Tablet PC News

VAIO returns to the US next week with this high-end transforming tablet

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 22:26:57 +0000

VAIO has been absent from the US for the past year and a half, ever since Sony sold off the nearly two-decade old PC division. On Monday, it'll reenter the high-end PC market with a convertible tablet called the VAIO Z Canvas. It's a Windows 10 machine that VAIO hopes will be perfect for all kinds of artists, from illustrators and animators to photographers and video editors.

B&N may sell a 9.6 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab E NOOK Edition tablet

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 21:34:37 +0000

Barnes & Noble may have a new tablet on the way… or rather, the company may be preparing to launch a new co-branded version of an existing Samsung tablet. It’s been a few years since B&N has designed its own tablets. In September the company started offering the Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK tablet for $400, offering customers a […]

B&N may sell a 9.6 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab E NOOK Edition tablet is a post from: Liliputing

Tweetbot 4 Release Brings Overhauled Design & New Features

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 20:57:50 +0000

Tweetbot 4 Release Brings Overhauled Design & New Features is a post by Craig Lloyd from Gotta Be Mobile.

A much anticipated update to Tweetbot has arrived in the form of Tweetbot 4. With it brings an overhauled design on the iPad and new features.

This time around, it’s now one universal app that works on both iPhone and iPad. Furthermore, it’s an all-new app to begin with, meaning that you can’t update from Tweetbot 3, but rather you have to buy the new Tweetbot 4 all over again for $4.99.

While the new app looks relatively unchanged on the iPhone, the iPad version received a nice little upgrade. Tweetbot for the iPad has been neglected somewhat and hasn’t received an update an over a year, so it was certainly time for the iPad version to get an overhaul of sorts.

Tweetbot 4 supports iOS 9’s new Split View multitasking feature, allowing you to use two apps at once on the iPad, so you can view your tweets while also browsing a website in Safari, making it the ultimate productive tool for mobile users. There’s the ability to Quick Reply to a tweet from the Notification Center on your device.

Furthermore, there’s also a new landscape mode that works with the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus, and the iPad. With landscape mode, the app displays two window panes side-by-side, showing the user’s timeline as usual, but also providing another off to the side where you can view only your mentions, lists, or general activity on your tweets (like retweets and favorites from other users).

The new Activity View is something special, as the official Twitter app only has this feature and Twitter’s API restricts other third-party apps from having a feature like this, but Tweetbot was able to workaround this restriction and create its own activity stream of sorts that’s perhaps better than Twitter’s own activity view.

There’s also a new Statistics View in Tweetbot 4, giving you a daily overview of your statistics and how well your tweets are performing. It tracks retweets, follows, and favorites, all of which are displayed in a cool graph layout.

Just like with the previous version of Tweetbot, not a lot has changed as far as interacting with individual tweets. You can swipe left to view individual tweets and have options to reply, retweet, favorite, and share that tweet. And you now have the option to swipe right on a tweet to instantly retweet it or favorite it, which you can customize the specific action you want in the settings. Swiping further to the right will allow you to quickly reply to that tweet.

For those users who take advantage of the different filters that Tweetbot offers, you’ll be pleased to know that mute filters have been improved. You can now mute keywords, hashtags, and other users directly from the dedicated mute section. You can even set a specific length of time to mute someone or something, and there are some other filter customizations you can take advantage of as well.

Again, Tweetbot 4 is priced at $4.99 currently, but will jump up to $9.99 when the temporary sale is over with. Luckily, for those who purchased Tweetbot 3 in the past, that $4.99 price will remain the same at all times, so there’s no rush to go out and buy this new version if you already have the previous version.

This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, though, as Tweetbot has always charged users for every new app that it has released, including Tweetbot 2 and Tweetbot 3, both of which were completely new apps that you have to purchase again. Still, that’s not a lot of money to spend, especially since you’re only spending a few dollars every year when a new app releases.

Oh, and it’s also worth noting that Tweetbot 4 is only compatible with iOS 9.

Tweetbot 4 Release Brings Overhauled Design & New Features is a post by Craig Lloyd from Gotta Be Mobile.

iOS 9.0.2 on iPad: First Impressions and Performance

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 20:48:17 +0000

iOS 9.0.2 on iPad: First Impressions and Performance is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Apple’s third iOS 9 update is here in the form of iOS 9.0.2 for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. We’ve been taking a look at its performance on iPhone and now we want to switch gears and take a look at the iPad iOS 9.0.2 update and its performance.

Last week, Apple released its second iOS 9 update. The iOS 9.0.1 followed the iOS 9.0 upgrade and it delivered a collection of fixes for iOS 9 problems. This week, Apple rolled out a brand new iOS 9 update that replaces iOS 9.0.1 after its week stint as the most current version of Apple’s new operating system.

That update is iOS 9.0.2, a new bug fixer that comes with several key fixes including a stability update for the popular Podcasts application. It’s a small update but it’s an important update and one that you should be paying attention to.

Yesterday, I installed the iOS 9.0.2 update on all of the iPads in my possession. This includes the iPad Air 2, the iPad Air, and the iPad mini 2. All three are popular iPad variants.

