Minecraft Brings Cake to Raspberry Pi

Subject: General Tech, Systems, Mobile | November 24, 2012 - 04:56 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged:

You might like pie, you might be a terrible person who likes cake, I will not judge.

One of Minecraft’s many features is the ability to craft a cake to use as food despite being wholly inferior to a couple of pork chops or steaks. You are not able to craft a pie. Soon you will be able to craft the game on a Raspberry Pi, however.

Mojang made an announcement on their blog recently which outlined their plans to port Minecraft Pocket to the cheap Raspberry Pi computer. While this might be exciting for those who use the Raspberry Pi as a cheap home theatre PC, there is something special about this build.

If you close a Windows, someone will open a source.

The Raspberry Pi was designed by David Braben to be an educational device. Its intent was to provide students with a cheap device loaded with much of the software development tools they would require to learn and develop their own applications.

Mojang is also interested in this ideal.

This version of the game, called Minecraft: Pi Edition, is said to be available in multiple programming languages. The intent is for users to learn to program by modifying and extending Minecraft. The game certainly is popular enough with students and would be an engaging way to frame the skills they require in the context of an existing game. I hope it will also help perpetuate the oft threatened ideal that third party game modifications should be promoted and preserved.

Minecraft: Pi Edition will be provided completely free.

A $250 Dual Core Cortex A15 powered Chromebook from Samsung

Subject: Mobile | November 23, 2012 - 02:59 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: ubuntu, Chromebook, cortex a15, Samsung, linux, exynos 5

At $250 this Samsung Chromebook costs less than most tablets or phones but can outperform previous A9 powered models and the Atom D525 as well.  The processor is Samsung's Exynos 5, a dual core A15 chip running at 1.7GHz with ARM's Mali-T604 graphics  and is accompanied by 2GB of DDR3 and a 16GB SSD.  It can be loaded with Ubuntu 13.04 and offers a compelling and inexpensive alternative to Sleekbooks and Ultrabooks as it weighs 2.5lbs and is 11.4" x 8.09" x 0.69" and promises over 6 hours of battery life.  Check out how it performs at Phoronix.

"Google recently launched the Samsung Chromebook that for $249 USD features an 11-inch display, a 16GB SSD, a promise of 6.5-hour battery life, and is backed by a Samsung Exynos 5 SoC. The Samsung Exynos 5 packs a 1.7GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 processor with ARM Mali-T604 graphics. With using this new ARM Cortex-A15 chip plus the Samsung Chromebook not being locked down so it can be loaded up with a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or openSUSE, it was a must-buy for carrying out some interesting Cortex-A15 Linux benchmarks. The Exynos 5 Dual in this affordable laptop packs an impressive performance punch."

Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:

Mobile

• HP ENVY 6 Sleekbook Review; AMD's Mobile Trinity APU Arrives @ Hardware Canucks
• Acer Aspire V5-571P-6642 Review @ TechReviewSource
• PC Specialist Inferno 11.6 inch Laptop @ Kitguru
• Acer Aspire V5-171 Notebook Review: The Death and Rebirth of the Netbook @ AnandTech
• Txtr Beagle @ The Inquirer
• Kobo eReader Mini review: shrunk in the laundry
• Patriot Gauntlet Node 320 Review: Wireless Storage for Tablets @ AnandTech
• Point of View Protab 3 XXL review: 10-inch, IPS, £200 @ Hardware.info
• ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700T 32GB Tablet @ SSD Review
• iPad mini @ AnandTech
• Rapoo E6300 Wireless Keyboard for iPad/iPhone @ Bjorn3D
• ASUS PadFone 2 Review @ InsideHW
• Nokia Lumia 820 @ The Inquirer

Intel CEO Paul Otellini Resigns in May 2013, Two Years Early

Subject: General Tech, Processors, Mobile | November 23, 2012 - 01:18 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: Intel, CEO

Intel has not had any financial or directional problems nor have they experienced a revolving door in upper management, at least to my knowledge. Paul Otellini was expected to remain at the helm of the chip giant until he turned 65 at which point he would enjoy a wonderful retirement. He would have commanded the company for a full decade.

Intel recently announced that Otellini will leave the company and retire at 62.

