Ifa2012
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Lenovo announces IdeaCentre A520, B340 and B345 all-in-ones running Windows 8
If yesterday was the day Lenovo unveiled its new Android products, today's the day it turns its attention to Windows 8: in addition to announcing a slew of laptops, the company introduced three IdeaCentre all-in-ones, all slated to go on sale in October when Windows 8 launches. Of these, the flagship is clearly the A520, with its tilting 23-inch screen that can lie nearly flat. Included in that press release, though, you'll also find details about the B340 / B345, a smaller, more affordable desktop with a less flashy design. Starting with the A520, it's the little brother to the A720, which we first saw back at CES. Like the A720, it has a screen that can be tilted between 5 and 90 degrees, except this particular model has a smaller 23-inch display (compared with 27 inches for the A720). That 1080p display is of IPS caliber and supports 10-point multitouch. Under the hood, it can be configured with a Core i7 CPU, up to 8GB of RAM, up to 1TB of HDD storage and an optional Blu-ray player. If you need graphics horsepower, though, you might want to skip ahead to read about those B series models, since the A520 will only be offered with integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics. Indeed, graphics might be a good place to start when we talk about the B340 and B345, since the GPU is the one thing that really separates them. Though both will be offered with a 1GB AMD Radeon HD7470A card, only the B340 will be available with a 2GB NVIDIA GeForce 615. Otherwise, you'll find the same key specs on both models: a 21.5-inch (1080p) touchscreen display, with a choice of a Core i7 processor or AMD quad-core APU on the inside. The two are also VESA mount-compatible, and can be configured with optional TV tuners. The A520 will sell for $999 and up, while the B series will start at $599. Again, both will arrive in October, at which point we should be neck-deep in Windows 8 PCs to review. %Gallery-163882% %Gallery-163872%
Lenovo expands IdeaPad lineup with Y400, Y500, Z400 and Z500: prices start at $549
Lenovo just unveiled its new IdeaPad U510 Ultrabook, yes, but it has a few new IdeaPad models further along in the alphabet, too. Today the company is introducing two new entries to its multimedia-focused IdeaPad Y Series. The 14-inch Y400 and 15-inch Y500 include an interchangeable HDD bay that users can swap out for dual graphics chips, extra storage space or an additional fan. Both models also sport dual-layer backlit keyboards, with a snazzy red tone peeking out from under the black chiclet-style keys. Processor options go up to a Core i7 Ivy Bridge chip, and discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT650M graphics are a configuration option. Like virtually every other product announced at IFA, these notebooks will run Windows 8, and though the 1,366 x 768 displays aren't touch-enabled, Lenovo says its touchpad is optimized for the Metro UI. Storage space maxes out at a 1TB hard drive and up to 16GB of SSD cached, and the machines offer up to 16GB of RAM. Pricing for the Y400 and Y500 starts at $649, and the laptops will go on sale in October. Meet us past the break for a look at the Z Series models.
Vodafone shows off a pair of Lenovo-made Smart Tabs, we go hands-on (video)
Hey, check this pair of tablets from Lenovo that were hanging out in the Vodafone booth here at IFA. The slates are actually branded with the carrier's name as the Vodafone Smart Tab II, the successor to Smart Tabs created last year by handset maker ZTE. The Smart Tab II has quite a nice build quality, and from the front it has a display that looks to match the level we've come to expect from the likes of Samsung. The rear, meanwhile, is covered with circular indentations, like a golf ball, with a large Vodafone logo at its center and small gray Levono one along its bottom. The Smart Tab II comes in both a 7- and 10-inch varieties, which do a pretty good job covering the mainstream tablet spectrum. We reached out to Lenovo to ask whether they might be a rebranding of existing devices, and hear that they apparently have yet to go on sale. We're hoping to see them here in the US at some point, particularly in the case of the Smart Tab II 7-inch, which adds functionality compared to certain other seven inchers, offering up a rear facing camera -- although it's only two-megapixels in this case. And while the build quality is quite solid on both, the 10 feels a lot thinner and sleeker in-hand. The larger tablet has 16GB of storage a 1.5GHz dual-core and is running Ice Cream Sandwich. The seven inch tablet is also running Android 4.0 and has 4GB of memory built in, priced at 190 Euros. Both devices have built-in GPS. Check out a video of them after the break.%Gallery-163851%
Sennheiser launches the Momentum retro-cans and CX890i earbuds
Sennheiser is busting out a pair of personal audio products worth boasting about at this year's IFA. First up is the very fashionable Momentum, a pair of chrome and leather cans that take cues from the Amperior reference design, with a 3.5mm stereo lead and optional smart remote. However, if you're in the market for something a little less visible, the company's CX 890i earphones are coated in a "glass-like" finish that offers "outstanding" passive noise attenuation -- sparing you jacking up the volume to avoid your co-workers bickering. Both sets are available in the UK from September, with the Momentum costing £260 and the CX 890i (pictured after the break) a more modest £120. Update: The Momentum will be available in the US later this fall, setting you back $350.
