windows-8-tablet
Latest
Business-minded HP 'Slate 8' tablet surfaces in leaked image
This one is still very much unconfirmed, but a "trusted source" recently provided Neowin.net with the image you see above, which purports to be a mockup of a forthcoming business-minded tablet from HP dubbed the Slate 8. That's obviously a Windows 8 tablet and, if the details are to be believed, you can expect a 10.1-inch display, eight to ten hours of battery life, optional pen-based input, a docking station of some sort, an outdoor viewing option and a number of business-friendly security measures -- all in a package that's 9.2mm thick and about 1.5 pounds. Adding some weight to leak is ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, who hasn't been able to confirm it outright, but says that after a bit of investigation she is "inclined to believe this is a real mock-up and is part of HP's line up of business desktops and laptops it will be touting this year."
Microsoft reveals how your old slate will get all of Windows 8's charms (video)
Being able to touch, click and press your way around an operating system with a variety of hardware configurations, while not alienating potential upgraders, is no mean feat. That said, Microsoft thinks it might have the solution. By introducing a new mode, a 20 pixel buffer will be designated to working with those edge swipes we've heard about. It'll also go towards preventing accidental hits around the, typically less sensitive, edges of older screens. It does mean that you'll be losing a little real estate, but perhaps a small trade-off for being able to keep your Windows 7 touchscreen device. Going forward, Microsoft will be working with hardware providers to ensure new gear really shows off the new features of Win 8, but for now, legacy users can look forward to a better experience. Hit the source below for the full rundown.
Canalys: Apple leading PC maker in Q4 2011, if you count iPads
Best quarter in Apple's history? Check. Retaking the smartphone crown from Samsung? Check. How about becoming the world's largest PC manufacturer? If you're Canalys and you factor iPads into the equation, then yes, another check. Per the research firm, "client PCs" (which include "desktops, netbooks, notebooks and tabs") grew by 16 percent to hit 120 million in Q4, from which Apple's 20 million units (15 million iPads + 5 million Macs) grabbed the leading 17 percent share. Cupertino's followed by HP, Lenovo, Dell and Acer in that order -- all of whom, save for Lenovo, saw their piece of the PC pie shrink. Not only did their slices shrink, but without slates the entire tart was .4 percent smaller than last year -- meaning that all of the growth in "client PC" segment was due to tablets. With that kind of statistical precedence Windows 8 can't come soon enough, right Stevie B?
Microsoft's Windows 8 hardware requirements: some good, some not-so-good
First, an apology: Microsoft released details of Windows 8's tablet hardware requirements back in December, but we were too preoccupied with Christmas and CES to notice. Now that the only thing we're suffering from is jet-lag, let's take a quick tour of some notable extracts from the documentation and what it'll mean for users when the operating system arrives towards the back end of the year.
NVIDIA Windows 8 developer tablet eyes-on
Have you been itchin' for another taste of Windows 8 on a tablet? Well, NVIDIA obliged us with a developer model of a Tegra 3-powered slate. We'd seen a nondescript device with Intel's touch at BUILD in the Series 7 and now we've caught a glimpse of some NVIDIA handiwork alongside Microsoft's upcoming OS. Notice the three sensors on the back side. We presume those may outfit 3D camera of some sort along with flash. Of course, nothing here is guaranteed to make it on the final product. Naturally, not too many other details were offered, but you can take a look a few pics below. And start the not-so-patient wait for a consumer model to add to your wish list.
Acer and Lenovo reportedly eying Windows 8-based tablet launches in Q3 2012
Per usual, we'd highly recommend ingesting this one with a mouthful of salt, but DigiTimes has it that both Acer and Lenovo will be revitalizing tablet PC plans in the latter half of 2012... using Windows 8. Of course, the storyline here isn't as far-fetched as some; Nokia itself is rumored to launch a Win 8-based slate as early as June, while Microsoft could very well out its own branded alternative in Q3 or Q4. According to 'sources from the upstream supply chain,' Intel's Clover Trail platform will be used for both Acer and Lenovo's wares, but those expecting either to take a serious chunk out of the iPad's kingdom will likely be disappointed. Smartly, we're led to believe that these slates will be primarily aimed at enterprise customers, as more and more tablet makers concede the market to the established player(s). Not like Windows 7 tablets ever had much traction outside of that realm, anyway...
Nokia to release Windows 8 tablets this June, top drawer Lumia in the works?
There's some intriguing Nokia news coming out of France this morning, thanks to Paul Amsellem, head of the company's Gallic outpost. In a recent interview with Parisian daily Les Echos, Amsellem described Nokia's aspirations to regain some of the market share it's lost within France, explaining that his firm is squarely targeting the 60 percent of French users who currently don't own a smartphone. More salient, however, is what the exec had to say about Nokia's plans for future releases. According to Amsellem, Espoo will unveil a new Windows 8 equipped tablet by June 2012. Unfortunately, that's about all he had to say on the subject, but it's certainly enough of a carrot to raise our heart rates -- as are Amsellem's comments on the Lumia 800, which hit French stores yesterday. Comparing the handset to a BMW 5 series, the chief went on to say that Nokia "will soon have a full range with a 7 Series and 3 Series." He didn't elaborate much on this analogy, though its implication is rather self-evident -- new Lumia cousins may be in the works. Of course, it remains to be seen when and if the company will expand upon its Lumia line, though we'll definitely be keeping our yeux on it.