Possibly the most important part of the story might be the non-story piece: there does not appear to be any reason for him to leave. The board apparently did not want him to go. ARM holds a large lead in momentum over Intel, during Paul’s watch, in the mobile market but even then the future looks promising with early commentaries about Clover Trail. If I had to guess I would posit that his decision to step down is entirely for personal and possibly sudden circumstances. That was just a guess, however.

To further speculation about its abruptness, Intel does not seem to have anyone in mind as a replacement in just 6 months’ time. For the first time Intel will consider fulfilling the position from outside the company.

In related news, Intel’s stock made a slight dip in value after the abrupt announcement. While the decline was slight it does echo the reluctance mentioned earlier and shows that even the stock market approved of Intel’s performance over the last eight years.

Now Intel owns 3DLabs and they may be making better mobiles with them

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | November 20, 2012 - 01:47 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Intel, Creative, SoC, ziilabs

Ziilabs might not be a name you recognize now, but it is one you were likely familiar with at one time.  That is the current name of 3DLabs which was purchased by Creative back in 2002 and is now responsible for SoC development at Creative, especially integrating the StemCell media processor into the ARM chips which make the basis of the mobile processors.  Intel paid $30 million for physical resources and assets along with $20 million for patents, giving them the ability to move from their current solution for Atom processors, PowerVR to the StemCell architecture.  Could it be possible that with a stronger Atom that Intel might be able to power more cell phones and take a larger share of that market as well?  Check out more at The Inquirer.

"CHIPMAKER Intel will license patents from Ziilabs and purchase assets from the UK based chip designer.

Ziilabs is a UK based subsidiary of Creative Technology focusing on system on chip (SoC) designs for smartphones and tablets. While the firm has yet to register on the public conciousness, it clearly has been on Intel's radar for a while and announced a $50m asset sale and patent licensing deal."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Intel roadmap leak shows quad-core Atoms for 2014 @ The Register
• UPHEAVAL as Otellini retires: Will Intel look inside? @ The Register
• Can't wait for Nvidia? Try these Italian baby ARM clusters with GPU options @ The Register
• Bathroom fan that switches itself on when it gets steamy or smelly @ Hack a Day
• HP posts a $6.9bn loss as PC, printer and server businesses tank @ The Inquirer
• TechSpot Holiday Gift Guide 2012
• Kingston & Techgage Present: Free Kit for Friendship Contest @ Techgage
• Bjorn3D/Diamond Multimedia Holiday Giveaway

Too big for comfort? The Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Subject: Mobile | November 19, 2012 - 02:48 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Samsung, galaxy note 2, phablet

Even with its overly large body the original Samsung Galaxy Note sold well, as it sported a large screen to go with its large body.  The second version now has a slightly larger screen of 5.5" and slightly smaller body but not enough to shrink the phone noticeably.  Apart from its size the other unique feature that the Note 2 has is the S Pen which allows you to draw and write on the screen, a feature that attracted many users to the original model.  Also worth noting is the graphics chip, instead of the more common Snapdragon this phone has a Exynos processor which is up to most tasks but when running apps which are optimized for the other graphics chips you may notice the quality degrade a bit.  TechSpot has a full review of this phablet right here.

"The Samsung Galaxy Note II is big. Colossally big. It's important to get that description out of the way because anyone who sees or holds the Galaxy Note II will have no choice but to be taken aback by how large is the phone-meets-tablet.

The same predicament made doubters believe that the original Galaxy Note was too big to succeed, but millions of phones sold later, that proved to be a false prediction. The Galaxy Note II is a smooth and dynamic experience from top to bottom. It's probably too big as a phone or too small as a tablet for most, but many will find it's a comfortable compromise between the two form factors."

Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:

Mobile

• Is There a Touchable Windows 8 Laptop For You? @ Techspot
• Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Review @ TechReviewSource
• CyberPowerPC Zeus-M2 Ultrabook Review @ Custom PC Review
• Microsoft Surface RT @ The Inquirer
• Google Nexus 4 Review - Google's new Flagship @ AnandTech
• Galaxy SIII, iPhone 5, HTC One X+ and 8X shootout: comparing video quality @ Hardware.info
• LG Optimus G 16GB Smartphone Review @ Legit Reviews
• Sony Xperia Miro Smartphone @ HardwareHeaven
• Samsung Galaxy S III Mini @ Hardware.Info

Ready for the next OLED let down ... bendable cellphones

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | November 16, 2012 - 12:35 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: oled, Samsung, smartphone

If the marketing had been accurate we would now all be using millimetre thin displays with vibrant colours and near instantaneous response, either on our desks or in some form of electronic paper.  Unfortunately organic LED screens have proven both difficult and expensive to make, with manufacturers still trying to find a way to make large OLED devices affordable for consumers.  The next possible product is one we have seen prototypes of but if Samsung is to be believed they will be hawking bendable plastic phones next year.  OLED phones would have several benefits, without glass they would weigh less than a traditional phone and could be somewhat slimmer, but the biggest benefit to OLEDs is that they can tolerate bending and twisting and still function properly.  Hit up The Register for more on Samsung's new plans as well as a look at some of the prototypes previously offered by their competitors, but not Apple.

"Development work on Samsung mobiles fitted with flexible OLED displays is nearing completing, with handsets set to be released in the first half of 2013, it has been claimed.

A source said to be close to the matter reckons Samsung is almost ready to launch flexible displays for mobile handsets, the Wall Street Journal reports."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Samsung fabs 64Gb NAND chips on a 10nm process node @ The Inquirer
• Sinofsky denies failed putsch led to his defenestration @ The Register
• Everspin makes ST-MRAM a reality @ SemiAccurate
• Lenovo UEFI Bug Only Likes Windows and RHEL @ Slashdot
• Newer Technology NuGreen LED Desk Lamp Review @ Madshrimps
• The Ultimate Kitguru Giveaway – Modded GTX690/SSD/RAM
• Win an Antec P280 Window or P280 White Window Computer Case @ Tweaktown

Viva las VivoTab

Subject: Mobile | November 13, 2012 - 06:55 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: asus, vivo tab rt, tegra 3, winRT

Hopefully the rounded corners on the VivoTab will not catch the attention of Cupertino but until it does this convertible tablet/notebook will be popular.  The tablet portion has a 10.1" 1366 x 768 SuperIPS+ display, aka 155 PPI, powered by a Tegra 3 T30 @ 1.3GHz. It has an 8MP camera at the rear and a 2MP camera which faces you for video conferencing and while it does have the ability to provide a USB connection it does so with an adapter and the docking port, so USB is unavailable when you are docked.  Overall The Tech Report mostly liked the device, it might load some WinRT apps slowly but once they are running they perform admirably; lack of support for x86 programs was disappointing and in some ways they preferred the previous Android versions.   See why that is so in the full article.

"Asus' Transformer approach to convertible tablets has finally come to Windows. We take a closer look at the new VivoTab RT."

Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:

Mobile

• Microsoft Surface Tablet (64GB / Windows RT) Review @ HardwareHeaven
• HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 Review @ TechReviewSource
• Asus Zenbook Prime UX31A Ultrabook Windows 7 and 8 Testing Review @ TechwareLabs
• Asus S56CA-DH51 Review @ TechReviewSource
• Maingear Vybe 15 Gaming Laptop @ Tweaktown
• Schenker XMG P722 Gaming Laptop @ HardwareHeaven
• Dell Inspiron 14z: Ultrabook with DVD and SSD @ Hardware.info
• Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon @ Hardware.info
• 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro @ AnandTech
• Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina @ Hardware.info
• ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime @ Tweaktown
• Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (16GB, Sprint) Review @ TechReviewSource
• Samsung Galaxy Xcover review: robust smartphone
• Samsung Galaxy Note II 16GB Smartphone Review @ Legit Reviews
• Google Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 Performance Preview @ AnandTech
• Apple iPad Mini Review @ HardwareHeaven
• Apple iPad Mini (Wi-Fi) Review @ TechReviewSource
• Acer Iconia W700 Windows 8 Tablet @ XSReviews
• Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7in Review @ HardwareHeaven
• Nook Simple Touch Glowlight @ The Inquirer
• Apple Ipad Mini @ The Inquirer

Breaking News: Steven Sinofsky Leaves Microsoft Immediately

Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Systems, Mobile | November 12, 2012 - 10:02 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: windows rt, windows 8, microsoft

Our regular viewers know that I am not too fond of Microsoft’s recent vision; I will get that out of the way right at the start. I am a major proponent of open platforms for uncensored art with perpetual support and Windows 8 shows all the signs of Microsoft turning its back on that ideology.

