Thursday, September 19, 2013

HP SlateBook x2 review: HP takes on ASUS with a dockable Android tablet

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/19/hp-slatebook-x2-review/

HP SlateBook x2 review: HP takes on ASUS with a dockable Android tablet

Until now, ASUS hasn't had much competition in dockable Android tablets. Sure, we've seen the odd model from Lenovo and other companies, but for the most part, "Transformer" has become one of those words like "Kleenex" -- you know, the kind that refers just as much to a category as a specific brand. Nonetheless, HP is throwing its hat in the ring. The SlateBook x2, only the company's second Android tablet, is a 10-inch slate that competes on price as much as performance. For $480, the keyboard dock comes included, and the tablet itself boasts some top-notch specs, including a 1,920 x 1,080 screen and a Tegra 4 processor. And, of course, in addition to being a keyboard, that dock has a built-in battery of its own, promising to extend the total runtime to up to 12.5 hours. So is it good enough that you'll remember not to call it a Transformer?%Gallery-slideshow88713%

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Google makes its Quickoffice app free for both Android and iOS users

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/19/google-makes-its-quickoffice-app-free-for-both-android-and-ios/

Google makes its Quickoffice app free for both Android and iOS users

Less than two weeks after Apple decided to make iWork free for new iOS devices, Google went and did us one better: it's offering its Quickoffice suite for free, to both Android and iOS users. If you recall, the apps have actually already been free to Google Apps subscribers, specifically, but now the offer applies to anyone, regardless of when they activated their device or what OS version they're using. As an added incentive, if you sign in to your Google Account from the Quickoffice app by September 26, 2013, you get 10 gigs of extra storage space for two years. And that's all there is to it. Hit up the source link for more details, if you need them, or else find the app on Google Play or the App Store.

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Source: Google (Google+), Google Play, iTunes

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HP lays claim to the first fanless Haswell PC and the first Leap Motion laptop

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/19/hp-envy-17-leap-motion-edition-spectre-13-x2/

HP lays claim to the first fanless Haswell PC and the first Leap Motion laptop

What do a fanless PC and a motion-controlled laptop have in common? Nothing, really; just that HP is going to be first to market with both of these things. After teasing a fanless tablet back in June, the company has formally announced the Spectre 13 x2, which isn't actually a tablet so much as a hybrid laptop. Additionally, HP unveiled a special edition version of its Envy 17 notebook with a Leap Motion controller built into the palm rest.

Starting with the Leap Motion machine, this is truly the same Envy 17 that's already on the market, complete with an aluminum chassis, backlit keyboard and generous Beats branding. Except, you know, it has a conspicuous motion sensor below the keyboard, allowing you to control games and other apps using hand gestures. Per Leap Motion's requirements, HP includes a shortcut to Leap Motion's Airspace Store, where there are currently 100-plus apps and counting. (If you read our review, you know the selection is hit or miss.) Once you calibrate the sensor, you can turn the controller off by pressing the spacebar plus the Fn key; a small LED indicator will light up to let you know when it's on. Surprisingly, too, that the sensor doesn't add to the thickness of the laptop, as the module only measures 3.5mm thick (granted, a 17-inch machine probably has plenty of leeway inside the chassis). Look for it October 16th, with a starting price of $1,049.99 and your choice of Intel processors and NVIDIA graphics.%Gallery-slideshow88784%

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Article: Small, Stackable And Cheap, Microduino Puts ‘Arduino In Your Pocket’

Microduino Studio wants to make Arduino more accessible by creating a smaller, flexible and cheaper hardware addition to the prototyping platform. All Arduino-compatible boards and extension modules created by Microduino are about the size of a quarter and stackable, which makes it easy to build ...

http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/16/small-stackable-and-cheap-microduino-puts-arduino-in-your-pocket/

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Article: HP packs cool tech into its fall line-up of tablets and laptops

Hewlett-Packard is unveiling a bunch of fall consumer PCs today with a variety of bells and whistles, including its first consumer laptop with integrated gesture controls from Leap Motion.

The machines reflect more creative designs that are aimed at bringing back the mojo to personal computers ...

http://venturebeat.com/2013/09/19/hp-packs-leap-motion-and-other-cool-tech-into-its-consumer-pc-line-up/

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