New Lenovo Devices Transform to Fit the Board Room, Game Room and Beyond

PRESS RELEASE

Lenovo advances 2-in-1 ThinkPad Helix for business and family-friendly HORIZON tabletop PCs with thinner and lighter designs

• ThinkPad Helix ups the ante for business detachable devices with security encryption, premium processing and no moving parts

• HORIZON 2s and 2e PC offer consumers choices of an ultra-thin, more portable tabletop PC or more budget-friendly models

• ThinkCentre Tiny-in-One (TIO) 23 is Lenovo’s first detach-and-build modular all-in-one (AIO) business PC

• Edge 15 dual mode laptop for work and play offers long battery life

 
BERLIN, GERMANY – September 4, 2014: Lenovo (HKSE: 922) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced at the 2014 IFA Consumer Electronics Unlimited show in Berlin a portfolio of business and consumer devices that provide tailored solutions to some of the most common business user headaches and that delight consumers in unexpected ways.  The lineup starts with the new ThinkPad Helix, a complete business 2-in-1 Ultrabook that elevates thin and light design and takes multimode computing to the next level with the latest state of the art hardware. Lenovo also introduced two new all-in-one (AIO) tabletop PCs: the 19.5-inch HORIZON 2s, Lenovo’s thinnest tabletop PC packed with premium features, plus the 21.5-inch HORIZON 2e, Lenovo’s most affordable tabletop PC. In addition, Lenovo announced the ThinkCentre Tiny-in-One 23, a new way for businesses to customize a secure AIO desktop solution, and the thinner and lighter Edge 15, an ultra-sleek dual-mode laptop for consumers.

An Unmatched Business 2-in-1 Ultrabook 
To meet the needs of business customers wanting a tablet for when they’re on-the-go, and a laptop for an extra level of productivity, Lenovo gives them the best of both worlds with the ThinkPad Helix, now even thinner and lighter and more fully-featured. The ThinkPad Helix weighs 2.98 pounds and measures only 0.38 inches, 15 percent thinner than its predecessor.
 
The new ThinkPad Helix sets an even higher standard for business 2-in-1 Ultrabooks with its top-of-the-line hardware and software technologies for unmatched flexibility, productivity and connectivity. This high performance Ultrabook packs even more power with the all new Intel® Core™ M processor, providing even better performance than the previous generation. Running on the trusted build and durability of Think-branded products, ThinkPad Helix also looks great with its sleek and premium finish. Fashioned from an aluminum grip-friendly finish, it provides a professional image for business. The ThinkPad Helix also features astonishing power efficiency and battery life, compared to its predecessor. 
 
The ThinkPad Helix retains the five modes users rely on to stay productive – Tablet, Stand, Tent, Laptop, and Desktop. The versatile and detachable ThinkPad Helix allows users to work comfortably typing on its legendary ThinkPad keyboard or to take notes and sketch with its digitizer pen. Then to switch from laptop to tablet, simply rip and go. Or to place it in Tent or Stand Mode, rip and then flip the 11.6-inch laptop’s screen 180° and re-insert into the base.
 
The ThinkPad Helix includes Windows 8.1 Pro and a suite of add-on security options, including biometric fingerprint reader, military-grade smart card reader and three factor authentication. The 2-in-1 also comes pre-loaded with software offerings like Lenovo Settings, Lenovo Companion 2.0, Lenovo Reach and Lenovo SHAREit to keep users’ digital content organized between different devices and files.  Lenovo Settings provides users with the ability to control and improve their device’s performance and manage system functions easily, automatically and predictably, while Lenovo Companion 2.0 acts as a central hub for users to easily access and understand their system’s best features, manage system health, view available driver updates, buy customized accessories and check warranty status. Lenovo Reach is a cloud storage service for users to store and access files from multiple devices, and Lenovo SHAREit easily transfers digital content to any smartphone, PC and tablet.
 
Users can choose between the ThinkPad Helix with Ultrabook Keyboard or ThinkPad Helix with Ultrabook Pro Keyboard for even more power with battery life. ThinkPad Helix is equipped with Gorilla® Glass and a large FHD display and can be paired with an optional ThinkPad digitizer pen for additional flexibility and usability. 
 

The ThinkPad Helix is the industry's leading 2-in-1 device. Powered by the latest Intel Core processor family, sporting a new revolutionary fan less design and up to 12 hours of battery life. Built for business, the ThinkPad Helix. Learn more about Lenovo: http://lnv.gy/lenovo

HORIZON 2s and 2e Gives Families More Options for Tabletop PCs
Lenovo’s HORIZON tabletop PCs are continuing to redefine the tabletop computing experience for families. They now come in thinner and lighter models and more budget-friendly models with the HORIZON 2s and 2e, respectively.
 
The HORIZON 2s with the “s” representing “slim” epitomizes the concept of a thin and light tabletop PC at just 0.59-inches and just over five pounds. This machine amazingly shaves 10 pounds off the original HORIZON 2, making it even easier to carry around from room to room in a house or even outside the home. Designed as a dual work and collaborative interpersonal device for play, the new HORIZON tabletop PCs provide the same Stand and Flat modes as previous models. Users can enjoy working in the Windows environment when upright as an AIO and then lay it flat to play games in Lenovo’s Aura interface. 
 
Both models include Lenovo’s advanced Aura multi-user interface that allows two or more people to access their individual photos, videos and music together on the same screen. Aura now works even better with Android devices. Users can pair up to four Android devices at one time for quick access to media from their Android smartphone, tablet or other device directly on the PC’s FHD display. When it’s time to work, an optional premium aluminum stand accessory serves as a charging station with the HORIZON 2s placed at a comfortable height for long term use in Stand Mode
 
For those on a budget, the new HORIZON 2e comes with a 21.5-inch FHD screen starting at just $749.

Both the HORIZON 2s and 2e come with up a 4th generation Intel® Core™ processor and genuine Windows 8.1, along with near field communications (optional on the 2e) for a seamless digital content sharing experience, and Bluetooth 4.0 for fast device pairing. Both models feature integrated Dolby® Home Theater® stereo speakers for professional-grade multimedia sound control and optional gaming accessories, including joystick, e-Dice and striker. The integrated battery provides up to 2.5 hours of streaming HD via Wi-Fi on the 2s and three hours on the 2e, providing users with enough power to watch their favorite film a second time without the hassle of plugging in. They also both come pre-installed with more than 40 multi-user gaming and education applications.

ThinkCentre Tiny-in-One 23: The World’s First Modular All-in-One Desktop for Business
Lenovo’s new ThinkCentre Tiny-in-One (TIO) 23 modular AIO gives businesses the flexibility to “mix and match” a 23-inch AIO experience with all current ThinkCentre Tiny PCs (sold separately), allowing for separate refresh cycles of a traditional tower setup while offering space saving and outstanding cable management capabilities of an all-in-one PC.
 
Designed specifically for IT managers, the TIO delivers an outstanding business AIO experience with a brilliant 23-inch FHD display, front-access USB 3.0 audio ports, an optional ODD and an ergonomic stand that allows for tilt and height adjustment. Unlike most traditional AIOs, the TIO 23 is powered by a detachable ThinkCentre Tiny PC that seamlessly locks into the back of the monitor within seconds through a simple tool-less setup process. This unique hybrid configuration not only provides users with a clean-desk computing experience free from cable clutter but also allows users to configure their 23-inch AIO with a multitude of different chipsets and CPUs according to their needs, choosing from different ThinkCentre Tiny PC products. When it comes time to upgrade or service the system, users can simply pop the old Tiny PC out of the TIO, drop the new one in and resume back to work in less than two minutes.
 
Users in enterprise, education, and government will particularly enjoy additional ease-of-deployment features such as the single standard Lenovo power adapter to power both the monitor and the Tiny PC. Being VESA compatible, users also have the flexibility to deploy the system on a variety of VESA-compatible mounts, stands, and brackets. TIO offers enhanced physical security for the Tiny PC with an advanced locking mechanism that secures Tiny and the TIO’s optional ODD module inside the system when a Kensington cable lock is attached.
 