And Steven Sinofsky, the one who allegedly came up with that vision, is no longer with Microsoft: effective immediately.

Not much in the line of reasoning is known about why Steven Sinofsky parted ways with his long-term career as head of Windows division. He had a clear and concise vision for his products and it was evident both in Windows 7 and in Windows RT.

Rumors exist that his fellow executives were not on pleasant terms with him. All Things D claims to have sources which suggest that his colleagues were unhappy with his conduct in terms of collaboration.

But that is all hearsay.

What it means for Microsoft is that the face that set sail is no longer at the helm. Microsoft could revert back to their twitchy attempts to appease everyone and abandon their vision. On the other hand it is entirely possible that the company could continue off on the last bearing set by Sinofsky.

No-one knows, but I stand behind my previous assertions that the PC industry will get messy in the next few years as things boil over at Microsoft.

And the mobile IE10 makes three versions

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | November 9, 2012 - 12:51 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: win8 mobile, win8, IE10

We already know that Windows 8 essentially has two versions of IE10, the one you launch from Metro and the one you launch from the desktop with the desktop launched version possessing more features.  Today Microsoft detailed (to some extent) what IE10 will be like on Win8 powered phones.  They told The Register that the mobile version will not support inline video, multi-track HTML5 audio, drag-and-drop APIs, pinned websites and other features available on the full version.  However thanks to the presence of hardware acceleration for graphics the majority of the graphical features you want will be supported by the phone OS.  Check out more here.

"SOFTWARE HOUSE Microsoft has detailed the differences between its Internet Explorer 10 (IE 10) web browser for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 ahead of the release of the mobile operating system (OS) in the US today."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• RIM good for secret jobs: BlackBerry 10 cleared for Restricted data @ The Inquirer
• Intel to slip future Xeon E7s, Itaniums into common socket @ The Register
• Ninjalane Podcast – Enthusiast Gaming Keyboards and Holiday Shopping Season
• Oh dear... I've bought an iPhone 5 @ The Tech Report
• NETGEAR R6300 Gigabit Wi-Fi Router @ Benchmark Reviews
• Adobe Reader 0-day exploit surfaces on underground bazaars @ The Register
• NVIDIA Mirrors Qualcomm's Hot Streak With Earnings Surprise of Its Own @ DailyTech
• TSMC sees orders returning for its 28nm process @ DigiTimes
• Hard drive prices remain high one year after Thailand flooding @ The Tech Report
• Netduino gets a huge upgrade @ Hack a Day
• Linus Torvalds Focuses His Keynote On Community Participation. Literally. @ Linux.com
• Win 16GB ADATA XPG Xtreme Series 2133MHz 16GB Memory @ Kitguru

ASUS VivoTab RT, Windows 8 on ARM

Subject: Mobile | October 31, 2012 - 06:59 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: winRT, vivotab rt, asus

When The Tech Report last talked about the VivoTab RT they were focusing on the new OS and its features and usability but they didn't touch on the device its self.  That has been remedied with this review which highlights the usability of the device along with some specifics like split screen mode and battery life.  They held off on running benchmarks which in a way makes sense as the limited usefulness of WinRT machines will mean that some cellphone benchmarks would provide information but not many of the usual PC benchmarks will ... we already know it won't play Crysis.  Check out their overview before you pick one of these up if you are not positive you want one.

"After spending the weekend with Asus' Tegra-powered VivoTab RT, we've posted our initial impressions of the convertible tablet."

Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:

