Up in front the user will be working with a 15-inch display at 1080p resolution, this run by an 3rd generation Intel Ivy Bridge processor – we’ve got i5 but you’ll have the option of i7 as well, depending on when you check the device out. Inside is Windows 8 right out of the box, and the display has 10-finger touch sensitivity.

Also inside you’ll find 6GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive, not to mention a 24GB solid state drive as well. The whole machine weighs in at approximately 5.5 pounds, which is right there on the edge of “this is kind of heavy” and “oh this isn’t as heavy as it looks”.

Under the machine you’ll notice some rather sizable bumpers. These pieces of rubbery material hold the notebook hybrid in place while you’re swiveling your display around and offer a bit of a bump so your speakers can blast out the bottom and the sides. You’re also working with some Dolby technology there for sound – and we’re already sure it’s loud.

As it was with the Star Trek Into Darkness film, so too was this machine available starting on the 17th of May. It’ll run a prospective owner $999 USD, and we’ll be letting you know if it’s all worth it soon – stay tuned for SlashGear’s full review!

One of the most notable new products arriving for the summer is the Envy 14 TouchSmart Ultrabook, which comes with a 14-inch display at 1366×768 by default, but can be immediately upgraded to a more feasible 1600×900. Furthermore, though, you’ll be able to upgrade to a whopping 3200×1800 resolution sometime this summer, all of which is touchscreen-equipped.

The laptop has a modest starting price of $699, but that won’t get you the high-resolution display sadly — you’ll most likely have to hand over more cash in order to enjoy the 3200×1800 resolution. There’s no word on what hardware the new laptop is running, but we’re guessing Intel’s new Haswell architecture is tucked neatly inside, waiting for an official unveil next month during Computex.

The New Envy 14 TouchSmart looks to take on Google’s Chromebook Pixel and Apple’s MacBook Pro Retina-equipped laptops. However, Samsung is also in the running, as they recently announced a laptop of their own that packs a 3200×1800 display. What we once thought was insanely high-res, is now playing catch-up with HP and Samsung. Who would’ve thought?

HP also showed off their other refreshed laptops, such as 15-inch and 17-inch variants of the Envy line, as well as new Pavilion 11-, 14-, 15-, and 17-inch laptops that include a mixture of Intel and AMD processors, as well as NVIDIA mobile graphics. Furthermore, the company added on five new desktops that pack Intel’s new Haswell chips. You can grab one for as low as $289 for the HP 110, although you’ll have to cough up more for a robust machine.

VIA: Engadget

Throughout the entire Q1 2013 quarter, a total of 46 million laptops were shipped, so 4.57 million touchscreen variants certainly isn’t a lot, but with a healthy increase from the previous quarter, touchscreens in laptops are becoming more popular than ever. Most likely, the number of these kinds of laptops will only increase in the future.

Specifically, manufacturers like Lenovo, Acer and ASUS have set higher targets for themselves to achieve over 20% of touchscreen market share, which could be quite achievable, but it’s really only up to consumers who want to adopt touchscreens in their laptops. We already know Apple thinks that people don’t want them, but a 51.8% increase says otherwise.

Much of the adoption of touchscreen technology in laptops is thanks to Windows 8, which includes a touchscreen-friendly start screen that you can swipe and navigate around using your fingers. Of course, the new operating system hasn’t received a lot of compliments lately, and its adoption rate is slightly slower than what Microsoft or PC makers were expecting, but most OEMs have added touchscreen laptops to their repertoire due in part to Windows 8.

Plus, as laptop prices get lower and lower, touchscreen laptops will become more affordable. Right now they’re quite on the pricey side, with a decent machine running over $1,000, but former Intel CEO Paul Otellini says that touchscreen laptops will break the $200 barrier in the near future, so the technology could eventually become the norm.

VIA: Tom’s Hardware

SOURCE: DigiTimes

With this new version of Google Maps on the web, users will be able to tap on lit-up locations across the map. This system allows you to search for a restaurant in your area, find that place, and where the experience would end with that in the past, you’ll just have started. Users have cards to the left, similar to Google Now with cards that bring information on the location’s address, hours, webpage, phone number, and reviews through Zagat.

This system also gives the one-button click ability to access directions from the location you’re sitting in (or wherever you’d like to start from) as well as save the location as a favorite. This system also works with five-star ratings for locations be they a place of business, a public park, or anything in-between.

Below the map you’ll find a collection of images that come from users who have contributed photos and photo spheres from their cameras or android smartphones and tablets. These results appear courtesy of Google+ where users have recently also been given the ability to post photo spheres and embed them in webpages across the web.

Multiple modes of transport will be available to users as they’d be available in Navigation, public transport, flights, automobiles, and biking included. This system also learns with the user the same way Google Now does, changing and adjusting based on past searches and your Google Now preferences.

We’ll be working with this new Google Maps system through the immediate future and answering any and all questions you, the reader, have between now and the final roll-out for the public. This system is one you can access with an invite request starting today, and users will be seeing upgrades with invites in the near future.

NOTE: We’ll be continuing our journey with Google Earth integration soon. It’s here that Google will be pushing the boundaries between the 3D and the 2D visions they’ve had separate until now: Google Maps and Google Earth will soon become one!

Panay, who led the Surface project, and is a corporate VP at Microsoft, took to Twitter to confirm that he had been testing out the latest Wacom beta drivers. “Cool to see Pen pressure in Photoshop” he commented, along with the promise that the software update would be “releasing soon.”

That was then followed by the quiet release from Wacom of what’s described as an “Enhanced Tablet Driver“, v7.1.1-12. Although the driver makes no specific mention of Surface Pro, the details given around what, exactly, it does for a Wacom digitizer-enabled system does sound just like what Panos was talking about:

“Expand the capabilities of your tablet computer with the enhanced tablet driver for systems that use Wacom Feel IT technology! Installing this driver will provide many advanced pressure-sensitive features that Wacom pen tablet users have come to enjoy. The driver supports advanced features such as pressure-sensitivity in graphics applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter. It also allows you to adjust the pen tip pressure sensitivity and to program the side switch of the pen for a wide range of alternative settings and functions” Wacom Feel It driver documentation

Microsoft is yet to confirm whether this is, in fact, the relevant update, though given there have been mixed messages around why pressure sensitivity does not work properly in all apps in the first place, that’s arguably not a surprise. Anecdotal reports from Surface Pro users have indicated that it the driver does, indeed, address the issue, ZDNet reports.

One proposed explanation is that Microsoft scuppered third-party support by forcing the Surface Pro to use its own InkAPI drivers for the Wacom digitizer, whereas others have blamed Adobe for not building the necessary support into its software. Adobe has been pushing for the WinTab API drivers instead.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is tipped to be preparing a new line of “Surface 2″ tablets, potentially including a smaller, roughly 7- to 8-inch model, for reveal at its BUILD 2013 developer conference this year. So far, Windows RT and Windows 8 have been reserved for 10-inch tablets or bigger, leaving the smaller scale touch market to the iPad mini and various Android-powered options.

When you first encounter the Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon, you’ll find yourself mystified at how such a device was ever put into production. It’s certainly not a traditional sort of PC. Such is the atmosphere we’re in here in 2013 with Windows 8, touchscreen hype, and Lenovo’s current freedom of creation.

In our past encounters with this machine you’ll find connections to accessories (that do, indeed, come in the box), up and down usability, and Windows apps galore. Today we’re having a look at BlueStacks specifically – down the line we’ll have a full review of this machine for you in SlashGear’s main review hub. It’s all about Android right this minute.

