desktops
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HP redesigns its Magic Canvas software, plans to install it on all desktops (even non-touch ones)
Though HP announced two desktops today, the most interesting tidbit might not be the computers, but the software installed on them. As the company releases new hardware, it's also rolling out a revamped version of its Magic Canvas UI (formerly known as TouchSmart). Now, it'll work even on PCs without touchscreens, and it's going to ship on every HP tower and all-in-one, including already-announced models like this. The most significant improvement is that you can now access the Start Menu and all your Windows apps, even when you're immersed in this UI that frankly looks more like a mobile OS than Windows 7. (If all this reeks of bloatware, you can uninstall or choose not to launch it.) As for that mobile-inspired experience, we're talking about those widgets and large, finger-friendly shortcuts, sure, but also the fact that you get an unlimited number of home screens for pinning notes and leaving documents open. Forget where you left your 15-page term paper? You can right click to bring up a search screen (we're not clear if there will be a keyboard shortcut for that). As we said, you can expect this to become ubiquitous on HP's desktops but if you want to see it in action now, you can head past the break for a short promo video.
HP intros Omni 27 all-in-one, Pavilion HPE Phoenix h9 tower
If you thought HP would take a break after announcing seven all-in-ones last fall, you'd be sadly mistaken: the company just trotted out the Omni 27, its first model with a 27-inch display. In addition to that 1080p (non-touch) screen, it rocks the same Easel design as all those models HP introduced a few months back, which is to say it tilts a relatively modest 25 degrees. Other specs include dual- and quad-core Intel processors, up to 2TB of storage and Beats Audio (duh), and an optional TV tuner, Blu-ray player and HDMI port (yes, HDMI is an add-on). Moving on to a different category entirely, HP also unveiled the Pavilion HPE Phoenix h9 for the US market -- not its inaugural enthusiast tower, to be sure, but definitely the first to bear the consumer-y Pavilion name. Though the red accents and "armor-plated" design would suggest otherwise, HP's quick to market this not as a gaming rig, but a prosumer machine. Whatever you want to call it, you'll find specs worthy of power uses: a choice of Intel's latest X79 processors or AMD's eight-core chips, NVIDIA GTX 580 / AMD Radeon 7670 graphics and four DIMM slots capable of accommodating 16GB of RAM and up to three hard drives. Whichever tickles your fancy, both come loaded with HP's Magic Canvas software -- aka, the UI that used to be called TouchSmart but has since been re-tooled to work even on non-touch machines. They'll each be available January 8th, with the Omni 27 starting at $1,200 and the Phoenix h9 fetching $1,150 and up. Until then, we've got a mix of hands-on and press shots below, with a pair of promo videos waiting for just past the break.
Engadget's CES 2012 Preview
Though the holidays are once again coming to a close, we now find ourselves just a week away from every geek's ultimate holiday -- the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, arguably the biggest event of the year for the tech world. Thousands of companies gather in the Nevada desert to show off their latest innovations, setting the stage for what will no doubt be another stellar year in electronics. In anticipation of the onslaught we're about to experience, we want to offer up our predictions of what you can expect at the show. There's always a few wondrous surprises that nobody could ever see coming -- part of what makes CES fun -- but aside from those jaw-dropping moments, we have a pretty solid idea of what will take place next week. So join us as we break down CES 2012, one category at a time.