Mobile

• Dell XPS 12 Review @ TechReviewSource
• Samsung Chromebook (XE303) Review: Testing ARM's Cortex A15 @ AnandTech
• Microsoft Surface popped open, poked, prodded @ The Register
• Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, Retina) Review @ TechReviewSource
• Asus Vivo Tab RT Review @ TechReviewSource
• Ipad Mini vs Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire HD @ The Inquirer
• Toshiba Satellite U925t Review @ TechReviewSource
• Cyberpower X6-9120 Gaming Notebook @ Bjorn3D
• Microsoft Surface @ AnandTech
• Android 4.0 update improves Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 performance @ Hardware.info
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Tablet @ Tweaktown
• Toshiba Satellite P845-S4200 Review @ TechReviewSource
• Samsung Series 9 @ Hardware.info
• Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Review (T-Mobile) - The Phablet Returns @ AnandTech
• 2x Dell XPS 15 review: Core i7 or Core i5 @ Hardware.info
• MSI GX60 Gaming Laptop @ Kitguru
• Vaja Leather Suit for Macbook Pro 15'' Unibody Review @ Madshrimps
• Matrox DualHead2Go External Multi-Display Adaptor Review @ OCC
• Sony Xperia T Android Smartphone Review @ HardwareHeaven
• Apple Ipad Mini first impressions @ The Inquirer
• Windows Phone 8 @ Hardawre.info
• EE 4G @ The Inquirer

Video Perspective: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Windows 8 Ultrabook Preview

Subject: Mobile | October 30, 2012 - 01:17 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: yoga 13, yoga, ultrabook, Lenovo, Ivy Bridge, Ideapad

Earlier today we got in the new Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13, an Ivy Bridge Core i5 Ultrabook with a very distinctive display panel that works as a laptop, a tablet, a tent and in a stand mode.  Basically, think of the Lenovo machine you saw from CES with the screen that wraps around the back. 

After getting the notebook in I recorded a quick 15 minute hands-on and overview video that I thought I would share in preparation for our full review coming later!  Enjoy!

NEC Launches LaVie Y Windows RT Tablet in Japan

Subject: Mobile | October 28, 2012 - 03:59 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: windows rt, tablet, nec lavie y, nec, ideapad yoga

NEC, a Japanese IT services and products company, is launching a convertible laptop similar to the Yoga 11 from Lenovo that we covered previously. The NEC LaVie Y is an 11” laptop that incorporates Lenovo’s 360” hinge to allow it to transform into slat mode when folded down or operate as a traditional laptop. The device measures 298 x 204 x 15.6 mm when it the screen is folded down over the keyboard. Further, it weighs in at 1.24 kg, or approximately 2.7 pounds.

Similarly to the Lenovo Yoga 11, the LaVie Y will run Microsoft’s Windows RT operating system. The convertible notebook will be powered by an Nvidia Tegra 3 system on a chip (SoC) along with 2GB of RAM, and a 64GB SSD. NEC has reportedly packed a decent-sized batttery as well, as the company is claiming up to 8 hours of use.

Wireless connectivity options include 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. External I/O ports include USB 2.0, a 5-in-1 card reader, and HDMI output. Other specifications include an 11.6” touchscreen display with a resolution of 1366x768, a full QWERTY keyboard, and a touchpad. A 1.3 megapixel webcam is nestled above the display as well. The device comes in a two-tone color scheme: black for the keyboard and display bezel, and a silver color for the hinge and bottom of the tablet.

According to Engadget, the LaVie Y will be available for purchase on November 22nd, and the US pricing would be close to $1,136 should you import it. Needless to say, many Americans will want to wait it out for the Lenovo Yoga 11 which should be cheaper in the United States. For readers in Japan however, this might be worth checking out if you are into the Yoga-like form factor!

Read more about Windows RT tablets at PC Perspective

Asus Zenbook Refresh Introduces Several New Ultrabooks

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | October 28, 2012 - 03:18 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: zenbook, windows 8, ultrabook, nvidia, laptop, Ivy Bridge, GT650M, GT620M, asus

Asus has announced a refresh of its Zenbook lineup of Intel-powered ultrabooks to accompany its new VivoBooks and VivoTabs running Windows 8. Available next month, the PC OEM is introducing six new laptop SKUs with Ivy Bridge processors and dedicated graphics cards from NVIDIA. Specifically, the Asus Zenbook UX21A, UX31A, UX32VD, UX42VS, US52VS, and U500VZ ultrabooks are coming soon with the refresh.

The UX31A Ultrabook with touch display

The new Zenbooks will have Ivy Bridge processors, up to 10GB of memory, and up to NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics. They maintain the aluminum chassis of Asus’ previous generation ultrabooks but up the hardware ante. The company has expanded the lineup to include models with 11.6,” 13.3,” 14,” and 15.6” IPS displays, backlit keyboards, and multitouch trackpads. The U500VZ and UX31A can even be outfitted with capacitive touchscreen displays.

