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The Surface Mini is a real tablet that you can't buy
You've heard the rumors: Microsoft axed the launch of a small "Surface Mini" Windows tablet just before the Pro 3 hit stores. Hints of the canceled launch showed up in news articles, Microsoft earnings reports and even the Surface Pro 3's user manual, but now we finally have confirmation that the tablet actually exists -- and it was pretty much ready to ship alongside the Surface Pro 3. So ready that, for a time, Surface VP Panos Panay used one on a daily basis.
Toshiba's inexpensive Windows tablets now have a pen option
We've seen plenty of super-cheap Windows tablets, but until now, companies have invariably had to cut corners to get the prices so low. That's why Toshiba's new "Encore 2 Write" slates are interesting: Though they are indeed inexpensive, they allow for pressure-sensitive pen input, something you'll rarely see on a device in this price class. The two tablets come in 8- and 10-inch sizes, and will sell for $350 and $400 when they go on sale next week. For the money, you get a Wacom-made pen, with 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity. To put that in perspective, Microsoft's own Surface 2 costs $449 and doesn't have a pen option. If we're going by the price and spec sheet alone, then, Toshiba's new tablets are a good deal.
Toshiba gets aggressive with a $120, 7-inch Windows tablet
Over the years, Windows tablets have been getting smaller and smaller -- and cheaper and cheaper. Well, surprise! They're getting tinier, and we've just about hit bargain-basement pricing. Toshiba just announced the Encore Mini, a 7-inch slate that will sell for just $120 -- an aggressive move, considering 8-inch models hover around the $200 mark. Technically speaking, the Encore Mini is not the cheapest Windows tablet out there, but it's definitely the lowest price we've seen from a tier-one brand. For the money, you get full Windows 8.1, though the specs are, as you'd expect, pretty low-end. These include a 1,024 x 600 display, a quad-core Intel Atom Z3735G processor with 1GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage and dual 2MP/0.3MP cameras. At 0.78 pound, it's heavier than, say, the 7-inch Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, which we just reviewed, but either way, you shouldn't have a problem toting it around.
Dell Venue 8 Pro review: a good Windows tablet, but wait for the bug fixes
And then there were... four? Once considered a novelty, 8-inch Windows tablets are now everywhere: Lenovo has one; so does Toshiba; and Acer is already on its second. Not to be left out, Dell recently started shipping the Venue 8 Pro, which costs about the same as its competitors ($300), but adds an active digitizer for pen input (psst: The stylus is sold separately). Like most of its rivals, too, it makes use of a quad-core Intel Atom processor promising fairly long battery life, and enough power to handle some lightweight desktop apps, in addition to whatever you might download from the Windows Store. Unfortunately, we can't really name our favorite 8-inch Windows tablet until we review a few more of them, but for now, we can safely say the Venue 8 Pro offers some decent value for the money. Read on to see why.
ASUS VivoTab RT review: everything you loved about the Transformer tablets, but with Windows
More Info ASUS outs Tablets 600 and 810, Transformer-like slates running Windows 8 ASUS outs dockable Windows 8 VivoTab and VivoTab RT ASUS VivoTab RT 10.1-inch Windows 8 RT tablet comes to AT&T later this year, we go hands-on Read the comments on any of our ASUS Transformer Pad reviews. It doesn't matter if you pick the mid-range TF300 or the high-end Infinity. You'll invariably find someone saying, "That's nice, but can't it run Windows 8?" It's a perfectly sane request: sure, a tablet and optional keyboard dock make for a convenient setup, but how great would it be if you could use that keyboard to get work done in Microsoft Office? Ditto for the dock's USB port: being able to plug in a thumb drive is a good start, but it'd be even sweeter if you could drag and drop files, as you would on a PC. Well, ladies and gents, you can quit your fantasizing. ASUS is ready to start shipping the VivoTab RT (TF600), and we're guessing it's pretty darn close to whatever Franken-tablet you've been dreaming up. Which is to say, it takes everything we loved about ASUS' Transformer Pads, and adds Windows RT. Like other tablets in ASUS' lineup, it has a 10-inch Super IPS+ display with claimed 178-degree viewing angles and a 600-nit brightness rating. Other tried-and-true specs include a quad-core Tegra 3 chip; an 8-megapixel, autofocusing rear camera capable of recording 1080p video; SonicMaster audio; and long battery life -- in this case, up to nine hours for the tablet and up to seven for the keyboard dock. At 8.3mm thick and 1.2 pounds, it's also about as thin and light as any Transformer Pad. Lastly, the VivoTab has NFC -- something you won't find on any of ASUS' older slates. The VivoTab RT should be available beginning today, starting at $599 for the 32GB tablet with a keyboard dock included. A 64GB tablet-and-dock bundle will retail for $699. So is this as good a buy as ASUS' earlier tablets. And how does it compare to other Windows RT devices being offered at a similar price? Let's find out.
