Items tagged with Windows-RT
Microsoft has sent out invites to a Surface event on May 20th with the tagline “a small gathering”, and the widely-held assumption is that Redmond will use the occasion to unveil the rumored Surface Mini tablet. The little tablet has not been a terribly closely-kept secret, particularly after the Amazon listing for a Surface Mini case that appeared late last month. (The link is even still active.) Mysterious Amazon listing for a Surface Mini case Not much is known about the Surface Mini’s details, but again the general assumption is that it will be a 7-8 inch device with a stylus that will most likely be ARM-based. Windows RT is the presumed OS. A miniature version of the Surface...
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Nokia may be prepping another Windows RT tablet, and this one will be an 8-inch model to complement the 10.1-inch Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet that recently went on sale at Verizon. The 8-inch tablet is codenamed “Illusionist”, according to Evleaks. While noting that Evleaks is often spot-on when it comes to these rumors (and thus it’s very likely that all of the above is true), other sources are citing additional details, so bear that in mind. For instance, there are no leaked images of this thing. Nokia Lumia 2520, the bigger brother of the alleged Nokia Lumia 2020 Digitimes says that the 8-inch tablet will be the Nokia Lumia 2020, and it will be a higher-end device that will land...
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The first generation of Microsoft’s homegrown Surface RT tablet delivered mixed results. The hardware was solid and well built, but the OS and software ecosystem left a little something to be desired. Many thought pricing was a bit on the high side as well. Finally, competition at the time was also quite fierce, to say the least and still is, actually. Undaunted and still hungry for a chunk of the tablet market, Microsoft recently revealed its second generation of Surface tablets, the Surface 2 Pro, which runs the full version of Windows 8.1, and the Surface 2 (that we’re reviewing here today), which runs Windows RT 8.1... Microsoft Surface 2 Windows RT 8.1 Tablet Review... Microsoft...
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The first generation of Microsoft’s homegrown Surface RT tablet delivered mixed results. The hardware was solid and well built, but the OS and software ecosystem left a little something to be desired. Many thought pricing was a bit on the high side as well. Finally, competition at the time was also quite fierce, to say the least and still is, of course. Undaunted and still hungry for a chunk of the tablet market, Microsoft recently revealed its second generation of Surface tablets, the Surface 2 Pro, which runs the full version of Windows 8.1, and the Surface 2 (that we’re reviewing here today), which runs Windows RT 8.1. Microsoft really needs its Surface 2 tablets to do...
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Windows RT is already less than beloved--sales have been soft and some manufacturers soured on the tablet version of Windows 8 early on--so the news that Microsoft had to yank the long-awaited Windows RT 8.1 update from the Windows Store is another chink in the armor. There also may be problems with Windows 8.1 Pro with tablets that have been undiagnosed, which we've experienced firsthand. In response to a user asking why the update wasn’t available to him--for Windows RT devices, you can only get it from the Windows Store--a Microsoft forum moderator replied: Windows RT 8.1. Microsoft is investigating a situation affecting a limited number of users updating their Windows RT devices to...
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Nokia may be under Microsoft's rule in the near future, but it'll be expanding its hardware reach at least once more before that deal is officially signed off on. According to a new FCC filing that surfaced over the weekend, Nokia has a tablet en route. The codenamed RX-114 is tucked away in a massive document, detailing all sorts of measurements and band testing. The FCC filing, per usual, doesn't reveal much. That said, it does show that Verizon and AT&T LTE bands will be supported, and technically, T-Mobile will be included in some regard. It's also expected to launch with Windows RT -- an operating system that may already have one foot in the grave. Nokia is expected to officialy unveil...
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Nokia is hosting a launch event in Abu Dhabi on October 22nd, and the company is expected to announce a lineup of six new devices, including an accessory that’s “pretty special”, according The Verge’s sources. Among the expected new devices is the purported Nokia Lumia 1520 (Bandit), a six-inch device that will boast a 1080p HD screen, quad-core Snapdragon processor, rear 20MP camera, Qi wireless charging, and a polycarbonate body. Credit: The Verge We should also see Nokia’s “Sirius” Windows RT tablet, a 10-inch device rumored to rock a quad-core Qualcomm 8974 chip with a 1080p HD display, rear 6.7MP Carl Zeiss camera, 2MP front-facing camera, micro...