What we’ve done is to side-load the Google Play app store to download some games that certainly aren’t optimized for this device to show right along some that are. This means you’re going to see games that look nice as well as games that work, but just barely. You’ll quite likely find the native Windows apps – some optimized for this device specifically – much more engaging.

The back of the Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon has a support bar stronger than any we’ve seen on a tablet or PC, able to hold the entire device up at a variety of angles. Push the device flat and Lenovo brings up a touch interface made for multiple users – more on this in our full review.

That said, it’s important to show the versatility of this device through BlueStacks, an app interface that just this February arrived for Windows 8 and just this May passed 10 million downloads. You’ll find BlueStacks on Mac with a wireless interface app on Android for your smartphones and tablets as well.

The Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon is here with SlashGear for a full review aside from this BlueStacks peek, so make sure to let us know if you’ve got any questions on its inner workings before we get there! Stay tuned to SlashGear’s Lenovo tag portal for more information on this device as we reach that point!

NPD suggests hybrids, sliders, and convertibles will all break into the segment, straddling the line between traditional portables and tablets by pairing QWERTY for text entry with a touchscreen. Although a minority niche in 2012, the projections claim touch-enabled models will outsell their non-touch counterparts by 2017.

Helping that acceleration will be ultrabooks, NPD claims, which are most likely to gain touch-sensitivity. Intel has already confirmed that third-gen ultrabooks based on Haswell processors will require touch in order to be certified, though whether manufacturers will step beyond the traditional touchscreen-on-a-clamshell – or, indeed, if consumers will actually buy the more outlandish form-factors – remains to be seen.

Perhaps disappointing to Microsoft, the research company claims that Windows 8 has had a “limited impact on driving touch adoption in notebook PCs”; that, it suggests, is down to a paucity of apps that actually take advantage of the display technology.

Nonetheless, several manufacturers have attempted to integrate touch in interesting ways into their Windows 8 machines. The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga, for instance, has a hinge with extra range, so that the keyboard can be completely folded back behind the touchscreen. Meanwhile, Acer’s Aspire R7 borrows elements from a tablet and from an all-in-one PC for its folding/twisting notebook.

In that orientation, the P3 can be used either with the fingers or with a stylus; Acer will offer that separately, though the case will have a slot to store it in-between use. Connectivity includes a USB 3.0 port, HDMI, and a headphone socket, and there are Dolby Home Theater speakers and a 720p HD webcam on the front.

On the back, Acer has included a 5-megapixel camera. Inside it’s a choice of 60GB or 120GB SSD, and Acer says the Aspire P3 should wake from sleep in “only a few seconds.” The whole thing tips the scales at 3.06 pounds, and Acer is billing the P3 as ideal for those who might otherwise have considered a tablet – like an iPad – and a separate keyboard dock.

The Acer Aspire P3 runs full Windows 8 – not Windows RT – and is expected to go on sale immediately. It’ll be priced from $799.99 depending on specifications.

Word from upstream supply chain sources speaking with Digitimes have suggested that BUILD will be the place where a new generation of Surface tablets will likely appear first. They’ve added that the first generation, having sold what they claim is 1.5 million units total for the first two releases of the tablet (RT and Pro). This being half of the expectations the company had, a “cautious attitude over promotions” has been initiated for the 2nd generation.

This second generation has a series of components largely the same as the first run, with what these same sources say are parts from LG, Samsung, NVIDIA, Intel, and Pegatron. Changes would be in the chassis of the tablet switching from what was manufactured by China-based Chungnam Precision Casing to Ju Teng. At the moment there’ve been no confirmations from any of the named manufacturers on a second-generation Surface model.

The final bit of information this source spoke about this week was the idea that this generation of the Surface tablet would feature between a 7 and 9-inch display, this matching up well with the trend for larger and smaller than 10.1-inch tablet standard sizes in the industry.

This machine works with a 180-degree open angle on its display, allowing users to work with the keyboard and/or the touchscreen and Windows 8 in a variety of ways. This notebook works with 3rd generation Intel Core processor options and up to 8GB of memory. Also under the hood users will be able to keep 500GB of files, this allowing for students and entertainment users to store media to their content.

Lenovo appears to be moving toward a cross between small business users and budget thinkers this week with the ThinkPad S431. This release marks the first time that a Lenovo ThinkPad notebook is offered at a price point under a thousand dollars. Starting on the 21st of May, this machine will also be the first ThinkPad to be offered under nine hundred dollars and eight hundred dollars as well, coming in at a cool six hundred and ninty-nine dollars MSRP.

This machine will join its cousins in the ThinkPad line revealed earlier this year at CES and between then and the release of Windows 8. Have a peek at the timeline below to see additional insight on the Lenovo path from here into the future. Things are getting bendy, touchy, and ready for Windows 8, that’s for certain.

As with the non-touch variant of the Cintiq 22HD, this new screen recognizes up to 2048 different levels of pressure from the digital pen, as well as +/-60 levels of tilt on the pen’s nib. The included stylus also has an eraser head on the other end.

Spread around the bezel there are multiple shortcut buttons, with a total of sixteen customizable ExpressKeys – that can change function depending on which application has focus – on either side of the display. Touch-strips, meanwhile, are on the back of the panel, and can be programmed to control zooming, scrolling, bruss size, or rotation of the canvas.

The panel itself supports between 10- and 65-degree incline, and can be rotated by 180-degrees in either direction. It’s priced at $2,499 in the US and £1,899.99 in the UK.

This device will do what Toshiba hopes will draw in the odd-device-seeking masses with a set of specifications only otherwise seen on solid one-piece notebooks. Here the user will be employing an 11.6-inch touchscreen (Full HD) that functions as both the display for the notebook and a tablet on its own once detached from what then becomes just a keyboard dock.

This device aims also to take on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 with an optional DigitizerPen. Writing notes and sketches on the display of this machine will be an interesting comparison to make with the Android competition, especially since at the moment, it appears that Toshiba’s solution will require said pen to be carried separately.

This device appears to be quite similar to the Acer Iconia W510 convertable tablet/notebook revealed earlier this year, but the big difference remains the Ultrabook angle. With full Windows 8 coupled with an Intel Core processor under the hood, Toshiba’s bid may end up being a win in this season’s Windows 8-toting market.

The voluntary guidelines call for automakers to limit the amount of time it takes to perform a single function using a vehicles audiovisual system to 2 seconds. The voluntary regulations also call for automakers to limit drivers to a maximum of six screen touches in 12 seconds to reduce the amount of time drivers can take their eyes off the road. The NHTSA also calls for a ban on manual text entry and the display of websites, social media, books, and other distractions on touchscreens and vehicles while driving.

Interestingly, these voluntary regulations come right on the heels of a report published earlier this week showing that entering texts using voice to text services is no safer than entering text manually. The NHTSA wants to phase these voluntary rules into effect over the next three years. The extended rollout will allow automakers to make changes to their vehicle electronics systems according to regulators.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says that while the regulations are voluntary, the NHTSA will look into giving automakers incentives to comply. Under current guidelines in effect for the auto industry, drivers are allowed to read texts and perform other tasks on vehicle infotainment systems wildcards removing it under 5 mph. Current regulations also limit drivers to 10 screen touches for a total of 20 seconds with the drivers eyes off the road.

“The new guidelines and our ongoing work with our state partners across the country will help us put an end to the dangerous practice of distracted driving by limiting the amount of time drivers take their eyes off the road,” Strickland said.

[via HearldNet]

In an interesting twist to the original goals set out by the group, this project’s development was advanced past it’s first Android confines with a WDK as well. A WDK, or Wearable Development Kit, provides the user with a keyboard for many prospective devices. In the video presentation made by the creators of this project, you’ll see this keyboard typing with 3D motion control too.

