide viewing angle supported by latest 13.3 inch AH-IPS LED viewing panel
- Ultra slim design ranging from 0.3 inch at its thinnest point to 0.6 inch at its thickest
Courtesy of Lenovo
The touch screen monitor is only 1/2 an inch thick, weighing a mere 1.6 lbs. Not only is this sized to fit in the same bag as your ultrabook or laptop, but will not add much weight to that shoulder bag either.
Courtesy of Lenovo
In addition to its 10 point multi-touch support, the ThinkVision LT1423p supports use of an stylus-type touch pen device for finer touch control.
Technical Specifications (provided by Lenovo)
|
Screen Size |
13.3 inches |
|
Panel Type |
AH-IPS, LED |
|
Display/Resolution |
1600*900, HD+ |
|
Brightness |
300nit |
|
Contrast Ratio |
500 : 1 |
|
DCR |
10M:1 |
|
Interface |
1 USB3.0 |
|
Multi-touch |
10 point multi-touch |
|
Touch Pen |
Digitizer with 256 pressure transducers |
|
Cover / Stand |
Cover with stand to support landscape and portrait use |
|
Weight |
Starting at 1.6 pounds (730g) |
|
Thickness |
0.28 inches thin (7.1 mm thin) |
|
Price |
Starting at USD$349 |
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
CES 2013: Lenovo OneLink Connection Combines HDMI, Audio, Power, Ethernet and more!
Subject: General Tech, Mobile | January 6, 2013 - 06:00 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: thunderbolt, onelink, Lenovo, ces 2013, CES
An interesting technology from Lenovo is making its debut at CES 2013 as a side-story to an otherwise kind of bland notebook, the ThinkPad Edge E431 and E531. The notebook itself is based around an Ivy Bridge platform, 14-in or 15-in 1600x900 touch screen, optional discrete graphics and standard storage but what makes it more interesting is that it is the first machine to support Lenovo OneLink.
Lenovo OneLink is a single connection that promises to "connect and deliver power to everything" and if successful, can reduce cable clutter and simplify connections for consumers and business users that want a laptop as their primary machine with a dockable workstation option for when you are at home or the office. The capability for OneLink to not only act as the conduit for video, audio, networking, storage and more but also charge your laptop and power those other accessories would be impressive and surpasses Thunderbolt in many ways. We don't yet know the actual data rate of OneLink so TB may still have an advantage there.
Lenovo was also showing the first accessory for OneLink, a dock that features a NAS controller, 4 USB ports, Ethernet, native VGA, HDMI and audio. In a relatively small package you are able to expand the ThinkPad Edge E431/E531 to the connectivity and capability of a full desktop with external storage and added displays. Lenovo claims the HDMI connection will be completely lag free and support 1080p resolutions.
Lots of questions remain including when other Lenovo machines will adopt this connection and why Lenovo decided to shun Thunderbolt that would allow them not only support other accessories but sell its accessories (like this dock) to non-Lenovo customers.
Hopefully we'll get some more details this week!
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon 27-in Table PC for Computing and Gaming
Subject: Systems | January 6, 2013 - 06:00 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: video, table pc, Lenovo, ideacentre, horizon, ces 2013, CES
Lenovo claims to be ushering in "an entirely new PC category" at CES this year with the IdeaCentre Horizon table PC. That's right a table; though not a very large one with a 27-in display. The hardware specifications aren't particularly interesting and include a 1080p display, Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor, discrete graphics options topping out at the GeForce GT 620M, optional SSD, Bluetooth, 802.11n, etc.
We stopped by the Lenovo suite earlier in the week and got some hands-on time with the unit as well as a walk through of its features. Check out the video here:
The 27-in display is actually capable of 10 point multi-touch capability and allows for "interpersonal" computing which simply means it is intended for more than one user at a time. Lenovo claims that this makes it a family PC and for some unique cases including game nights and various kids-based applications. Of course, you can tilt up to 90 degrees and use the machine for standard computing circumstances.