Daily Mac App: Magic Window
If you're tired of looking at that stale Mac OS desktop, think about adding Magic Window to your visual bag of tricks. Magic Window, available through the Mac App Store for US$2.99 (on sale) comes with 14 striking landscapes that change over time, so you see the skies change and the sun might rise or set. You get to control the speed, and you also can make the images black and white or sepia. Each loop contains about a thousand images. The high-resolution scenes support my 30-inch monitor without looking blocky. Once you have the app, you have an option to download more scenes at no additional cost. There are a total of 40 scenes you can choose from. They are grouped by themes such as mountains, beaches, sunsets and so on. This app is reminiscent of Sundial from Aladdin Systems, which was a pre-OS X Mac application. It's long gone, but the novelty of Sundial was that it tied the scene to your system clock so as the sun was rising locally, your screen was displaying the same thing. Magic Window doesn't do that, darn it, and most of the loops don't run 24 hours. Josh Michaels, one of the creators of the app, tells me that the app will eventually have that feature, which is most welcome. I'd love to see that. I like Magic Window. It gives my desktop some much-needed variety. It supports multiple monitors and you can have different scenes on each one. You also get the option to use Magic Window as a screen-saver, and you can randomly shuffle the scenes. Magic Window is also available for iOS devices, and we reviewed the iPad version last year. The sale runs until Dec. 29 when the price returns to $9.99. I'm hoping Magic Window will be updated with new scenes and features over time, but it's very nice as it is. Check out the gallery for some samples from the image collection. %Gallery-142103%
Lenovo's diminutive Q180 HTPC dishes out multimedia for $349
Ultrabooks have been getting a lot of love from PC makers these days, and Lenovo's no exception. But laptops aren't the only machines getting slim and trim, and the Chinese firm has outed its svelte IdeaCentre Q180 home theater PC to fulfill your entertainment needs. Stuffed inside a 22mm-thin frame that makes other skinny HTPCs look downright portly, is a 2.13GHz Intel Atom dual-core CPU plus Radeon HD 6450A graphics and up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM to keep video playback buttery smooth. You can also get up to a 750GB HDD or a 128GB SSD to store all of your myriad media, and a Blu-ray drive's available for those digging disc-based content. Hooking up displays and peripherals are easy with USB 3.0, VGA and HDMI out, and wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and 802.11b/g/n WiFi. The Q180 starts at $349 for the base model, with prices escalating accordingly if you start adding options like a hand-held keyboard. Full PR's after the break.
Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: desktops
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We're well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties surrounding the seasonal shopping experience, so we're here to help you sort out this year's tech treasures. Below is today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. Just because most folks have moved onto lighter and more portable playthings doesn't mean there aren't those of you that still enjoy some good old-fashioned "real computing" -- you know, of the immovable persuasion. We jest, as despite their waning sales, desktops still serve an important role in the PC market, especially for those of you serious about all-out performance or a no-frills experience. And, while the pace of innovation in a once burgeoning category has slowed to a consolidated tranquil pace, there are still some hotspots of innovation -- especially around all-in-ones and high-end gaming solutions. As you mavericks press on, so will we, so join us after the break as we suggest some of our favorite desktops for your holiday perusal.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Could Siri appear on Macs?
Dear Aunt TUAW, Why can't I have Siri on my computer? My laptop has a mic and while its not as new as a 4S its still gotta have more horsepower and bandwidth, yes? Seriously, more opportunities to use it can only help Apple. Your loving nephew, Andrew Dear Andrew, As for Siri on computers, yes, there's no technological limitations as to why the service could not be deployed to Macs and PCs. After all, Dragon Dictation / Nuance does. The reason is more likely limited to the following factors. First, Siri currently defines Apple's flagship product, the iPhone 4S. It's exclusive to that platform and is rolling out slowly to additional languages and countries. Second, Siri is already encountering occasional service interruptions. That might be due to load (which would require scaling) or initial rollout quirks. Either way, Apple is unlikely to extend the service to desktops until those issues have been resolved. Finally, Siri's strength lies less in its voice interpretation (which is superb, but so is a lot of the Dragon technology), but in its OS integration. Siri ties in directly to the address book, to the reminders app, to your calendar, and so forth. To move to the desktop, Apple would have to re-engineer major portions of its operating system to support this kind of tight Siri integration. So will we see Siri on your computer? Auntie thinks "yes." Will we see it soon? Unlikely. Hugs, Auntie T.