 

Edge 15 Thins Out the Dual Mode Competition in Style
To respond to consumer need for an even thinner and lighter dual mode laptop, Lenovo created the Edge 15. At under an inch thin and weighing just over five pounds, the Edge 15 convertible laptop is Lenovo’s thinnest and 15-inch consumer laptop yet. Encased in a premium aluminum chassis, a 300-degree hinge offers users an easy way to transition between its two modes: Laptop and Stand. With the AccuType backlit keyboard and touchpad, using the Edge 15 in Laptop Mode makes typing comfortable on this Windows 8.1 laptop. When it’s time to kick back, flip the Edge 15 into Stand Mode to enjoy intuitive touch applications or make a video call with the integrated 720p HD webcam and crisp dual array digital microphone.
 
The Edge 15 features a 15.6-inch IPS FHD display that supports 10-point multi-touch for a more interactive computing experience. Paired with Dolby® Home Theater stereo speakers and the option of NVIDIA® GeForce® GT840M 4GB graphics or Intel Integrated Intel® HD Graphics 4400, the Edge 15 provides a rich entertainment experience. The Edge 15 also boasts all-day power with an up to eight hour battery1. This makes the Edge 15 ideal for users who don’t want to be tied down with a power cord when on the road, at a business meeting or at the local coffee shop.
 
Under the hood, the Edge 15 packs a powerful punch with up to the latest 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7 processor, 16GB of DDR3L memory,  choice of up to 1TB of HHD, hybrid SSHD storage with integrated 16GB NAND flash or up to 256GB SSD storage and Lenovo’s SHAREit software.
 
Quotes:

 “Our latest consumer and business PC portfolio demonstrates how we’re innovating to meet the very different needs of these two customer groups,” said Dilip Bhatia, vice president, design and marketing, PC Group, Lenovo. “From the first modular desktop solution and creating a new standard for business 2-in-1s to the next generation of tabletop PC and new multimode laptops, we’re committed to delivering products that delight users and help them get more done.”
 
“The computing landscape is rapidly evolving as more users transition to multi-functional devices supporting end user consumption and creation needs at home and in the workplace,” said Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager, PC Client Group, Intel Corporation.   “The Intel® Core™ M processor was engineered to enable the optimal balance of performance and battery life in commercial devices like the ThinkPad Helix.”
 
Pricing and Availability

• The Lenovo HORIZON 2s will be available beginning in October with models starting at $949 via major retailers and www.lenovo.com.
• The Lenovo HORIZON 2e will be available beginning in October with models starting at $749 via major retailers and www.lenovo.com.
• The ThinkPad Helix will be available beginning in October with models starting at $999 (with Ultrabook keyboard) and will be available worldwide via business partners and www.lenovo.com.
• The Lenovo Edge 15 will be available beginning in October with models starting at $899 via Best Buy and www.lenovo.com.
• The ThinkCentre Tiny-in-One 23 starts at $279 and will be beginning October via business partners and www.lenovo.com.

About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$39 billion personal technology company, the largest PC company in the world, serving customers in more than 160 countries. Dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, Lenovo’s business is built on product innovation, a highly-efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution.  Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include legendary Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices, including tablets and smartphones. As a global Fortune 500 company, Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Raleigh, North Carolina.  For more information see www.lenovo.com.
 
1 Battery life based on simulation results and is an estimated maximum average. Actual battery life may vary based on many factors.
2 Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Products may only be available in selected markets. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.

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Acer Expands Its Flexible 2-in-1 Product Family with New 11.6-inch Aspire Switch 11

PRESS RELEASE

BERLIN -- Acer today expanded its popular 2-in-1 notebook line with the new Aspire Switch 11 series of 11.6-inch models and a new Switch 10 that boasts a 1080p Full HD 10.1-inch display. The Aspire Switch 2-in-1 lines combine a full Microsoft Windows® -based notebook and tablet in one flexible device.

The new Aspire Switch models were unveiled today at Acer’s Global Press Conference at IFA 2014 in Berlin, Germany, where the company announced their entire line of holiday products. They can be viewed at the Acer Booth in Berlin Messe (Hall 12/101), which will be open to the public from September 5th through September 10th.

Not only is the Acer Aspire Switch series beautiful, it’s intelligent. It offers four flexible modes for touch, typing, viewing, and sharing. The magnetic detachable Acer Snap Hinge™ has two hooks to firmly connect the tablet to the keyboard and a 2-way connector that holds the tablet for convenient two-sided viewing. This innovative design enables easy transitioning between modes, latch-free keyboard docking and additional storage capability.

“We’re thrilled that the flexibility and portability of our Acer Aspire Switch series has resonated with customers,” said Jerry Kao, general manager of Acer Notebook Business Group. “Our new models sporting larger 11.6-inch screens with durable Gorilla Glass 3, an anti-fingerprint coating and a responsive Chiclet keyboard should be a hit with both students and professionals alike.”

“2-in-1s offer a great value proposition to consumers who want a laptop and a tablet in one device,” said Navin Shenoy, VP of Intel PC Client Group and GM, Mobile Client Platform Division. “Acer’s new line of 2-in-1s provides more compelling choices that elegantly work, share and play in a variety of modes – all powered by the outstanding performance of Intel processors.”

Aspire Switch 11 Series

The new Aspire Switch 11 notebooks featuring 11.6-inch displays are outfitted with durable Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to help safeguard the screens from damage and scratches. They’re also protected with an anti-fingerprint coating to reduce fingerprints and smudges, while making them easier to clean. In addition, a Chiclet keyboard provides good travel distance and well-spaced keys, which deliver solid tactile feedback, making typing easier and more comfortable. Two front-facing stereo speakers deliver clear audio for enjoying movies, videos and music.

Two models are available in this series. Engineered for power users, the Aspire Switch SW5-171 features a Full HD 1080p display and a HD webcam for enjoying images and videoconferences in sharp detail. Up to a fast 4th generation Intel® Core™ i5 processor delivers plenty of power for multitasking and fueling casual games and movies. It’s also outfitted with 4GB memory and up to a 128GB1 SATA hard drive for storing a large archive of data and applications. Connectivity to external storage, peripherals and other digital devices is provided via full-sized USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports.

Designed for mainstream users, the Aspire Switch SW5-111 is outfitted with a 1366 x 768 resolution display. It offers ample power with an Intel® Atom™ Z3745 quad-core processor, 2GB memory and sufficient room for archiving data with up to 64GB1 eMMC storage. Two USB 2.0 ports – one full sized and the other micro – provide connectivity to peripherals and digital devices. A 2.0MP front camera with Full HD 1080p audio/video recording enables videoconferences and capturing images on the fly.

Both models include Microsoft Windows® 8.1 for full PC productivity, micro HDMI® for connecting a full-size display via just one cable and MicroSD for reading a wide variety of SD cards. Excellent wireless connectivity is enabled with Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11 a/b/g/n.

Aspire Switch 10 Series

The Aspire Switch 10 offers a new model, the SW5-012 that features a Full HD 1920 x 1200 or a HD 1280 x 800 10.1-inch display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to help protect the screen from scratches. One of the thinnest 2-in-1 devices on the market, it measures less than 8.9 mm thin (0.35 inches) in tablet mode and 20.2 mm (0.44 inches) with the keyboard dock.

Weighing just 0.585 kg (1.29 lb.) for the tablet and 1.17 kg (2.58 lb.) for the combined tablet and keyboard, the thin and light design is perfect for frequent travelers. It delivers long battery life of up to 8 hours2 (HD) and 7 hours2 (Full HD) for almost a full day of computing. This model provides solid performance offering up to 32/64GB1 of storage, 2GB of RAM and an Intel® Atom™ quad-core processor. It offers a 2MP HD webcam with 1920 x 1080 resolution and 1080p Full HD audio/video recording. The Switch 10 SW5-012 also comes pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows® 8.1 along with Microsoft Office 365 Personal 3 at no additional expense, so users can create and edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents virtually everywhere.

