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Samsung shipping ATIV Book 9 Plus and ATIV Tab 3 in the coming weeks, promises business-minded variants this fall
B&H may have jumped the gun a bit, but here's the word from the proverbial horse's mouth: Samsung's high-specced ATIV Book 9 Plus will be available for pre-order in the United States beginning August 18th, with shipments of the $1,399 laptop to commence shortly thereafter. For those in need of a brief recap, the 13.3-inch rig packs a QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) touchpanel, a Core i5 4200U processor, 128GB SSD, a battery good for 7.5 hours and a copy of Windows 8. Meanwhile, that ATIV Tab 3 that we handled back in June is getting a proper ship date of its own, with Sammy assuring Americans that they'll be able to snap one up starting on September 1st for $699.99 -- thankfully, that tally does include a Bluetooth keyboard / cover combo. It's said to be the planet's thinnest Windows 8 slate at 0.31-inches thick, with a proposed 7 hour battery, preloaded Office Home & Student and one of those always-lovable S Pens. For whatever it's worth, it appears that Samsung's distaste for Windows RT in the States hasn't carried over to tablets with Windows 8 onboard... yet, anyway. Oh, and for the enterprising individuals in attendance? Samsung has promised "to introduce versions of both products specialized for business use in the fall." Nifty!
Samsung will stop sale of Windows RT tablets in Germany due to weak demand, according to reports
We already know that Samsung was too timid (or maybe too sensible) to launch its Windows RT-based ATIV Tab hybrid in the US, but now it appears the manufacturer is having doubts about European demand too. Heise.de and our friends at MobileGeeks are reporting that Samsung will stop selling its ATIV Tab in Germany -- Europe's biggest economy -- and some other unspecified European countries after speaking to retailers about the level of interest they're seeing for Microsoft's stripped down OS. This European retreat is said to have been confirmed by Samsung execs at CeBIT in Hanover, and MobileGeeks editor Sascha Pallenberg told us that the Korean company simply "sees no market for RT in Germany and other European countries." We've asked Samsung for further clarification and we'll update this post as soon as we hear back. As things stand, the ATIV Tab is still listed for sale by Amazon.de priced at 605 euros. Update: We're still waiting on an official response from Samsung's PR machine. Reps we spoke to at CeBIT wouldn't confirm or deny these reports.
The Daily Roundup for 02.04.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung ATIV Tab review: the Windows RT tablet you'll never find in the US
In a world that's increasingly dominated by tablets, Microsoft, whose fortune is intertwined with desktops and laptops, needed to prevent its customers from leaving in droves. After a few years in a Redmond laboratory, Windows 8 and Surface RT were born -- but not everything was well in the brave new world the company had created. While Windows RT looks and behaves the same way as its big brother, it doesn't run your existing Windows programs despite having its own "desktop" mode. Understandably, as casual users struggled to understand the distinction, Samsung abandoned any plans to launch a Windows RT product in the United States. However, the device is still available in the rest of the world (including Canada), and so it is for everyone else -- and those with an eye on importing it -- that we put the ATIV Tab through its paces. In short, if it never made the journey across the pond, it would be a shame, because it's certainly tablet enough to give the Surface RT a run for its money. So should you buy one? The answer to that question awaits after the break.
The Daily Roundup for 01.11.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung confirms no Windows RT tablets for US markets, blames tepid retail demand
Well, the Windows RT tablet market just got a bit less crowded, as Samsung has confirmed to CNET that its ATIV Tab won't be sold or distributed in the US. The company's decision is based in part upon feedback from retail partners, which suggested that such a product would be only modestly successful in the marketplace. Samsung also pointed to the lack of education about Windows RT, and suggested that it would require too much of an investment to properly inform consumers of the differences between it and Windows 8. Instead, the company will take a wait and see approach to gauge how the Windows RT market develops -- we've heard this line before. It's currently unclear whether Samsung's decision will affect the availability of its Windows RT tablets in other markets.
Samsung introduces ATIV Tab: a 10.1-inch Windows RT tablet
Samsung's busy cranking out its fall lineup here in Berlin, and among the new entries is the ATIV Tab, a Windows RT-packing cousin of the Galaxy Note 10.1. The new 10.1-inch slate isn't quite as aggressive as its Android counterpart and centers on a 1,366 x 768 display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a 5MP rear camera paired with a 1.9MP front-facing cam, and ports for micro-HDMI as well as USB. Dimensionally, the tablet is as light and skinny as you'd hope: it weighs 20.1 ounces (570g) and measures a slim 8.9mm thick. The 32GB and 64GB storage options aren't shockers given the extra space Windows and the bundled copy of Office 2013 Home and Student 2013 will demand, but there's a treat for long-haul users in the battery -- it's been upgraded from the 7,000maH pack of the Note 10.1 to an ample 8,200mAh unit. Samsung hasn't handed out launch details, but it's safe to say that the ATIV Tab won't arrive any sooner than October 26th. Check out all of our IFA 2012 coverage at our event hub! Brad Molen contributed to this post.
Samsung ATIV Tab and ATIV S details leak, hint at a Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 power duo
Remember those ATIV Tab and ATIV S trademarks we saw just a couple of days ago? They may well be more than just Samsung's daydreams. As long as details at The Verge prove true, the devices attached to those names represent a two-pronged revival of Samsung's Windows-based mobile strategy. We're most interested in the ATIV S: thanks in part to Windows Phone 8's multi-core support, it's effectively a Galaxy S III for the Microsoft crowd with a similar 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD screen, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, a 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.9-megapixel front shooter. Swinging attention to the ATIV Tab shows what's likely to be a commonplace list of features for a Windows RT slate. Outside of the 10.1-inch screen, it's sporting its own 1.5GHz dual-core chip and 1.9-megapixel front camera as well as a 5-megapixel rear sensor, HDMI video out and USB. We're still missing a slew of details, such as storage and launch dates, although we might not have to wait long at all to know -- if the claims are correct, one or both of the ATIV models may show their faces at Samsung's IFA 2012 events.
Samsung trademarks Ativ Tab and Ativ S names, may give a peek into its Windows (Phone) 8 world
Everyone knows that Samsung is making a big Windows 8 push at IFA, but there's new signs emerging that it might shake up its naming scheme in the process. We now know through SamMobile that Samsung has quietly snapped up a pair of trademarks with the Ativ badge that would let its branding venture beyond the Galaxy. Ativ Tab is the most conspicuous: unless Samsung is planning a shakeup of its Android slates, there's a distinct chance we're looking at the future name for one or more Windows 8 tablets. Ativ S is slightly more nebulous, although that very familiar oversized S raises the possibility of a high-end Windows Phone 8 smartphone like the Odyssey. Whether or not Samsung wields these trademarks later this week, or at all in the near future, is still up in the air -- it may be holding on to names as a precaution rather than previewing a course of action. If the Ativ label makes its way into stores, though, it may give Samsung a much catchier (if not entirely intuitive) name for its Windows devices than Series 5 Hybrid PC.
