Lenovo teases Yoga Tablet that can stand itself up, shift its center of gravity

Lenovo teases Yoga Tablet that can stand itself up, shift its center of gravity:

Looks like Lenovo and its executives are taking a page out of Huawei's book to start leaking its own products, with the victim this time being an oddly named Yoga Tablet. Our source told us that unlike the Yoga laptop series, this mysterious device isn't a transformable device. Instead, the main selling points here are the product will have a "leg" that can somehow stand itself up, plus it has some sort of mechanism that can shift its center of gravity, in order to give you the illusion that it's lighter in hand. As a bonus, the Yoga Tablet claims to be the world's slimmest slate with the longest standby battery life, according to Lenovo's own "spy shot" above. If all goes well, we can expect this intriguing device to launch a month from now, as confirmed by Lenovo SVP and head of China, Chen Xudong, on Sina Weibo.
Filed under: Tablets, Lenovo
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Via: Ubergizmo
Source: Sina Weibo (1), (2)

Sharp's first Windows 8 tablet has 10.1-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 IGZO display and water resistance (hands-on)

Sharp's first Windows 8 tablet has 10.1-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 IGZO display and water resistance (hands-on):

Kicking off this week's CEATEC show in Japan, Sharp has played to its strengths with its new Windows 8 tablet, the Mebius Pad, factoring in a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution display. That puts it pretty far ahead of the current crowd of 1080p Windows 8 tablets, including Microsoft's incoming Surface 2, although we admit, we'd have loved to have seen another incredible 4K tablet. Regardless, that's the highest resolution Windows 8 tablet we've seen yet. Alongside the company's 10.1-inch IGZO panel (known for their low-power credentials), the Mebius Pad runs on a slightly less-exciting Intel quad-core Atom processor (the Z3370), which we've had mixed feelings on when it comes to the Windows tablets its powered in the past. The basic Windows 8.1 model will arrive with Office for free, although you'll have to pay extra if you want it for the Pro edition. Also, following Japanese trends for practically any device, the slab is both water and dust-proof (it's in the midst of being certified for IPX5, IPX7, IP5X), while you'll be able to buy it with LTE radios on board, at least for Nippon, as the device is unlikely to leave Japanese shores once it launches in early 2014.
Unsurprisingly, in the flesh the screen looked good -- Sharp even provided a magnifying glass so we could get up close to those pixels. The 10.1-inch display is also satisfyingly bright -- if we're honest, it's unusual to see such a capable screen powered by an Atom processor. The tablet is headed towards business use (which explains the optional stylus) and the extra resolution found on Sharp's first Windows 8 tablet means there's more space for your spreadsheets and documents. The hardware itself is suitably thin and light, with the rear of the device bearing a passing resemblance to recent Sony hardware -- possibly due to the understated camera lens in the corner. We'll let you know if Sharp has plans to offer the tablet to global business types. %Gallery-slideshow99502%
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Toshiba to cut 3,000 jobs and outsource production to stem TV losses

Toshiba to cut 3,000 jobs and outsource production to stem TV losses:

It's not as if Toshiba's TV division has been totally silent recently, but it apparently hasn't been making enough noise to justify the continued employment of its full, 6,000-strong workforce. Although it's not quite ready to give up, the Japanese manufacturer is scaling back its TV operation heavily: losing half of its staff globally and closing two of its three TV factories in favor of more outsourced production. The cuts are intended help Toshiba meet its target of $101 million in cost savings and the company hopes its TV division will return to profitability this year -- but as you'd expect, at a much smaller scale than it once had.
Filed under: Home Entertainment
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Source: Reuters

Lenovo taking on the international market with new high-end Vibe line-up

Lenovo taking on the international market with new high-end Vibe line-up: Most of you probably know Lenovo as one of the top dogs in the personal computing business, and that's fair considering that the Chinese company wasn't doing so hot in the smarpthone space just two years ago...

