LG H160 sliding tablet and V325 all-in-one PC pack Windows 8

LG has outed a duo of new Windows 8 machines, the H160 sliding-convertible tablet and a 23-inch touchscreen all-in-one, the V325, with the promise of a standalone touchscreen version in the pipeline. The LG H160 has an 11.6-inch touchscreen and runs Windows 8 on a sliding/tilting form-factor, with a QWERTY keyboard revealed when the display is pushed up with LG’s new “Auto-Sliding” mechanism.

The display itself is an LCD IPS panel with 178-degree viewing angles, while connectivity includes USB, an HDMI port, microSD card slot, and the usual wireless options. The whole thing is 15.9mm thick and weighs 1.05kg – somewhat hefty for a tablet, we have to say – but manages to fit a battery good for up to 10hrs use.

There’s also a “Smart” touch pen, though it’s not clear if that’s a simple capacitive stylus of a proper active-digitizer version; we’re hoping the latter.

As for the LG V325, that’s a 23-inch Full HD AIO PC with 10-finger multitouch and a digital TV tuner, allowing for standalone TV viewing without having to boot into Windows 8. It comes with a remote control just to complete the illusion.

When you’re actually doing some work (or gaming), however, there’s an Intel Core i5 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT640M graphics, and support for 3D, while LG says the V325 can boot up in half the time of its Windows 7 predecessors.

LG says there’ll also be a display-only version of the AIO PC, the LG ET83, launching from October 26, targeting those content with their PC/notebook but wanting touchscreen control. The company will also have new ultrabooks – the LG Z355 and Z460 – and other laptops and desktops running Microsoft’s new OS, again from October 26.

Source : slashgear

Tablet market in India seen at 7.3 million units by 2015-16

The country's tablet PC market is expected to grow at 40 percent to 7.3 million units in 2015-16 from 0.95 million in 2011-12, driven by government purchase and increasing affordability and desirability as lifestyle devices for the youth, hardware industry body MAIT today said.
Manufacturers' Association for Information Technology (MAIT) today launched its report on the Indian tablet PC market, in association with IMRB, which said that the devices have seen massive proliferation in the country and will continue to grow in the next five years, especially with the entry-level budget tablets and mid-range devices.

"The tablet market is the new blue-eyed growth opportunity in India. It is fast becoming one of the drivers of rapid growth in the IT content consumption and hardware sector in India," MAIT President Alok Bhardwaj told reporters here.

With the introduction of several national and international brands of tablet in India, the market is witnessing a revolution of sorts with these devices changing the way services are delivered in various other sectors such as education, healthcare and governance, he added.

MAIT expects the market to touch 1.6 million units in the current financial year and grow to touch 7.3 million units by 2015-16, Bhardwaj, who is also Canon India Senior Vice President, added.

These numbers, however, include those bought by government as well.

Without government purchase, the tablet PC market for consumers alone is expected to grow from 0.35 million in 2011-12 to 1.89 million in 2015-16.

Tablet PCs are computing devices, which are now being used for Internet, connectivity and as a multimedia device. The form factor makes it easier for tablet PCs to be more mobile and the larger screen size, compared to a mobile phone, makes it a better productivity tool.

"A key factor in the growth of tablets has been the encouragement from the government in adopting and developing low-cost options for use in our villages and other rural areas. Education and healthcare services are now being accessed by many more people with the help of low-cost tablet," he said.

Tablets, being one of the cheapest devices available in the Indian market, has the potential that can transform the entire country.

An increasing number of enterprises are also opting for tablet PCs driven by mobility, ease of use, low cost and availability of applications.

Source : gadgetsndtv

ASUS PadFone 2 Smartphone Unveiled

ASUS has tried to make its mark in the tablet marketplace using a series of Transformer-branded convertible tablets, but its PadFone – which was unveiled in February and made available just a few months ago – seemed to take a different tack. Instead of a tablet plus keyboard combination, this device was a three-in-one device: a smartphone that docks into a tablet with an optional keyboard attachment.