I’ve spend the better part of the last 24 hours using the iOS 9.0.2 update on these three devices in an effort to provide iPad users with feedback about the update’s performance. Here’s what I’ve found.

iOS 9.0.2 Installation

Installing iOS 9.0.2 on this trio of iPads was quick and easy. All in all, it took each update about 12 minutes to download and install. That’s pretty standard for an update of iOS 9.0.2’s size. It’s less than 100MB.

There’s a good chance you’ll come out of the iOS 9.0.2 installation unscathed but just in case you run into problems, I’ll leave this list of fixes right here.

iOS 9.0.2 on iPad: Performance

I’m going to be taking a quick look at how the iOS 9.0.2 update is performing on these three iPads. If you’re looking for details about iOS 9 features, take a look at our walkthrough. If you’re using another iPad, you’ll need to seek out feedback elsewhere. I recommend looking on YouTube. There’s a ton of video feedback there.

Per usual, a disclaimer. I am one person with an iPad Air 2, iPad Air and iPad mini 2. Mileage always varies so use my impressions as a general guide. I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction but you might want to seek out more feedback before you install. Again, YouTube is a great place to start.

Apps

I’ve been using the same core group of applications across these three devices. For the record, my core group of apps currently includes sana, Slack, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Gmail, Hangouts, Chrome, Dark Sky, Amazon, SoundCloud, Spotify, and Xbox One Smartglass.

I can’t speak for every single app in the App Store but what I can say is that these apps, and the other secondary apps I have on my iPads, are holding up quite well after downloading and installing the iOS 9.0.2 update. I haven’t seen any crashes and they appear to be stable.

App issues can appear at any time though so I’m going to continue to monitor them (Chrome in particular) and install new bug fix updates.

If you’re experiencing issues on iOS 9.0.2, take a look at our list of fixes.

iOS 9.0.2 Battery Life

I’ve been using these iPads as much as humanly possible over the last day. Thus far, their batteries have held up during use and in standby mode. I haven’t noticed any abnormal battery drain, a problem that some iOS 9.0.2 users are seeing after the upgrade.

If you’re seeing issues, my advice is to wait another day before going bonkers. Battery life can take a couple of days to even out so you’ll want to take a wait and see approach after you install iOS 9.0.2.

If your battery life doesn’t recover after two days, take a look at our list of fixes and tips to restore quality iOS 9 battery life to your iPad.

Wi-Fi, Cellular Data & Bluetooth

I’ve successfully paired the iPad mini 2, iPad Air, and iPad Air 2 with various Bluetooth devices including headphones and speakers. Bluetooth problems are extremely common after iOS updates but I haven’t noticed anything on my end.

I haven’t spotted any problems with Wi-Fi either. I’ve been able to connect to my routers and the download speeds on all of my models have been excellent.

The iPad mini 2 is the only LTE-compatible iPad that I own and thus far, AT&T’s LTE network is holding up. I don’t expect that to change.

iOS 9.0.2 Problems on iPad

Nothing, at least not yet. While I’ve been having some problems with the iPhone version of the iOS 9.0.2 update, I haven’t seen anything major with these updates. That goes for the iOS 9.0 and iOS 9.0.1 updates as well. All three have been extremely stable.

I’m having a solid experience but others are struggling. iOS 9.0.2 problems are plaguing some iPad users though they appear to be isolated to just a few people. For the moment at least.

Larger issues are typically easy to spot so I’m confident that iOS 9.0.2 doesn’t introduce debilitating bugs for all iPad models. Smaller issues are tough to track down so I’ll continue digging to see what I can find.

If you do run into a problem, please consult our list of fixes for iOS 9 problems.

Speed

The iOS 9.0.2 updates for iPad Air 2, iPad Air and iPad mini 2 are fast. The UI is fluid and I haven’t noticed any lag or slow down. iOS 9.0.2 has been creaky on some older devices (iPad 2 for instance) but these three updates have met my expectations.

Should You Install iOS 9.0.2 Right Now?

If you’re bothered by any of the problems that iOS 9.0.2 fixes, and you own one of these three iPads, you should be fine. I haven’t noticed any major issues and the only iOS 9.0.2 problems I’ve seen have been isolated to a small portion of users.

If you’re hesitant, wait a few days for the smoke to settle. Gather feedback and then make your decision. With an iOS 9.1 release on the horizon, you don’t need to rush into anything.

5 iOS 9.0.2 Upgrade Tips

You Can Trial the iOS 9.0.2 Update

1 / 5

If you're on iOS 8.4.1, iOS 9.0 or iOS 9.0.1, and you want to try the iOS 9.0.2 update out, you can. For a limited time.

As of right now, Apple is signing off on all three of those older updates. This means that you can drop down to one of the three if the iOS 9.0.2 update doesn't perform like you want it to on your device.

Apple only signs off on updates for a limited time and it doesn't announce when it stops. So, you'll need to keep an eye open and you'll want to try it out quickly if you think you might want to drop back down to your previous version of iOS.

You can't drop back to anything older than iOS 8.4.1.

1 / 5

iOS 9.0.2 on iPad: First Impressions and Performance is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Dell's XPS 12 might be an impressive Surface alternative

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 20:40:48 +0000

Dell's XPS 13 is one of my favorite laptops of 2015 thanks to its stunning edge-to-edge display, but it looks like a smaller tablet variant might be on the way. The photos suggest the XPS 12 will convert from a tablet into a laptop-like device thanks to a detachable backlit keyboard. If all the specifications are genuine then it looks like an impressive alternative to Microsoft's Surface line of tablet / laptop hybrids.