HP does the inevitable, announces the TouchSmart 620 with a 3D display and webcam (video)
HP's pushed out a raft of all-in-ones this past year, but until today, there was one gimmicky stone it left unturned. Say hello to the TouchSmart 620, the company's first 3D all-in-one. Essentially, it's the 610 with ATI's 3D tech shoehorned inside. Otherwise, it looks the same, with a 23-inch, 1080p panel and that sliding display that reclines at a nearly flat 60-degree angle. In addition to the 3D screen (best viewed when positioned upright), it has a webcam that captures 3D stills and video. At the base level, you'll get a pair of active shutter glasses, TV tuner, a Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1.5TB HDD and an AMD Radeon HD 6650 card with 1GB of video memory. (For whatever reason, HP didn't add HDMI-in this go 'round.) That starting configuration technically costs $1,900, but HP's going to apply $300 in instant savings when it goes on sale November 15, so for all intents and purposes it starts at $1,600. Full PR after the break, and if you need a refresher on what this thing looks like, we suggest you revisit our review of the 610. %Gallery-137813%
Dell announces Inspiron One 2320 touchscreen all-in-one
Over the past few weeks, we've seen HP and Toshiba freshen up their all-in-ones, while Samsung made a belated jump into the market just last week. Today, it's Dell's turn -- the company just announced an addition to its all-in-one lineup, the 23-inch Inspiron One 2320. Funnily enough, the new design reminds us somewhat of the PCs HP trotted out last month in that it has an easel-like display with enough space underneath to stow the keyboard, although this one doesn't have a tilting screen. Spec-wise, it's well-matched against the competition, with a 1080p touchscreen, Intel Wireless Display capability, optional NVIDIA GeForce GT525M graphics, six USB 2.0 ports, HDMI-in, a Blu-ray option and up to 2TB in storage. (For whatever reason, USB 3.0 didn't make the cut.) That starting price of $950 will get you a Core i5-2400S CPU and 6GB of RAM, but if you have an extra $450 lying around you can step up to a Core i7-2600S processor with 8GB of memory. Wrapping it all up, the 2320 runs Dell's touch-friendly Stage UI, the latest version of which lets you sync photos and other media across different devices. We've rounded up a few glossy press shots below, but hit the source link if you're curious enough for the full spill. %Gallery-135808%
Samsung announces the Series 7 all-in-one, its first desktop for the US market
There must be something in the water: first Toshiba decides to give this all-in-one thing a whirl and a few months later, Samsung's jumping on the bandwagon, too. The company just added a desktop to its Series 7 lineup, making it Sammy's first all-in-one for the US market. It'll be available in two configurations, but either way you're in for a 23-inch, 250-nit display with 1080p resolution and support for two-finger gestures. Other specs include four USB 2.0 ports built into the base (along with one of the 3.0 persuasion), a 1TB 7,200RPM hard drive, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, Bluetooth 3.0 and dual four-watt speakers. And, depending on which config you choose, you'll get either a 2.6GHz Core i3-2120T CPU and 6GB of RAM or a 2.7GHz Core i5-2390T processor with 8GB of memory. Sadly, both models cap the graphics off with Intel's integrated option, which means this may or may not be the right choice for game-loving Samsung fans. Look for them on October 10th for $999 and $1,199, depending on the model. Oddly, the company isn't issuing a press release until Monday (we'll update this post when we see it) but for now, skip past the break for one extra pic. Update: We've added the official press release after the break.
AMD A4-3300 and A4-3400 APUs ready to ship, take on Intel for your budget PC dollar
That's right folks, AMD's A4 APUs are here and ready to take on Intel in a battle for the bottom end of the mainstream desktop market. These dual-core desktop parts pack integrated graphics courtesy of the company's Radeon line. Both also boast a 65W TDP and 1MB of L2 cache. The only difference here is speed and price: the 3300 clocks in at 2.5GHz with a 440MHz GPU for $70, while the 3400 moves on up to 2.7GHz and a 600MHz GPU for only $5 more. They're not exactly speed demons, but should be able to hold their own against similarly priced Pentiums -- especially if you don't plan on buying a discrete graphics card. You can pick one up now at Amazon and other select retailers but, before you go, check out the PR after the break.