Intriguingly, the successor to the PadFone, the predictably-named PadFone 2, was just announced by the Taiwanese manufacturer. While the original model was a mid-range smartphone with an interesting accessory, the PadFone 2 aims quite a bit higher, and demands a place at the flagship handset table.

Its 4.7-inch 720p Super IPS+ display, quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset, 2GB RAM, and 13-megapixel f/2.4 camera may just about earn it its place at that table. The PadFone 2 does come out of the box with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but an upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has been promised.


The phone comes with a 2140mAh battery and should be compatible with WCDMA 900/2100MHz and LTE 800/1200/2600MHz networks for the international model. No microSD card support is available, but the device does come with either 64GB or 50GB of free cloud storage via ASUS’ WebStorage service.

This smartphone is compatible with a new slimmer and lighter PadFone Station, which is a 10.1-inch tablet with a 1280 x 800 resolution. This accessory comes with a 5000mAh battery that’s smaller than its predecessor, but helps cut down weight to a combined 649-g. A keyboard dock has been promised, but no timeframe has been given.

Buyers in Taiwan could have the PadFone 2 in their hands as early as next week for a contract-free price of around $610 to $750 (phone only) or $720 to $860 (bundled with the PadFone Station). Consumers in Europe and various Asian markets could expect the new smartphone/tablet combination in December.

Source : gadgetinsiders

iPhone 5 Glitch Messes With Date And Time

As previously reported, iPhone 5 users are complaining about an apparent software glitch related to the keyboard feature. Users are also complaining about another glitch involving the automatic date/time settings.

Specifically, users are talking about incorrect days and times being displayed. There’s a big thread about this in Apple’s support forums. The thread starts with a user saying:

So, I activated my vzw iPhone5 Saturday. Very much enjoying it. Woke up yesterday and was very confused because my phone thought it was 8/26/12 and 30 minutes later than the actual time. I reset network settings and it self resolved…until this morning. I woke up and looked at my phone and had a melt down because my alarm never went off. I hurriedly got ready and looked at the microwave as I ran out, and it was 30 minutes earlier than my iPhone said.

My iPhone apparently is doing something weird and reverting to 8/26/12 + 30 minutes while I (and it) sleep. It throws off iMessage and I’m sure the rest of the date/time dependent apps, so I’ve turned off the automatic time setting for now, and its fine now (so far lol). But I would like to know what the real issue is if possible!?! Is it my phone? VZW? Does it matter?

Since the original post on September 24, there have been numerous complaints along the same lines from other users. To date, there are 361 replies.

Some believe the glitch is related to Verizon’s network in the U.S. AppleInsider reported on the issue, and was unable to obtain comment from either Apple or Verizon. Mikey Campbell writes:

While the exact cause of problem is unknown, speculation points to a bug with how the timing code embedded in Verizon’s CDMA cell network is handled.

In order to operate properly, all CDMA cell towers transmit a time signal based on data from an on-site GPS receiver, allowing the network to stay in synchronization. It is possible that either Apple’s handset is somehow misinterpreting the time signals, or timing data from certain Verizon cell towers is faulty, though at this point the theories are mere conjecture.

One user in Apple’s forum said they had talked to Verizon, who confirmed that they had heard other complaints about the issue.

Source : webpronews

Sony Vaio T13 with touchscreen; larger model announced

Sony is working on two new Vaio notebooks. The existing Vaio T13 will now be available with a touchscreen, and a larger Vaio T14 model has been announced. The Vaio T14 is the 14" version of the T13 and uses the same design, only larger. As a result, the notebook is slightly thicker and heavier. Because of its larger size, the T14 has room for an optical drive. Also present on the notebook are USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, Gigabit LAN, VGA and audio connectors. The system is powered by an Intel Core i3 CPU, clocked at 1.8 GHz. Sony has opted for 4 GB of memory the Windows 8 operating system.

For an extra cost of $100, the Vaio T13 is fitted with a 13.3" touchscreen with a 1366x768 pixel resolution. A glass plate provides an edge-to-edge finish. The recommended price for the T13 without a touchscreen is $670 (£415), the same as the T14.