Mophie Outride ruggedized action case for iPhone hands-on
Sure, you've been tempted to strap your iPhone to that ski helmet for a homemade action cam solution, but ultimately, you respect Apple's warranty, as limited as it may be. Mophie's new Outride ruggedized case equips your fragile smartphone with a ruggedized shell, protecting the device while also serving as a helmet / bicycle / flat-surface mount. The thick plastic case includes a raised lens module, and is available in both water-resistant and above ground flavors. That first version is still undergoing testing, according to Mophie reps, so we don't know just how far it can dunk with letting down its guard to condensation, but we do know that it will retail for $149. A land-only version will also be available for $129, and unlike the sealed model, your iPhone's display will still be exposed, giving you full access to the device. Both cases include a dedicated shutter release, which works in camera mode, letting you snap away under the sea. They also ship with a trio of mounts for your helmet, handle bars or a flat surface. Catch a closer look at Outride in the gallery below.%Gallery-163898%
Sony HMZ-T2 3D display, heads-in
Sony didn't exactly go out of its way to talk up the new HMZ-T2 during its press conference the other day at IFA, never actually mentioning it on stage. The device did, however, pop up in a small corner of the company's show booth. The reason for the silence is pretty clear, when you get down to it -- not a lot has changed here. Really, the T2 is just a minor update to a first generation product, most of its changes revolving around making the admittedly slightly uncomfortable wearable a bit easier on your head. It's 100 grams lighter than its predecessor and features improvements to its adjustable parts. The head pad is larger and can be moved to better fit your head, the strap can be adjusted at a number of points and the sliders beneath the 0.7-inch OLED monitors can be adjusted independently from one another. Oh, and while there are Virtualphone built-in, there's also a headphone jack, so you can bring your own pair. All in all, we have to say it did feel a bit more comfortable than the set we tried on for the first time roughly this time last year. The headset also features different viewing modes, including 24p True Cinema for slower paced movies and Clear mode for action scenes, as well as Auto Color Temperature to help improve the picture. All told, however, it's not much to write home about -- if you were thinking of picking up the T1, this guy is certainly an improvement. If you've already got one to call your own, however, it's probably not worth the upgrade when it hits later this year. %Gallery-163907%
Plantronics GameCom Commander headset hands-on
Serious PC gamers require serious gaming kit and here at IFA 2012, Plantronics is showcasing a product built precisely for that segment. Announced at Gamescom, the limited edition (not to be confused) GameCom Commander headset bakes Dolby 7.1 ProLogic sound and noise isolation tech into a ruggedized form factor -- so it'll survive your late night Max Payne-related tantrums. We tried the headset on for size and were delighted with just how light it actually is -- definitely a plus for marathon gaming sessions. As for that mic, it's placed a good distance from your mouth and, of course, adjusts to suit your needs. If you're looking for a wireless option, then this set's not for you, given it features breakaway wires, but it does feature an adapter to connect you with a mobile phone. All told, it's an understated set that might be worth your while. Take a look at our associated gallery below.%Gallery-163903%
Visualized: Samsung's eerily familiar IFA Smart Lounge
So many tired and weary feet at this show, who wouldn't want a nice lounge? Particularly a Smart one? And hey, Samsung's tenty IFA lounge seemed oddly welcoming -- at least to us Engadget folk. You'd think Samsung would be a little more cautious these days...