The setup for the keyboard in its initial layout comes from the QWERTY setup you’re likely making use of on your notebook, smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer right this minute. Taking these letters and smashing them down into what’s essentially one row instead of three, the space which the keyboard would otherwise have taken up is reduced significantly.

What these developers are studying and banking on is the idea that users will be able to adapt as easily as they have to the simplicity of the layout they’ve created. While like riding a bike, you can get used to typing with such a setup, there’s still a learning curve that’s being dealt with. According to the funds this team has received in support of their development thus far, there are more than enough people out there willing to give Minuum a shot!

Let us know if you’re working with the standard on-screen keyboard on your smartphone or tablet and why. Did you know you were able to change the keyboard on your device before you read this post?

[via Indegogo]

In a way, Obake is similar to a drum head, only one which is considerably more flexible than you’d find on the average snare. By pulling and pushing on the silicone surface, the user can navigate through the projected image, with Kinect sensors tracking where the layer is flexed to.

However, an array of linear actuators underneath the surface are also present, and used to maintain shapes even when the user stops pinching and twisting them. So, you could pull out a “mountain” peak and have it stay protruding, with the projected data – which could be mineral content, for instance, or geographical level lines – adjusting to suit the 3D worksurface.

The team behind the prototype has also had to come up with a new palette of touches and gestures
to suit the touchscreen’s new abilities. That includes “intrude” and “extrude”, where you can push through the screen or pull it up, and “S bend” which – though it sounds like a Samsung plumbing tool – involves pulling in one area and pushing in another simultaneously. “Stitch” is where two points are pulled out and stretched together, linking data, and there’s the ability to make more complex shapes by, for instance, “extruding” a mountain and then “prodding” an “intrude” indent into it. More moderate use of the actuators can introduce friction, too.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen touchscreen technology that tries to escape from two-dimensions, though it’s certainly the most complex. Nokia demonstrated its Kinetic concept smartphone back in 2011, for instance, which mounted a flexible display in a rubberized chassis that could be bent and twisted to navigate the interface, though no production version ever arrived.

Meanwhile, other companies are working on the sensation of touch, if not the physical movement. Senseg uses an electrical field to fool the user’s fingertips into feeling different textures on what is in fact a smooth glass screen, and at one point was rumored to be included in Apple’s iPad. Rather than deforming the display, Senseg’s “tixels” stimulate the nerves in the fingers which normally register vibration, giving the feeling of sandpaper, silk, or anything else the UI designer requires.

Obake is currently a working prototype, though there’s no telling when it might ever cross over into a commercial product.

[via Phys]

What we’ve got here is the HTC One Ultra Crystal Steinheil “enhanced optical hard coated film.” It ends up protecting your display with a single sheet of hard coated 4H over back and forth, up and down, and adding the protector is easy as pie. With a Spigen SGP screen protector you’ve got only to peel off one side, stick it flat, peel the other side, and poof- there it is.

What you’re seeing above and below is the HTC One’s display set to a bit dimmer setting than what it’s capable of – the transparency of the screen protector we’re looking at here is absolute. There’s no discernable effect on the brightness or the sharpness of the screen when you place this protector on.

Be sure to check out our HTC One Review as well as our AT&T HTC One Review for all the HTC One action you can handle!

You need no special spray to stick this film to your smartphone’s display, you’ll have just as much touch sensitivity as you had before applying, and you’ll no longer have to worry about gouges and scratches from the top of your reinforced glass to the bottom. This protector is going to run you $13.99 USD and is available right this minute straight from Spigen SGP!

This isn’t the first screen protector, case, or other oddity we’ve seen from Spigen SGP – in fact that’s rather far from the truth! Those fabulous folks at Spigen SGP have been sending review units to SlashGear for many moons now, and we’ve never been let down – have a peek at the timeline below for a few more looks at Spigen SGP gear and let us know what you’d like us to look at next!

The manufacturer says that it’s thin keyboard uses shape-changing polymers that are able to replicate the feel and sound of clicking buttons people are used to from traditional computer keyboards. The company says that its keyboard could be used in laptops and ultrabooks by next year. Perhaps even more interesting is that the company is currently working on transparent coatings that would enable this type of keyboard on touchscreen devices.

The lack of tactile feedback is one of the biggest complaints when it comes to using on-screen keyboards for devices such as tablets and smartphones. The technology that the company uses takes advantage of the special polymer that dramatically and rapidly changes shape when the electric field is applied. The letters on the haptic keyboard developed by the company vibrate to confirm that they have been pressed.

The company says that vibration can also be used to create soundwaves to make the keys click or play music when pressed. The biggest benefit of the haptic keyboard over the standard keyboard that has actual physical buttons is thinness. The haptic keyboard is only 1.5 mm thick and it’s flexible. The manufacturer plans to begin shipping keyboards to equipment manufacturers in 2014.

[via Technology Review]

All of the multitouch components required for the displayed operate are embedded inside the casing and the screens can be hung in landscape or portrait modes. The displays include a software suite with several multitouch applications included. The large-format screens are available in 40, 42, 47, 55, and 65-inch sizes.

The screen supports 10 independent touches and has a completely flat glass touch surface. The display itself is full HD resolution and LED backlit. The body of the display is made from aluminum for durability. The screen is driven by a Mac mini computer with a 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 500 GB storage.

Graphics for the little computer handled by Intel HD graphics 4000. One odd bit about the Mac mini PC driving the display is that rather than running OS X, it runs Windows 8. The display has a pair of 10 W speakers integrated and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The native resolution of all five screen sizes is 1920 x 1080.

[via Edigma]

You’ll be seeing several different lineups here, each of them delivering the sleek metal looks and attention to detail we were so impressed by when we first reviewed one of their PCs last year (that was right before they switched over to touch!) Now you’ll want to head down to the timeline below to see all the touchscreen action and up-close-and-personal looks and touches we’ve had with these devices at CES 2013 before we go on a review rampage – make it so!

VIZIO All-in-One models

24-inch All-in-One Touch The smaller of the two options here is the first available for pre-order in Microsoft’s online store. You’ll find that this model brings on the more conservative (just by a bit!) display size complete with dual HDMI input, enhanced 2.1 audio system with subwoofer, and wireless controls – you’ll get a remote control for your entertainment bits and pieces, a multi-gesture touchpad, and a keyboard, too! Have a peek at our early review of the pre-touch iteration of the 24-inch All-in-one now! This model will sell for USD $1,279.99.

27-inch All-in-One Touch The one big difference between the 24- and 27-inch models here is the size of the display. They’ve both got the same number of inputs and outputs and all that good stuff, same accessories in the box and the same massive HD 1080p touchscreen technology at your disposal. This 27-inch model will sell for USD $1,549.99.

VIZIO Notebooks

14-inch HD+ Thin + Light Touch The smaller of the two new models we’ve got here has a 14-inch HD+ display and options for either AMD (A10 APU) or Intel (Core i7) processors. This model starts at USD $1,089.99.

15.6-inch Full HD Thin + Light Touch This is the top-of-the-line offering in laptop technology from VIZIO, bringing on Full HD on a 15.6-inch display also with the same quad-core processor options that the 14-inch model is available with: either AMD (A10 APU) or Intel (Core i7). You’ll also find this model available for pre-order now in Microsoft’s online store! This larger version will start at USD $1,189.99.

Included with each

All VIZIO machines here work with advanced Wi-Fi with 802.11ac (that’s the newest generation able to offer up to three times faster delivery of data past 802.11n.) They’ve all got 10-finger touchscreen technology up front, SRS Premium Sound HD audio systems with no less than DTS technology making it all roll right, and Microsoft Signature for Windows. With Microsoft Signature you’ve got a clean install of Windows 8 – no bloat-ware at all!