The ASUS UX42VS Zenbook

The VX42VS further includes an optical drive, but otherwise the Zenbooks source of storage lies in solid state or hybrid hard drives. Interestingly, the UX32VD and U500VZ can even be configured with two 256GB solid state drives in RAID 0 (Ryan’s favorite kind of RAID).

The ASUS UX52VS Zenbook

The following chart outlines all the known specifications. Note that several of the ultrabooks are not listed on Asus’ website yet so exact dimensions are unknown for the UX52VS and U500VZ in particular.

*onboard + 1 x SODIMM

All of the new Zenbook laptops will be available in November and will come with Windows 8. Pricing will range from $699 to $1999 for the premium model (The U500VZ). Specific pricing details should become available closer to launch.

ASUS Launches Line of VivoBook Laptops Running Windows 8

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | October 26, 2012 - 01:05 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: windows 8, vivobook, laptop, asus

Asus has launched a line of VivoBook laptops to accompany its series of convertible Vivo Tab Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets. Initially, there will be two VivoBooks available around Windows 8’s October 26, 2012 launch date that will come in 11.6” and 14” screen sizes with the VivoBook X202 and S400 respectively.

The VivoBook series will focus on multitouch input available on a lightweight laptop chassis. They will have a similar tapered design as the company’s Zenbook laptops, and will use metal for the chassis and a glass screen rather than plastics. SonicMaster audio, and 32GB of Asus WebStorage space (for three years) also come standard with all VivoBooks models.

The X202 VivoBook

Interestingly, the specifications put the laptops just out of ultrabook territory, which should mean cheaper starting prices. Both the X202 and S400 will have processor options spanning Intel's lineup from lowly Celeron 847s to its Core (Ivy Bridge) series. However, the X202 will be limited to a top end of Core i3 while the S400 will be able to utilize up to a Core i7 processor. Both further feature 5400 RPM hard drives, though the S400 will have a 24GB caching SSD option to speed up general performance. Also, the X202 and S400 will come with multitouch displays and large trackpads. While Asus made no claims on the S400, they have stated that the X202 will have a trackpad normally used on a 14” laptop despite the X202 being a smaller 12” model. The larger trackpad will allow for easier gesture control of Windows 8, according to the company.

The specifications for the X202 and S400 VivoBook touch-enabled laptops are as follows:

Of course, the laptops will come pre-loaded with either Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. The X202 measures a bit over 0.85-inches and the S400 is slightly thinner at approximately 0.82-inches. On the other hand, while the S400 is thinner, it weighs more at approximately 3.96 pounds versus the X202's 3.08 pounds.

The X202 is in stock at Amazon now, and should be availabe at other retailers soon. The Core i3-3217U (1.8GHz) version has a listed price of $599. On the other hand, the S400 with an Intel Core i5-3317U (1.7GHz) has a list price of $699.99. Unfortunately, pricing on the other models is still unknown, though you can expect the Pentium and Celeron powered X202 and S400 VivoBooks to be cheaper – it is jsut how much cheaper they will be that is still up in the air.

These do appear to be interesting machines if you are considering a new Windows 8 computer and want more of a traditional laptop form factor than the dockable tablet announcements that have dominated the news.

What do you think, would you use a touch panel on a laptop?

ASUS TAICHI - Perfect Blend of Ultrabook, Tablet, Uppercase

Subject: General Tech, Systems, Mobile | October 23, 2012 - 02:55 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: taichi, asus

ASUS has just officially announced their new TAICHI mobile computer which they are branding as both an Ultrabook and a Tablet. What differentiates this device is that it contains two 1080p touchscreens on either side of the laptop lid. When the lid is closed it is a tablet, when the lid is open it is a standard Ultrabook with a monitor facing away from the user.

The real difficulty is explaining use cases for potential buyers. Having done some high school teaching in the past the first usage which comes to mind is creating surveys and quizzes without a projector. Since a simple bar chart tends to have larger details it should be quite visible even on an 11.6” display. If you are teacher who tends to do a lot of “clicker” demonstrations it might be particularly useful as you would be able to modify the question on your screen and show the answer on the reverse.