ZTE Grand X IN: early benchmarks for the latest Intel-powered smartphone
It's a shame when phones feel outdated even as they hit the market, but that's sadly what happened with the original Grand X. However, as you may have heard a few hours ago, the handset's just had a healthy revamp. The spec-bumped version is called the Grand X IN -- it's due out next month and we've just had a chance to run some early benchmarks to test the performance of its vanilla Android 4 OS and new Intel engine. Among a range of improvements, including an 8-megapixel camera with burst mode (instead of the Grand X's dowdy five with no burst) and 1GB of RAM (instead of 512MB), the biggest change is that processor: out goes the old NVIDIA Tegra 2 and in comes a Medfield Z2460. Yep, that's the exact same chip we've seen put to good effect in the Orange San Diego, but how does it fare in this device? Click past the break for a head-to-head comparison with the San Diego, which is cheaper but slightly less well-built (and still running Gingerbread), and the Galaxy Nexus, which costs more but comes with a far better display.
Jabra Solemate Bluetooth speaker hands-on, soles off
Hey, it's a shoe-themed Bluetooth speaker -- because, hey, why not, right? Jabra announced the punnily named Solemate yesterday, and we happened to run into one on the floor of this year's IFA. It's a small, solid little speaker with a hearty rubber sole that sits on the bottom, protecting the device from shocks and the like. The heel actually peels off, so you can replace it with different colors. Jabra had a slew of brightly colored options aside from the basic black and white, though apparently those won't be widely available at launch. The pairing process is quite easy -- just flip the Bluetooth button on the side of the device and a glowing blue light will turn on -- not only that, but a friendly device will walk you through the process. Find the speaker on your device's drop down menu and you're good to go. As for the sound, it's surprisingly loud (120dB, to be exact). We walked off the show floor for a second to demo it, but it turned out we didn't need to. Oh, and when you're using a non-Bluetooth device, there's a wired connection that lives on the bottom of the sole that you can pull out. All in all, it's a really solid and nicely built speaker -- and for its $200 asking price, we'd certainly hope so. The speaker has big volume buttons on the top and a carrying loop on its side. It also comes with a small black bag, which it can actually play through without dampening the sound too much. It'll hit the US on September 2nd, but you can pre-order it now, if you're eager.%Gallery-163896%
Toshiba outs Satellite U945 and P845t Ultrabooks, Satellite S955 thin-and-light
In addition to unveiling that U925t laptop / tablet hybrid yesterday, Toshiba is announcing some more conventional-looking PCs this week at IFA. These new models include the Satellite U945, a low-end Ultrabook; the Satellite P845t, an Ultrabook with a touchscreen; and the Satellite S955, a 15-inch thin-and-light. Across the board, these will be available October 26th, the day Windows 8 formally launches. For now, too, Toshiba isn't revealing prices, though we already know plenty about the specs. Join us after the break where we'll spell out those nitty-gritty details.%Gallery-163544%%Gallery-163742%
Sony Xperia J approved, torn down by FCC in first 24 hours of its official existence
Of Sony's trio of Xperia phones announced yesterday at IFA 2012, we've now seen the smallest and most budget-friendly model -- the Xperia J -- make it through the mounds of red tape and federal approval. Fortunately for us, Sony didn't bother requesting confidentiality on the various teardown photos that typically are kept away from prying public eyes. As always, it's important to withhold any assumptions that this particular device will make it to any US carrier; FCC approvals never offer any guarantee, and the J's lack of LTE isn't going to help matters. Still, this seems like an ideal device for a prepaid operator to pick up, so we'll keep our fingers crossed. In the meantime, gaze upon the full teardown in the gallery below. %Gallery-163875%
Huawei shows off early version of Emotion UI for Android, packs a 'stock' skin too (hands-on)
