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ASUS' stylish ZenWatch is all about security, remote control and wellness
After its routine pre-show teasers, ASUS' first smartwatch has finally been unveiled at IFA in Berlin. It's no secret that this Android Wear-powered ZenWatch isn't joining the party of circular watch faces, but it's certainly done a nice job at packaging the 1.63-inch, 320 x 320 AMOLED touchscreen (as featured on Samsung's Gear Live). The body consists of a curved stainless-steel case surrounded by a rose-gold-colored band inset, and the top is dominated by a piece of 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 3. You also get a genuine stitched-leather strap with a quick-release clasp out of the box, but you can swap it with your own 22mm band to suit your mood.
ASUS' MeMO Pad 7 gets a new chic look, lighter body and sharper screen
It's IFA, so of course ASUS is going to launch a new tablet. This time it's a new MeMO Pad 7 (ME572C) that not only sports a different Intel Atom chip (the 64-bit quad-core Z3560 that clocks up to 1.83GHz), but also has a new chic look that's "inspired by clutch bags and wallets," as well as a screen upgrade to a whopping 1,920 x 1,200 resolution (323 ppi) -- a nice jump from the predecessor's 1,280 x 800 panel. The new Android 4.4 tablet is also thinner at 8.3mm and slimmer at 269 grams, thanks to its fiberglass body, duralumin frame and slim screen bezels. Other features include 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of internal storage, up to 64GB of microSD expansion, up to 16GB of free cloud storage, dual speakers and 5MP/2MP cameras.
ASUS' slim metallic Zenbook gets a super sharp 13.3-inch screen
ASUS' Zenbook UX301 was already rather impressive with its glass-covered body and 2,560 x 1,440 touchscreen, but its record has just been broken by yet another Zenbook. Announced at IFA today, the new UX305 is a gorgeous all-aluminum Ultrabook that packs an insanely sharp 13.3-inch 3,200 x 1,800 (276 ppi) display (as used by the bulkier UX303LN), and at just 12.3mm thick, it's certainly the world's slimmest laptop to carry this class of screen resolution. The trade-off here is that this isn't a touchscreen, but the 1.2kg weight does beat the 1.35kg 13-inch MacBook Air. Much like the rest of the Zenbook series, the UX305 is also quite the looker with its diamond-cut highlights plus signature spun-metal finish in either "Obsidian Stone" or "Ceramic Alloy" color option. Little else about this laptop has been mentioned so far: All we know is that it'll pack an Intel Core M processor, 10 hours of battery life and a choice of 128GB/256GB SSDs. We'll get back to you guys when we hear more later this year.
Seven years later, ASUS attempts to launch a $199 laptop again
Almost seven years ago, ASUS tried to launch the $199 Eee PC Linux laptop that ended up costing above $300, and since then the Eee brand shifted its focus to the more premium market before quietly fading away. That's why we're slightly surprised to see ASUS launching the EeeBook X205 -- not to be confused with ASUS' dual-screen concept device -- at IFA today. It's an 11.6-inch Windows 8.1 laptop that'll cost just $199 (or €199; both including tax). If all goes well, this will be another very affordable option alongside the leaked HP Stream 14 of the same price and operating system, and it'll even be cheaper than ASUS' own Chromebooks.
Acer's trio of new tablets includes a $150 Windows slate
Acer's taken more than a passing fancy to Chrome OS of late, but at this year's IFA, the company's showing a rekindled love for its affordable tablet range. Its first new slates since the beginning of the year come in two sizes, with the more portable 8-inch form factor also offering a choice of platform. The Iconia One Tab 8 runs Android 4.4 KitKat on a quad-core Intel Atom processor (the Z3735G, if you're interested), with an 8-inch, 1,280 x 800 IPS display up front. Otherwise, it's got most of the standard features you'd expect on a tablet, like a pair of cameras and microSD slot for storage expansion. Now picture essentially the same hardware configuration, but instead running Windows 8.1 with Bing, and you've got the Iconia Tab 8 W. Successor to the Iconia W4, the Tab 8 W also boasts up to eight hours of battery life and one free year of Office 365. Whether you prefer Google's or Microsoft's OS, both 8-inch slates will launch next month in Europe for €150, and in the US in November for $150.
Acer realized that 'touchpad above the keyboard' thing was a bad idea
It takes a big company to admit it made a mistake. It also takes a big company to admit it copied its rival's design. Sure enough, Acer has done both of those things today, which makes the Taiwanese firm, we don't know, extra bold, or something. Here at IFA in Berlin, the company is showing off a redesigned version of its R-series convertible laptop, whose touchpad used to sit above the keyboard, but has now returned to a more normal spot. Meanwhile, Acer also announced the Aspire R14, a notebook with a 360-degree hinge that even Acer admits is similar to Lenovo's Yoga series.