ASUS VivoTab RT tablet arrives October 26th, starting at $599 for the 32GB model; keyboard dock included (update: eyes-on!)
In case you haven't heard, a lot -- and we mean a lot -- of Windows devices are going on sale this week. Today it's ASUS' turn to give its lineup a formal coming-out party: the company is hosting a press event here in New York City, where it just announced the dockable VivoTab RT will be available on October 26th, starting at $599 for the 32GB model, keyboard included. Alternatively, you can buy the 64GB tablet and docking station for $699. As we previously reported, an LTE version is coming to AT&T. Finally, ASUS says it will also sell the tablet and dock individually, but we haven't yet learned final pricing for those items. We'll update this post when we do. If this is your first introduction to the VivoTab RT, here's a quick recap: it basically offers everything people loved about ASUS' Android-based Transformer tablets, except it runs Windows RT instead. Like the Infinity and other recent ASUS tablets, it has a 600-nit Super IPS+ display, offering 178-degree viewing angles and Gorilla Glass protection. Other specs include a quad-core Tegra 3 chip (the new T30, to be exact), 2GB of RAM, NFC and an 8-megapixel rear camera with an auto-focusing f/2.2 lens. Then there's that keyboard dock, which has a USB 2.0 port and built-in battery rated for seven hours. (The tablet itself is said to last up to nine hours.) Finally, of course, as a Windows RT device it comes loaded with all of the same stock applications you'll find in full Windows 8 (Mail, IE 10, etc.), along with Office 2013 Home & Student. The main difference: you won't be able to install legacy Windows programs. The VivoTab RT arrives the same day as the Surface for Windows RT and indeed, we'll be eager to compare the two, especially since pricing for the keyboard-tablet bundles is identical. In fact, ASUS sent us one to test, and you can expect a review any day now. Until then, we've embedded some press photos below, in case you're just getting your first look.
Dell begins accepting orders for its XPS 10 tablet running Windows RT, prices start at $499 (updated)
Surface isn't the only Windows RT tablet going on sale this week: Dell's XPS 10 officially starts sales on Friday, though it's actually for purchase now on Dell's site. (It won't ship until mid-December, so don't get too excited.) The tablet starts at $500 for the 32GB tablet by itself, which is right in line with Microsoft's Surface pricing. The 64GB model is priced at $600. Interested in that optional keyboard dock? (Of course you are!) Dell is selling two bundles: one with the 32GB tablet for $680, and another with the 64GB one for $780. Though the keyboard comes at a premium, especially compared to Microsoft's Touch Covers, it offers some things Microsoft doesn't -- namely, a USB port, HDMI output and a built-in battery. Whichever model you choose, the XPS 10 has a 10.1-inch screen with 1,366 x 768 resolution and a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz. While it has 10 point multitouch support on that IPS LCD, there won't be any kind of active pen or stylus tech built in. Hit up the source link for more info, and check out our fresh round of hands-on shots below. Update: As some of you have pointed out, that $499 starting price includes a one-year service plan, valued at $100. You can opt out of this plan and get the standalone tablet for $399. Update 2: We've been in contact with Dell about some errors that apparently slipped through to their sales page, and have updated the specs above for the CPU, input support and warranty information. Also, that $499 price will stick, as the warranty cannot be deselected. Check out the PDF linked below for the correct specs until the Dell site is properly updated.