Huawei didn't have any new hardware to show during its packed press conference, but it did have an early version of its Emotion UI skin for Android devices. Aiming to make its smartphone experience a little gentler for first-timers, while offering up a slightly different flavor of Google's OS, Huawei's been polling its customers, running user experience salons and meeting regular groups of between 40 - 70 consumers to understand what was working -- and what was definitely not. To this end, the company's "driven [itself] crazy" by keeping to a tight schedule and releasing iterative updates every two weeks (at least for beta) and monthly for stable builds. %Gallery-163873%
LG's EA93 29-inch display features 21:9 aspect ratio, we take a look at IFA (video)
It's alive! We spotted a powered-off version of LG's latest monitor earlier in the week, but now it's loaded up with content and ready to make its formal debut. LG's gone big -- very big -- with some of the showings at its IFA booth. But in addition to the massive 84-inch UD 3D TV and the 55-inch OLED HD TV, it's also showcasing some more modest displays. The company announced its 21:9 aspect ratio monitor, the 29-inch EA93, just prior to IFA. The IPS monitor boasts a WQHD resolution (2,560 x 1,080 pixels) and supports four-way split-screen view. The wide-screen aspect ratio is the same you'll find at a movie theater, making it an ideal choice for viewing Blu-ray flicks, and LG's framing the EA93 as a choice setup for photographers and other multimedia pros, too. LG had a half dozen of the displays on hand at its IFA 2012 booth playing content in a loop. One station demonstrated cinema playback with a trio of recent film trailers, while other demos included a stock-tracking layout, side-by-side browser windows and the Windows 8 screen you see above. Speaking of that latest Microsoft OS, the EA93 is perfectly suited for viewing extended layouts, giving you direct access to even more tiles simultaneously. We couldn't accurately judge sharpness, as the pre-recorded screens didn't appear at full resolution, though colors did appear bright and accurate. The chrome stand complemented the black finish nicely, while a multitude of ports on the back enabled USB 3.0, HDMI, DisplayPort and DVI connectivity. You can grab an up-close look at both sides of the 21:9 monitor in our gallery below.%Gallery-163865%
LG's 55-inch OLED TV enters the third dimension, we slide on our glasses (hands-on video)
We first saw LG's 55-inch OLED TV at last year's CES, where it drew a fair share of oohs and ahhs at the company's press event. In May, the tentative pricing info for the European market was released, but this set's future in the US remained TBD. Fast forward to IFA 2012, and we're in front of this giant again -- but this time, it's sporting 3D. True, at 55 inches, it's no goliath compared to the 84-inch TVs we've seen this week from Sony, Toshiba and even LG, but the company claims this 55-inch model is the largest OLED HDTV available, and its carbon fiber backing and ultra-thin 4mm profile are certainly the markings of a high-end setup. During LG's booth tour today, we had a chance to sneak a peek at the now 3D-capable set, which otherwise looks quite similar to the version we saw at CES, albeit with a bit more polish. In order to achieve a 4-millimeter profile, the set packs all of its connectivity in the base module. There's also an Invisible Connection module on order, which hooks up to the TV through a proprietary optical connector and transparent cable, should you wish to mount the display on your wall. Naturally, 3D content wasn't as sharp as its 2D counterpart, but the OLED looked great regardless. With its ultra-thin design, it's surely meant for consumers who care about aesthetics perhaps even more than image quality, but if you can stomach the €9,000 price tag, this is one fine get. Take a closer look in our gallery just below. Follow all of our IFA 2012 coverage by heading to our event hub! %Gallery-163863%
LG's 84-inch UD 3D TV makes its formal IFA debut, we go hands-on (video)
Here's yet another 84-inch 4K TV, this time from LG. The company's 84LM9600 was announced last week and has already started shipping in Korea, but it's here at IFA and poised to hit the market worldwide. Priced at about $22,105, this display is big in every way. You get a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 -- four times the resolution of existing full HD panels -- and what LG calls "3D sound" thanks to 2.2 integrated channel speakers. 3D is courtesy of the company's passive glasses technology. So how does that all look? We spotted the set during LG's booth tour today. At first it seemed like "just another" 84-inch 4K TV (the form-factor seems to have exploded within the last week), but this flavor is rigged for three-dimensional viewing as well. You'll need to view 2D content in order to take advantage of the full resolution, and the picture in this mode seemed to be on par with the competition, based on our quick peek at IFA. And how about 3D? The passive picture was consistent with the company's other sets, just, well, much much larger. Will you be making room for this massive set in your living room? You might want to take a closer look in our hands-on photos below before pulling out that credit card. Follow all of our IFA 2012 coverage by heading to our event hub! %Gallery-163857%