Toshiba intros a slimmer Chromebook, budget Windows convertible
Toshiba isn't showing off a whole lot here at IFA, Europe's biggest trade show. That said, the stuff it has announced at least manages to run the gamut. Today, for instance, the company unveiled both a slimmed-down Chromebook 2 and the Satellite Radius 11, a small-screened Windows convertible. Starting with the former, the Chromebook 2 has the same 13-inch screen size as its predecessor, along with the same textured plastic design. This time, though, it's thinner and lighter, at 2.95 pounds, with the sort of compact dimensions you'd expect to find on a 12-inch system. Toshiba bumped up the resolution too, so that you can now get it with a 340-nit, 1,920 x 1,080 IPS panel (the base model still has a 1,366 x 768 display). Depending on the resolution, you can expect either 11.5 hours of battery life on the lower-res version, or nine hours with full HD. In addition, Toshiba added Skullcandy audio. The firm seems proud of it, but after a few minutes of hands-on time, I actually found the sound to be rather tinny (it is loud, though).
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.
Lenovo unveils super-thin, super-light tablet (and the price isn't bad, either)
Tablet fatigue: We have it, you have it. We all have it. That said, we'd be remiss if we let IFA go by without mentioning Lenovo's new Android slate. The Tab S8, as it's called, is an 8-inch device that manages to be almost as thin as both the Retina display iPad mini and the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4. In particular, it measures 0.31 inch thick and comes in at 0.65 pound, making it lighter than the iPad and almost as light as the Tab S. More importantly, though, Lenovo's listing it at $199 -- about half the price of what Apple and Samsung are selling.
Lenovo's new gaming laptop is surprisingly light for a 17-inch machine
Slimmed-down gaming laptops seem to be all the rage, but most of the designs we've seen don't have anything larger than a 14-inch display. Lenovo, however, appears to be taking a chance on big screens. The company just announced the Y70 Touch, a 17-inch machine that manages to come in at just 7.5 pounds, making it surprisingly thin and light for its size class. Other than having a larger screen, it features the same design as the existing Y50, which is to say it sports a brushed-metal chassis and red backlit keyboard (you can't have a gaming laptop without red accents, apparently). Tucked on the bottom you'll find a subwoofer with JBL speakers. Unfortunately, the touchscreen is slightly less impressive: It tops out at 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, whereas many smaller systems now give you the option of playing at 3,200 x 1,800 or 2,560 x 1,440.
Samsung's Smart Home tech is apparently enough to make KITT the robot car jealous
Samsung is seriously gunning for your potential smart home dollars - enough to draft in (and pay for) David Hasselhoff and his early-eighties partner, KITT. The car ain't happy. (And did he just say what I think he did?)
Wellograph's fashionable fitness tracker is now on sale
It was back in January that we got our first look at Wellograph's stylish fitness watch with a sapphire crystal display. More than half a year later, however, and the company is ready to start pushing the hardware out to its customers. The Wellograph not only provides the time, but is an activity tracker and heart-rate monitor, thanks to its optical sensor on the underside of the case. The company promises that, in addition to a seven-day battery life, the hardware will store up to four months of activity data before you'll need to sync it with your smartphone. Priced up at $350, the hardware will begin arriving on pre-order customers doors on September 12th, and you can rest assured that we'll be running our eyes (and hands) over this hardware in the following few weeks.
We're live at IFA 2014 in Berlin!
It's the first week of September, which means we're getting ready to attend the annual IFA trade show in Berlin. IFA is a difficult show to describe: While it's becoming a huge launchpad for smartphones, tablets and smartwatches, it's also traditionally been a place for companies to exhibit their latest fridges, microwaves and vacuum cleaners (most of them equipped with smart capabilities, at least). Whether you're into the latest tech or just looking for a new blender, there's plenty to see here -- though you'll forgive us if we glaze over news about upcoming sewing machines, instead focusing on Galaxy Notes, Xperia tablets, Android Wear watches and other consumer electronics. We'll be liveblogging announcements from Samsung and Sony, so stay tuned for those; and keep this page bookmarked to see everything we announce from the show.