Switch 10 and Switch 11: Four Modes; Robust, Attractive Design

Featuring a magnetic detachable design for latch-free docking and smooth transition, the Acer Snap Hinge allows users to switch easily between four modes of usage.

Notebook – fully functional with a spacious keyboard and a Precision Touchpad for content creation and other productivity apps
Pad – thin and light for those on the go; ideal for browsing the Internet, viewing movies, playing tablet games and taking notes with an optional Acer Active Pen
Display – a stable mode, ideal for showcasing presentations in small meetings, sharing photos and videos with friends or enjoying videoconferences
Tent – hands-free experience for watching movies and/or maximizing space in confined spaces, such as while traveling on a plane or train

Thin, lightweight and durable, the Aspire Switch series was made for taking to class, for work and on the road. The rear cover is made from aluminum with NIL (nano imprint lithography) and is finished with a gentle gray brush stroke for an aesthetic touch.

Zero Air Gap technology delivers sharp images, while Acer LumiFlex™ optimizes screen visibility during outdoor activities, even in bright sunlight. IPS technology provides wide viewing angles and accurate colors from edge to edge.

The Precision Touchpad supports six touchpad gestures and delivers greater sensitivity and palm rejection by distinguishing between intentional finger gestures vs. accidental contact by the palm of the hand.

Built-in Acer BYOC™ 4 means users will never be unprepared as they can easily access and manage their data anywhere. Acer BYOC Apps offer real time information, data management, and data security across multiple devices for immediate synchronizing.

Optional accessories include an Acer Active Pen that provides fast, precise input for those who prefer to handwrite notes, an Acer Snap Case that protects and packs the tablet and keyboard for easy carry, and a micro USB cable that serves as a connection and charging hub.

Pricing and Availability

The Acer Aspire Switch 11 series will be available in October in Pan America with prices starting at US$399, in EMEA with prices starting at €399.

The Acer Aspire Switch 10 series will be available in September in Pan America with prices starting at US$329.99, and in EMEA with prices starting at €329.

To find out about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office or retailer via www.acer.com.

1.    Accessible capacity varies: (MB = 1 million bytes; GB = 1 billion bytes) 
2.    Actual battery life varies depending on product specifications, computer settings and applications or features launched. All batteries’ maximum capacity diminishes with time and use. 
3.    Office 365 Personal 1 year activation required within limited time. Specifications vary depending on region.
4.    Acer BYOC is supported on Windows 7 and Windows 8 Desktop, Windows RT, Android 2.3 or later, and iOS 5.1 or later. To set up your personal Acer BYOC service, you'll need at least one PC and one mobile device with the Acer BYOC Apps installed and must designate one PC as your Personal Cloud Storage. 
5.    IDC 2013

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Acer Announces Two New Convertible Notebook Lines, the Aspire R 13 Series and Aspire R 14 Series

EDITOR'S NOTE: The two Aspire models announced earlier this month at IFA replace last year's 15.6-inch Aspire R7-572 model, which we reviewed here.

PRESS RELEASE

BERLIN  - Acer has announced the Aspire R 13 and Aspire R 14 Series, two new convertible notebook lines that can transition between various notebook and tablet style modes of operation. The R 13 Series features Acer’s Ezel Aero hinge that allows the display to rotate into six different positions. All models can also be used with the optional Acer Active Pen. The R 14 Series of convertible notebooks features a 360 degree dual-torque hinge that allows it to be used in four usage modes. Both notebooks are designed for those who don’t want to give up a traditional notebook design, but want more options and flexibility.

“Acer’s goal is to deliver an experience consistently beyond everyone’s expectation at all price points,” said Jason Chen, Corporate President and CEO, Acer Inc. “These new Aspire convertibles are the perfect device to sit in the middle of your mobile world - a device that is both portable and capable of efficient productivity.”

Both the R 13 Series and R 14 Series were unveiled today at Acer’s Global Press Conference at IFA 2014 in Berlin, Germany, where the company announced their entire line of holiday products. They can be viewed at the Acer Booth in Berlin Messe (Hall 12/101), which will be open to the public from September 5-10.

Aspire R 13 Series - Intelligent Construction and Smart Features Enhance Work and Play

Less than 1 inch thin and just over 3 pounds (1.5 kg), the lightweight Aspire R 13 Series incorporates the inventive Acer Ezel Aero hinge that provides both flexibility and stability. The 13.3-inch display is affixed to this special hinge at the sides, which allows the screen to rotate 180-degrees so it can be used in six different ways. This quick and effortless way to transition between various modes gives it the productivity features of a traditional clamshell notebook with the convenience of a tablet. Acer’s patented dual-torque system hinge keeps the display stable and in place when touch navigation is used. It is attached to a forged U frame, which also helps to enhance stiffness while maintaining the notebook’s slim design.

Notebook mode - provides a precise and spacious keyboard for maximum productivity.
Ezel mode - brings the display close for convenient reading and web browsing.
Stand mode - makes it easy to draw a flow chart, take notes, brainstorm with others or edit artwork. The stand is sturdy enough for drawing and other touchscreen interactions.
Pad mode - enables the R 13 to be used as a tablet for web browsing, playing games or watching videos. The screen fits perfectly in the chassis frame, so it’s steam-lined and easy to hold.
Tent mode - the ideal position when space is limited, such as an airplane’s seatback tray.
Display mode - good for viewing photos and video or playing games with others.
The Aspire R 13 is crafted to last and packed full of cutting-edge features. The touchscreen and outer lid are both encased in a slim, but strong, sheet of Gorilla® Glass 3, making them tough yet beautiful.

All R 13 Series models offer premium touch screen displays with super crisp images and fine detail. Available in either super high-resolution (WQHD) (2560 x 1440) or full high-definition (FHD) (1920 x 1080), photos, videos, games and presentations are strikingly vivid and detailed; text is sharp and crystal clear. Both display options include Zero Air Gap Technology, which ensures vivid, lifelike visuals. It reduces reflections, heightens contrast, creates bright and crisp images and improves readability in sunlight. FHD models feature IPS technology, which provides wide viewing angles, making them ideal for sharing movies and photos or for work presentations.

In addition, anti-fingerprint technology helps eliminate smudges and makes the displays easier to clean, while anti-reflective technology minimizes reflections and improves the display’s contrast. A built-in light sensor automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness to enhance the screen image, making it easier to see and read based on the ambient lighting in the room.

The R 13 Series can also be used with an optional Acer Active Pen for drawing, creating and collaborating. The pen comes with a pressure sensor for professional drawing and a hover sensor for easy access to functions. It also supports palm rejection so users can write on the screen comfortably. With great accuracy and sensitivity, the Acer Active Pen can be used as a computer mouse, with the upper and lower buttons serving the same functions as the left and right buttons on a mouse.

The pen works with Acer’s exclusive pen-enabled software, Acer Hover Access, which is pre-installed on all models, and features several innovative applications for work or play: note-taking, painting and editing. Simply hover the pen closely over the display for the sensor to detect, and then click on the pen’s side button to launch apps: Acer Screen Grasp, as well as Microsoft OneNote, Windows Journal, Microsoft Sticky Note and Microsoft Fresh Paint.

The R 13 Series also features the Acer Touch Tools app, which includes:

Acer Screen Grasp - allows any image to be easily captured, personalized and shared to social networks or pasted to documents.
Acer AccuFinger - helps accurately place the cursor in text documents and acquire tiny items on the screen when using fingers.
The pen and software make using the R 13 convenient, fun and productive in 3 easy steps: Hold the Acer Active Pen above the screen and the Acer Hover Access software will automatically detect the pen; click the button on the side of the pen; launch apps to write notes, paint or edit.

