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Feedback Loop: Warming up to ads, killing tablets and more!
In this week's edition of Feedback Loop, we take a look at the possibility of Google bringing ads to home appliances, discuss whether Microsoft is trying to kill the tablet, as well as the reasoning behind Nintendo pulling the plug on its Wi-Fi Connection and older online gaming services. Add to that our impressions of Steam's new streaming service, troubleshooting a weak home network connection and a whole lot more. Join us below.
Engadget Daily: Microsoft Surface Pro 3 review, hacking Watch Dogs and more!
We put Microsoft's new Surface tablet through the review ringer, took a look at vaporizer technology, found out just how realistic hacking in a video game can be, and discovered that Sony's new console's raking in the cash. Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Surface Pro 3 review: Has Microsoft finally made a tablet to replace your laptop?
It didn't last long, but there was a moment earlier this week when I was sure Microsoft would unveil its own laptop. At a press event, Surface chief Panos Panay took the stage to remind the reporters in attendance how they once said tablets would make laptops obsolete. A quick scan around the room revealed rows of journalists, all typing on Ultrabooks -- including the MacBook Air, no less. For a moment, it seemed like Panay was conceding defeat. Indeed, Microsoft has had multiple chances to prove it can bridge the divide between slates and laptops: Both the first- and second-gen Surface tablets were intended as do-it-all devices. And both times, the company fell short of its mission. The Surface Pro in particular was powerful enough to rival Ultrabooks, but suffered from several usability flaws: It was awkward to use in the lap, and also unwieldy as a tablet. For most people, a touchscreen laptop was still the better choice. Even so, that wasn't Panay conceding defeat up there on stage -- that was him being persistent. When he finally did get to the point, he unveiled not a laptop, but a tablet, the Surface Pro 3. Most notably, this third-gen device steps up to a larger, 12-inch screen, bringing it in line with contemporary Ultrabooks. The keyboard has been born again too, this time with a larger, more responsive touchpad and the ability to prop it up at a more comfortable angle. As a tablet, meanwhile, the Surface Pro 3 is thinner and lighter than the Surface Pro 2, despite having a bigger display. Just as important, the device will start at $799 when it goes on sale next month -- that's a hundred dollars less than last year's model. All told, the Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft's biggest, fastest, thinnest, lightest, best tablet yet. Panay even went so far as to say, "Today we take the conflict away." Did they, though?
Engadget Daily: Microsoft Surface Pro 3, Voice over LTE and more!
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.
Hands-on with Microsoft's Surface Pro 3
So, it wasn't the Surface Mini we were expecting. But hey, we got fresh hardware, so that's all that matters. The new Surface Pro 3 isn't the smallest tablet Microsoft has made -- in fact, it's the biggest, with a 12-inch, 2,160 x 1,440 screen. But if you think it's just a blown-up version of the old model, you'd be wrong. In addition to being the biggest, highest-res Surface, it also brings new pen tech, a new kickstand and a new keyboard, to boot. Also, it's surprisingly thin and light, considering this thing is big and powerful enough to replace a full-fledged Ultrabook. As a heads-up, we're taking a device home from today's press event, so you can expect to see a full review on our site soon. In the meantime, though, here are some early impressions to tide you over.
Surface Pro 3's accessories include a new Type Cover and a 4K-ready dock
A professional tablet like the Surface Pro 3 deserves some equally high-end accessories, don't you think? Microsoft certainly thinks so, as it just introduced some add-ons built with demanding users in mind. To start, it has a new $130 Type Cover keyboard add-on with a much-improved trackpad -- the new design has a 68 percent larger area than the Type Cover 2, and 78 percent less friction. It's better for lap use, too; you can lock in the cover so that it won't wobble around so much while you're typing on your legs.
Microsoft announces its biggest tablet yet, the 12-inch Surface Pro 3
When Microsoft invited us to a "small gathering" here in New York City, we thought that meant a smaller-screened Surface Mini was in order. Instead, the company just announced a larger Surface, the 12-inch Surface Pro 3. Like the previous Surface Pro, it supports pen input, making it a good choice for creative professionals, especially with that pixel-dense 2,160 x 1,440 screen. In addition to being the biggest, highest-res Surface yet, though, it's also the thinnest-ever product with an Intel Core i7 processor. All told, the thing measures just 9.1mm (0.36 inch) thick, putting it on par with an older-gen iPad -- incredible when you remember this is more akin to an Ultrabook than a tablet.