Sound like the lineup for you? Let us know if you’re planning to go all the way with VIZIO this season!

UPDATE: Comprehensive price list

We’ve now got the full list of prices as they’ll appear straight through the VIZIO online store immediately if not soon!

14” Touch Thin + Light (CT14T-B0) AMD A10 APU $1,089.99 MSRP
14” Touch Thin + Light (CT14T-B1) Intel Core i7 $1,419.99 MSRP
15.6” Touch Thin + Light (CT15T-B0) AMD A10 APU $1,189.99 MSRP
15.6” Touch Thin + Light (CT15T-B1) Intel Core i7 $1,469.99 MSRP
24” Touch All-in-One (CA24T-B0) AMD A10 APU $1,279.99 MSRP
24” Touch All-in-One (CA24T-B1) Intel Core i7 $1,439.99 MSRP
27” Touch All-in-One (CA27T-B1) Intel Core i7 $1,549.99 MSRP

14″ Touch Thin + Light (CT14T-B0) AMD A10 APU $1,089.99 MSRP
14″ Touch Thin + Light (CT14T-B1) Intel Core i7 $1,419.99 MSRP
15.6″ Touch Thin + Light (CT15T-B0) AMD A10 APU $1,189.99 MSRP
15.6″ Touch Thin + Light (CT15T-B1) Intel Core i7 $1,469.99 MSRP
24″ Touch All-in-One (CA24T-B0) AMD A10 APU $1,279.99 MSRP
24″ Touch All-in-One (CA24T-B1) Intel Core i7 $1,439.99 MSRP
27″ Touch All-in-One (CA27T-B1) Intel Core i7 $1,549.99 MSRP

Buick’s next-generation IntelliLink infotainment system works with wireless connectivity for your mobile devices, customizable options galore, and an easy-to-use user interface from start to finish. And it’s all builds on a hearty connection of both safety and security with OnStar. If you’re an OnStar user, you’ll be able to access city-by-city weather reports and ultra-simple embedded navigation using their “traditional Blue button” – rather handy.

You’ll be working with connectivity to a selection of apps for music, starting with Pandora. With Pandora you’ll have a collection of custom-built radio stations with new music coming in by the day – you’ll also be working with a set of 60 “favorites”, starting with radio stations outside of Pandora. These stations can be AM, FM, or XM, and you’ll have plenty of space left over to store “favorites” in contacts, destinations, and music from media aside from radio.

You’ll be able to connect with your media and your apps for control of the many various things IntelliLink works with using your touchscreen or by controlling your system with your voice. IntelliLink employs natural language voice recognition allowing you to control most anything you’d be able to control with your finger. You can enter destinations, browse media, safely place calls, play music, and control a variety of other functions as well.

If you’re a fan of using your touchscreen interface, you’ll find the controls to be rather familiar. You can do what Buick calls a “fling” through your lists, swipe up and down, and drag all around – basic control cues you’ll have learned well by now due to your everyday use of your smartphone or tablet devices. You can also control your music, set destinations, and more with IntelliLink’s connection to your smartphone – this done with a USB cord or Bluetooth wirelessly.

Of course the audio experience you’re going to have with the output this IntelliLink system is controlling depends entirely on the vehicle you’re driving. With the 2014 Buick Regal you’ll be working with a new nine-speaker Bose sound system including “strategically placed” tweeters and a fabulous subwoofer – you’ve got an acoustically optimized interior as well. With the 2014 Buick LaCrosse you’ve got seven standard speakers including the, again, “strategically placed” tweeters as well as a subwoofer all coming together to complement a quiet, acoustically optimized interior – with optional 11-speaker Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound being available as well!

Have a peek at our Buick tag portal for more information on the IntelliLink system as it appears in more vehicles through the future, and don’t forget to check the rest of our Car Hub for auto action from here until forever!

At the moment you’re not going to be able to get Windows Blue without downloading it illegally or finding your way into a developer build. If you’re an average citizen, you’ll just have to wait – and we’re not sure yet when that wait will be over, but we’re hoping soon. Cross your fingers!

Real half-screen app snap

One of the most interesting discoveries you may have already made in Windows 8 is your ability to “snap” 2 apps at once, allowing yourself the ability to work with both at full-screen essentially simultaneously. The only bad part about it is the instant 75/25 share size – one app takes up most of the screen while the second app is so small you can barely use it. As PC World says so eloquently, “that particular design decision was… bone-headed.”

With Windows Blue, the default is 50/50, a much more realistic half-and-half situation for those of you that love to keep two things open at once. Along with this is the push for more touchscreen-friendly settings.

Computer Settings become touch-friendly

When you’re looking to change the settings on your Windows 8-toting machine, you find it a bit less than intuitive before Windows Blue. When the Windows Blue build comes to you, you’ll find the “modern” user interface to have been brought with a fury to your standard settings galore. Before Blue you had to head back down to your standard desktop mode and tap through (if you had only touch) with teeny-tiny hotspots until you had nothing more than pre-Windows 8 UI never intended for touch at all – fix, yes please.

Live Tile options expansion

As it was with the change-over between Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 8, this update to Windows 8 “Blue” will allow you much more control over your Live Tiles. Here you’ll be able to choose between 4×4 size, 4×2, 2×2, and 1×1. You’ll also be able to change the color of your standard tiles, and – believe it or not – one option has been erased from your options altogether. That is the quick-push of a tile from one location to another.

That option has gotten in our way more than it’s ever helped. That’s the option where you hold down on a tile and move it to a different location on your home screen – if you’ve tried to flick between sets of tiles and hold just a bit too long in Windows 8, that tile will fly to the other side of the screen (wherever you leave off with your finger, that is). With Windows Blue, you’ll have to right-click (or otherwise hold down with your finger) on a blank portion of your screen to activate a “Customization” option before you do any flicking – nice touch!

New Built-in Apps

With Windows Blue, as with all great massive operating system updates, there are a few app additions to entice those of us who would otherwise just ask “well yeah, but what do I actually GET when I update?” Here you’ll find some oddities, bits and pieces like a new calculator, alarm clock, and sound recorder – note how these would go great on a tablet or – how about that – a smartphone!

Personalization

For those of you that love to change the look of your user interface, the Personalization options panel has been pushed up to the forefront. Instead of having to dig down deep in the tunnels that are the old UI, here you’ll find this panel – touch-friendly and everything – up above your Tiles option – pull in from the right on your home screen and hit the settings – and go forth!

The screen is also adjustable for optimal viewing and is equipped with last position memory so it can spring back to the last preferred position. Integrated Bluetooth technology allows the driver to stream audio directly from their iPhone to the infotainment system. Music streaming is also supported from Android or other devices support Bluetooth.

The entertainment system is compatible with VCD, MPEG4, MP3, DIVX, CD, CD-RW and has an audio/video auxiliary line input jack allowing the connection of other devices. The receiver has a 30-station memory and supports auto store and preset scans for convenience while driving. The device also comes with a wireless remote control allowing the passenger to control all functions including volume, repeat, DVD modes, and other functions.

The big 10.1-inch screen is detachable to make the system less of target for thieves. The 10.1-inch screen has a resolution of 1024 x 600 and a brightness of 400 nits. The Bluetooth connectivity also allows the driver to stream phone call information to the car’s audio system. The receiver also supports rearview camera input and the CD/DVD player portion of the system as anti-shock mechanisms to prevent skipping. The 10.1-inch In Dash Touch Screen receiver is available now for $284.99.