In addition to its innovative features, the R 13 Series includes powerful technologies, making them fast and responsive for a wide variety of work and entertainment uses. For maximum performance, models offer Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, up to 1TB2 Solid State Drives with RAID-0 support and up to 8GB of memory. Leading audio features include Dolby Digital Plus Home Theatre for cinematic surround sound, and Acer Purified Voice, a combination of hardware (dual-array mic) and software (voice recognition and audio processing). It is also Skype™ certified, which ensures webcam/video chats, conference calls, VoIP calls and voice commands are always crystal clear. To keep the powerful R 13 running cool and quiet, the Aspire R 13 boasts an advanced dual air-intake design for comfortable and noise-free computing. For all day computing, models with a FHD display deliver up to 8 hours3 of battery life.

Pricing and Availability

The Aspire R 13 Series will be available in October in Pan America with prices starting at $899.99 (USD), in November in EMEA with prices starting at €899, and in Asia.

 

Aspire R 14 Series – Effortless Transformation

Acer’s new R 14 notebook makes it easy to play, share, display or work. Its clean, refined design incorporates a 360 degree dual-torque hinge design that allows effortless transformation into four different modes for productivity and entertainment needs -- notebook, pad, display or tent.

Notebook mode - the most efficient way for work and productivity; ideal for vast amount of keyboard input.

Display mode - brings the screen closer for watching movies; it can also be used as a large photo frame.

Tent mode – perfect for smaller spaces, such as the fold-down tray on an airplane or on a kitchen counter.

Pad mode – for use as a tablet, Internet browsing, playing light games, sharing information.

Acer’s inventive 360 degree dual-torque hinge design delivers the perfect combination of flexibility and strength, making it easy to change modes with one hand for a wobble-free touch experience. Constructed of strong zinc alloy and soft rubber, it provides durability and the perfect amount of touch resistance. In addition, the hinge design allows the lid to be laid completely flat without any gap between the chassis and lid. Collaboration and sharing are made easier when the display is laid completely flat. In tablet mode, the display can be flipped over and lays completely flat against the chassis as well, for a clean, streamlined design. When the notebook is used in display mode, the hinge slightly raises the entire system, preventing the keyboard from touching the table or other surface. For convenience, the images and audio on the R 14 automatically reverse channels when the modes are switched, so the visuals and sound are always aimed the right way.

The R 14 features a 14-inch HD (1366 x 768) display with Zero Air Gap technology, which helps to eliminate reflections in sunlight, resulting in higher contrast and crisper images. It also supports Acer Touch Tools that helps the user capture, collect, write and share screen data effortlessly through touch. Models are available with a range of Intel processors, including Pentium, Core i3, i5 or i7, and can be configured with up to 12GB of memory for powerful performance. Some models offer NVidia® GeForce® 820M graphics to enrich the overall visuals. Roomy 500GB2 or 1TB2 hard drives provide ample storage for files, photos and videos. Skype Certified, the R 14 provides crystal clear communications with uninterrupted audio and visuals free of echos, gaps and lags, making it easy to connect with friends, family or co-workers across the globe.

Pricing and Availability

The Aspire R 14 Series will be available in October in Pan America with price starting at $599.99 (USD), from mid-October in EMEA with price starting at €499, and in Asia.

To find out about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office or retailer via www.acer.com.

1)    Specifications vary depending on model.
2)    Accessible capacity varies: (MB = 1 million bytes; GB = 1 billion bytes)
3)    Actual battery life varies depending on product specifications, computer settings and applications or features launched. All batteries’ maximum capacity diminishes with time and use.

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Huion GT-220: 2048 Levels of Happiness (despite a few kinks)

Huion’s new 21.5-inch Interactive IPS Pen Display, the GT-220, is close to a dream come true.

This is the third pen display I’ve tested after Yiynova’s MVP-22U (v2) and Monoprice’s Interactive Pen Display (which is functionally the same as Huion’s earlier model, the GT-190).

My issues with the Monoprice are well documented but mainly had to do with its inferior TFT display. The Yiynova is a much better device, but aesthetic and build quality issues leave a lot to be desired.

The GT-220 is attractive, thin, very well constructed, has excellent viewing angles and most importantly a fantastic 2048 level pressure range. In fact, I was so giddy after unboxing my GT-220, hooking it up, installing drivers and testing with Manga Studio that I was tempted to post my review immediately.

If all you use is Manga Studio or Clip Studio Paint, you can stop reading right here and just break out your credit card. (See the convenient Amazon link below. Seriously, this blog needs your support).

But I know you read my reviews for my blunt assessments of the products I test. And as much as I love the GT-220, it’s definitely not without its flaws.

Counter-clockwise from upper left, the Huion GT-220 ships with an HDMI cable, two USB pen charging cables, an HDMI to VGA adapter, a USB cable, two rechargeable pens with cradle, installation discs with instructions for Mac and PC, power supply, power cord and VGA cable. I would trade one pen and USB charging cable for a DVI cable.

Eight replacement nibs and an extractor ring are tucked inside the pen stand. The pens have a nice rubberized finish and two buttons.

Connections are located on the underside of the GT-220. From left: VGA, DVI and HDMI outputs, the power connector and the USB port.

Because of their unfortunate placement, the cabling is easily tangled with the VESA stand. As the monitor angle is adjusted, you have to be careful to clear the cables so the stand can lie flat on your work surface.

Also located along the lower right edge are the monitor adjustment and power buttons.

You'll have to hold your hand flat against your desktop to access the buttons. It's unfortunate they weren't moved to another edge. Of course, except for power, you won't need to access the display settings very often.

With its slim design, the lower edge of the GT-220 screen is only 1.5-inches from the bottom of the monitor. This means you'll have to either place the monitor right at the edge of your desk or prop your palm against desk edge in order to draw along the bottom of the frame.

The GT-220 comes with a very welcome screen protector that dramatically improves the drawing experience while also reducing glare and fingerprints. The protector can be easily removed or adjusted, but it's only held in place by four pieces of double-sided tape. It's an unsightly and low-tech solution. It will be interesting to see if the adhesive loses its tack over time.

The specs say the GT-220 tilts 70-degrees from almost fully upright to nearly flat. But my unit (above) seemed to have nearly 85-degrees of movement.  It's very difficult to adjust the angle without first jiggling cables out of the way. Otherwise, the monitor stand will wobble as you apply pressure on the screen.

Having already experienced the setup of the Monoprice and Huion W58 pen tablet, I was prepared for what to expect from the installation experience. But even so, it didn't go 100% smoothly.

It's essential when installing Huion drivers to install them before connecting the monitor via USB. In my case, since I already had the GT-190 version installed, I decided to give them a whirl just to see what would happen.

When I plugged in the USB, the pen was immediately recognized and I could run the driver's control panel and even calibrate. But when I tried using Manga Studio, the pen was off by several inches. I guess that the GT-190 driver is tuned to its 1440x900 resolution and doesn't understand the 1920x1080 GT-220.

I uninstalled the older driver and rather than use the installation discs, headed for the Huion website and downloaded the latest version I could find there.

Once installed, the driver creates a desktop icon called Pen Display and a system tray item. When the USB is plugged in, double clicking the system tray icon opens the driver's control panel.

The PenDisplay control panel looks just like the panel from other recent Huion devices. Require Admin must be selected first in order to calibrate the GT-220.

The calibration tool only has five points, concentrated in the center of the display. This hasn't been an issue on either the Monoprice or Yiynova, but on the GT-220, I'm noticing more edge parallax than I'm accustomed. Hopefully future driver updates will increase the calibration points which would help reduce the cursor drift from the display center to the upper left corner.

But after all is said and done, the pressure range in Manga Studio is phenomenal. It's hard to make out in this image, but my lightest strokes begin in the very upper left corner of the canvas.