Tweetbot 4 Comes to the iPad, Adds Statistics, Landscape View, and More to iPhone

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 19:30:00 +0000

iOS: Tweetbot 4 was released today as a completely new version of the popular Twitter app. It’s a universal app that brings in support for the iPad alongside a variety of other improvements.

More Dell XPS 12 2-in-1 tablet details leaked (by Dell)

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 19:28:02 +0000

Dell plans to launch a new 12.5 inch Windows tablet with a 4K display, an Intel Core M processor, and a detachable keyboard dock soon. It’s called the Dell XPS 12, and some details about the upcoming 2-in-1 tablet have already been leaked. Now more information is available, thanks in part to the Dell Malaysia website, […]

More Dell XPS 12 2-in-1 tablet details leaked (by Dell) is a post from: Liliputing

Deals of the Day (9-30-2015)

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:45:19 +0000

Google may have announced new phones, media streamers, and a new tablet this week, but if you don’t need all the latest bells and whistles, you can save some money by picking up last year’s tech. Right now the 2014 Nexus 6 smartphone and Nexus Player media box are available for about half their original list […]

Deals of the Day (9-30-2015) is a post from: Liliputing

Google Pixel C 10-inch 2-in-1 launching at a price too high.

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 17:39:17 +0000

Google has officially launched the Pixel C, a 10.1-inch Android tablet running on a Tegra X1 platform. They’ve also developed a magnetically attachable Bluetooth keyboard and the combo is said to offer a “great touch typing experience.” The price is extremely high for a 10-inch dockable though.

Google Pixel C tablet and keyboard.

Google says that they’ve done their rethinking from the ground up, which is debatable, but they’ve certainly created some waves here with the new productivity-focused tablet. Starting at $499 for the tablet it will offer 308 PPI, an sRGB color gamut, 500 nit brightness, 3GB of RAM and come with a USB-C connector. The Bluetooth keyboard, however, is $149.

The keyboard has 19mm pitch across the small width because Google have moved some keys onto the screen which means there’s less keys to fit into the space. The 1.4mm travel keys are said to use the same mechanics as on the Pixel Chromebook, which is a good thing. The keyboard charges inductively from the tablet and the tablet also knows when it’s attached out-of-the-way on the rear of the tablet. There’s 2-months battery life on the Bluetooth keyboard.

There’s no kickstand and Google demonstrated some impressive magnetic holding power on the stage. This isn’t a Lenovo Miix 2 10! The screen can go all the way back to 135 degrees.

Storage is said to go up to 64 GB but there’s no MicroSD card slot so be aware of the limitations there if you’re planning on doing a lot of creativity or thinking about mobile photo and video production.

Weights weren’t mentioned and other specifications are missing too because this product won’t be available for a few months. Apparently it will be available for the holiday period though.

Note that there’s no pen support so this isn’t a direct competitor to the iPad Pro and the pricing puts it well above most 10-inch Windows dockables. For example, the HP Pavilion X10 is under $250, including the keyboard!

Pixel mini-site available here.

Announcing a new role, new partnerships, new projects.

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 12:46:34 +0000

What, you may ask, is Chippy doing with an iPad Mini 4? It’s been years since my hands featured on an Apple product and I’m not a huge fan of the ecosystem but there’s a good reason why that changes now. I’m very happy to announce that I have a new role within Notebookcheck as Head of Video. I’ve been given the keys to the YouTube channel and my studio is now a ‘via’ for Notebookcheck review devices as we ramp-up YouTube activity with detailed and unique long-form review videos.

I’ve reviewed tablets and 2-in-1’s for German-language Notebookcheck Publishing for over a year now and I’ve been really impressed at the professional way their reviews are handled. Well-controlled lab tests, skilled reviewers and a rich database of information elevate them above most reviews. Being a German-language company the English-language reviews from Notebookcheck (on Notebookcheck.net) are often translated which means days before the English-language review is available but my location in Germany and success of my in-studio deep-dive videos gave me an idea. What if I took the review device, the German review and the lab test results and turned-round an English language video in 48 hours?

Most (possibly all, if I can keep up) review devices, which include smartphones, tablets, 2-in-1’s and laptops, will now come to my studio in Bonn where I will run the Notebookcheck Tech Reviews series on their YouTube channel. I’m hoping to ramp up to 10-20 devices per month with 5-10 minute videos giving you an overview and a look into some of their lab testing results, again, elevating the video above most of the video reviews that are out there. Independence, quality and lab tests results are the key features here. The first video is embedded below.

Because we plan to have the video uploaded before the full English-language review you can stay ahead by subscribing to the YouTube channel and enabling notifications to get an early heads-up.

The great thing about this process is that after I’ve turned round the video for Notebookcheck I’m left with intimate knowledge on the device and the possibility to create ultramobile-specific content for this site while I still have the device in my hands. This is a win-win! For all the behind-the-scenes work, follow @chippy. (Psst. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are coming in this week and I’ve already got the HP Pro Tablet 608 G1 with Atom x5-Z8500 and 4GB RAM ready to unbox.)