The Horizon is pretty thin at just over 1-in when looking at the profile. It weighs almost 18 pounds and that wouldn't normally matter except that Lenovo has put a battery in this machine capable of keeping it running for up to 2 hours without a power connection. The idea of a portable 27-in monitor with a 2 hour battery life is humorous to say the least but would still be useful for taking to the couch to use as a dinner table while watching TV and reading on your incredibly close 1080p screen. Seriously though, the intention is to allow consumers to take the Horizon to the coffee table and play a game with the family without having to run a cable to the wall.
Lenovo is even going to have some gaming accessories included with the IdeaCentre Horizon including a striker, joystick and the coolest thing I've ever seen, an e-dice. It will come preloaded with games from EA, Ubisoft and more importantly, Monopoly. SOLD!
Pricing will start at $1699 and availability is schedule for early summer. Check out the full press release after the break!
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
CES 2013: Vizio Creates Windows 8 Tablet with AMD CPU
Subject: General Tech, Processors, Mobile, Shows and Expos | January 6, 2013 - 05:13 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: CES, ces 2013, vizio, amd
Why not open up CES-proper discussion with a tablet announcement?
AMD has begun their push into the tablet space with Vizio being one of their first OEM partners to announce products at CES. Due to AMD being one of the select few to still maintain a proper x86 license, they are about your only option outside of Intel for a true Windows 8 tablet. Vizio took them up on that position.
The Vizio Tablet PC, seemingly a play on their original Android-based Vizio tablet with an added declaration that “I am a PC”, will run standard Windows 8 certified as Microsoft Signature. No bloatware will be included which should help users experience the performance that 60-day antivirus trials and auto-launched demo notifications absorb.
On the technical side, the Tablet PC is loaded with 2 GB of RAM, an 11.6” full 1080p display, and a 1.0 GHz AMD Z60 processor. 64 GB of solid state storage is included although Windows 8 has been known to stake claims to a large portion of that. Readers of our site would probably have a primary computing device although this might be worth watching as a secondary device. You do not have a whole lot of other options for Flash support or access to non-default browsers.
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
Lenovo Releases New High Performance Desktop for Gamers - Meet the Erazer X700
Subject: Systems | January 6, 2013 - 02:01 PM | Chris Barbere
Tagged: x700, system, Lenovo, ces 2013, CES
Lenovo has announed a new 'high-performance desktop for extreme gamers with high storage capacity, powerful OneKey™ overclocking performance at the click of a button, and a liquid-cooling system" that looks interesting.
Key features include:
- OneKey™ Overclocking increases processing speed with the click of a button
- Lenovo Cooling System uses a liquid coolant to keep internal temperatures at optimal levels to protect system health while overclocking
- AMD Eyefinity technology allows users to simultaneously connect up to six monitors for a truly panoramic display
- Intel® Core™ i7 Extreme processor
- Dual graphics support – NVIDIA® SLI1, up to dual NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX660 1.5GB or ATI CrossFireX™1, up to dual AMD Radeon™ HD 8950 3GB graphics
Notice something interesting in there? Look at the last card listed in that last bullet. "AMD Radeon HD 8950." Could it be a typo, inaccurate, or a slip of the lip? Since we've heard the Erazer won't be available till June and haven't heard anything official on the 8950 there's no telling.
A good looking case design and some interesting specs, including integrated water cooling, have us interested in getting our hands on the Erazer and running it through it's paces when it hits.
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
CES 2013: "Pro-Grade" Monitors, Even One with Touch
Subject: General Tech, Displays | January 5, 2013 - 08:48 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: Samsung, ces 2013, CES
The storm is coming. The PC Perspective crew are settling their shelter. Press releases are slowly drizzling from the clouds -- at least given the nature of enterprise web hosting these days.