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Earlier this year, Futuremark launched a version of its 3DMark benchmark that would run on PCs, notebooks, and mobile devices alike. Some mobile users could run the tests using 3Dmark for Android, and now there’s an iOS app, as well. 3Dmark for iOS lets users test and directly compare performance on iPads, iPhones, and even iPod touches. Further, Futuremark released a new test called 3Dmark Ice Storm Unlimited that’s included in the iOS version (and is currently available for the Android version) that allows for chip-to-chip comparisons across different mobile platforms. There’s still no Windows RT version of 3DMark; Futuremark only says that it’s coming “soon”....
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Nokia must really be in deep with Microsoft, because the company may be working on a Windows RT tablet that’s due to be announced in September. The device is rumored to bear the “Vanquish” moniker, and it will likely run a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. If a leaked photo is to be believed, the Nokia Windows RT tablet will be roughly 10 inches and run on Verizon’s 4G LTE network. This all jibes with reports last year that Nokia was working on such a tablet and also that Windows RT tablets in general would be rocking the Qualcomm chip. Rumored Nokia Windows RT tablet (Image credit: Digi-Wo via The Verge) Nokia has bet big on Microsoft already, and this venture...
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It appears that Microsoft is about to refresh its Surface RT hardware; according to Bloomberg, Microsoft has been testing versions of the Surface RT with Qualcomm Snapdragon chips inside instead of the NVIDIA Tegra 3 SoCs it’s been using thus far. This jibes with an earlier report that Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors would power Windows RT 8.1 tablets. The report says that in fact Microsoft will be rolling out new Surface RT tablets with Qualcomm SoCs inside while still offering some versions with the current Tegra 3. Ostensibly, the change will primarily serve to enable mobile broadband; 4G LTE in mobile chips is an area in which Qualcomm shines. Surface RT tablet Although the Surface...
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Many have been quite vocal about the fact that Windows 8 and Windows RT could use a little work, and apparently Microsoft agrees, which is why the company is planning a major update to both versions of its new OS. Windows 8.1 is coming sometime this year as a free update, and for those hoping that it will fix all of Windows 8’s problems (perceived and real), today’s sneak peek from Microsoft has been a long-awaited one. It looks as though most of the updates are essentially UI tweaks, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, although those hoping for something more substantial may be left unsatisfied. First, though, is the feature everyone seems to be preoccupied with: the Start...
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Microsoft mentioned weeks ago that its Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets would see wider worldwide available, and now the company has further clarified its rollout plans for its homegrown Windows RT and Windows 8 devices. The Surface RT tablet is already available in over two dozen markets, including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, the UK, the U.S., and a number of European countries, but it will also be available in Malaysia tomorrow, in Mexico at the end of May, and in Korea and Thailand sometime in June. Surface Pro launch in China By contrast, the Surface Pro has only been available in the U.S., Canada, and China, but that’s about to change in a major way. Microsoft says...
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While Samsung has decided not to ship the ATIV Tab in the United States (nor any Windows RT tablet), there's evidently sufficient demand in other markets for Microsoft's ARM-friendly OS. A new edition of the ATIV Smart PC has popped up this week, with a sleek, shiny white shell that most definitely stands apart from the other grey/charcoal/black frames that are all too popular these days. Not surprisingly, this new hue will be held to South Korea for the time being, bringing an 11.6" panel (1366x768), a dual-core 1.8GHz Clover Trail processor, 64GB of storage, and a 4800mAh battery. It's on sale now in Samsung's homeland for around $1000, so if you're looking for a great excuse to visit Seoul,...