HP announces an avalanche of all-in-ones, slims down its TouchSmarts (video)
At some point earlier this year, all-in-one desktops became a thing. Companies like Toshiba that had never before taken an interest in the space suddenly started selling 'em, beefing up a market that HP, Dell and Apple had owned for years. You could tell what HP executives were thinking. Months earlier, the outfit had announced its TouchSmart 610 -- you know, the one with the sprawling, tilting display. It's as if the company had to prove it's the real deal when it comes to all-in-ones -- or, at least, that it could come up with something that'll eat up less desk space than the 610. Okay, we just put a lot of words into HP executives' mouths, but really, what else could this deluge of all-in-ones mean? The company just spat out seven new models for the US market, the highest-end of which have a markedly more minimalist look. The 20-inch TouchSmart 320, 21.5-inch 420 and the 23-inch 520 all boast the kind of free-standing display display you see in that photo up there -- a screen that tilts 30 degrees, and leaves enough space underneath for you to stow the wireless keyboard. The lot have starting prices ranging from $600 to $800, with the highest-end 520 matching the 610, which will still be around for the foreseeable future. Moving along, HP also trotted out the similar-looking 7230, its first TouchSmart for the small business market, along with the Pro 3420, a non-touch model. That will start at $600, with the touchscreen pushing the 3420's price northwards of $850. And, just to make sure it had its bases covered, the company introduced two plain-Jane models, the 20-inch Omni 120 and the 21.5-inch Omni 220, which steps up to Beats Audio, Sandy Bridge processors and a more striking design. These will each be available before the end of the month, starting at $400 and $800, respectively. Oodles of glossy press shots below and a short video after the break. %Gallery-132815% %Gallery-132817% %Gallery-132819% %Gallery-132821% %Gallery-132822% %Gallery-132824% %Gallery-132814% %Gallery-132816%
Editorial: Engadget on the death of HP's webOS devices
WebOS, where did things go wrong? One moment you're worth a "double-down" investment by HP valued at $1.2 billion, and the OS of choice for future tablets, computers and even printers; the next, you're discarded like yesterday's crusty old oatmeal. Today, HP announced -- among other things -- that it's chosen to discontinue operations for its webOS lineup, and that the company "will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward." So what does this all mean for the future of webOS? Have we seen the last of webOS? Join us past the break for our thoughts.
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: desktops
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we're settling down with desktops -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Truth be told, if you only have the money to swing one computer, it should probably be a laptop. Better, we think, to have the option of relocating to the library when your hallmates launch an impromptu game of beer pong as you're trying to wrap up that 10-pager on Othello. And yet, we can still appreciate why some of you might want to kick it old-school and opt for a desktop instead. Maybe you're planning on using a netbook or tablet as your day computer, and can afford to leave a desktop parked in the dorm. Or perhaps you're a gamer, and have long since sworn off mobile GPUs. Whatever your reasons for bucking the trend, we found a selection of towers and all-in-ones aimed at game fanatics, power users and folks trying their darndest to save money and space. Oh, and you haven't forgotten about all of the other gear you need for the semester, have you? We're giving away $3,000 worth of stuff to 15 lucky readers, and you can enter to win simply by leaving a comment below. So what are you waiting for, folks? Follow us past the break and see what made the cut.
Dell's Q2 earnings fall short of estimates: $890 million net income, $15.66 billion revenue
Shares of Dell were down nearly eight percent in after-hours trading after the Texas-based PC maker posted lower-than-expected second-quarter results. Still, the company's revenue was up one percent over last year, totaling $15.66 billion, compared to $15.5 billion in Q2 2010. Net income jumped 63 percent, from $545 million to $890 million, over the year-ago quarter. Corporate and government orders were responsible for the jump in income, according to an AP report, but new sales predictions hint that orders may not be coming in as often as anticipated. Dell expects modest growth of one to five percent for the full year -- citing "a more uncertain demand environment" -- compared to previous estimates of five to nine percent growth. Jump past the break for the full rundown from Dell.