LG 27-inch Personal Smart TV hands-on (updated: video)
Designed for more realistic living quarters, LG's unleashed its Personal Smart TV to the IFA crowds. With a 27-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 IPS display, you'll also find the typical stable of connectivity options, including two HDMI, three USB, component, LAN and SCART connections. The screen seemed well-lit with the IPS panel offering suitably reliable views from most angles. It's a pretty stylish-looking TV too, with a rough metallic finish to the bezel, which while not jaw-dropping, is still suitably narrow. The Smart TV functions were also navigable through LG's Smart Remote, offering a WiiMote-ish approach to media browsing. Our demo model was already packed with German media content -- in both 2D and 3D -- ready for when it launches here next month. It'll be appearing in shops across Europe around the same time, although there's no word on the set landing on US shores. Check out our quick hands-on video after the break. Follow all of our IFA 2012 coverage by heading to our event hub! %Gallery-163859%
LG Optimus L9 hands-on (video)
Thought LG didn't have any more to add to the L-Style series to offer the world? Behold the L9. Announced yesterday, the device made an appearance on the IFA show room floor this week, boasting a big and bright 4.7-inch IPS display that makes its brethren look downright shrimpy by comparison. In spite of the display size, the phone feels light, with an 8.9-millimeter profile. It's important to note here that, in spite of being the king of the L-Series, it's still part of a budget lineup, and as such, the phone's body feels a bit plasticky, and the textured rear had a bit of trouble staying snapped in place in the two models (black and white) that we played with. Specwise, we're talking a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM inside, 4GB of storage (expandable via a microSD slot) and a 2,150mAh battery. The handset's rocking Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.4, to be precise). The handset's got a fairly nice bezel, with the front-facing camera on the top and a home button on the bottom, flanked by illuminating back and menu touch buttons. A larger, 5MP camera is located on the rear of the device, above the flash. Vodafone has the handset priced at €50.90 subsidized and €340 unsubsidized. Peep a video of the handset, after the break.%Gallery-163849%
ZTE Grand X IN: Intel-powered ICS smartphone to launch next month
It was all getting a little quiet on Intel-powered smartphone front, but now ZTE's decided to refresh its not-so-elderly Grand X with a Medfield processor and Ice Cream Sandwich. Part of ZTE's showing here at IFA, it's the company's first Android 4.0 device, running on an Atom Z2460. Expect HSPA+ speeds up to 21Mbps, alongside some familiar Grand X specs. This includes a 4.3-inch 960 x 540 screen, while this model now packs an 8-megapixel camera and 1,650mAh battery. ZTE's latest redesign will arrive in Europe at the start of next month -- and we'll be tracking down a model in Berlin later today. Follow all of our IFA 2012 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Panasonic's 103-inch glasses-less 3D plasma panel arrives at IFA (eyes-on)
While it might not be as huge as the Super Hi Vision panel lingering in the same darkened theater, Panasonic's new 103-inch demonstration display has the ability to offer up a 3D view to five different viewers -- as long as they're in the right visual sweet spot. The effect is subtle, natural, although colors felt little bit muted compared to the 145-inch prototype, with the demo videos drawing us in to its demo reel, rather than pushing out an image. The plasma display panel prototype is also glasses-free, with the 4K2K screen able to push out enough pixels to offer these multiple viewing angles. But again, there's no substitute for being there yourself.%Gallery-163828% Follow all of our IFA 2012 coverage by heading to our event hub!