This is the changing face of ‘Pro Blogging.’

The economics of classic blogging are crumbling and as a result I’ve been looking at how to change my business model. I posted a call-for-help earlier this year and your support was really encouraging. Donations and Patreons really help and will remain a part of my strategy even if it’s not yet a significant part of the financial support that this site needs. I didn’t reach the $5K funding goal but I did manage to complete the important SEO project and attend IFA. Thanks! I’ll continue to tweak and monitor UMPCPortal during Q4 but this new gig could take some of the pressure off.

I’ve stopped writing articles for Ultrabooknews and will do the same on Chromebookworld although I intend to keep the product databases running. I may even expand the database to include other tablets and products types. Focus is important for me now so UMPCPortal will become my only content channel.

My work with Notebookcheck triggers something else I’ve been thinking about. I’ll be investing in new video and streaming equipment soon and will start a second collaborative project. My new studio will be part of a new co-working space in Bonn, Germany and I’ll be offering the facility to co-workers, local businesses and communities. I’ll add some of my skills into the offering and will be capitalizing on my Englishman-in-Germany status to help local companies create English-language online content. This project is going to take a few more months to set up but I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going. Bricks and mortar return. Live video reviews may return too which is one project I’m thinking of driving through Patreon support.

I can’t deny that these new projects will change my priorities but UMPCPortal.com remains an important part of my work and my love for ultramobile computing solutions. I’m 100% sure that my new responsibility within Notebookcheck will bring new opportunities for me to talk about ultramobile products and solutions here.

The first Notebookcheck Tech Review video is live.

The first Notebookcheck Tech Review video is live and embedded below. The iPad Mini 4. Your feedback on the format is more than welcome but do note that I will be changing to a brighter and less cluttered studio soon. Quality will rise when I get my new equipment. I don’t intend to change the style of the video as I believe that over-producing for YouTube can be counter-productive.

As to the iPad Mini 4 itself, I added a Bluetooth keyboard, loaded Word and Powerpoint mobile, connected to my OneDrive account and I was very impressed with the productivity and synchronization across multiple devices. [Image, right.] The LTE connectivity is exactly what we want to see but price ($629 for this LTE + 64 GB model) is too much. iPad device-device connectivity remains a huge issue too and one that prevents me from using it in a demanding ultramobile scenarios. That’s my opinion, but let me know what you think after seeing my first Notebookcheck Tech Review video….

Surface Pro 4 – If there were two models…

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 21:23:55 +0000

Hopefuly you’ve seen the news that Microsoft has sent out invites for an Oct 6th Windows 10 event in New York. No-one doubts that we’re going to see Lumia, Surface and Band products along with an official launch of Windows 10 Mobile which makes it an extremely important event for anyone who reads UMPCPortal. Lumia, with Continuum, could form an important part of an entry-level ultramobile PC set-up. Surface sits at the very high-end of ultramobile computing solutions.

It seems certain that we’ll see a Surface Pro 4 with much the same sizing as the previous model but two questions remain unanswered. 1) Will it be fanless? and 2) Will there be a second, 14-inch model? The reason I ask the latter is that there have already been rumors about a 14-inch model and in a recent search I found screen covers for a 14-inch Surface Pro 4. If a 14-inch model is coming how can Microsoft position the two devices ? There’s a poll below and i’d like to see what you think would be the best constellation of Surface Pro 4 devices. But first, some thoughts on what’s possible and what it brings to a 12-inch and a 14-inch Surface Pro 4.

Surface Pro 4 14-inch display cover at Amazon.de

In an article last year I looked at the Surface Pro platforms and analysed the possible product configurations in 2015. I was spot-on with the Surface 3 but will my predictions for a Surface Pro 4, in two sizes, come true too? Here’s what I said:

“Surface Pro 4 requirements. (March 2015)

Fanless build

20% – 30% improvements (processing, GPU and battery life.)

A showcase feature like borderless screen for 13.3-inches in the same frame size for docking station compatibility. Also possible is Wireless Charging. Intel would love to showcase Skylake’s ‘no-wires’ capability and the Surface Pro 4 would be the best showcase for that.

USB-C charging and connectivity.

Availability that doesn’t clash with the Surface 3 early sales. (rules out Summer in my opinion.)

Slight weight improvement. Thinner design will be a marketing requirement.

Entry level price slightly less than Surface Pro 3. Surface Pro 3 will go end-of-line.

Improvement in accessory range. (Wireless charging. Laptop keyboard dock with battery could be the way to solve USB-C worries and to appease those that aren’t convinced by the Type Cover keyboard.)

Everything points towards the use of Skylake for a 12.5 – 13.3 inch product later in 2015.

That leaves space for one more product. Surface 3 Plus. An entertainment focused hybrid all-in-one with a 15-inch screen. Core M fanless and ground-breakingly light for home and office productivity, education and more. It’s not something interesting for UMPCPortal but it’s an interesting thought. As for a Surface Mini it seems unlikely at this stage.”