After running the calibration tool and adjusting pen sensitivity, drawing is wonderful. The screen protector has a satiny finish much better suited to the pen's hard plastic nibs than bare glass.

Edge parallax is a bit of a problem, especially in the upper left corner of the display. In Manga Studio, I found myself relying on the Display Application Menu icon located just above the New Canvas tab rather than going up to the file menu. The cursor and the pen tip are perfectly aligned just below the command bar, but at the menu bar, there's about a quarter-inch offset. I can deal with it, but it does require a pause to concentrate to target the menu items.

UPDATE 8/25/14 After working with the GT-220 for several more days, I've become more aware of the device's parallax issues. Besides the cursor drift problems I cite above, the pen display also has a significant gap between the glass and the screen. This separation is more pronounced as you view your work from an angle. In Manga Studio, there is never less than an 1/8-inch gap between the cursor and the pen tip, so inking precisely requires more concentration than I'm accustomed to on Windows tablets. Huion tells me that they're working on improving this via a driver update.

Moving on to Photoshop CC 2014, it took some Googling to learn that the software now requires a  PSUserConfig.txt file entry in order to work with any Wintab tablet.

Create a text file named PSUserConfig.txt and place it in the Users/UserName/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CC 2014/Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 Settings. The contents of the text file should read:

# Use WinTab
UseSystemStylus 0

I still couldn't get pen pressure to work until I discovered that Huion just published an updated driver here: http://huion-tablet.tumblr.com/post/95172457923/huion-new-driver-updated-20140818-pressure

No matter what I tried I couldn't get pressure sensitivity in Sketchbook Pro 7. This experience bodes ill for all tablet users as software migrates to RealTimeStylus or Microsoft's INK API. Device manufacturers are going to probably need to issue new drivers for older devices or software developers are going to need to come up with better backward compatibility.

I also tested with Krita Desktop and Paint Tool SAI 1.2 and both worked fine. Corel Painter 2015 recognized pen pressure, but as on other tablets I've tried (including the Surface Pro 3), some brushes have their initial activation pressure set so high many strokes are not recognized.

As of this writing I haven't tried hooking the GT-220 up to a Surface Pro. I'm reluctant to do so with the Surface Pro 3 because I have too much software on it that requires the N-Trig Wintab driver. Installing the Huion drivers will overwrite any Wintab driver on the system. So if you want to use the pen display with a tablet pc, software has to have an easy way to switch between RealTimeStylus (TabletPC) and Wintab. Very few applications handle this as elegantly as Manga Studio/Clip Studio Paint.

As I wrote at the outset, the Huion GT-220 isn't perfect and depending on your software preference may not be useable at the moment. But if you're a Manga Studio/Clip Studio Paint user, it's a great asset despite its few kinks.

I know I'll certainly be very happy with it until someone comes along with a multi-touch capable pen display, a combination only available currently in the highest end Wacom Cintiqs, the 22HD Touch and the 24HD Touch, which retail for $2499 and $2999 respectively. (For a minimum $1600 savings, I can live without mult-touch gestures.)

At the dawn of Windows 8, before I started the quest for knowledge that led to the creation of this blog, I dreamed of finding a penabled all-in-one from one of the major OEMs like Dell or HP. I still can't understand why that hasn't happened.

Perhaps it will be up to Microsoft to make this dream device. I can't help but fantasize about a 22+-inch Surface Pro all-in-one with a Huion digitizer.  Now that would be real dream machine.

In the meantime, the $899 Huion Interactive IPS Pen Display GT-220 will turn any pc into the next best thing.

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Fujitsu T904: Impulse Buy Leads to Buyer's Remorse

It was a bad week in the SurfaceProArtist labs aka Casa Rodriguez.

I had some serious spreadsheet work to do and opted to use the Thinkpad Yoga instead of the Surface Pro 3 just because of the Lenovo's better keyboard. A couple of hours in, the screen began displaying digital artifacts and jittering. The laptop was totally unresponsive. I shut it down and then it refused to power up. Fans would try to whir up four times and then stop. I Googled around and found others who've had similar problems and the only fix was a board swap. Called tech support, the Yoga is still under warranty, but it will be at least a week before I get it back.

After completing my work on the desktop, I visited the TabletPCReviews forum, one of my favorite haunts. There was a new thread about the Fujitsu T904 convertible ultrabook being on sale at Newegg.com.

I've made an effort to be as well-versed as my budget will allow in all brands of penabled devices, but I'd never tested a Fujitsu. The brand is very expensive and its products aren't readily available at any retail stores I visit. So every time someone mentions Fujitsu, I'm forced to plead ignorance.

This particular model typically retails for $1999, but is on sale for $1599: still somewhat pricey but reasonable for a 13.3-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 pixel display,  Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 500GB HDD with 16GB SSD, and Intel HD Graphics 4400. Most importantly, the Fujitsu has a Wacom digitizer and several artists at TabletPCReviews rave about it for drawing.

So before my common sense could kick in, I placed my order.

I visited the forums again to say how I was looking forward to testing the full-powered CPU in the T904, since that was one of the items that folks there rave about. That's when I got my first of many disappointments to come: the full-powered CPU is in the T902 model. I should have canceled the order then and there, but I was still curious about the drawing experience.

Newegg is located nearby, so the T904 arrived the following day (yesterday).

I've been spoiled by recent unboxings of Windows devices, like the bargain basement Asus VivoTab TF810C which borrows a lot of its aesthetic from Apple. The Newegg site says the T904's packaging is "commercial," so maybe retail boxes are different. Business customers may not want fancy boxes. But I think first impressions and out of the box experiences are critical, especially as I try to write for less tech savvy readers. I may unbox a product every month, but for most this will be their only computer/tablet for several years.

Because the Fujitsu is a premium product, I was expecting a premium experience and was looking forward to showing off my premium device in these images.

But instead, I was dismayed to find that Fujitsu's packaging is utilitarian at best. The only "extra" was a thin lanyard meant to string up the pen.

Especially disappointing is the pen, which is the size of a stylus, not even as big as the smallish Fujitsu T5000. Typically, pens are this size because they fit in a silo, but if that's the case with the T904, I never found it.

In laptop mode, the T904 is pretty standard Windows fare. The screen is highly reflective.

I'm not a fan of all the sharp edges and angles. Notice the indentation along the bottom edge or the way the directional keys force an odd shaped cutout for the keyboard. I do appreciate the large trackpad surface.

Along the lower left is the typical mess of manufacturer labels ruining the brush metal finish. Do Intel and others actually pay to advertise themselves in this garish manner?

The T904 ships with Windows 7 installed. This might make sense for typical business laptops, but why in the world would any IT person (besides an absolute Luddite) cripple an expensive multitouch and pen capable device with an OS that doesn't support those features?

The box includes a flyer pointing to a support site you're supposed to visit before upgrading to Windows 8.1. It doesn't say what you'll find at the site. I dutifully followed the instruction, assuming I was supposed to install some firmware or drivers beforehand. I'll credit Fujitsu: they do an excellent job posting all the drivers you'll ever need for the device. BUT there is no explicit set of directions for updating from a Windows 7 device all the way to Win 8.1.

The enclosed DVDs are not standard installation discs. They're labeled as recovery discs for 8.1. 

After hunting around in vain for some guidance, I decided to pop in the bootable CD, close my eyes, say a prayer and start a complete HD wipe and install of Windows 8.1. (Fortunately I have an external USB DVD drive).

The factory image restoration goes ok and about an hour later, I'm in Windows 8.1 but now I have a "Secure boot not installed correctly" message on my start screen and touch doesn't work. Only pen. 

There's a white line down the right side of the display. I reboot. Doesn't seem to be a display issue because the line disappears during startup, but there it is again on the Start Menu. Still no touch.