Source : ukhardware

Sony Details New Ultrabook & Mobile All-In-One PC Devices

Sony is joining the Windows 8 bandwagon with the announcement of the company’s first ever hybrid ultrabook tablet, the VAIO Duo 11 Ultrabook. Joining the new series of ultraportable laptops will be a new hybrid-mobile Tabletop PC, the VAIO® Tap 20 PC and a few more Vaio laptops belonging to the T, E and S Series.

“VAIO Tap 20 is creating a new category of PC’s by combining desktop PC functionality, battery-powered mobility, and multi-angle viewing,” said Steven Nickel, VP, Sony VAIO. “This along with the innovative VAIO Duo 11 and the intuitive touch solutions incorporated across our existing PC portfolio, offers consumers flexibility to optimize their Windows 8 experience. Through the combination of compelling applications, Sony’s network services, and cross device connectivity, VAIO is leading the way in developing a new Touchworld experience. We expect when consumers think of touch PCs, they’ll think of VAIO.”

VAIO Tap 20 PC

The Vaio Tap 20 is a unique all-in-one PC. However, unlike traditional all-in-one PCs, this device provides a certain level of mobility, at least within a house or in a workplace. The device sports a 20 inch 10-point touch screen with wireless keyboard and mouse and can used either propped up by the stand or like a large tablet by laying it flat on a table. Featuring a removable battery for extended periods of unplugged usage, the device benefits from Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA® Engine 2, the same hardware that powers Sony’s Bravia range of HD television sets, providing high level of picture quality.


VAIO Duo 11

The Duo 11 is a Tablet/Ultrabook hybrid device which transforms into a tablet by the way of a sliding screen mechanism, which sony calls “Surf Slider.” This easily allows the user to switch between tablet mode and keyboard mode. The Vaio Duo 11 sports a 11.6-inch Full HD display touch screen and comes with a pressure-sensitive digitizer stylus. Being part Ultrabook, the Duo 11 will be powered by an Intel Core processor and battery life can be expected to last somewhere around 8 hours.

Other features shared by VAIO Tap 20 and VAIO Duo 11 are Dolby® Home Theatre® v4 Audio Technology, Sony Music Unlimited, Active Clip (an image editing tool developed by Sony), ArtRage Studio ( a premiere digital arts software, developed in partnership with ArtRage), Fingertapps Organizer (a touch based calendar app) and My Daily Clip.

Other Ultrabooks announced include the touch capable T13 Ultrabook and T14 Ultrabook (with built-in Blu-Ray Disc player). The E Series also gets two new models, the E Series 14P with aluminium chassis and touch screen and E17, a 17 inch full HD Ultrabook powered by a Quad Core processor. E17 is also available in 11-inch, 14-inch and 15-inch model options. The top end S Series Ultrabooks come built in lightweight magnesium, aluminium and carbon fiber materials and is available in 13.3-inch Premium and 15.5-inch models. Also the 13 inch model is now available in Burgundy Red.

Source : studentnewsie

Motorola Droid RAZR HD, Maxx HD getting Android Jelly Bean ASAP?

The “mid-range” Motorola Droid RAZR M is the latest Android smartphone to join the Android Jelly Bean land.

As reported by Phandroid, the official Android Jelly Bean ROM for the Verizon LTE smartphone has been leaked out on Saturday, four days ahead of the scheduled release date of the top-end phones of Motorola Mobility for this year, the Motorola Droid RAZR HD and Droid RAZR Maxx HD.

The unofficial Android Jelly Bean update for the Droid RAZR M is working properly, according to Kellex of Droid Life. The operating system’s top features like Google Now, Google voice search and “project butter” are all in place and ready for action.

Is it safe to say that the upcoming Motorola Droid RAZR HD and Maxx HD will also receive their respective Android Jelly Bean “leak” shortly after their launch later this week? Apparently, Google’s Motorola Mobility will ship its new phones with the older Android Ice Cream Sandwich mobile operating system, but according to Motorola’s official press release, an update will arrive “later this year” and users will receive the update over the air or OTA.

The Motorola Droid RAZR M is powered by a dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB RAM, includes Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS out of the box and 8GB of built-in storage, 8-megapixel primary camera, front-facing camera, and 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD touchscreen display.

Source : popherald