Yes, maybe a 15-inch product is too big but there’s a more important problem with the Surface Pro 4 specifications. Points 1 and 2 might be incompatible. A fanless, 12-inch Surface Pro 4 will have to use the Y-series (Core M) Skylake processors. To get 20-30% more processing power Microsoft will need to stick with U-series Core, which will need a fan.

I asked my Twitter followers if they would be happy to have a fan on the Surface Pro 4 if it has an Ultrabook-class processor (U-series Skylake.) Most people said No. Obviously the follow-up question would be “Would you be happy with a Surface Pro 4 without fan if it had less performance than a Surface Pro 3?” I think the answer would be ‘No’ too so how are Microsoft going to please these two groups of people? Maybe there’s a clue in the rumor of a 14-inch model. Could this be the way to please everyone?

There are 4 scenarios and you can vote on them at the bottom of this article:

12-inch Surface Pro 4 with a higher-powered processor but retaining a fan. 14-inch model using Core M to be a lightweight fanless super-entertainment and home tablet.
12-inch Surface Pro 4 with Core M giving ‘similar’ processing power to Surface Pro 3 but lighter, fanless and with +50% battery life. A 14-inch model becomes a productivity slate for graphic artists, a 4K display for personal use and a mini all-in-one hot-desking ‘desktop class’ PC (that would blow the iPad Pro out of the water in terms of performance.)
Both use Core M and offer fanless builds with weight and battery life being the key features.
Both use U-Series Skylake with a 12-inch model needing a fan. A 14-inch model might get away without a fan if it was configured as a ‘TDP-Down’ processor (down-clocks under heat / load.)

Personally I’m happy with the Surface Pro 3 being one of the most powerful PCs-per-pound / KG and I would like to see the Surface Pro 4 follow that principle. A fan under load helps improve performance when I need to be seriously and time-critically productive. I accept, however, that there’s a big need for longer battery life and that other people might expect the Surface Pro 4 to be fanless, especially as the ‘desktop class’ Apple iPad Pro is here. (Image: Right.)

Given that the Surface Pro 3 is still a great desktop-capable PC it could be offered at a discount with the new fanless, long battery life Surface Pro 4 coming in to replace it at the old pricing level for people who want the battery life, silence and some premium features such as USB-C / USB 3.1, Windows Hello support and more. A more powerful 14-inch version that targets professional creativity, PC gaming and features such as RealSense, a professional keyboard and wireless charging, would come in as a premium model.

Whatever happens on October 6th it won’t be a perfect solution for everyone. The trade-off between battery life, performance weight and a fan means someone is probably going to be unhappy so which solution would you prefer? Let’s consider that 2-product scenario for Surface Pro 4. Vote below for your favorite.

Latest Dell XPS 12 switches to tablet design, InfinityEdge display.

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 13:01:57 +0000

Original at Giga.de

It looks like the Lenovo Miix 700 is going to get some strong competition in the 12-inch 2-in-1 space because details are emerging of a new Dell XPS 12 tablet with docking keyboard, USB-C and an edge-to-edge display.

Giga.de have followed up their Venue 8 Pro leak with a slide of information on a new Dell XPS 12 showing that Dell have moved on from the carousel design to a docking tablet set-up. Brief information shows a 4K display which may, or may not, excite you. The same goes for the edge-edge Infinity display which removes the oft-important frame.

The original Dell XPS 12

The 4K internal display means this is going to be a Core-based unit and the size points towards Core M, probably the latest version based on Skylake 6th-gen Core architecture. [Atom X5 and X7 don’t yet support 4K internal displays but might support 4K on a future SKU.] The display is said to cover 100% Adobe RGB color space, have a 1200:1 contrast and a 400-nits brightness. Let’s hope there’s a big enough battery inside to drive all that.

A Wacom digitizer layer and pen is available and as with the new Dell Venue 8 Pro and new Venue 10 Pro, there will be a USB-C USB 3.1 port and docking station accessory. There’s even a Thunderbolt 3 connector. [Who’s using these on consumer-level PCs I ask myself? Wouldn’t WiGig be a better option?]

The new Dell XPS 12 is said to be launching in October but there’s no pricing available or information on alternative specifications or an entry-level model. As soon as we can confirm official images and specs we’ll get this in the 2-in-1 database.

Thoughts: Weight, battery life and keyboard quality need to be checked carefully because Lenovo have already presented an interesting option in the Miix 700. A 4K infinity display with 100% RGB might not be the right ‘feature’ for the target market but there’s sure to be careful comparison with the iPad Pro for creative customers. The XPS 12 might be able to run full versions of Photoshop and other pro-level packages but will it have the processing power? Dell would have had a tough design decision to make: Fanless Core M or U-series Core with a fan?