HP announces the ElitePad 900, a business-friendly Windows 8 tablet arriving in January
Remember those hazy days of summer when HP ran an ad during the Olympics, slipped in a a shot of an unannounced tablet and thought we wouldn't notice? (P'shaw!) Well, you can finally lay your speculation to rest, as HP just formally unveiled the mystery tab, along with a slew of accessories. It's called the ElitePad 900 and, as rumored, it's a 10-inch Windows 8 slate meant for business users, with features like pen input, drive encryption and optional 3G / 4G. Like HP's high-end EliteBook laptops, the ElitePad has a premium look, marked by a machined aluminum back cover and 400-nit IPS display coated in Gorilla Glass. Also similar to the EliteBooks, it meets the military's MIL-spec 810G durability requirements, and can withstand three-foot drops, among other accidents. All told, it weighs 1.5 pounds and measures 9.2mm thick. Going by weight, that's more along the lines of what you'd expect from a larger, 11-inch tablet, but 1.5 pounds is still manageable, especially considering how armored this thing is. On the inside, it runs an Atom-based Intel Clover Trail processor, buffered by up to 2GB of RAM. Like so many other systems with this kind of chip, it promises about 10 hours of runtime -- a clear improvement over similar devices packing Core i5 CPUs. Storage-wise, you'll have your choice between a 32 or 64GB SSD eMMC. The screen has a resolution of 1,280 x 800, making it the one feature likely to disappoint power users. Take a tour around the device and you'll find an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1080p shooter up front for video chats. Hidden behind a service door on the back are two slots: one for microSD cards, and another for 3G / 4G SIMs. And how 'bout those accessories? In addition to the tablet, HP will be selling two so-called SmartJackets, cases that do a little more than just shield the device from wear and tear. One of them, for instance, has two USB ports, HDMI output, a full-size memory card slot and room for an optional battery slice. That battery, by the way, has a capacity of about eight hours, so while the case does add some heft it could be worth it if you need a PC that will last through a flight from New York to Tokyo. As for the second case, its defining feature is a built-in keyboard, which plugs directly into the tablet. Though HP announced the ElitePad 900 today, the tablet won't go on sale here in the US until January. Hopefully we'll also get a final price as we get closer to that launch date. Luckily, we've already gotten a chance to play with it, so meet us after the break for hands-on photos and a short walk-through video detailing our first impressions.
GammaTech rugged T7Q launches at $2k and up, promptly steals your iPad's lunch money
For people out there doing actual work (like tech blogging, for instance), there's the need for a tablet like the GammaTech T7Q Windows slate, starting at $2,000. Standing out like an M9 tank among the daily driver tabs, the sealed magnesium unit meets military specs for environmental nasties -- while packing a 7-inch resistive-touch TFT WSVGA LCD, Intel Atom N2600 or N2800 processor, 5MP camera with geotagging, compass, gyroscope and an mSATA SSD. It can also be accessorized to the nines with items like RFID, magnetic stripe readers and GPS through an assortment of connectors and expansion slots. To top it off, there's three different lock-down methods for your your data: TPM1.2 security, built-in BIOS safeguards and a Kensington lock connector -- plus Computracing ability piled on, for good measure. Sure, this guy is intended for oil rigs and desert archaeological digs, but hauling one out at Starbucks might give you a whole new level of shabby-chic cred -- if you've got the cash.
Screen Grabs: Continuum scrubs the Acer off an Iconia W500
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com. TV producers always think they can sneak a fast one by us and our eagle-eyed readers. Little do they realize that together we are a near unstoppable force, capable of spotting, identifying and mocking nearly every use (and misuse) of tech on TV. A tipster caught this un-branded tablet on a recent episode of Continuum and, after a little bit of sleuthing, we were able to identify it as the Iconia Tab W500. Without the company's branding it was a little tough to pick out exactly what this slate was, but the off-center placement of the Windows logo and unique looking webcam gave its identity away. Sorry Canadian television, you'll have to try harder to sneak a device by us. [Thanks, Reece]
Microsoft reveals its own Windows 8 tablet: meet the new Surface for Windows RT
Here at its mysterious, last-minute press event in Los Angeles, Microsoft just confirmed it will sell its own Microsoft-branded Windows 8 RT tablet under the Surface badge. Measuring just 9.3mm thick, the Surface for Windows RT is built around an angled, all-magnesium VaporMg case that weighs just under 1.3 pounds, with an NVIDIA-made ARM chip powering the whole affair. Microsoft's hardware partner has also gone all-out on extra touches, such as a built-in stand, twin 2x2 MIMO antennas for WiFi, and a 10.6-inch optically-bonded, Gorilla Glass 2-covered HD display. Not unlike Apple's last two generations, there's a magnetically attached cover, but it's more than just a protector: here, it includes a full multi-touch keyboard and trackpad. As for expansion, you'll get one each of HDMI, microSD and USB 2.0 (sorry folks, no 3.0) as well as either 32GB or 64GB of storage, while software includes the usual Windows 8 accoutrements and a newly Metrofied version of Netflix. The Surface for Windows RT should arrive roughly in step with Windows 8, but Microsoft is only promising pricing "competitive" with similar ARM tablets -- and you're looking for a tablet with more grunt, you can spring for the Intel-packing Surface for Windows 8 Pro. Be sure to check out our hands-on with the Surface! [Thanks to everyone for the product link] %Gallery-158533% %Gallery-158538%
Intel: 20-plus Windows 8 tablets with Intel CPUs are in the works
Funny thing about this year's Computex. There are very, very few ARM-based tablets to be found. Most of the slates we've seen have been running Windows 8 paired with a PC-grade X86 Intel processor (and that's not even counting all of the touchscreen Ultrabooks we've seen!). Well, Intel just dropped a number that confirms we haven't been imagining things. Here at its press conference in Taipei, Chipzilla said more than 20 Windows 8 tablets with Intel innards are on the way, meaning those new slates from Acer, ASUS and Samsung are just scratching the surface. That just leaves one question: who's next?