[via Pyle Audio]

What you’ve got here is an All-in-One desktop machine, first and foremost, running Intel Core architecture inside with a full Windows 8 experience up front. The full touch-friendly interface you’ve got up front is working through a 18.4-inch display that’s also detachable and usable as a tablet. When you detach the display, you’re no longer using the Intel Core i5 or Windows 8 – instead you’re working with the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor inside the detached unit itself, and you’re working with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

NOTE: this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this concept. We had a hands-on experience with an early iteration of the ASUS Transformer AiO last year, too.

The kicker is that with this setup you’ll also be able to work with Windows 8 on the detached tablet in Remote Desktop mode. Of course that’s not quite the quick, perfect, and awesome experience you’ll be getting when you have the display/tablet attached to the desktop, but it’s still quite the exercise in flexibility! When you’re working with Remote Desktop mode, mind you, you’re working over a wi-fi connection in your own home – or office – or wherever you’ve got this lovely beast.

The desktop works with NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M graphics as well, so you’re also working with a double-dose of NVIDIA magic, both the mobile side of things with the Tegra, and the desktop graphics side of things with GeForce. You’ll also be working with four USB 3.0 ports and HDMI-out for additional monitor action. In fact, as the fun never stops, you can have the desktop working with HDMI-out to a monitor with Windows 8 while the tablet works with Android completely separately – fabulous weirdness!

Above: This magician (really, he did magic on stage) is holding the tablet portion of this wild amalgamation.

The removable bit is an 18.4-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD display with 1080p HD resolution that’s got 10-point multitouch and some super 178-degree wide viewing angles all around. This display also has a “convenient carrying handle” as well as a folding stand that you’ll be able to set it up with when you realize how massive it is – not quite a laptop situation, this one.

You’ll be seeing this machine blasting forth early inside the second quarter of 2013 in North America with pricing starting at $1299 USD. Sound like a deal to you? Let us know if you’ve got any questions about this beast and get pumped up for our full review – coming on quick! Also have a peek in the timeline below to see other recent announcements and hands-on experiences from ASUS, too!

That’s because there’s a smaller, internal battery inside the Toughbook’s compact footprint, which tides the CF-AX2 over while you drop out the first pack and slot in a second one. It’s a factor that will make the Toughbook particularly appealing to Panasonic’s target audience: mobile professionals who’ll also appreciate the drop and bump resilience.

Inside, there’s a Core i5 3427U processor and Intel HD 4000 graphics, and Panasonic has managed to accommodate no small number of ports despite the size. You get VGA, HDMI, two USB 3.0, ethernet, audio in/out, and an SD card reader, as well as the usual WiFi and Bluetooth (with a discrete switch to turn the wireless off).

The touchscreen is bright and responsive, and has a welcome matte finish for anti-glare purposes. It was certainly capable of holding up to the CeBIT show floor lights, which bodes well for outdoor use. Next to the webcam is a physical Windows button for use when you fold the CF-AX2 back into tablet mode (though it’s worth noting that it leaves the keyboard and trackpad exposed on the opposite side, the same issue as with the Yoga. The chassis is also somewhat plasticky, at odds with the ruggedized finish.

Panasonic is already offering the Toughbook CF-AX2 in Japan, with European sales kicking off this quarter.

If you’ve seen a recent MSI all-in-one, the AG2712 shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. It’s a symphony of plastics, stacking various colors, shades, and finishes – clear, black, grey; matte and gloss – into a blunt-edged monolith with an adjustable stand (angle, not height).

It’s not going to win any design awards, nor any for quality feel; still, it does what it promises to. Down the left edge there are power/control buttons, indicator lights, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, and a memory card reader. On a recessed panel on the back, you get two more USB 3.0, along with a pair of USB 2.0, audio in/out, an ethernet port, and VGA output. You also get a pair of HDMI ports, one outputting for a second display, and the second accepting an input so that you could use the AG2712 as a standalone display for a PS3 or Xbox 360, for instance.

Finally, on the right edge there’s a tray-loading optical drive. MSI throws WiFi in the box too, though if you want the 10-point multitouch display you’ll have to pay extra; as standard, it’s a regular Full HD screen. Either way, you get a welcome anti-glare finish which we found did a decent job of avoiding the show-floor lighting.

It’s the pure specifications that MSI is most proud of, though, and so you get a choice of Core i5 or Core i7 processors, paired with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670X graphics. Audio is courtesy of THX TruStudio Pro processing, though we’d be tempted to plug in some external speakers since, while the AG2712 goes loud, it lacks thump at the low end.

MSI isn’t saying how much the AG2712 will cost, at this stage, and given the all-in-one is competitive with a laptop on specs, but not a regular desktop, we’d hope the company bears that in mind when it slaps on the stickers.

Pixel’s appeal on a purely hardware basis is undeniable: it’s a beautifully designed notebook, with an incredibly high resolution touchscreen and the same crisp lines that we liked from Google’s first Cr-48 Chromebook. However, its huge price puts Chrome OS up against full notebooks from Apple, Sony, and others, despite the relative limitations of the cloud-centric platform, a completely different market from earlier, highly affordable Chromebooks.

For Duarte, however, Pixel’s success won’t solely be measured by pure sales. “I think that Pixel is really exciting, because I think that Pixel shows the way that the boundaries between the different types of computing are blurring” he explained to us. “I think it’s great that the Chrome team is doing that, I think it’s great that the Chrome team is allowing Google to get into people’s lives with touchscreens on a desktop form-factor.”

That’s not a point of view shared by everybody in the industry, and in fact it puts Duarte and Google in the same camp as Microsoft and its hardware partners, rather than with Apple. Steve Jobs memorably decried the usability of touch notebooks, and Tim Cook has since made similar arguments, that reaching across a keyboard to tap at a display simply isn’t ergonomically satisfying.

Duarte disagrees, saying that despite what the MacBook makers think, users themselves are asking for a touchscreen approach. “I think that’s a real trend, that touch on laptops and on desktop form-factors is the way that people want to interact with computers” he says. “I think every screen should be a touchscreen in the future, regardless if it has a keyboard or not.”

Despite the overlap, then, between Android – which has touch at its heart – and Chrome OS – designed for more traditional form-factors – the two platforms still have a future as independent projects. According to Duarte, that will be the case for as long as it makes functional sense: the two OSes converging, perhaps, on a commonality of features as Google develops them.

“Google is excellent at diversifying, and experimenting” he told us. “And I think what Chrome OS does well – they’re getting better at, and it’s being reflected in what Android does well in succession – Chrome on Android is the best browser we’ve ever had, and we would not be at that level without the Chrome team doing the work that they do, without the Chrome OS team learning the things that they do, and learning to understand, for example, how to work on touchscreens.”

Meanwhile, what was originally a smartphone, and then a tablet, OS has been gaining more functionality to bring it in line with a desktop platform, though Duarte says that it’s still not quite there year. “Of course Android has also been evolving, and I think it’s terrific the way that we are gaining capabilities on a day-by-day basis” he said. “For example in Jelly Bean we announced multi-user support, and that opens up a range of use-cases, but ultimately, still, the two platforms meet different needs.”

That also means Android playing more readily with accessories and other devices, as it continues its trend toward being the one “OS for humanity” as Duarte himself described it. “One of the things that was great that we did in Honeycomb, was we included much better support for peripherals” the designer said. “So if you go hook up your Nexus 10 to a Bluetooth keyboard, or even a Bluetooth trackpad, you’ll find you have a much better experience with that.”

Despite the convergence that has already happened, Duarte points out however, neither Android nor Chrome OS are at the point where they satisfy the overall needs of all users. “Until we have one solution for Google that can really capture everything, it makes sense for us to continue to develop two platforms” he explained. Exactly how long that development will take is unclear, but it may take some time before Chrome OS – or a flavor of it – achieves the same market dominance as Android enjoys.