Source: Giga.de

Why enterprise will choose iPad Pro over Microsoft’s Surface

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 12:30:30 +0000

Just two years ago, Apple chief executive Tim Cook took pot shots at the rise of 2-in-1 tablets, and claimed the iPad was a far better option for anyone seeking a tablet. Oh, how things change --…

Apple eyes the office with new iPad Pro, its tablet workhorse

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 20:36:05 +0000

We may have known it was coming, but that doesn't make it any less exciting. Just after a quick update on Apple Watch during Apple's live event, CEO Tim Cook announced…

Inside Amazon’s race to the bottom of the tablet market

Tue, 08 Sep 2015 21:51:12 +0000

While the bulk of attention for hot new tablets usually goes to high-end, fairly expensive side, at least one big competitor is interested in focusing on making a tablet that's cost effective…

Apple’s ‘Hey Siri’ event wish list: iPad Pro, iPhone 6S, & a worthy Apple TV update

Fri, 04 Sep 2015 20:10:26 +0000

We have only a single clue ahead of next week's Apple media event: “Hey Siri, give us a hint.” Oh, and no shortage of rumors, whispers, and posturing. Apple's keynote is…

Integration Innovation #ink

Sumocat — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 09:00:00 +0000

[+/-] Hide/Show Text

Repeating Myself #ink

Sumocat — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 09:00:00 +0000

[+/-] Hide/Show Text

An Apple iWatch #ink

Sumocat — Thu, 22 May 2014 16:19:00 +0000

An Apple iWatch

A lot of speculation has been thrown out about an Apple smartwatch, known commonly as the iWatch. Many expect one to happen soon. One perennially wrong analyst has gone so far as to claim Apple only has 60 days left to do launch one (or die). What we don't see these analysts do much is consider what it would take for Apple to succeed in this field where everyone else is failing.

The challenges

If Apple is to enter the so-called smartwatch market, there are a number of challenges that must be addressed. The first is to recognize that most smartwatches are actually quite dumb. An ordinary wrist watch displays the time at a glance under any circumstance. A dead battery should rarely be a concern, not a daily one. Most current smartwatches do not address this.

Another challenge: who is the addressable audience for such a device? Tim Cook has pointed out that most young people don't wear wrist watches. And yet, 1.2 billion watches are sold annually with market leaders Swatch and Rolex collecting billions of dollars in revenue. Thus, Apple has two goals to reach in wrist watches: luring young people to wear watches and convincing current watch buyers to buy Apple watches.

Rather than approach them as separate, the real challenge here is to build a device that meets the needs of both. An Apple wrist watch should both appeal to the aesthetics of the existing wrist watch market and update the antiquity to draw in a younger crowd. A balance must be struck between the reliable wrist watch and the gadgetry of the always-on, connected world.

In addition, the wrist watch market is clearly split between luxury and utility. The average cost of a Swiss watch is $739 while the average cost of a Chinese watch is $3. Very obvious which country focuses on which end. Current smartwatches live in a nebulous middle ground. They are intended for utility but priced for luxury. Apple will need to pick a side. (Admittedly, I suspect this will not be a tough choice for them.)

Finally, what could Apple do to make their wrist watch stand out from the crowd? This challenge is basically solved by addressing the problems outlined above, but it is important to recognize that Apple will not bother with a smartwatch if they do not think they can adequately distinguish their product. Anyone expecting them to enter the market with the same product as everyone else needs to re-read history.

A solution

With those challenges in mind, I have formulated an idea of the wrist watch Apple should create. Be aware, I have no inside knowledge as to what Apple is planning in this or any field. This is purely my interpretation of how Apple can use their resources to overcome the outlined obstacles.

Put simply, I believe Apple can succeed in this field by releasing a hybrid wrist watch: a mechanical timepiece with a digital display. Oh, and it would have solar panels in the band. Allow me to explain...

1. Mechanical Timepiece

The core of the iWatch would be a mechanical clock. Yes, an old-school, precision timepiece but with some modern updates. Lest you think Apple would never release a mechanical watch, here's a list of Apple executives who wear old-school wrist watches. Plus, Apple design SVP Jony Ive personally designed a wrist watch for charity, and there was that one rumor that Apple was poaching Swiss watchmakers.

So now that we have established that a mechanical watch is in the realm of possibilities, how might they make it? First, it would be a hybrid, not purely mechanical. The time-keeping mechanism would be conventional, using sapphire and Liquidmetal gears and bearings to ensure accuracy and durability. The benefits of using sapphire jewel bearings is well-established, as is Apple's vast supply of the crystal. Liquidmetal, aside from being highly durable, is also able to be cast into shapes with negligible shrinkage, making it ideal for tiny precision parts. More relevantly, Apple holds the exclusive license to use Liquidmetal in consumer electronics.

The hybrid part would consist of an electric motor to wind the mainspring and adjust the time. It would engage one gear for winding, another to change time for DST and moving between time zones. The motor obviously requires power, but once the watch is wound, it will display the time regardless of whether the electronics are turned on or the battery is charged. The needs of modern gadgetry would not get in the way of time-telling.

2. The Other Face

Sandwiching that mechanical core are the digital and electronic parts. Above the watch face, built into the sapphire cover is a transparent OLED display with capacitive touch input. The transparent OLED display, as the name explains, allows light to pass through, meaning you will be able to see the mechanical watch face when the display is off. Glance at the watch, you see the analog time. Tap the watch, the OLED lights up to show the digital time, date, and current notifications. Swipe left and right to move to different faces, double-tap to return to the home face or turn off from the home face, and so on.

And what might these other faces be? Obvious stuff include alarms, calendar appointments, reminders, weather, and stocks. Other functionality might include a compass and pedometer fed with data from the motion sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer) and M series motion processor tuned for arm movement. The core of these features would be simplicity. Just like the original iPhone improved on the mobile phone, these features would augment what a normal watch can do, not simply be smartphone features crammed into a watch.