Report claims Retina iPad mini won’t launch until next year

Report claims Retina iPad mini won’t launch until next year:
Apple is widely expected to unveil its second-generation iPad mini tablet alongside a completely redesigned full-size iPad at a press conference next month, however a new report suggests the launch of Apple's new smaller slate may not happen until sometime next year. Speaking with CNET, IHS iSuppli analyst Rhoda Alexander said her checks indicate that the new fifth-generation iPad indeed appears set for an October launch, but the new Retina iPad mini is a different story. "The Retina Mini looks less certain for that time. Manufacturing volumes on that would match better with a [first-quarter 2014] launch," Alexander said. It's worth noting that just about every Apple device launch in the past few years has been preceded by rumors of delays that never seem to pan out.

Within two years, every Delta pilot will be using a Surface 2

Within two years, every Delta pilot will be using a Surface 2:

In an unexpected turn, Delta has informed employees that it will be issuing a Surface 2 running Windows 8.1 RT to every pilot over the next two years. The airline ran an Electronic Flight Bag pilot program with iPads back in 2011, but for reasons unknown, that popular slate has since been scrapped. According to WindowsITPro, Delta had since planned to move forward with Nokia's rumored tablet, but has opted for the Surface 2 instead. The decision follows a move to equip flight attendants with Lumia 820 handsets, which will be used for processing payments and tracking passenger information. Considering the importance of a reliable cockpit device, however, this Surface 2 news is arguably far more significant.
Filed under: Tablets, Microsoft
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Via: GeekWire
Source: WindowsITPro

Apple rumored to be working on giant 12-inch iPad

Apple rumored to be working on giant 12-inch iPad:
Apple may have missed the boat with the phablet craze but now it may be trying to beat Samsung to the punch by releasing an iPad Mega. Chinese newspaper United Daily News reports that Apple is teaming up with longtime manufacturing partner Quanta Computer to design a 12-inch iPad that the company will use to offset declines in MacBook Air sales. This isn't the first time we've heard rumors about a bigger iPad, of course, as earlier this year The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was testing out a 13-inch iPad alongside a larger "iPhablet" that would go head-to-head with Samsung's Galaxy Note series.

Samsung to unveil its first smartphone with a curved display next month

Samsung to unveil its first smartphone with a curved display next month:
Samsung proved earlier this year that curved displays are feasible, and the next step will be making use of new curved designs in smartphone. Reuters reports that Samsung has confirmed plans to introduce a smartphone with a curved display in South Korea sometime next month. The South Korean electronics company has already revealed prototypes with flexible screens and curved glass, but this is the first confirmation of a product announcement from Samsung. Of course, if Samsung's pricey curved OLED HDTV is any indication, producing these displays is still a very expensive process. Curved and flexible displays could be a fascinating proposition for portable electronics, but the technology will have to be affordable first before it can be widely adopted.

LEAK -- Retina iPad mini pictured in gold with Touch ID fingerprint scanner

LEAK -- Retina iPad mini pictured in gold with Touch ID fingerprint scanner:
Apple's second-generation iPad mini tablet is expected to be unveiled next month and according to a pair of leaked photos, the tablet will seemingly be made available in the same gold and white color combination as Apple's new flagship iPhone 5s. Chinese-language ZOL, which is owned by CBS Interactive, on Friday published a pair of images it claims reveal the new Retina iPad mini in gold. The photos were first published by a user on the site's forum, and they also seemingly confirm that the new iPad mini will include Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanner, also like the iPhone 5s. Earlier reports suggested Apple's next-generation iPad and iPad mini would not include Touch ID and these photos certainly could be fake, but Apple undoubtedly plans to bring the technology to its tablet lineup at some point. Apple's Retina iPad mini is expected to be unveiled alongside a new completely redesigned fifth-generation iPad early next month and both tablets are expected to be released soon after. We have also seen the tablet pictured in Apple's new space gray color, so it looks like the new mini may indeed feature more changes than just an upgraded display. Images of the purported gold Retina iPad mini follows below.

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ABI Research: Android taking over the tablet market from iOS

ABI Research: Android taking over the tablet market from iOS: According to ABI Research, there has been a change in the global tablet market; the Apple iPad, which has been credited with creating the tablet category with the launch of the OG version in 2010, has "passed the baton to the Android ecosystem," according to the research firm. And there are three reasons why this seems to be the case...

