The Home Shopping Network (HSN) has two Gateway Windows 8 laptops for sale, and at an attractive price too. One can pick up a 15.6" model for just $649.95, or $699.95 for the 17.3" version. Both laptops sport an Intel Core i5 processor, and come with 4GB RAM accompanied by a 500GB hard drive. While both are identical with regards to specifications, neither sports a touch screen.
Windows 8 has been pegged with the RTM title for some time but that does not mean it is really done. The code was simply ready to ship to PC makers and for developers to get busy creating apps.
The end user experience in Windows 8 has remained problematic, mainly due to the incomplete nature of the core app experiences when using the tile based WinRT interface. Whilst there have been a few minor updates nothing much has changed from when the OS was in its first public preview. All looks set to change as Microsoft just announced a slew of coming updates to the entire set of Microsoft WinRT apps.
Ukrainian Microsoft evangelist Igor "Walker" Shastitko has published two videos on YouTube - one of the Samsung ATIV SmartPC Pro and the other sporting the Acer Iconia Tab (W510). While the review is in a language many of us may not be able to interpret, it's good to see both Windows 8 tablets in action to see how smooth the experience will be should you decide to purchase one for yourself.
We were at AT&T's event last night that featured not only the Nokia Lumia 920 but the Samsung ATIV SmartPC Pro too, so be sure to check out our quick hands-on with the tablet. If our coverage isn't enough, there's always Shastitko with the above video that boasts a lengthy review of the device. As for the Acer Iconia Tab, the tablet also appears to run fairly well with Windows 8 looking superb.
Head on past the break to see the Acer Iconia Tab in action.
AT&T has today announced two Windows 8 tablets the carrier will be stocking for the 2012 holiday season - the ASUS VivoTab RT and Samsung ATIV Smart PC. As the name of the former suggests, the ASUS will be running Windows RT where as the Samsung tablet will be powering the full version of Windows 8 Pro (the ATIV Smart PC Pro also sports Windows 8 Pro).
By Rich Edmonds, Wednesday, Oct 3, 2012 at 3:42 am
Everybody gets down to the groove with Elop
Nokia's Stephen Elop is as committed as ever to the Windows Phone path he began to lead the company down last year, according to a report by AllThingsD. As Symbian gradually closed its eyes in the pit of smartphone doom, Elop shifted Nokia's focus to Windows Phone. This move gave consumers the first generation Lumia family. Recently the company unveiled the Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 that will both be running Windows Phone 8.
By Rich Edmonds, Wednesday, Oct 3, 2012 at 2:17 am
Microsoft Surface advertising material has been spotted in Washington, DC and thanks to Windows Phone Central reader Conan we've got some photos to show everyone. The advertising shows off the tablet's connectivity between the device itself and the smart covers with the "Click in." caption to highlight the user friendliness.
The advertisements show off light blue and pink coloured Surface tablets and the look of both designs is appealing. We're still yet to see Microsoft unveil its Windows 8 tablet family to the world, but the official launch can't be too far off with the company prepping temporary holiday stores across the US. So how aggressively will Microsoft push Surface?
A short while ago, Microsoft announced 40 Xbox games that will release within the Windows 8 launch window. A few are titles that have never been released within Microsoft’s Xbox ecosystem, but many will be familiar to Windows Phone and Xbox 360 gamers. One such game we’re excited about is Rocket Riot 3D, developed in-house by series creator Codeglue and published by Microsoft Studios.
Head past the break for our full preview with lots of exclusive details.
New, crisp, clean website designs are just a start
Microsoft has been busy launching new services, designs for established properties, and keeping a number of secrets under wraps in the run up to the eventful weeks ahead. We've been looking forward to this part of 2012 as it'll be when Microsoft unveils Windows Phone 8, Windows 8, Surface tablets, Office, new Xbox update, and - of course - Halo 4.
We've already seen Microsoft go big with the launch Outlook.com to replace the aging Live / Hotmail email service, but the software giant has revealed plans to apply changes across the board. Yesterday we covered a detailed blog post that walked readers through the new design that'll be applied to the MSN portal later this month - changes have been applied to Microsoft web properties, including the official website as well as the home of Visual Studio (see above).
One of the biggest knocks that critics like to sling against Windows Phone is that there aren't enough apps available when compared to Apple and Android. Well, a new deal between chip maker AMD and software developer BlueStacks will ensure that the same cannot be said for Windows 8. The two companies have agreed to work together on bringing around 500,000 Android apps to Microsoft's upcoming operating system for PCs and tablets using AMD's AppZone Player.
By updating code in their processors and graphics chips, AMD has made it possible for apps designed for mobiles devices to look good on the larger displays of PCs and tablets. They hope that this will lure consumers to AMD-powered devices, rather than those running Intel chips.
MSN is set to receive a visual overhaul this October to coincide with the release of Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10. Microsoft plans to roll-out the upgrade on October 26th, which will see the portal that receives over 480 million visitors per month sporting a new design and integration possibilities with other Microsoft products. The team have also looked at how the service can be made more user friendly when viewed on tablets running Windows 8.
MSN will be the portal that will fire up once Internet Explorer is launched in Windows 8, so what will consumers be greeted with?