In terms of a regular laptop it has quite a few nice features: Core i5 or i7 processor, an actual Intel HD 4000 GPU, USB3.0 for practically full-speed external drives, and a 128 or 256GB SSD. It is expected to have 5 hours of battery life when browsing the internet wirelessly. I am satisfied with 4GB of RAM but frankly these days it would be good to get a little more.

Prices start at $1,299 and go up to $1,599 for the i7 with a 256GB SSD. Availability starts November.

Press blast after the break!

ASUS VivoTab RT Tablet and Keyboard/Dock Released with Tegra 3

Subject: Mobile | October 23, 2012 - 02:54 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: windows rt, vivotab rt, tegra 3, asus

Let the onslaught of new Windows devices continue, this time with the announcement of the ASUS VivoTab RT, a Windows RT-based tablet powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 3 SoC.  We have seen the VivoTab RT leaks and pictures for several months including a price listing just last month, all of which seem to have been spot on. 

One of the flagship Windows RT devices, the ASUS tablet utilizes an NVIDIA Tegra 3 SoC running at up to 1.3 GHz in either dual or quad-core mode.  You can see more background information on the processor itself in our story from September of last year when the product was first announced. 

The tablet has a sleek design with a 8.3mm profile (0.32 in), 525g weight (1.15 lb) and 10.1-in Super IPS+ screen with a 1366x768 resolution behind scratch-resistant Corning Fit Glass.  It will be available with either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage and will start at $599 with an included keyboard dock. 

As we saw with ASUS Transformer series of tablets, the VivoTab RT will have an optional keyboard dock that includes a trackpad and nearly doubles the battery life of the machine.  Below is the full spec sheet as provided by ASUS:

When docked, ASUS is claiming a total of 16 hours of usable battery life and with the inclusion of the Office Home and Student version of Microsoft Office 2013 RT, you should actually be able to use this tablet for content creation and business purposes - something we haven't been fond of claiming on Android or iOS based tablets.

If you are curious to learn more about the VivoTab RT we'll be doing a live streaming run through on the device on our PC Perspective Live! page at 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT, so be sure to join us!! 

Missed the live stream?  Here is a replay so you can enjoy seeing our experiences for a solid hour of usage including SmartGlass!  Also, make sure you pay attention to the first few minutes as we explain the pricing.

Join us tomorrow for a LIVE Unboxing and First Impressions of the ASUS Vivo Tab RT!

Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Mobile | October 22, 2012 - 06:22 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: asus, vivo tab rt, tegra 3, nvidia, video, live

If you happen to be free tomorrow afternoon and would like to be one of the first to see the upcoming ASUS Vivo Tab RT based on the Windows RT operating system and the NVIDIA Tegra 3 SoC, you should set your calendar for 12pm PDT / 3pm EDT and join me on the PC Perspective Live! page.

While we won't have any insight on our long term experiences with the device at that time tomorrow, you can see our initial impressions and anything/everything that occurrs with our intial setup and usage!

If you have questions or thoughts on the device that you want addressed during the live stream, you can leave them here in our comments or hang around in our chat room during the event as well.  We want this to be interactive so your input is requested!

Again, that is 12pm PDT / 3pm EDT at the PC Perspective Live! page.

ARM snaps graphics marketshare from the dragon

Subject: General Tech, Mobile | October 22, 2012 - 02:00 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: arm, qualcomm, marketshare, SoC, imagination, Vivante, jon peddie, mali

ARM has made some serious impact on the mobile market with their Mali GPU on their SoC, with Jon Peddie Research reporting they have doubled their market share over the past year.  That number is even more impressive when you pair it with the 91.3% growth in the mobile GPU market.  Another player, Vivante, quadrupled their share of the market and while their products are found primarily in Asia you may recognize them as a member of the HSA.  Their success comes at a cost to Imagination and Qualcomm, both of whom have seen their market shares drop. NVIDIA is currently making up 2.5% of the GPU market for tablets and smartphones which is not too bad when you consider that the other four main players all license their processors out while NVIDIA remains the sole provider of its Tegra SoCs.  Get more numbers at The Inquirer.

"CHIP DESIGNERS ARM and Vivante have achieved significant market share gains in the system-on-chip (SoC) GPU market while Imagination and Qualcomm have seen their market shares fall."

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• AMD Q3 2012 analyst call talks IP strategy @ SemiAccurate
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