Smartwatch Sales Set to Explode

Smartwatch Sales Set to Explode: NextMarket Insights, a market research firm, forecasts that the smartwatch market is on the verge of a consumer explosion. Predicting that the smartwatch technology will begin to build upon itself in functionality and not just as a wearable tech decoration. As the market grows, the hardware and software will mature, and smartwatches might begin to claim their stake in the world of wearable tech. Comments

Video shows how much lighter, thinner and narrower the Apple iPad 5 will be

Video shows how much lighter, thinner and narrower the Apple iPad 5 will be: We've seen the new look of the next full-sized Apple tablet, the Apple iPad 5; thanks to the design cues it has taken from the Apple iPad mini, the device is thinner and lighter and the volume rocker is made of two parts instead of just one. And we must not forget the stereo speakers on the new slab...

Staples begins selling the iPad in US stores

Staples begins selling the iPad in US stores:

As per Mark’s scoop last week, Staples has indeed begun selling the iPad and is offering the full line with 5% back in Staples gift cards. You can now order the iPad from its online stores and inventory should begin arriving in stores this week.
You’ll recall from our iPad Product Page, we’d probably recommend holding off the purchase of any iPad because Apple will likely update its line in October.  However, those companies with Staples purchasing accounts will now be able to scoop up an iPad on the corporate account.
Staples began carrying Apple products in the US earlier this year and would seem to be doing well at it as evidenced by the expanding line of products.

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TV panel makers could face losses in 2H13 amid declining TV panel prices

TV panel makers could face losses in 2H13 amid declining TV panel prices: The panel industry could see losses in the third and fourth quarters of 2013 largely due to declining prices for large-size TV panels.

3M introduces LED advanced light for enclosed commercial applications

3M introduces LED advanced light for enclosed commercial applications: 3M has introduced one of the first LED A19 lamps approved for enclosed fixtures in commercial applications.

Apple to expand iPad’s reach with Staples deal next month

Apple to expand iPad’s reach with Staples deal next month:

Apple and Staples have struck a deal for the United States office supply retail chain to sell both iPads and iPods beginning next month, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. This person says that several versions of both the iPad and iPod will be available via the Staples Online Store in the U.S. for the first time beginning as soon as October 1st. Staples currently sells the iPad via its website in Canada.
The source says that the recent Apple and Staples’ distribution deal for accessories, like Apple’s Magic Mouse, the Apple TV, keyboards, and AirPort wireless routers, was a testbed to see if Apple products fit the taste of Staples’ customer base. The sales of Apple accessories through Staples have been so successful that Apple has agreed to start selling iPads and iPods through the chain…

While Staples is said to be excited about carrying the iPad and iPod online, the company has greater aspirations. The source says that Staples would like to be able to sell the iPad directly from its brick-and-mortar chain by early next year. In order for Apple to agree to this, Staples will need to refer a certain amount of online iPad sales to its customers weekly until the end of 2013. Staples stores will gain in-store kiosks to promote the iPads during the next few months.
The source says that if each Staples store refers one iPad sale per week in October, two per week in November, and five per week in December, Apple will be willing to sell iPads in physical Staples locations. With Apple preparing to launch at least a couple of new iPads in October, perhaps Staples will be able to reach its goal and become a significant iPad sales partner next year.
Image via Los Angelista


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FAA Advisory Panel Says We Should Be Allowed to Use Electronic Devices

FAA Advisory Panel Says We Should Be Allowed to Use Electronic Devices:

As expected, the FAA advisory committee has recommended that airline passengers should be "allowed to use smartphones, tablets, e-readers and other personal electronic devices during takeoffs and landings". That means, yes, we can finally use our damn (innocent) electronic devices while on an airplane without looking like a criminal.
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Microsoft plans single app store for both Windows 8 and Windows Phone

Microsoft plans single app store for both Windows 8 and Windows Phone:
This could be just the thing that Microsoft needs to reignite developer interest in Windows Phone: A common app store for its multiple platforms. Unnamed sources tell The Verge that Microsoft has been testing out a single app store for both Windows 8 apps and Windows Phone 8 apps that will offer a common platform for developers to sell their software. Microsoft is planning to launch the store with the release of Windows Phone 8.1 and with a special update to Windows 8.1 in the first half of 2014. Although we still don't know how the combined app store will work, The Verge speculates that "it's possible that Microsoft may take an approach that's similar to Apple's App Store, where tablet specific apps don't run on the phone, but phone apps scale to run on a tablet."

