General Gaming Article |
- Acer Chooses To Pass on the Current Version Windows RT
- Google Play Makes Its Way To The Nook HD
- Windows 8 Blue Update Set to Address Issues With Ultra High Resolution Displays
| Acer Chooses To Pass on the Current Version Windows RT Posted: 05 May 2013 02:25 PM PDT
Acer planned to release a Windows RT tablet in Q2, but will hold off for now.Windows RT tablets are of questionable value when compared to the competition, and Acer can't resist the temptation to pile on. The PC maker has been making some interesting tablet and Ultrabook designs lately, but is choosing the wait and see approach for the ARM version of Windows 8. "There are still users looking for more versatile products," said Acer President Jim Wong. He went on to add, "To be honest, there's no value doing the current version of RT." In regards to his opinion on Windows 8, Wong's opinion was mixed. "The launch was not ideal and the Surface tablet created some distraction, but Microsoft is now doing a good job of supporting its partners and explaining the touch-usage model to customers, Wong said." When asked about the company's vision of the future, Wong clarified that a major focus will be placed on hybrids going forward. "We believe Windows 8 has some more chances. That's why we continue to invest in Windows 8 tablets," Wong said. |
| Google Play Makes Its Way To The Nook HD Posted: 05 May 2013 12:53 PM PDT
Banes & Noble welcomes Google back into their version of Android.Barnes & Noble knows that the Nook is in an awkward position these days. The company's name has become synonymous with bad news, and getting users to buy into their ecosystem is becoming increasingly tricky. Nobody wants to buy a dedicated tablet from a company that might not be around this time next year. This could help explain the disappointing sales the company has experienced as of late, but at least they finally have a plan. In a free update, B&N is adding Google Play to the Nook HD and Nook HD+, instantly making them viable platforms. Nook hardware has always been a great value, and with the addition of Google Play, it gets even better. Users now have access to more than 700,000 Android games, along with an incredible catalog of apps, and music. Unlocking this functionality is risky from a revenue standpoint, but the company is left with little choice as it struggles to compete with Amazon. Android purists will probably still want to wait until we see what Google plans to do with the next generation Nexus 7, but bargain hunters have another decent option for a super inexpensive HD tablet. |
| Windows 8 Blue Update Set to Address Issues With Ultra High Resolution Displays Posted: 05 May 2013 12:13 PM PDT
Windows Blue appears to be taking on some serious issues.Windows display scaling is, and has always been a complete mess. Sure you can bump up the multiplier to make it look half decent if you're using just one display, but Windows 8 tablet owners are seeing a completely different problem. The next generation of devices are shipping with ultra-high resolution panels that are 10 inches or less in size, but when you try to hook these up to a larger external monitor to get real work done, finding a setting that works with both is a bit of a nightmare. One is always too big, or too small, and you can't set the scaling separately. Newer laptops are going to run into a similar problem, but the new Windows Blue update may finally be tackling this issue head on. Paul Thurrott from WinSupersite.com has noticed that a leaked build of the upcoming Windows 8 Blue update includes the option to "Let Windows manage my display settings", which at least in his testing, yielded better results when mixing and matching displays with radically different DPIs. It's an obvious feature when you think about it, and will become an increasingly frustrating problem as manufacturers start to roll out 1080p and higher displays as a standard option on portable machines if it's not addressed. Its great to see Microsoft tackling real world issues with its first major update to Windows 8, but we aren't ready to lay on the praise until we find out if it's being offered for free or not. |
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