As to how Apple would implement this transparent OLED, I point to patents they filed for an efficient OLED display and, more importantly, a method to selectively make parts of a transparent display opaque. Using such methods, parts of the display could become opaque to show alerts without fully blocking the timepiece beneath. Or the full display could be go opaque but allow a level of translucency, similar to the translucent layer effects of Notification Center and Control Center in iOS 7. The layered interface of iOS 7 is practically prepping us for layered displays.

3. Computer Bits

Resting beneath the mechanical watch are the chips and electronic guts. Wireless connectivity would be through Bluetooth LE (low energy) and allow notifications to be pushed from an iPhone. Two-way sync would let you turn off alarms or decline calls from your wrist instead of reaching in to your pocket. The iWatch could also act as a proxy to trigger Immediate range (touch) iBeacons and display Passbook barcodes. Check in or grab a coupon with a pass of your wrist, not your iPhone.

Another feature that could be implemented with Bluetooth LE is Find My iWatch. Without Wi-Fi or cell connectivity, this feature is limited, but still better than nothing. At its simplest, a paired iWatch and iPhone could alert you when one falls out of range of the other or runs out of power. Beyond that, a lost or stolen iWatch could be tracked by registering it as lost and allowing other iPhones to report when its signal is found, similiar to StickNFind's "lost sticker" functionality.

Without connectivity, just as the mechanical core will run without the electronic, the smartwatch bits would be able to function without an iPhone. A parent iOS device or Mac would be required for setup, updates, and live data, like weather reports. But alarms, appointments, and reminders would all be sync'd to the iWatch, so you'll see and hear them even if your iPhone runs out of juice. The motion processor would keep collecting data to sync to your iPhone later. An iWatch should not need connected to an iPhone, iPad or Mac to do the job of a regular wrist watch and more.

4. Power

Powering the electronics is a battery sitting on the bottom, taking up most of its footprint. The battery itself would hold enough juice to carry it through a day, in part because of its size but primarily from the low consumption. The "always-on" watch face is mechanical, the powered display lights up as needed, and the wireless is limited to Bluetooth low energy. The design is highly energy efficient, to the point that it could be charged by sapphire-shielded solar panels on the segmented band.

Apple has been rumored to be tinkering with solar-powered iPhone, but a solar-powered smartwatch is more plausible. It requires far less power, and solar powered wrist watches have been around for years. However, a smartwatch, even one this efficient, will need more collection surface than a watch face. This leaves the band. It's known that Apple has a deal with GT Advanced Technologies for sapphire manufacturing, but did you also know GT is able to produce super-thin solar panels by blasting wafers with an ion cannon? 20 micrometers thin, to be exact. Seems thin enough to build into a band. And if you're the type to wear his watch under his sleeve, I'm sure someone will build a light in a box for overnight charging.

5. Construction

As mentioned, sapphire and Liquidmetal are ideal for the inner workings of an iWatch, but they are also well-suited for the outer body. Apple already has a line on mass sapphire production. It may not yet be viable to produce Liquidmetal in the quantities necessary for a new iPhone line, but production of an iWatch would start on a far more limited basis. In terms of procurement, Apple has ready access to the necessary materials.

Of course, unless you don't wash your hands (and if you don't, what's wrong with you?), any wrist watch must be water-resistant. This is not something Apple is known for, but they could break that trend with a fully sealed wrist watch. You'll notice in my description of the electronics I mentioned wireless sync and solar charging but no sync or charge port. That's because there is none. Body is sealed tight.

6. Saying "NO!"

You may have noticed that my vision of an Apple wrist watch is missing a few things common to other smartwatches. That's because I know Apple isn't afraid to say "no" in order to create a product that works. Sure, I can think of a few uses for a camera in a watch, but one thing it doesn't do is help battery life.

The big omission I'm sure you've noticed is no Siri. This iWatch will have a little ringer for audio alerts, but it's not for voice interface or music. Not only would these be huge battery drains, but talking to your watch is childish. Yes, I grew up watching 'Knight Rider' just like everyone else who wants to talk on their watches, but now I'm grown and watch 'Person of Interest'. You want voice command, wear a Bluetooth headset (or if you want to be a badass like Root, get an audio implant), order a CommBadge, plug in your EarPods, or just talk into your iPhone. Coolness aside, talking to your watch may sound good in theory, but in practice, on a busy street, you'll be moving it back and forth between your mouth and ear.

Another "no" is no third-party apps or extra development. This iWatch is a companion device, not a standalone, with tightly restricted power and storage. On the other hand, there should be no extra work to make iPhone apps work with the iWatch. The parent device (iPhone, iPad, Mac) controls what alerts get pushed to the iWatch, and these are treated like any other alert. From the iWatch, motion data gets sync'd back to the iPhone motion processor automatically. Data should flow naturally from one to the other.

The point of this watch is to enhance what a wrist watch does. At its core, a wrist watch displays the time. Additional features should build off that theme. A smartwatch should be a smarter wrist watch, not a tiny smartphone proxy or a poor substitute for a headset. An iWatch should complement your use of iPhone and headset, not act as a mediocre surrogate for them.