New video claims to show iPad 5 Smart Cover with smaller dimensions

New video claims to show iPad 5 Smart Cover with smaller dimensions:

Leading up to Apple’s rumored October iPad event, Youtube user UnboxTherapy has posted what he claims to be the next generation Smart Cover for the upcoming iPad 5.

Although design-wise, the cover appears to be identical to the current 9.7″ iPad Smart Covers, upon closer inspection, the dimensions are smaller than that of the current cover, and fit perfectly onto leaked parts from the iPad 5, which, like the iPad mini, sheds its large bezel in favor of a much thinner edge, to make the device more comfortable to hold. In fact, photos seem to depict the iPad 5 as looking identical to the current generation iPad mini, just larger.
While these Smart Covers appear to be legitimate, we remain skeptical of the design discrepancies between this cover and that of the one that ships on the iPad mini. If you recall, the iPad mini’s Smart Cover reveals no metal hinge, with the magnets instead being embedded in the same material as the case itself is made of, to avoid scratching the iPad. It’s questionable why Apple would continue to ship the larger Smart Cover with a design inconsistent to that of the iPad mini’s cover.


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New trouble arises in China for Apple, Samsung tablets

New trouble arises in China for Apple, Samsung tablets:
As name brand tablets begin to penetrate the Chinese market, less expensive tablets keep seeing their prices cut to stay ahead of the curve. Digitimes reports that "white-box" (more affordable) tablet vendors are able to keep putting pressure on Apple, Samsung and other electronics giants by using entry-level processors from China-based chipmakers and China's supply chain to their advantage. IDC released data earlier this year showing a sharp decline in Apple's tablet market share in China. The rise of the affordable white-box tablets has been notable not only in China, but around the world, and the demand will continue to grow as prices continue to drop.

Researchers vaporize old plastic bags to create carbon nanotubes

Researchers vaporize old plastic bags to create carbon nanotubes:
Carbon nanotubes have an incredible number of potential uses, but one of the main barriers to actually implementing this revolutionary nanomaterial is the cost. A team of researchers out of the University of […]

Researchers vaporize old plastic bags to create carbon nanotubes

Researchers vaporize old plastic bags to create carbon nanotubes:
Carbon nanotubes have an incredible number of potential uses, but one of the main barriers to actually implementing this revolutionary nanomaterial is the cost. A team of researchers out of the University of […]

Evernote expands with new product line: scanners, Post-Its, wallets and socks

Evernote expands with new product line: scanners, Post-Its, wallets and socks:

Evernote has already ventured beyond apps with a Smart Notebook made by Moleskine, but the company's now kicked off a new initiative that'll see its logo appear on some decidedly more surprising products. As the company indicated previously, that includes hardware developed by a partner -- an Evernote-branded Fujitisu scanner and a stylus from Adonit, for starters -- but also a number of products that have little direct link to Evernote's core services. Those include a wallet, backpacks, a laptop case and, yes, socks -- all of which can be purchased through the Evernote's online store, which is said to also be coming to its various apps.
Another new partnership also announced today will see 3M produce a new line of Post-It notes that are designed to be captured with a smartphone's camera, not unlike the aforementioned Moleskine notebook; in this case, Evernote apps will organize Post-Its based on their color. You can browse all the current offerings available in the Evernote Market at the source link below, and count on seeing plenty more in the future. Speaking at the company's conference in San Francisco today, Evernote CEO Phil Libin spelled it out: "we're a fashion brand now."

Filed under: Misc, Peripherals
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Via: TechCrunch
Source: Evernote Market

Google Search Is Getting Even Smarter

Google Search Is Getting Even Smarter:

Today, 15 years after Google launched, the company's SVP of Search Amit Singhal let us know where the search giant is heading. Not surprisingly, the primary focus is the engine's ability to understand what you want, however you say it.
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