I disabled and enabled the touch HID in Device Manager. Still nothing. Moving on, I started about 1GB of updates to Windows 8.1. The screen blanked at some point and now touch is working. The text on the update screen is occasionally disappearing. Over the next several hours of use, touch would randomly turn itself off and on again.

After all the Windows updates were installed, I visited the Fujitsu support site to begin downloading driver updates.

There are a lot of them. It's very unclear to me how many I actually need to install now that I've restored a factory image. There's a download manager, but does it help with installation?

I download the manager and find it's in 7-zip format. Why not in a format that Windows can read natively? I download and install 7-zip and the Download Manager downloads and decompresses all the available updates for my machine.

But it doesn't install them. Instead, there's a readme file that lists them in the order they're supposed to be installed. Each is within a cryptically named folder and the drivers each have equally cryptic installers.

After installing a BIOS update which offers no visual feedback and a couple of other drivers, I stop once I've run the display and audio driver updates.

I don't know if I skipped a critical Fujitsu update, but enough time has elapsed. I'm dying to test the drawing experience.

I installed Sketchbook Pro 7 and the Clip Studio Paint 1.31 demo. The drawing is indeed very silky. There's a full range of pressure in Sketchbook Pro that I'm unable to reproduce on the Surface Pro 3. Maybe this will be worth the trouble, I think to myself.

I'm very surprised how bad multitouch response is in Clip Studio Paint. Zoom is terrible, jumping from 100 to 50% with nothing in between.

I'm also disturbed to find viewing angles are so shallow. I've got to hold the tablet just right to see the full brightness and color gamut. I could swear I'm looking at a TFT display sometimes.

Time to test with Wacom's Feel driver. When I ran the 25 pt calibration in landscape mode, I had no trouble hitting every single bullseye. This may be the most accurate Wacom device I've owned since my original Surface Pro 1.

But running Clip Studio Paint in Wintab mode doesn't really help multitouch zoom too much. I later discovered that changing the default 200% UI magnification to 125% improved the zoom, but it's still not silky. Perhaps the high resolution pixel count is too much for the 4400 gpu?

In addition to poor viewing angles, my device has significant light leaks along the bottom edge.

Had I not taken advantage of the Newegg sale, this would be the most expensive laptop I own. As it is it's twice the price of the Acer Aspire R7-572. What the heck?

If you've read enough of my posts, you know I'm reluctant to return any products. Even when they fail, I try to find a solution before letting it leave my hands. But this morning, I decided to draw with the T904 on my tabletop instead of it sitting in my lap. I found I couldn't see the screen without significant dimming and color shifting at that angle. I had to move my head over the display for it to be visible.

The T904 doesn't offer any way to prop it up at another drawing angle and it's too thick to sit in my iKlip Studio stand. So it's basically unusable laying flat.

I'd had enough. I decided to send it back even if I'd have to eat the 15% restocking fee. Fortunately, when I ordered, I signed up for a trial Newegg Premier membership which normally costs $50 but was free for the first 30 days. It saved me $10 on shipping. And Premier members are exempted from restocking fees. Dodged a bullet.

So I'm only out $11 return shipping and two days of installation and testing lost.

The moral of the story? Don't give in to impulse buys, I guess. Do a modest amount of research (The TabletPCReviews forums have hundreds of messages on the T904). And whether a limitation is a deal-breaker or not is entirely in the eyes of the user. Please don't ever judge a product entirely by my positive or negative experience.

To that end, I've included ATIVQ's post from the TPCR forums. He did a great job anticipating my review, although I didn't mind (or even notice) the parallax issues he complains about. He likes his T904 while acknowledging its shortcomings:

Bracing myself for an ultra-negative review by SurfaceProArtist. Let me get it started:

Big issues:
• The price is a few hundred dollars higher than an equivalent Surface Pro 3. The SP3 is much thinner and lighter, too, and apparently faster even though the specs favor the T904.
• The speakers are a joke. They barely produce comprehensible spoken words.
• The Wacom parallax... different sitting positions require recalibrating the pen. The calibration is different for different screen rotations, so if you draw from one position per screen rotation you could manage avoiding recalibration.
• The display bezel is huge.

Medium issues:
• The viewing angles on the display are almost, but not quite, as bad as TN displays. The color gamut is smaller than the color gamut of the SP3.
• There is no included documentation for the Windows 8.1 upgrade, you have to fish for them on the Fujitsu website. My device came preinstalled with 8.1 so I didn't have to perform this step. If you want to create a clean install USB drive, you can download the latest official Windows 8.1 installation ISO on Softicle.
• Some preinstalled software (Display Manager, Power Saving Utility, Plugfree Network) interferes with proper operation of the device and should be uninstalled.
• The "international warranty" is not international. It only applies in the country you bought the device. I bought mine from Fujitsu Germany, so I have to service it in Germany, which is a shame since there are official Fujitsu service centers around the world and there's no reason I couldn't get my device serviced in any of them.

Small issues:
• End-user customer service is not near as good as Apple or Microsoft. Fujitsu is geared towards large businesses with IT departments, it seems only Fujitsu Germany is responsive to the plights of the masses, like complaints about noisy cooling fans which was fixed only after being raised on the Fujitsu Germany forum.
• The keyboard backlight LEDs are visible from around the keys.
• The hotkey arrangement is a bit cumbersome. "Flight mode" is right next to "display brightness", forcing you to look before you press.
• There's an exposed docking port at the bottom of the device. Would a cover be too much to ask for?

Had I kept the T904, I would have spent more of the review comparing it to the Surface Pro 3 as ATIVQ continues below. But these two images compare their sizes.

Even with the type cover attached, the Surface Pro 3 is considerably thinner and lighter than the T904. But the sketching experience is superior on the Fujitsu (based on my very limited testing).

Are there any benefits for a T904 over a Surface Pro 3? Well...
• User-replaceable battery
• User-upgradeable internal parts like wireless card, SSD, 3G/LTE module
• The availability of an internal 3G/LTE module in the first place
• Built-in Ethernet port
• Full-sized SD card reader
• SmartCard reader
• An extra USB 3 port
• 18% more screen real-estate

And as a matter of personal preference:
• Wacom vs N-trig
• Notebook vs tablet form factor

All in all the T904 tries to be a high-end device but falls flat in certain areas. If you can live with the price, the Wacom parallax, and the terrible speakers, and you prefer a notebook form factor over a tablet one, the T904 could be considered superior to the SP3 for that use case. For me, the 3G/LTE module and Ethernet port are indispensable, and I prefer the notebook form factor. Still, for the price, I would expect the T904 to be a cut above the SP3 in all aspects.

I'll wait for my refund to show up on my credit card before considering another purchase. I'm tempted to try the T902 which has that full-powered CPU and supposedly has a great display despite its lower resolution. Or maybe I'll wait to see if Wacom announces a Companion update at Siggraph. Every time the Companion is mentioned, I have to plead ignorance...

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Asus Vivotab TF810C: a $299 bargain or money pit?

It began, as these things often do, innocently enough.

Perusing the TabletPCReviews forums, I spotted a post that said the Lenovo Thinkpad 10 tablet was finally available for sale in the U.S.

When that Wacom-equipped tablet was first announced, it was expected to be priced around $600, so I followed the link to see where the final price had ended up. I was shocked to see that Lenovo had settled on $729 for the Atom-powered, 10.1-inch, 2GB RAM, 64GB storage device. Even with a 1920x1200 display, that price seems totally unrealistic.

I tweeted as much and someone on my feed inquired about the Atom processor.

I had ignored all Atom-based devices when Windows 8 tablets first began appearing. Their reputation as slow, netbook class processors convinced me to look elsewhere back around the time the Surface Pro 1 was first released.

But the question gnawed at me: is an Atom-powered device with only 2GB of RAM sufficient to run a graphics application without unacceptable lag?