Immersion has announced new tactile effect solutions that are designed to communicate physical presence, emotion, and realism to users of touchscreen devices. The company has announced new build-time interface solutions for OEM manufacturers designed to enrich the interactive mobile experience for users. One of the new experiences is designed to convey physical presence.

The physical presence feature is called the Tactile Presence solution and is available as an API that calls on low-power haptics. This feature creates and transmits tactile information between two devices adding a sense of physical presence. The feature allows users to feel the remote actions of another user through the application of dynamic tactile effects. This feature will create things like vibration feedback to go along with a LOL sent via a text message.

The same system can also be used for interactive gaming allowing players to sense remote partner actions. This is an interesting development that opens the door to allow two players separated by a huge distance who are playing a cooperative game to feel which direction the other player is going. The new Tactile Presence API is optimized to work with the Immersion TouchSense 5000 embedded software for high-definition haptics. The system transmits the tactile information via a mobile network or Wi-Fi and is expected to be available for OEM partners in the second half of 2013.

[via Immersion]

Google is once again attempting to release a product in the Chromebook Pixel that’s representative of their Nexus state of mind. With the Nexus line of Android products, Google works with a manufacturer to create a smartphone or tablet (or other devices, in some cases) that presents a Google-only iteration of their software. With the Chrome operating system, Google already offers this experience on every single Chromebook that’s been released – so the job is already done.

So why release the Chromebook Pixel?

Google has already been working on Chrome (the web browser) for a touchscreen-friendly universe – they’ve even gone so far as to suggest dominance on Windows 8. It’s in that touch environment that we’ve already seen Chrome working… generally ok.

The internet is not ready for touch. The web was built – and continues to be built – with work in mind. Work and play, but play through a work-friendly interface. Chrome is attempting to change the way the internet is used by creating a home screen with a collection of icons that are large enough to easily be tapped by a human finger. There are touch-friendly web apps out there, but there’s a step between easy and confusing that still exists between the user and a fully touch-friendly Chrome OS.

If you’ll look back to October 20th, 2010, also known as the reveal date for Apple’s OS X 10.7 Lion, you’ll find that “Mac Meets the iPad” was without a doubt a theme of the day. The photo you see here of a real-deal touchscreen MacBook was seen once – and never heard from again.

There’s a reason for that.

With the Chromebook Pixel, Google has stepped out ahead of itself. Chrome has not yet proven itself as an operating system that’s ready to take a foothold in the modern work-oriented world, yet a $1,299 container for it seemed reasonable somehow or another. Google must have a special order ready for these machines or they’ve got something to prove to someone about their manufacturing finesse, because this is a machine I’d definitely not mind using with Ubuntu.

I’d recommend checking the Chromebook Pixel out at Best Buy, giggling, and thinking twice.

The company has set up a new chemical strengthening facility for Dragontrail specialty glass that will be used to cover smartphones and tablet PCs at its plant at its Kansai Plant in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The manufacturer says that its new chemical strengthening facility is able to handle up to sixth-generation glass panels measuring 1850 mm x 1500 mm.

The company’s class strengthening process enables more efficient production of thin next-generation touchscreens and the new facility is scheduled to begin production in March of 2013. The company says the traditional touchscreens for smartphones and tablet PCs have used a triple-layer design that includes a sheet of glass, a touch sensor, and the display. The manufacturer says that demand for dual-layer touchscreens has grown.

The key to efficient production for these double-layer touchscreen is large-size chemically strengthened glass according to AGC. The manufacturer is able to build a large amount of cover glass with built-in touch sensors at one time by neatly arranging touch sensors on a large sheet of its chemically strengthened glass prior to cutting the glass into pieces of the intended size.

The company says that its new facility will contribute to even thinner smartphones, tablet PCs, and ultra books as well as other touchscreen devices moving forward. The Dragontrail glass is damage and scratch resistant and the manufacturer says it’s in use by over 20 companies on 60 smartphone and tablet PC models already.

[via AGC]

Unlike Sony’s VAIO Duo 11, for instance, LG has opted not to include a trackpoint nub in the middle of the keyboard; instead, if you want to to interact with Windows 8, you’ll have to reach up to the touchscreen. Still, you do get a clever auto-sliding mechanism, opening up the display and revealing the keyboard.

As for the display itself, that’s an 11.6-inch IPS LCD panel boasting 178-degree viewing angles. Connectivity includes USB, an HDMI port, and a microSD card slot, as well as the LTE radio and the usual WiFi and Bluetooth. LG has previously claimed that the H160 will run for up to ten hours on a full charge.

What LG isn’t discussing is pricing, nor specific availability outside of Korea. It’s also perhaps telling that the company is yet to announce any plans to make a Windows RT tablet; currently options for those wanting the ARM-variant of Microsoft’s OS – which trades app compatibility for power frugality – are limited, with Microsoft’s own Surface RT the best-known model.

Of course, Microsoft bought Perceptive Pixel over the summer last year, so it makes sense that Gates is technically using a Microsoft Product, considering how loyal he is with the company. The former CEO is also using a new Surface Pro tablet, which he received “a week ago,” meaning that he got his personal unit before anyone else.

Gates also noted that these big-screen Perceptive Pixels “will come down in price over time and be pervasive,” according to his own predictions. Of course, we’d love to see that happen, and hopefully we’ll see these things in more homes as the years pass, but for now, it looks like Gates will be stealing all of the big touchscreen glory.

Other than that, Gates answered a ton of questions, and while most of them were about his philanthropy work, he did discuss what he thought the future would hold as far as technology was concerned. Gates says that “robots, pervasive screens, and speech interaction” are some of the emerging technologies he thinks will create a lot of buzz within the next few years.

As part of Samsung’s SMART CAMERA 2.0 range, it’s the WiFi connectivity that’s arguably most interesting. The integrated connection can be used to automatically upload shots and video to social networks or online galleries, navigated via the touchscreen each camera is equipped with.

Alternatively, there are apps for iOS and Android, which can be used with the AutoShare feature that instantly backs up multimedia to a nearby phone or tablet. The SMART CAMERA App also includes remote streaming viewfinder functionality, making for easier control when the cameras are on a tripod.

Neither the WB250F nor the DV150F are going to offer the same smart functionality as Samsung’s own Galaxy Camera, which runs a full Android install, but then neither are they quite so expensive. More on the DV150F and its DualView functionality in our hands-on from CES.

If you’re going to be wanting to delete this bit of code, you should know right away: if you do delete it and your computer crashes (in any of a variety of different ways), you could potentially have a completely bricked machine. The nice thing about Windows 8 is that you’re free to create a backup bootable USB stick with great ease. Once you’ve got a recovery USB stick, you’ve only to start your machine up holding down the volume button to boot into advanced options and recover from there.

Creating a bootable recovery USB stick is easy in Windows 8: you’ll first need a USB stick that’s at least 256 MB in size. After you’ve inserted that USB into your Surface Pro, you’ll want to press your Windows Key and your “R” key at the same time, then type RecoveryDrive.exe – you could also open your Control Panel and click or tap on the “Recovery” icon, from there you’ll see an option to Create a Recovery Drive. If at this point you’re prompted by UAC, you’ll want to click or tap on “Yes.”

From that point on, creating a USB recovery drive is self-explanatory : the guide screens will make it quite simple for you. The one other thing you’ll want to make sure you’ve done before a final push to the USB stick is to empty out the USB stick itself – if you’ve got anything on there you want to keep, of course.