By Daniel Rubino, Wednesday, Sep 26, 2012 at 2:07 pm
The big news for developers with Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 is of course the coming together of the two platforms under the same core. While it is far from being a 1:1 overlap in terms of coding, it is clear that developing on one platform will naturally lend itself to developing on the other, often with devs being able to recycle much of their code and design.
By Daniel Rubino, Wednesday, Sep 26, 2012 at 12:02 pm
AT&T has big plans for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8
It looks like once again AT&T in the United States will be taking the helm for Windows Phone 8 and even Windows 8 come October and November. Windows Phone Central has now confirmed information about AT&Ts upcoming plans, including employee-training dates for the big launch. The info comes via two known and trusted sources who wish to remain anonymous to the public.
First up are Windows 8 tablets. With Lenovo’s ThinkPad 2 officially having AT&T’s LTE on board, it’s not too much of a surprise that the mobile carrier will be looking to sell the tablets in their store direct to customers. We were quoted the $799 price-tag by Lenovo last week for the 10.1” tablet and we’re confident that you will be able to pick one up there come October 26th.
Last night we popped by PepCom, a little tech event that happens every few months here in New York City. We were curious if Samsung would be there with their ATIV lineup (answer: no) and we were hoping to maybe spot some interesting tidbits for you folks. We're not too heavily focused on tablets here, but sometimes we find out things.
For instance, we managed to get our mitts on the upcoming Lenovo Thinkpad 2, sporting Windows 8 Pro and a 10.1” 1,366 x 768 IPS display. Impressions? It’s very nice and we’re kind of itching to get one, especially with its reported 10 hour battery life, 2MP/8MP camera, AT&T LTE, NFC, USB ports and even a stylus.
YoYo Games (www.yoyogames.com) announced yesterday that GameMaker: Studio, the cross-platform games development environment, will support upcoming Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. The studio enables developers to create games in a single code base and subsequently export with ease to multiple platforms and formats.
Current level of support includes HTML5, Facebook, Android, iOS, Windows and OS X. GameMaker: Studio for Windows 8 is stated to be available for developers prior to the OS launch, while support for Windows Phone 8 will reportedly arrive following device availability.
Microsoft is expected to unveil its Surface range of Windows 8 tablets, both an RT (ARM) and a Pro (Intel / AMD x86) version to cater for most mobile PC needs. With the plan to set a high standard for OEM partners to follow, Microsoft has taken a bold move to start offering its own hardware to marry released software.
WPDownUnder has been able to uncover details surrounding availability for Australian consumers. According to a trusted source, Microsoft has been in talks with major retailers to launch the Surface instead of erecting Microsoft Stores. On top of this the source reveals this deal will be exclusive for initial availability.
Asus seems to have leaked it’s pricing for its coming Windows 8 tablets and convertibles prompting some to leap to their word processors and get on the fear, uncertainty and doubt bandwagon.
We all know that pricing for tablets is an extremely sensitive subject, just yesterday we looked at Steve Ballmer’s interview to see what he had said about Surface pricing. Even though some sites announced there were new details surrounding pricing, we found it was the same message we already knew. Headlines such as “pricing comes in high, demand likely low” and “Windows 8 Tablets: Born to fail” seem wildly premature. We take a look as these leaked prices and what they could mean.
The new version of Office was unveiled to the world on July16th, and has proven to be quite the upgrade when comparing it to the current version. With its slick “modern UI,” aka “Metro styling,” the price for Office has changed as well.
There are two ways you can purchase Office - buy the software at full price or with an annual subscription. With so many services being subscription based, Spotify, Rdio, Netflix, Adobe Creative Cloud and Zune pass to name but a few examples, why wouldn’t Microsoft adapt as well? These are modern times and consumers have learned that it is cheaper to pay annually for what they want.
You'll be able to tag TV shows with Shazam soon enough
The popular music tagging service Shazam has reached 250 million users and has unleashed the ability to tag TV shows as well. The added functionality will enable users to find out what music is playing, who's acting on-screen, and more. The service is available in app form for Windows Phone, but it's often overshadowed by Microsoft's own Bing Audio music tagging integration on the mobile platform, which offers identical functionality.
The Seattle Times interviewed CEO Steve Ballmer recently and the man behind Microsoft is sounding quite confident about this year’s upcoming launches.
During the interview, Ballmer gave his impression of how momentous this year’s launch line-up will be for Microsoft and he even pulled out two Lumia 920 phones from his pockets. Many have speculated wildly on this interview in relation to Surface pricing, so we thought it was time we looked at what exactly was said…
I think we have briefly heard about this before, and Chinese tech site WPDang just got confirmation from their informants: Microsoft will cancel retail package of Windows 8. This means you won't be able to grab a DVD copy at nearby store. Instead, to get the latest member of the Windows family, you have the following options:
Buy a branded PC, and get preloaded Windows 8
Some OEM have Windows 8 upgrade coupons for buyers of existing Windows 7 computers, providing a way to the future
If you have a genuine copy of Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7, Microsoft has an online upgrading program. Sets you $14.99 for an upgrade from Windows 7, and $39.99 for upgrade from its elder brothers
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