ASUS outs Tablets 600 and 810, Transformer-like slates running Windows 8
How many times have we posted a review of an ASUS Transformer tablet only to read comments that say, "Put Win8 on it and I'll buy it." Well, folks, it's time to put your money where your mouth is. ASUS just announced the Tablet 600 and the Tablet 810, two Transformer-like slates running Windows 8. The difference? The 600 is an ARM-based tablet running Windows RT, while the 810 is a full-fledged Intel-powered model with full Windows 8 installed. Like any Android-powered Transformer, the 600 packs a quad-core Tegra 3 chip, except it has twice the RAM (2GB). At the center of it all is a 10.1-inch, 600-nit, 1366 x 768 Super IPS+ display with viewing angles similar to what you'll find on current Transformer tablets. Around back, it has an auto-focusing 8-megapixel camera with an LED flash, complemented by a 2-megapixel shooter up front. Other specs include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and your usual array of sensors, including GPS, a gyroscope, e-compass and, last but not least, NFC.%Gallery-156821% Moving on, the 810 features an unspecified Intel Medfield CPU with 2GB of RAM. Like the 600, it has a Super IPS+ display with 1366 x 768 resolution, only the panel here is a bit larger, measuring 11.6 inches. What's more, this guy makes use of a Wacom dual digitizer, allowing for both pen and finger input. And that's not all: we've got video demos of both devices -- head past the break to see 'em in action.
Intel adds rugged Studybook tablet to its student-friendly Classmate lineup
File this under: "Wait, that didn't happen already?" Intel just announced the Studybook, that tablet you see up there, and believe it or not it's only the first slate to join the company's lineup of Classmate products for schools. That's sort of wild, given the popularity of tablets and also the fact that there are so many kid-proof models floating around. And yet, the closest Intel had come until now was with the Convertible Classmate PC, a device that was more of a netbook with a touchscreen. Like the rest of Intel's Classmate series, the Studybook is meant to find a home in schools here in the US and around the globe, including developing markets. And by most measures, this reference design is exactly the kind of product you would have expected Intel to cook up for such an audience. Starting with raw specs, you're looking at a 7-inch (1024 x 600), Atom-powered tablet that can be configured to run either Android or Windows 7, depending on the school district's needs. As you'd expect, it's been designed to take a beating from careless kids: the plastic, 525-gram (1.2-pound tablet) can withstand 70-centimeter (2.3-foot) drops and has a rubber band reinforcing the bezel to keep sand and other elements out. You'll also find rubber gasketing around the ports, which include USB 2.0, HDMI, a headphone jack and microSD / SIM slots. Though it comes standard with 1GB of RAM, the amount of built-in storage will vary from school to school: four to 32 gigs, or a 128GB SSD. Just as important as the specs is the software package, which includes Kno's e-reader app, as well as the LabCam suite, which lets you do things like attach a special lens (sold separately) to use that rear-facing 2-megapixel camera as a microscope. As for price, Intel is quick to emphasize it doesn't set the cost (that would be OEMs), but it believes manufacturers who use this design can sell the finished product for $200 or less. No word, then, on when this might show up in a classroom near you, but for now we've got hands-on photos below and a pair of walk-through videos just past the break.
Toshiba debuts Windows 7-based Dynabook WT301/D tablet for Japan
Toshiba's tablet attention may be focused primarily on its Android-based tablets these days, but the company's not leaving Windows behind just yet -- at least in Japan. That steely-looking slate pictured above is its new Dynabook WT301/D, which packs a 10.1-inch display, an unspecified Atom processor, a 64GB SSD, and Windows 7 Professional edition for an OS. No indication of a North American release for this one, but those in Japan will apparently be able to pick it up sometime next month.