The actual deleting of the partition that takes up a chunk of your internal storage for recovery is extremely similar to what you’d have done in previous versions of Windows. You’ll find Computer Management under settings, click or tap Control Panel, System and Security, Administrative Tools, and finally “Computer Management.” You may have to type in your administrator password at this point if you have one.

After that you’ll go to Storage (in the left pane) and click Disk Management. This screen is where you’ll be doing the most damage if you’ve not already created a USB recovery partition. If you delete the partition reserved for recovery at this point and lose your USB stick, you may very well be up a river without a paddle should your Surface Pro catch a bad bit of crash action.

Basically what we’re saying here is that you’re better off working with alternate storage options while this bit of space continues to be taken up by the Microsoft-added recovery. It’s there for a reason, and that reason is a good one. Stay safe!

You’ll want to start your journey with a few news bits appearing before the main event in NYC this morning, with the company still known as RIM way back then (two days before today) showing movie and music deals galore for BlackBerry 10. BlackBerry 10 was also granted the ability yesterday to do 12-person video chat with ooVoo technology as detailed by the company once again. Just this morning we also saw BlackBerry World gaining loads of new apps and games prior to the official launch of BlackBerry 10.

RIM’s European Managing Director Stephen Bates was put in the hot seat twice this morning as well, getting out some answers that will help BlackBerry 10 along in its immediate future and a few answers that made the company look rather unsure of itself. Leaks of BlackBerry Z10 prices began to flow right as the main event began, with quite a few mobile carriers having added their 2-cents since (this post is continuously being updated, mind you). Verizon made their presence known as one of the first groups to reveal pricing for one of the two devices revealed today.

The actual BlackBerry 10 event began with the President and CEO of the company known as RIM, then BlackBerry, mister Thorsten Heins congratulating those that worked on BlackBerry 10 and held fast with BlackBerry over the past two years. Two years ago was when the process to create BlackBerry 10 began, and as Heins assured the world this morning, they’ll be here for some time to come: Today is not the finish line, it’s just the starting line.”

The rebranding of RIM to BlackBerry should be seen as nearly as important from an advertising and image perspective as the launch of BlackBerry 10. With BlackBerry replacing RIM, there’s now “One Brand. One promise.” BlackBerry 10 has been assured to be “re-designed, re-engineered, re-invented” and ready for action in 2013.

We saw the official announcement of the BlackBerry Z10 as well as the official reveal of the Q10. The first is a 4.2-inch touchscreen display-toting BlackBerry 10 device devoid of physical keyboard keys while the second is a more “classic” design with the widest physical keyboard interface the company has ever delivered on a smartphone.

We’ve got BlackBerry Q10 hands-on for all you lovers of the keyboard and the touchscreen. We’ve got BlackBerry Z10 hands-on for all you lovers of the full-touch interface. We’ve got BlackBerry 10-era accessories hands-on for all you lovers of holsters, speakers, and battery chargers for the future!

BlackBerry 10 has been announced to be launching with 70,000 apps right out of the box including big names like Angry Birds and Skype. Angry Birds, in fact, has been pushed as a free app for early adopters and will be coming to the market with all of its back-catalog titles as well!

Then there’s one of the oddest announcements of the day, that being Musician Alicia Keys being revealed as the new BlackBerry Global Creative Director. At the moment this appears to be a move not unlike Will.i.am joining Intel as Director of Creative Innovation or Futura 2000 representing Samsung. The celebrity / artist / entertainer cross-branding continues!

Have a peek at our ever-expanding BlackBerry 10 tag portal for more information into the future and stick around for our imminent full review of the BlackBerry Z10!

This machine works with 2GB of RAM under the hood and a lovely 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus processor to keep you running powerfully into the night. The battery inside this device is 1800mAh strong and is removable and replaceable so you’ll be able to purchase extras for long no-power trips. Internal storage adds up to 16GB while you’ve also got a microSD storage slot for up to 32GB cards at a time.

The front-facing camera on this device is 2 megapixels strong and made for video chat while the back has an 8 megapixel shooter with singe LED flash. Bluetooth 4.0 is included inside as is wi-fi and NFC. The full unit weighs in at 4.8 ounces, that being a bit more than the iPhone 5 (4 ounces) and less than most of the main competitors in the field.

As you’ll be able to see in the photos here and the hands-on video above, the BlackBerry 10 operating system is based on gestures rather than home-buttons where each of the major mobile OS brands in the world rely on at least one central unit. Instead of said button, the BlackBerry Z10 has a rather pure-looking front facade with several physical buttons around its edges.

This machine feels light to the touch but but not so light its uncomfortable, its touchscreen is as responsive (if not more responsive) than the leading touch-sensitive smartphones across the market today, and the software appears swift. We’ll be reviewing this device in full rather soon – until then, have a peek at the hands-on photos (and video immediately if not soon) and let us know if you’ll be picking up the Z10 in the near future!

Hardware

The Dell XPS One 27 is a machine that comes in several different iterations – and you may have seen it in the past without an articulating stand or a touchscreen. This version is the newest and, of course, greatest of the pack with a relatively massive 19.32 x 26.14 inch chassis with depth ranging from 1.25 inches to 2.82 inches. This beast has been called competition for the newest iMac, but as you’ll see in our iMac 27-inch (2012) review, aside from the “all-in-one” name, these computers are altogether different, essentially top to bottom.

This XPS monster weighs in at 35.16 pounds as you’ll see plainly in the hands-on video above. The neck is made to make the computer’s bulk feel light, and indeed it does – we’re able to easily tilt the display back and forth with one hand, no problem. Moving the display up and down will require a couple of hands to manage, but again you’ll have no trouble – it’s picking the whole machine up and moving it from table to table that’ll give you a back-ache, but since you’re only going to have this bulk in one place the whole time you own it, that shouldn’t be a problem.

The front of this machine has about an inch of bezel surrounding the display, a bit more than that at the bottom with an additional bit of casing under the glass that brings you down another inch. The display glass sits out and above the casing rather than being flush with it, this giving you the impression that it goes from left to right to top almost magically – not an easy feat and certainly appreciated in the final aesthetic. The back of the machine is a simple gray on the back, all hard plastic casing with the largest collection of ports sitting below the neck.

This set of ports includes four USB 3.0, HDMI out, HDMI in, SPDIF 1 (7.1 ch), and ethernet. On the right side of the machine you’ve got a disk drive for 12.7mm action, DVD+/-RW and BluRay Combo for your pleasure, HDD LED light, and a power button. On the other side you’ve got an 8 in 1 media card reader with support for SDXC (SD3.0), Secure Digital (SD), Multi Media Card (MMC), Hi Speed SD, Hi Capacity SD, Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO, and xD Picture Cards alike. Also on the left side you’ve got two more USB 3.0 ports that are Sleep Charge Capable – how about that?

Up on the front you’ve also got a set of four relatively hidden buttons that are capacitive and only appear when you tap them. The first two buttons increase and decrease the brightness of your display, the third controls the input of your display (if you’re using your HDMI-in, for example), and the last button will eject a disk from your disk drive, no questions asked. Each of these buttons is marked with an LED light that, again, only appears when you tap it.

The front-facing camera on this machine offers you the ability to speak with Skype (or whatever other video chat apps you like), extremely easy to use and decent at least for video chat in general. While you wont be recording any Hollywood-quality videos with this camera, it’s certainly nice to have as a given. It’s also relatively hidden from view if you don’t plan on using it all – no unrelenting design cues here!

Software and Performance

The machine we’ve got here works with Intel HD Integrated Graphics and NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 2GB GDDR5, so you know good and well you’ll be packing high graphics power from top to bottom. While we’ve been drawn immediately and continuously to playing HD video as this machine cannot be denied as a great motion picture player, gaming is certainly a reality here right out of the box. You may want to pick up a few gaming-centric peripherals if you do want to go that route as wired may feel slightly more perfectly accurate than Bluetooth for mouse and keyboard action, the power under this hood is good to go.