What you can expect at IFA 2014
IFA is one of the largest consumer electronics trade shows in the world, and it's also one of the most unique. The annual show, held this week in Berlin, has a knack for announcing new washing machines, sewing machines and kitchen appliances alongside the latest smartphones, smartwatches and tablets. Here at Engadget, we're primarily focused on the latter (though who doesn't love a free fruit smoothie sample from time to time?), and there's a lot to cover. Let's head straight into what new gadgets and devices we can expect to see announced at this week's event.
Epson dives into fitness wearables with heart and run trackers
How do you know when wrist-worn technology is officially a trend? When a brand best known for its printers gets in on the action. As promised, Epson is launching its first wrist-based wearables, and they're all about improving your fitness. Each line delivers a slight twist on a familiar formula. The Runsense GPS watch range (shown above) can track your running even if it loses signal thanks to stride sensors on some models, and lasts for a healthy 30 hours of continuous tracking; you may not need to recharge for days. The Pulsense line, meanwhile, monitors your heart rate, activity and sleep quality using a blend of optical and motion sensors. You theoretically never have to take the tracker off, although the 36-hour battery suggests you'll be doing that quite often.
Imagination Technologies to ARM: anything you can do, our new chips can do better
Despite Intel's best efforts, ARM remains the undisputed king of the mobile world, but another chip design house, just 51 miles down the road, is hoping to change that. Imagination Technologies, the outfit famous for its PowerVR mobile graphics tech, wants to knock its better-known rival off its perch with a new 64-bit MIPS chip. The Warrior I6400 promises to be a low-power, high-performance CPU for smartphones, tablets and internet of things devices that, the company claims, has the "technical superiority" over its competition. Since Android L will support silicon of this kind, Imagination is hoping that smartphone manufacturers will consider ditching ARM chips in favor of the plucky challenger. What does this mean for the consumer? Hopefully, faster devices, less power drain and a whole new topic where people can argue the merits of one architecture against the other.
Digitsole's smart insoles keep your tootsies warm as you walk
Most people believe that wrist-worn wearables are technology's next frontier, but only one company that we know of has thought about our feet. Today, that number increases to two, now that Digitsole has announced an interactive insole that's designed to heat your feet. Connecting to your smartphone over Bluetooth 4.0, you use the companion app for iOS or Android to set the temperature to a maximum of 40 C/104 F. Of course, no piece of wearable technology is complete without some sort of activity tracking, so in addition to keeping your little piggies warm, the smart insoles will monitor the distance that you've walked and the calories that you've burned.
Philips' Hue Beyond brings smart lighting to lamps and table lights
Here's a thing that we learned today: an enclosed light fitting, like a table lamp or a pendant light is technically called a luminaire. The reason that we now know this, is because that's the phrase Philips is using to describe the latest addition to its lineup of connected lighting devices. Hue Beyond, despite the sci-fi sounding name, is a range of lamps and ceiling lights luminaires with a dual light source -- a "tunable" white light for seeing and a color-changing bulb that you can tweak to your heart's content. Of course, as a Hue device, it's this second element that'll offer the same smart integration with online services like email alerts and IFTTT recipes. It'll hit stores in the US and Europe toward the end of this month, but be warned, adding a little bit of technical ambience to your home doesn't come cheap. The table lamp version of Beyond, for instance, will set you back €330 ($430, £260), while both the ceiling light and pendant light editions are priced up at a whopping €530 ($695, £420)
LG's Swarovski-encrusted OLED TV is a thing that exists
There are few things that scream class more loudly than coating a piece of consumer electronics in gold. Except, perhaps, for doing the same thing, but with Swarovski crystals. That's the truth-bomb that LG has just deposited into our laps, having announced it's bringing an OLED HDTV with such glittery detailing here at IFA. Why? We can't even begin to answer that question, but LG claims the 460-crystal pattern "turns a cutting-edge television into a work of art." There's no word on a price, but LG says this TV will go on sale in Europe this year -- we'd rather forego the crystals to get OLED down to a price that competes with the best LCDs and Ultra HD TVs instead.
Elgato announces $50 Avea smart lightbulb and Eve smart home sensors
Apparently, the world needs another smart lightbulb, and Elgato's going to sell it to you. Called Avea, the $50 bulb connects to your iDevice directly using Bluetooth (no external hub needed), and lets you set the mood in any room with an appropriate shade of light. Just one iPhone (4S and up), 5th gen iPod Touch or iPad (3rd gen or newer) can control a whole house full of lights and give users multiple lighting scenes to choose from. Plus, there's an alarm feature that wakes you with the gentle gleam of a 7W LED bulb pumping out 430 lumens (which is just a bit brighter than its competitor from Lumen, and is roughly equivalent to a 40W incandescent bulb).
