Microsoft's Kinect for Windows hardware has shipping from today, along with v1.0 of the Kinect Windows SDK and runtime, bringing motion-sensing from the Xbox 360 to the desktop. The sensor bar is priced at $249 - with an educational discount of $100 promised in the pipeline - while the software supports up to four bars plugged into a single computer and delivers "significantly improved skeletal tracking" than the earlier beta.
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‘Windows 7’ Stories
Kinect for Windows ships today; SDK v1.0 released
Asus B23E 12.5-inch high-end ultraportable revealed
When it comes to notebooks being released inside 2012, Asus isn't holding back with its Ultrabook line, but it's also got a high-end ultraportable ready to go for business users as well. This device is known as the B23E and will be available with Intel Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 processors under the hood, complete with a 12.5-inch 1366 x 768 pixel LED backlit anti-glare display. It's ultra-simple profile and black hood look the part for your everyday computing action in the office or in the home.
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Acer Iconia Tab W500 hands-on shows the laptop tablet that wasn’t
We've seen this device before, it having been on display early last year at Mobile World Congress 2011, but it being here at Pepcom during CES 2012 is more than a little telling for a device that was supposed to be a hit with Windows users throughout most of last year. When it comes to convertible tablets, your humble narrator's favorite device is the Transformer Prime, not least of all because it's able to fold down and be a laptop whenever you decide you want to transport it in such a way, not to mention the fact that it's got a fully functional trackpad to make it a high-class convertible in every aspect of the word - so why is it selling off the shelves while the Iconia Tab W500 remains one of the loneliest tablets in Acer's line of otherwise amazing hardware?
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ViewSonic ViewPad 10pi and 10e plus dual-SIM ViewPhone 3 debut
ViewSonic has unveiled a pair of new 10-inch tablets, along with a smartphone, at CES today, including a dual-boot Android and Windows model along with dual-SIM support. The ViewSonic ViewPad 10pi runs both Windows 7 and Android 2.3 on an Intel Oak Trail Z670 processor, serving both OSes up on a 1280 x 800 IPS touchscreen.
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Windows emergency update live today: are you patched?
There comes a time in every operating system's life when it needs to have an emergency patch slapped over a security hold in its guts, and for Windows, that time is today - and it's an emergency. What you're going to see here is a bulletin by the name of MS11-100 that acts as a sort of public service announcement as Microsoft wants you to update your system several weeks before the regularly scheduled "Patch Tuesday" in mid-January. What this patch does is to cut off access to a security hole that'd allow hackers to launch a DoS attack against people with Microsoft's ASP .NET application framework in place.
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Lenovo IdeaPad U400 Review
This week we’ve got the newest offering in the ultraportable PC space with the Lenovo IdeaPad U400 sitting on the review block, and with its simplistic appearance, Core i5 processor inside, and classic “breathable” Lenovo keyboard, we’ve got what would appear at first to be an all-round lovely little number. This laptop has a 14-inch HD display, up to 4 hours of battery life off the cord, and it runs Windows 7 Home Premium out of the box. Is this the relatively tiny yet super powerful Windows machine you’ve been looking for all your life?
IDC predicts Windows 8 upgrade to be “largely irrelevant” beyond tablets
Research firm IDC has published its top 10 systems software predictions for 2012, and it is quite skeptical about the success of Microsoft's Windows 8 in terms of the number of upgrades. It believes that very few users will choose to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8 as the new Metro UI skin offers no value to traditional PC users.
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Acer Veriton Z2620G all-in-one PC Review
The brand new Acer Veriton Z2620G is a lovely all-in-one machine that’s meant to look nice on your desktop at home or in the office. What you’ll notice in this machine that sets it aside from the rest of the pack is its ability to impress even before the cool green-lit on button is pressed. You’ll be running Windows 7 professional out of the box, but what you get when you run it is so so much more. This isn’t the highest spec-having computer in the world, but it’s definitely worth a double-take look for the cash it costs. Is this your new desktop computer for the next 2 years or so? Let’s have a look!
Microsoft to release Kinect hardware for Windows
Microsoft's Kinect voice and motion control capabilities will soon expand beyond the Xbox 360 gaming console. The software giant has revealed plans to release new Kinect hardware designed specifically for Windows. This new device would sport hardware components optimized for PC scenarios and will be made available by early 2012.
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Vivitar DVR 790HD lets you record 3D for under $100
Having the right gadgets to take 3D photos and videos doesn't have to be expensive, especially with Vivitar's new digital camera and camcorder offerings. The company is releasing an incredibly budget-friendly camcorder called the DVR 790HD along with a budget HD digital camera called the ViviCam VT135 that both pack a dual-camera array for 3D stills and video capture.
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Facebook testing Windows desktop client for chat and ticker feed
Facebook begun letting a limited group of users to download and try out a new Facebook Messenger for Windows 7 desktop client (much like in the way they started off with their newly-revamped Facebook Timeline user interface, which still hasn't rolled out to all users yet). Apparently, the new desktop client provides access to Facebook Chat, the Ticker feed, and update notifications. From what it looks like, the social networking company is trying to gauge user interest in desktop client access to these real-time features that could keep users engaged all day without the need of having to keep a browser window open for the Facebook website itself. If I say so myself, such a client could become instantly popular, especially since Facebook is essentially the largest contact list for most people these days, the author included.
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Slate 2 resurrects HP’s tablet dreams with Windows 7, on sale this month
HP's original Slate 500 was a highly anticipated tablet that failed to make a splash, but found itself a loyal group of followers. Now months after the TouchPad's sadly curtailed run, HP is returning to its Windows stomping grounds with the Slate 2, a refreshed model with some tweaks more appropriate for touch and pen-based input. The new Slate will improve on the first with six hours of quoted battery life - a 300% increase.
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