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As of now, we're still waiting for Microsoft to come clean with Windows RT sales figures. And while waiting takes time, Samsung's giving us a clue: things probably aren't so great. Mike Abary, the head of Samsung's PC and tablet business in the States, has confirmed to CNET that no Samsung-made Windows RT products will be released on American soil. Yikes. Samsung is a major, major PC player, and its Galaxy line of phones and tablets have taken on a life of their own. So, why skip the WinRT fad? Because there is no fad, it seems. In fact, Samsung believes that retail partners "don't see strong demand," and that the "value proposition for Windows RT isn't clear to consumers." The ATIV Tab, which...
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When we reviewed the ASUS Vivo Tab RT a couple of weeks ago, we found that the device was a solid piece of hardware that gave reason for optimism that the new Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets would offer a compelling alternative to Android and iOS devices. Soon, you’ll be able to get your hands on one of your own. AT&T announced that the ASUS Vivo Tab RT will be available from the carrier starting November 16th. The price of $499 via AT&T is much better than the MSRP of $599 and $699 (for the 32GB and 64GB versions plus docking station, respectively), although that’s due to a holiday promotion and requires a data plan and two-year contract. The tablet boasts 4G LTE connectivity...
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Apple fans have long ooed and ahh’d over the fine details in Apple products, and Steve Jobs famously obsessed over every design and manufacturing tidbit, but Microsoft rivals that level of detail with the Surface, which use over 200 custom components. Panos Panay took the stage to demo the Surface at a press event today, and the theme of the day was attention to detail. For example, the Touch Cover is just 3mm thick, but it features a touchpad and a pressure-sensitive keyboard, and it attaches securely to the Surface. Panos actually held the Surface upside-down, secured only by its magnetic connection to the Touch Cover. The bank of magnets keeping the two together includes a “flux...
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In his opening remarks at today’s Windows 8 press event, Steve Sinofsky noted that it’s been almost exactly three years since Microsoft launched Windows 7; it’s been nearly that long that consumers and businesses alike have been awaiting Windows 8. After midnight tonight, Windows 8 and all the goodies that go with it will officially be available. That includes the new Windows Store, from which users can discover new apps and install (and uninstall) them with one click. The deluge of Windows 8 PCs has already begun, and there are all sorts of form factors coming available, from all-in-ones to ultrabooks to convertible to tablets, and Windows is calling them all “PCs”....
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Microsoft's Surface is going to have a little competition this winter. Samsung is going to be one of a few companies issuing Windows 8 and Windows RT-based tabled once the operating systems hit the shelves on October 26th, with the ATIV Tab being the first to be formally revealed. It's a 10.1" Windows RT tablet, with a 1366x768 screen resolution, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 5MP rear camera, 1.9MP front camera, USB, microHDMI port and your choice of 32GB or 64GB of storage. There's also a bundled copy of Office 2013 (Home and Student), as well as an 8200mAh battery. Samsung's not saying when this slate will ship, but it'll need to price competitive with the Surface in order to even look halfway...
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Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 3 has made its way onto most platforms worth gaming on, and today, NVIDIA debuted the game engine on another pair of platforms--Windows 8 and Windows RT. In a video on a blog post, NVIDIA showed off a demo of Unreal Engine 3 on an ASUS Vivo Tab RT, which has a quad-core Tegra 3 chip powering the system. (Never heard of it? Pop over here and check it out.) As you can see in the video, the demo is smooth as butter and looks terrific. Even better, this is a full PC implementation of Unreal Engine 3 instead of a mobile derivative, so game developers should be able to port their games to Window RT (and Windows 8) quickly and with ease. In the post, Epic Games vice president...
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As the long-awaited launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT draws closer, more details are emerging; today, Steve Sinofsky of the Building Windows 8 blog delivered several announcements, including which OEMs are making Windows RT devices. We already knew that ASUS, Toshiba, Acer, and Lenovo were making those ARM SoC-based RT devices, but the post stated that Dell and Samsung are in the game, as well. Thanks to the post, we also know that Windows RT has reached RTM (released to manufacturing) mark, so OEMs really are busily building machines with the final version of Windows RT in hand. Unnamed pre-release Windows RT PC The post recapped some of the main points previously revealed--that Windows RT...
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