I began googling around for reviews of prior Atom tablets when Google or Amazon, in their algorithmic wisdom, served up an ad for the Asus VivoTab TF810C for only $299. When it was first released in late 2012, the 810C listed for just under $800.

And the specs compared very favorably with the Thinkpad 10: 11.6-inch screen, 1366x768, 2GB RAM, 64GB storage, Wacom digitizer, Atom processor. Yes, this Atom is a dual-core Z2760 running at 1.8 GHz vs. the Thinkpad 10's Z3795 quad-core, but we're talking a $500 difference here!

My curiosity was piqued, but I was able to resist the temptation and went about my business. Later that day or the following, Asus released its new Wacom drivers for the VivoTab Note 8.

I'm no fan of 8-inch Windows 8 tablets because running desktop applications on such small screens can be an eye-straining exercise in frustration. The AVTN8 was also hurt by a very poorly calibrated digitizer, with very inaccurate corners and other dead spots.

But once I ran the new 81-point calibration found in that driver, my opinion of the device significantly improved. Yes, you'll still go blind trying to run crowded desktop UIs, but with cleaner designed apps like Sketchbook Pro, the AVTN8 is now a lot of fun to use.

Another Twitter follower wondered whether the new drivers would work on the old TF810C and I was  a goner. Now I simply had to purchase one of these bargains to find out for myself.

The Asus VivoTab TF810C packaging is very professional: nothing bargain basement or closeout about it.

The 810C arrived last weekend and quickly consumed a large portion of the time I wasn't supposed to be spending on tech.

Beneath the tablet is more elegant, well-designed packaging.

Unboxing the device was one of the most pleasant experiences I've had recently (and you know I've unboxed a lot of gear). Spare nibs?  Cleaning cloth? How thoughtful.

The Asus VivoTab TF810C pen is about the size of the Fujitsu T5000. It comes with five spare nibs and an extractor. There is also a cleaning cloth. The USB dock/power connector on the tablet is non-standard so it requires a USB dongle to connect peripherals.

The tablet even ships with a very nice faux leather sleeve that can be configured as a stand! I was convinced that I'd uncovered the biggest bargain ever.

The sleeve will definitely keep your tablet out of harm's way. It includes a pen holder too.

The tablet is slightly thinner and lighter than the Surface Pro 3 and almost half the thickness of the Surface Pro 2.

The tablet has two openings along the bottom edge for the discontinued dockable keyboard. The rightmost slot is the USB connector which requires a non-standard multi-pin connector similar to those on older iPhones. To attach peripherals, a USB adapter dongle is included.

The back of the tablet has a nice brushed finish that is only marred by the unsightly stickers manufacturers insist on placing on their devices.

The TF810C ships with Windows 8, so I knew I was in for a long stretch of updates before I could test the tablet. But I never imagined it would take as long as it did. This process is so painful, in fact, that it's almost enough to recommend that you forget about this or any other older device. My Twitter followers read every sordid, excruciating detail in real time as I haltingly brought the TF810C up to date.

Windows lies when it tells you the updates it needs to install.

There were at least 150 updates to install before I could think of updating to Windows 8.1. By default the operating system will download and install these updates in the background, but that process could take days and severely cripple performance.  Instead, I forced the tablet to download and install the updates, which took more than 12 hours.

I then tried to install Windows 8.1 but I kept getting a message that the tablet was incompatible with that software. I found a driver package on the Asus site which apparently solved the compatibility issue and I then installed Windows 8.1. After that, of course, there were dozens more 8.1 updates to install before the tablet was fully up to speed.

All told, this rabbit hole had already taken 24 hours to traverse and I still didn't know whether the tablet was adequate for sketching.

Then I committed a fatal (no exaggeration) mistake: I installed and ran the AVTN8 pen drivers and proceeded to kill my pen sensor. No matter what I tried, I could not get the digitizer to register within five inches of the pen.  Desperate, I even refreshed the tablet all the way back to Windows 8, undoing a full day's work.  No difference. The pen was unusable.

Fortunately, I bought my tablet from Amazon, so getting a replacement for a defective device is as easy as pie. (I didn't know at the time that the driver installation was the culprit. I just assumed the digitizer was bad out of the box. Should I feel guilty?)

The replacement arrived Tuesday and I started the update process again. Still slow, but amazing how much faster things can go once you know the missteps to avoid.

I turned off automatic Windows updates immediately. No sense tying up the wifi.

Next, I patched the tablet's BIOS with the Asus Live Updater.

Then I ran Windows Update from the desktop control panel.

At least 50% of the updates are security fixes, so I decided to do the installation manually, deselecting all the security related items. I know this sounds crazy but it was better to start downloading and installing one update at a time, often waiting for the tablet to reboot in between updates, than to watch the endlessly cycling progress bar, not knowing if anything was actually happening.  I gradually started doing five updates at a time and ended up with the last ten at once.  All told, the process took under 8 hours.

Next, I installed the Asus driver pack and then installed Windows 8.1.

I let Windows update itself the following morning and finally installed the official Wacom enhanced tablet pc driver sometime that afternoon.

Calibration was interesting to say the least. Unlike the AVTN8, the TF810C has definite problem zones that can't be adequately addressed by the 25-point calibration. The upper left corner in particular was almost impossible to reach. I had to tap repeatedly all the way out to the second ring of the bullseye before a tap was registered. There were several other problem spots around the edges.

Fortunately, the end result is adequate and not too much of an issue for me as I don't work in the absolute corners. The cursor is accurate enough that it isn't a problem to trigger menu items in the upper left or unhide the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

A Facebook follower reported that she has been unable to run the advanced edge calibration on her 810C because no matter what she does it will not respond to any taps in that upper left corner.

Sketching in Clip Studio Paint. Not pushing the hardware too hard, the drawing experience feels comparable to any other Wacom tablet pc.

So far I've tested the tablet with Clip Studio Paint, ArtRage 4, Sketchtime, Sketchable, and Bamboo Paper. In all cases, I've been pleasantly surprised by the drawing and writing experience. I won't bother installing Photoshop or others because I already know that they will run but easily bog down.

With its low RAM, working at high resolutions or with many layers will quickly slow down the device. The slow processor, low memory or slow SSD all make installations seem much longer than usual.

But at the end of the day, the TF810C offers a very acceptable sketching experience. Those of you who are especially cash starved may want to consider adding one to your arsenal or gifting one to a kid.

Be aware that the dockable keyboard is no longer available, so you'll need to find a suitable bluetooth alternative or use it 100% of the time in tablet mode, which is never easy with Windows tablets, given the quirky behavior of the on-screen keyboard.

If you have patience and don't expect to work in 600dpi with a huge number of layers, the TF810C might be a bargain after all.

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Lenovo Thinkpad 10 with Wacom due out soon

Last night's announcement from HP reminded me that I had never posted this news from Lenovo, which was released in mid-May. Like every penabled device, the fact that the Tablet 10 is penabled is entirely absent from the release below. It seems only Samsung is placing its pen front and center in promotions of Note devices. The Thinkpad 10 is not yet available for sale, but you can find out more from the Lenovo website here:  http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/thinkpad/thinkpad-10 

PRESS RELEASE

ThinkPad 10: The Best Business Tablet gets Better  

Pioneering for a superior user experience, ThinkPad 10 is optimized for business professionals seeking the ultimate in flexibility and connectivity. Constructed from premium aluminium with Gorilla glass to protect its ten inch full HD vivid display, the ThinkPad 10 tablet delivers a premium mobile experience with enhanced productivity capability in a purposeful lightweight design. Users can be creative with four flexible modes – Tablet, Stand, Laptop and Desktop. When connected to the optional ThinkPad Tablet Dock or USB3.0 docking station, users can add an external display, mouse, and either the Compact Bluetooth keyboard or directly attach the ThinkPad 10 Ultrabook full sized keyboard, making the transition from a highly mobile tablet to a resourceful office environment seamless. The Quickshot Cover makes photo taking a breeze. Whether for personal or business use, a quick flip of the cover protecting the eight megapixel camera launches the app automatically, ready for that dramatic landscape or the insurance assessment.
 