Have a peek first at the system components included in this particular build, then see below the results of our standard benchmark test in Geekbench. Feel free to compare this score with past reviews of similar systems, keeping in mind that each system is indeed unique and benchmarks, no matter how accurate, show numbers, not your overall positive or negative experience.

Windows 8 is running as smoothly and as beautifully as we’ve ever seen it here on the Dell XPS One 27, making its case for what’s easily one of the most high-quality presentations of the operating system to date. Windows 8 is coming in to its own with more official full-screen and touch-optimized apps every day (see: Office 365 for example) and you’re sure to find yourself lost in exploration with this machine if not ready for full-on entertainment action from day one. Video looks great out of the box, graphics and settings can be optimized instantly with NVIDIA’s newest iteration of the GeForce Experience (still in Beta at the moment, but working great), and touchscreen action has never felt more natural.

Wrap-up

This machine will be costing you right around $1300 USD, and for that price you’re getting one beast of a computer. The Dell XPS One 27 with multi-touch display is easily one of the most solidly put together total packages running Windows 8 today, and makes us feel right at home with the touchscreen user interface immediately on startup. Dell has created a computer that makes us confident that touchscreen interfaces are indeed the future of home computing, especially in the entertainment realm – grab it now!

What Synaptics does here is to work together with a variety of technologies from manufacturers from names you’ve very well heard of before on what the team calls “one of the most powerful tablets ever built”. Included in this tablet is Intel with their 3rd Gen (Ivy Bridge) Intel Core processors, NVIDIA with their excellent GeForce graphics galore, and of course Microsoft’s Windows 8. This is all under a lovely 10.1-inch multi-touch display with which you’ll be gaming all night long.

What Synaptics brings to the gadget universe – for Windows 8 in this case – is support for up to 12-inch displays with full tracking of 10 or more fingers at a time with their ClearPad 7300 technology. Synaptics has this tech ready for tablets, PCs, and everything in-between with all of this power contained in a single ACIC. Synaptics pushes this product as what they’re saying is needing the shortest development time to implement while costing the least, as well.

In the Razer Edge you’ll be seeing this technology burst to life starting in the first quarter of 2013. With what Vice President of Synaptics’ Smart Displays Division says about this situation is that “Optimal performance is key to the success of the Razer Edge, and ClearPad 7300 provides the most sophisticated and accurate finger tracking capability, crucial to gaming performance on tablet devices.” Sound pretty good to you? We’ll see this device again up close and personal soon!

What you’re seeing in the video isn’t a whole lot of new information if you’re familiar with the OS as we’ve seen it in leaks before, but for those of you new to the BlackBerry 10 leaking faucet, this will act as an OK briefing. The video shows off the BlackBerry Hub, for starters, as well as the clock. Both of these apps are native to the device and to BlackBerry 10, and will be showing up on essentially all BlackBerry 10 devices through the future.

The final version of the software will be presented later this month, but for now you’ll see what must be near-final versions of Task Manager, the pull-down menu abilities of the OS, and three base menu buttons. You’ll see a phone button, search button, and camera button at the bottom of the display much of the time the video plays, this giving you instant access to these most-used functions.

Pay special attention to the way the OS flows as well as how well the device is pushing the OS to the user. While we’re expecting a smoother experience at the end of this month, this presentation certainly doesn’t look half bad for a final OS/hardware combination. Stick with us through our BlackBerry 10 tag as well as right here in the main news feed on January 30th, 2013.

[via CrackBerry]

A company by the name of Tech Tips created a detachable fingernail attachment of sorts that acts as a stylus. From there, the company figured out a way to embed the technology into wearable and fashionable fingernails. Nano Nails hide a tiny capacitive tip under the index fingernail that can be detected by a touchscreen just like a fingertip would, and it’s completely invisibile unless you’re looking for it.

The stylus nails will save you from having to carry a separate stylus, and since they’re glued to your finger, they’re always at the ready. There is a slight learning curve to Nano Nails, which is mostly getting used to using the proper angle for the tip to make contact with the display, but it’s certainly better than having to blindly tap at your phone with the pad of your finger.

Nano Nails will be available in either a full press-on nail or a nail tip, and the company expects them to sell in packages of four or six for around $10. They can also be put on by either the wearer or applied professionally at a salon. Tech Tips expects to start shipping the new product sometime this May.

[via CNET]

We’ll jump right in with Vizio’s Thin + Light Touch line of notebooks. As you might have already guessed, the major focus with these new laptops are Windows 8 and a thin and lightweight form factor. In those two areas, the notebooks do not disappoint, with Vizio offering one with a 14″ touchscreen and the other with a 15.6″ display. Ready for some great news? 1366×768 resolution is nowhere to be found with these two notebooks, with the 14″ model offering up 1600×900 and the 15.6″ variant going all the way with 1080p resolution.

Interestingly enough, Vizio will be offering a number of different configurations that you’ll be able to choose from depending on your taste. Both the 14″ and the 15.6″ models will come packing either a 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor and integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics, or an AMD A10 4657M clocked at 2.3GHz with discrete Radeon HD graphics. Either configuration should keep things running smooth, especially considering that both come with 8GB of RAM and solid-state drives.

As you’ve probably already figured out, the full HD display on the 15.6″ inch model looks great, though 1600×900 doesn’t look bad either – the only thing its missing is the full HD capabilities of its bigger brother. The keyboards on both are excellent, though the buttons do seem slightly bigger than most notebook keyboards, so that might take some getting used to. Both are very slim when they’re closed and relatively lightweight, so while we can’t exactly classify either as an ultrabook, they’re toward the bottom of the size scale for notebooks.

Next up is Vizio’s new all-in-one touch line. These all-in-one touch PCs will come in 24″ and 27″ varieties, with the 24″ coming with the option of a 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 and Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics or a quad-core AMD A10 4600M 2.3GHz and Radeon HD 8750A discrete graphics. For the 27″ it looks like the only option is that 2.4GHz Core i7 quad-core and Intel 4000 integrated graphics. Both will come with a 1TB hard drive and a 32GB SSD to offer a performance boost, so don’t plan on storing too much stuff on that SSD.

While both screens look excellent and, like the new Windows 8 notebooks on the way, offer 10-point multitouch, there’s one feature in particular that’s very interesting about these all-in-ones: the power supply also doubles as a subwoofer. With many all-in-one PCs, we often run into issues with sounds and tinniness, but that subwoofer will give Vizio’s all-in-one touch PCs a certain boost that other packages lack. There are a number of ports on the base, meaning that you won’t have any ugly cables sticking out of the sides of your computer. To be specific, both models feature two HDMI ports, and Vizio told us that users won’t need to boot to Windows before switching to their HDMI inputs.

Those HDMI ports will come in handy if you want to watch a movie on the excellent screens, and Vizio is trying to make this a true-to-form multimedia center with the addition of a remote. The keyboard is pretty similar to the ones we saw on the company’s new notebooks, at least from an aesthetic standpoint. Obviously, all-in-one PCs aren’t for everyone, but if you’ve been in the market, we’re seeing some great things coming from Vizio with these computers.

So, even though the Windows 8 tablet was the Vizio product that originally caught our eye, we ended up impressed with the notebooks and all-in-one PCs the company will soon be bringing to the table. Vizio should give itself a pat on the back, because as far as we’re concerned, the company managed to stand out in a sea of other manufacturers that are ready and willing to show off new products at CES 2013. Be sure to check out CES portal for even more from the show!