Samsung released a droplet to promote their upcoming premium touch-screen monitors. Why must you choose between a professional-grade display and a touchscreen? Well, you did not need to, but now you have even more options.
Three panels are being showcased with this press release:
The Samsung Series7 Touch-Sensitive SC770 Monitor allows for up to ten touch-targets to be tracked at the same time. This ensures that a professional who desires to massage their accounting reports can use all ten fingers to firmly work out those deep-tissue trigger points. Also, and much more seriously, software from vendors such as Autodesk and Corel are beginning to take advantage of touch support. Maybe it will be possible to combine touch with stylus input from a graphics tablet to simulate many of the features of the Cintiq 24HD Touch?
The monitor itself is a very thin-bezel 24” FullHD design. Samsung also claims 5000:1 contrast ratio, 5-fold deeper than the 1000:1 ratio of standard displays. You might be used to seeing contrast ratios in the million-to-one realm however that is just a backlight dimming game where apparently this is a true static contrast ratio. It is expected to be available in Q1.
The Samsung Series7 SC750 Monitor keeps the 5000:1 contrast ratio and gains three inches making it a 27” display. It is not touch enabled. It is just 1080p. This display is touted for its thin stand and pivot support to spin into portrait mode.
Samsung lauds the screen as delivering ultra-sharp images due to its high contrast ratio but I just feel wrong about a 27” 1080p computer display. Nothing about that seems ultra-sharp to me. Still if you are interested -- particularly in how it looks -- it will also be available in Q1.
The last announcement has already been out for quite some time. Samsung will be showing off their S27B970 27” 1440p PLS display which is a much better resolution for a 27” display. No sense speculating when I can just point you to its CNET review.
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
Brace Yourself: The PC Perspective CES 2013 Coverage is Coming!
Subject: Graphics Cards, Networking, Motherboards, Cases and Cooling, Processors, Systems, Storage, Mobile, Shows and Expos | January 5, 2013 - 10:47 AM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: CES, ces 2013, pcper
It's that time of year - the staff at PC Perspective is loaded up and either already here in Las Vegas, on their way to Las Vegas or studiously sitting at their desk at home - for the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show! I know you are on our site looking for all the latest computer hardware news from the show and we will have it. The best place to keep checking is our CES landing page at http://pcper.com/ces. The home page will work too.
We'll have stories covering companies like, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, Zotac, Sapphire, Galaxy, EVGA, Lucid, OCZ, Western Digital, Corsair and many many more that I don't feel like listing here. It all starts Sunday with CES Unveiled and then the NVIDIA Press Conference where they will announce...something.
Also, don't forget to subscribe to the PC Perspective Podcast as we will be bringing you daily podcasts wrapping up each day. We are also going to try to LIVE stream them on our PC Perspective Live! page but times and bandwidth will vary.
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
AMD Has Lots to DisplayPort at CES 2013
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Displays | January 3, 2013 - 07:32 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: ces 2013, CES, DisplayPort, amd
It has been several months since we first heard about AMD’s multi-stream transport hub -- its friends call it MST hub -- announced with the FirePro W600 last June. Since then news has been pretty quiet about the 1-to-4 DisplayPort device.
It turns out that AMD wants to roll the dice in Vegas along with several other demonstrations.
Image from Rage3D Forums
The cute feature for the MST is its ability to split a 4K image into four 2K monitors. The reason why this is cute is because the hub enables the user to plug four-times as many monitors as they have DisplayPort 1.2 sockets on their GPU. The W600, for instance, contains 6 DisplayPort 1.2 plugs which enable it to drive 24 separate monitors from a single-slot card.
Image from Rage3D Forums
Unfortunately, another feature of DisplayPort 1.2 is the ability to route sound uniquely to each display. The hub, as announced in June, is incapable of providing audio from its one input to its four displays.
A last goodie is the capacity to mix landscape and portrait monitors together in an Eyefinity setup. Stay tuned for our impending CES 2013 coverage for more details on these demos.
PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
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