Samsung Series 7 Slate PC review
All quiet on the Windows 7 tablet front? Well, no, but we haven't exactly seen many shots fired lately. Sure, HP recently refreshed the Slate 500 with the Slate 2, but for the most part, products like this have been eclipsed by excitement around Windows 8. Of course, Redmond's tablet-friendly OS won't ship for another year, so for now tablet makers are releasing Windows slates with little fanfare. Not Samsung, though. While its mobile team has dug its heels into the consumer tablet market with devices like the Galaxy Tabs 10.1, 8.9 and 7.0 Plus, its PC division is taking a different tack. The Series 7 Slate PC was built by the same team behind the striking Series 9 laptop, making it one of the slickest business tablets we've ever beheld. It rocks an 11.6-inch display that handily dwarfs pretty much everything else out there. It runs a Core i5, not Atom, processor, and is offered with a custom dock and Bluetooth keyboard. The Series 7 Slate isn't just a rare Windows 7 tablet; it's also one of the most memorable. But are all of those things worth the $1,099 starting price? Could be, but we can think of a few caveats. Allow us to explain.
HP replaces the Slate 500 with the Slate 2, adds Swype and cuts the starting price to $699
Until Microsoft gives Win8 the final seal of approval, the Windows tablet show must go on, right? Right. HP just refreshed its enterprise-friendly, Windows 7-flavored Slate 500 with the Slate 2, and took the opportunity to knock the starting price down a hundred bucks to $699. In terms of design, there's nothing much to see here -- it has the same 8.9-inch tablet and N-Trig DuoSense digitizer that allows for pen input. Only this time, HP added Swype, refreshed the CPU with Intel's Atom Z670 and proffered a smaller 32GB SSD option to appease the IT guys who are going to heavily lock these down anyway. Speaking of security, it also packs TPM circuitry and Computrace Pro for tracking lost or stolen laptops and then deleting the data remotely. It'll be available worldwide this month -- just in time for corporate to buy you a lil' somethin' for the holidays. %Gallery-137812%
Skytex licenses ExoPC UI for Skytab S Series Windows 7 tablet
ExoPC may not have bowled folks over with its own Slate last year (or met its own promise of some all-in-one PCs this summer), but the company did produce an unquestionably unique UI, which it's since been trying to license to others. Now it's found what appears to be its first taker in Skytex, which has adopted the custom touch layer for its new Skytab S Series Windows 7 tablet. This one packs a 9.7-inch capacitive display (as opposed to the 11.6-inch on the ExoPC itself), and the internals expectedly get a bit of an upgrade to a dual-core Atom N550 processor, which is paired with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and an as-yet-unspecified amount of storage. ExoPC also describes this particular version of the UI as a "special edition," although it's not showing off too many of the changes just yet. There's no word on a price yet either, but the tablet's expected to ship in early October. Update: We've just heard from ExoPC, which has clarified that the company has also licensed its UI for use on the Motion Computing CL900 tablet, and confirmed that it is indeed "focusing on software only now."
Dell's Latitude XT3 goes up for pre-order, swivels your way September 22nd
Are you a fancy suit, known to occasionally dabble in the fine art of scribbling? Have a seat bud, because Dell's gone and put up a pre-order page for the touchscreen convertible that you've been waiting for: the Latitude XT3. When we last espied the drop-top in February, we came away mighty impressed with its spiffy 13.3-inch dual-digitizer display, which recognized the attached stylus in addition to three of our meaty digits. We also liked the inclusion of the Core i3 -- upgradeable to an i5 or i7 -- which packs a punch, unlike the miserly Core 2 Duo's found in its predecessors. The magnesium-reinforced piece of kit starts at $1,789, unless you have it your way and toss in the optional $49 backlit keyboard or spring for the $100 outdoor-viewing display. We'll take ours with both, and with a ship date of September 22nd, you've got plenty of time to get a customizin' at the source below.
Fujitsu TH40/D tablet finally sliding out in Japan on July 22nd?
Last thing we heard about the old TH40/D involved Fujitsu pushing back the sliding tablet's late-June release date. It's mid-July now, and things have been mostly quiet surrounding the 10-inch tablet's keyboard-packing goodness. The Windows 7 device, which debuted back in May, is now scheduled for a July 22nd release in its native Japan, according to new reports. Once that date rolls around, ¥80,000 (around $1,010) should buy you all the games of "hide-a-keyboard" that your heart desires.