“Customers want a versatile device that adapts to their way of life and offers uncompromised productivity whether in the office or on the move,” said Luis Hernandez, vice president and general manager, ThinkPad, Lenovo. “Our new ThinkPad 10 tablet marries business optimized features with a unique multimode design to offer an exceptional computing experience that allows users to work, play and create in virtually any environment. ThinkPad 10 is engineered for quality you can touch and measure and is designed to adapt to be what you need, when you need it.”

Boasting an unmatched range of business features and accessories, the ThinkPad 10 comes with a digitizer pen for pinpoint accuracy and natural writing input, Windows 8.1 including 64-bit support, up to 4GB of memory and up to 128GB of storage.Wireless options including 3G/4G LTE1 ensure access to data virtually anywhere and up to ten hours of battery life provides productivity throughout the day. IT managers will also appreciate VPN access control, application deployment management and can prevent users from installing prohibited apps. In addition, Lenovo Services offer a complete suite of packages, including sealed battery warranties, accidental damage protection and laser etching and tagging.

Pricing and Availability
The ThinkPad 10 starts at $599 and will be available starting in June on www.lenovo.com and at selected retailers. 

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HP announces laptop-tablet hybrid with Wacom pen

PRESS RELEASE

PALO ALTO, Calif. — HP today announced several new PCs in industry-leading form factors, including a detachable two-in-one notebook PC for business users, and a new series of HP Elite devices.

The HP Pro x2 612 functions as both a full high-powered notebook and a sleek business tablet that offers maximum flexibility while also providing the security needed to keep business data protected.

Today’s workforce is faced with an unprecedented blend of work and personal lives, requiring technology that is mobile, thoughtfully designed, connected and secure. HP understands this and facilitates a work/life blend with innovative new devices that offer flexibility and value in providing customers with a one-of-a-kind business PC experience.

“While the use of technology in business has allowed a blurring of the line that separates work and life, many businesses require updated technology that delivers a secure and satisfying experience to its employees,” said Enrique Lores, senior vice president and general manager, Commercial PCs, HP. “HP continues to innovate secure business devices that allow employees to be productive and stylish wherever work—or life—takes them.”

HP Pro x2 612: The power of a notebook with the convenience of a detachable

The sleek HP Pro x2 612 is HP’s first commercial detachable PC, built from the ground up exclusively for enterprise users. The sleek design features a 12.5-inch diagonal display, as well the performance business users demand with Intel® Core™ i3/i5 processors including a vPro option. To stay secure on the go, the tablet includes HP BIOS, HP Client Security, HP Sure Start, Smart Card Reader, HP TPM and an optional fingerprint reader.

The HP Pro x2 612 offers multiple purchase options that provide solutions for full notebook replacement or travel needs.

Customers can choose the sleek, secure standalone tablet—the HP Pro Tablet 612. The tablet can be attached to the full-size HP Pro x2 612 Power Keyboard with embedded battery, and features VGA, RJ-45, DisplayPort, two USB 3.0 ports and side docking connector for optional HP UltraSlim dock. Customers can enjoy the freedom provided by dual batteries—one in the tablet and one in the power keyboard—that provide eight hours and 15 minutes of battery life for the tablet and up to 14 hours and 15 minutes of battery life with tablet and keyboard combined.

Or, users can choose the soft, ultra mobile backlit keyboard, with USB 3.0 port, combo audio jack and a power connector. Productivity is further bolstered with an optional battery-free Wacom pen with built-in holder, allowing users to write and draw vivid, dynamic graphic content precisely with 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity and palm rejection technology.

HP 2013 UltraSlim Docking Station Quickly and easily expand your display, network, and device connectivity to customize an always-ready workspace.

Regardless of the chosen configuration, the HP Pro x2 612 is packed with business-ready features to keep users connected and productive wherever work takes them. A large full high-definition (FHD) screen, Qualcomm Gobi 4G LTE modem, and dual high-definition (HD) webcams make sharing and editing content easy.

Pricing and availability

The HP Pro x2 612 and HP Pro Tablet 612 are expected to be available in September.

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App makes your Windows or Android device a Virtual Tablet

The Virtual Tablet app is available in both the Windows and Google Play app stores.

I'm often asked whether a Surface Pro or other Windows penabled device could do double duty as a virtual Wacom Intuos or Bamboo tablet . Although remote control of a desktop pc is possible from any tablet, including iPads, I hadn't found a setup that didn't lag or that properly passed along pen pressure until today.

Virtual Tablet from Sunnysidesoft is the first Windows or Android app I've come across that comes close to duplicating the functionality of a pen tablet over wifi.

In my tests with the Windows app running on the Asus Vivotab Note 8 and the Android version running on the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2, I was able to draw effortlessly on my desktop copies of Manga Studio and Sketchbook Pro. Lag on those two apps was barely perceptible and pressure range is excellent.

I also tested Virtual Tablet with Photoshop, but pressure information is not communicated. According to the developers' website, "(This is) because Adobe applications use different device driver for supporting pressure sensitivity. We are developing a new driver for Photoshop right now. However, we can’t promise when it will be ready." Dreaded Wintab requirement strikes again! 

The reason Virtual Tablet performs so well may be that unlike other remote control options, it doesn't attempt to reproduce your target screen on your tablet. You'll only see a bounding box representing your target screen. You can pinch zoom in and out of the target area and lock it as well. UPDATE: These are Android-only options. The Windows version only allows full-screen or a default size that leaves a title bar. This is unfortunate because it's easier to reach icons on the sides and bottom of the screen when you reduce the size of the active window slightly.

As you hover around the tablet screen with your pen, your cursor will move on your desktop screen. The pen pointer was displayed as a small pixel on my display. I assume that's a Windows system setting, but I was unable to find the spot to change it. Because the pointer is so small on my 1920x1080 23-inch monitor, it was easy for me to lose sight of it at the top and bottom of the screen. It would be nice if the app offered some way to temporarily change the pointer while in control.

Besides providing even greater functionality for your mobile device, Virtual Tablet makes it possible to control software that would otherwise be incompatible. For example, The Foundry's Mari requires an NVIDIA or AMD graphics card with at least 1GB of RAM. But I was able to paint in the application from the Note Pro. The same should be true for Mudbox and any other app that is problematic on Intel HD graphics hardware. (I can't vouch for pressure sensitivity in Mari because I'm not familiar enough with it to test it properly.) UPDATE: I finally found a meaningful use for my AVTN8. It's a great input device for Mudbox on my desktop while Autodesk continues to grapple with Intel HD graphics compatibility.

To use Virtual Tablet with your desktop, you first need to download the free server application for either Windows or Mac (eraser tip functions are not yet supported in OS X).

Compatibility information from the developers website:

VirtualTablet requires devices with “pressure sensitive stylus pen with hover mode.". As far as we know this functionalities only available with Wacom Digitizer Stylus technology (Samsung Galaxy Note series, few ASUS tablets, and most of Windows Tablets are based on this pen).

Usually capacitive touch pens don’t support pressure sensitivity and hover mode, even though it seems like ‘stylus pen’. This capacitive touch pens are just same as using your finger. Therefore it is not supported by VirtualTablet.

Supported: Galaxy Note series, few ASUS tablets, Windows Tablet(MS Surface, Slate 7, ATIV, ASUS Eee Slate, etc.)

NOT supported: Galaxy Tab, ASUS tablet, Nexus Tablets (Nexus 7, 10), HP TouchPad and other usual tablets & phones.

Virtual Tablet is available as a free trial, but for only $1.99 for the Windows Store version and $1.86 for Android, it's an absolute no-brainer.

Virtual Tablet requires a free server application running on your Windows or Mac desktop.