Gigabyte G1 Assassin motherboard is a last-gen gamer's dream come true
For a motherboard, the G1 Assassin from Gigabyte sure is gaudy and actually rather interesting. First off, that Killer E2100 networking solution from Bigfoot has been integrated into the board, as has Creative's X-Fi audio. The three-year-old X58 chipset at its heart is starting to look a little long in the tooth but, with support for three-way SLI or four-way CrossFireX, 24GB of RAM, and Intel's Extreme Edition processors, you probably won't miss Sandy Bridge too much. Starting at around $450 the Assassin isn't for everyone, but hardcore gamers determined to squeeze every ounce of performance from of their setup will not be disappointed. The one unfortunate fault of the G1 is timing -- the next-gen of high-end performance parts from Chipzilla are right around the corner. Though, that banana clip-shaped heat sink has to count for something. We know you like benchmarks, so check out the reviews below. Read - HotHardware Read - Legit Reviews Read - Overclock 3D Read - TechRadar
Adobe unleashes Flash Player 11 beta, now with 7.1 surround sound
Another day, another beta. Adobe's latest beta release of its desktop Flash Player -- that's version 11 -- is now available for your downloading pleasure. This particular build brings with it Stage3D APIs, for "advanced" 2D and 3D rendering, 64-bit support, H.264 encoding, and 7.1 surround sound. We're just hoping number 11 won't bring all the flaws and subsequent fixes that have plagued previous versions. For more details, and to download the latest beta, click the source link below.
HP TouchSmart 610 review
Is it just us or do all-in-ones seem to be having a moment? Over the past two months, we've seen Toshiba make a belated jump into the market, while Lenovo went and added one to its family of Think-branded laptops and desktops. And that's not even counting models by old-timers like Apple, Dell, and MSI. And then there's HP, which has been making touchscreen all-in-ones for three years -- long before they were a thing. The company's had plenty of time to fine-tune its finger-friendly TouchSmart software, and now, its newest model, the TouchSmart 610 ($899 and up), ushers in a fresh design, highlighted by a hinge that allows the display to slide down and lie nearly flat. Although it's been shipping since this spring, it's only been available with Sandy Bridge for about a month now. We took one of these tricked-out beasts into our living room and got reacquainted with the comforts of not-so-mobile computing. At the risk of spoiling everything, we think this should be on your shortlist if you're considering an all-in-one, especially one with a big 'ol touchscreen. Read on to find out why. %Gallery-127193%
Commodore USA begins shipping replica C64s next week, fulfilling your beige breadbox dreams (video)
If you're like us, you've probably been holding your breath in anticipation since Commodore USA announced its replica of the famous C64. It promised a keyboard PC that duplicated the original's retro-beige finish, with an Atom CPU and an NVIDIA Ion graphics card under the hood. But despite numerous announcements, and even after a cross-promotion with Tron: Legacy, they've yet to ship any products. The latest word from the company has pre-orders shipping next week, in five different varieties, from a barebones chassis and card reader to the C64x Ultimate – an $895 machine that includes 1TB hard drive and a Blu-ray player. If you haven't been teased enough over the past year of delays, hit the video after the break for more preview images.
HP trots out Pavilion p7, Pavilion Slimline s5, and HPE h8 desktops
Lest you think the desktop is an endangered species, HP, at least, begs to differ. The company just unveiled three of 'em: the Pavilion p7, Slimline s5, and the Pavilion HPE h8 -- all festooned with black finishes, rounded edges, sliding port covers, and metallic panels designed to blend in with the electronics already populating your living room. Of the three, the p7 is the most mainstream, with a non-threatening chassis that's about the size you'd expect a tower to be. The Slimline s5 has a similar look, but is about half the size, making it look more like a media hub. Lastly, there's the HPE h8, whose red accents and beastlier shape mark it as the power tower it is. For the money, you'll get discrete graphics, optional Beats Audio, and support for dual displays. The p7 and h8 go on sale May 18, starting at $299 and $599, respectively. For the petite s5, you'll have to step up to a $329 starting price. Look for it on June 15. %Gallery-123700%