Or, if I can coin a phrase, a smartwatch should be a "glanceable" device. Any information it gives you, whether the time or an appointment notice, should be readable with a glance. If you need to spend more than ten seconds reading or digging through screens on your watch, it'd probably be quicker and easier to pull out your phone or tablet to do it. Glance and done. That's how easy an iWatch should be.

7. Cost

Precision watchmaking, sapphire and Liquidmetal construction, ion cannon-sliced solar panels. How much could that cost? Remember how the average cost of a Swiss watch is $739? In that range.

Obviously, Apple could cut costs by swapping in cheaper parts and materials, but again, the challenge is to build a watch that competes in the luxury end of the market. This has to be a watch that a high-powered executive would wear during the day to get stuff done before switching into his Rolex at night. Over time, production will scale up and costs will come down, but construction quality must start high and remain so.

That said, less expensive models could arise over time. A later model could use an electronic analog watch face and capped charging port instead of solar. A similar model could be fitness-oriented with impact-resistant, rubberized body and band and onboard biometric monitors. Further out, Apple could expand with a line of basic wrist watches with Bluetooth alerts and no OLED - an iWatch counterpart to the iPod shuffle.

On the other hand, iWatch could simultaneously go deeper into the luxury market with limited editions of special designs and exotic materials. Imagine a Product (RED) design with red watch face available only at Apple Stores, or a strictly limited release with a platinum face with gold hands sold only at flagship stores. Now that everyone has an iPhone or iPad, an Apple wrist watch designed as a luxury good could rejuvenate the exclusivity of Apple's brand. This, I'm sure, is something that would greatly interest their new head of retail, Angela Ahrendts.

And don't think Apple is above limited releases. Limited edition iPods were all over the place back in its heyday. More importantly, wrist watches are intended to last for many years, much longer than the typical mobile phone. What drives repeat sales of wrist watches is fashion, not features. The iWatch should receive incremental tech updates every year, but new styles are what will drive growth.

The Benefits

So now that we've looked at the what and how of Apple making a smartwatch, the remaining question is why. Why should Apple bother with an iWatch? The obvious answer is financial gain. The global wrist watch industry was estimated to have $60B in global sales and $7B in U.S. sales in 2013. Not a lot compared to Apple's fiscal year 2013 with $170B in sales, but there's potential for growth, just as there was with mobile phones and tablets when Apple entered those markets and ate all the profits.

A more important factor is the aforementioned point of brand exclusivity. Apple's success stems from their premium products and a perception of exclusivity. Hard to push exclusivity when you're pushing millions of iPhones a month, and harder still when you've got to sources those parts. Samsung sells more smartphones, but that's spread out over a lot of cheaper models with different parts. They never need to source a particular set of high-end parts in the same volume that Apple does.

An iWatch, if Apple goes the luxury route, gives them a product that can utilize more exotic components and be sold in quantities (and at prices) appropriate for an exclusive brand. They can use it to ramp up production of Liquidmetal until it is viable for use in other products. They can use it to try out new tech like transparent OLED and solar power. Pundits keep saying Apple needs to get new products to market, but what Apple really needs is an outlet to experiment with advanced tech that isn't yet available in iPhone-level quantities.

Finally, this iWatch gives Apple a product that can drive more on the liberal arts side of the crossroads of liberal arts and technology. Yes, there is a lot of highly advanced tech, but there's also an old-school mechanical watch face. Yes, there would be tech improvements over time, but the sales driver would be style and fashion. This is the big challenge for Jony Ive and his design team. Gadget geeks will gladly wear gear that looks stupid, but most people won't. An iWatch should be a technological marvel but people should buy it because it is a beautiful watch, regardless of its "smart" features. That should be the real measure of its success.

Conclusion

Let me again state that I have no inside knowledge as to Apple's plans. This iWatch I present is solely my interpretation of the challenges for such a device and the resources at Apple's disposal. The technology listed are those currently used, licensed, or researched by Apple. I believe it is very plausible for Apple to bring them together to create such a device. Whether Apple pursues this goal in this manner is up to them.

Regardless, I do believe the smartwatch field will remain niche until and unless these challenges are properly met. There seems to be a fixation, by analysts and vendors (especially Google with their Android Wear initiative), on the "gadgetness" of smartwatches. They seem to believe there is some demand for another screen to look at. To an extent, they're right. We are spending more and more time staring at gadgets. But there are devices far better suited for this, smartphones and tablets, than small-screened wrist watches.

Also, while people are accustomed to perpetual upgrades in the ever advancing mobile phone field, wrist watch buyers expect their purchases to last for years. The driving force behind new sales is fashion, not technology. People who own multiple watches wear different ones for different outfits and occasions. Motorola seems to recognize this with their fashionable Moto 360, but the customization options point to a one-watch-for-all-occasions strategy. It's pragmatic but seems to rely on the same tech-driven upgrade strategy as smartphones.

Instead of making watches that are surrogate smartphones, vendors should focus on making smarter watches. They must understand why people buy wrist watches and offer convincing arguments to why their smartwatches are the better choice. There needs to be a recognition that the field of competition is all wrist watches, not just "smart" ones. Only then will the wrist watch market follow the mobile phone path and shift from "dumb" to "smart".

Party like it's 2001 #ink

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A Better Way #ink

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