| Lenovo: RT Tablets to Cost $300 Less than Windows 8 Slates Posted: 17 Aug 2012 09:21 AM PDT  No matter how much we'd like it to happen, Microsoft probably isn't going to launch Surface starting a mere $199, as has been rumored this week. Not only would such an aggressive pricing strategy further piss off Microsoft's hardware partners, it would also require selling the device at a significant loss. So, how much will Surface cost? Nobody knows for sure, but according to Lenovo, Windows RT versions will be priced up to $300 less than their Windows 8 counterparts.
"RT will play in consumer and retail at very aggressive price points," David Schmoock, head of Lenovo's North America operations, told Bloomberg in an interview. "It will do well but it's going to be more of a consumer price point play to begin with." Schmook also suggested Windows 8 Surface tablets will sell for $600 and $700, so unless our math is fuzzy, that means Windows RT-based tablets will debut anywhere from $300 to $500, which seems a more reasonable prediction than $199. If you haven't been following, Windows RT tablets will feature ARM-based hardware inside, while higher end Windows 8 tablets support x86 processor from Intel and AMD. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar Posted: 17 Aug 2012 09:07 AM PDT 
This week has been great for televisual treats on TechRadar, with not one, but two Panasonic televisions scoring full marks when they were put through our rigorous testing. And it's not all about televisions either, with some great laptops such as the HP Envy 6 and motherboards like the Asus P8H77-I on offer... Panasonic TX-P65VT50B review While the Panasonic P65VT50 has stood imposingly on our test benches, it's affectionately become known as the beast. Why? Because it's arguably the most uncompromising TV ever. For starters there's its size. At 65 inches, its screen is the joint biggest in Panasonic's 2012 television range. In fact, it would be the biggest TV (as opposed to professional monitor) around from anyone had Sharp not recently launched 70-inch and 80-inch LCD TVs. Since it uses plasma rather than LCD screen technology, the Panasonic Viera TX-P65VT50's chassis is much meatier than that of most modern TVs, too, thanks to a pretty chunky expanse of bezel by today's standards, as well as a degree of back-mauling heft that hasn't been experienced since the beefy days of the CRT. Certainly if you want to hang the Panasonic TX-P65VT50 up, you'll need a very sturdy wall. HP Envy 6 
Looks-wise, the HP Envy 6 has a distinctly Envy appearance, with a serious black finish on top and a kind of wine red underneath. It's a handsome machine, though it would look even nicer without the Beats logo (sported because it packs in Beats-branded speakers, complete with subwoofer), light-up power button and various Intel/Windows/HP stickers (though these are at least monochrome, so don't stand out too badly). The only problem is that the brushed aluminium-look surfaces pick up fingerprints and dust to a ridiculous degree. It'll drive the more obsessive compulsive owners mad, and it's a shame because, as we said, it's a looker of a laptop otherwise. Asus P8H77-I review 
The Intel H77 chipset is the little brother to the beefier Z77 Ivy Bridge chipset, and when we're talking about the P8H77-I we really do mean little. This is another mini-ITX board in the MiniMax range from Asus and that means it's only slightly larger than a CD. As a H77 board it's also not going to be as feature-rich as the more advanced Z77 chipset, and there are also a few artificial restrictions put in place by Intel itself for general marketing/categorisation reasons.
The main restriction, as far as us obsessive tweakers are concerned, is the lack of any real overclocking allowed by this more mainstream chipset. That's a shame, but not really a surprise. Panasonic TX-P42GT50 review 
With Panasonic's ST50 and VT50 TVs already setting the AV world alight, is there room for the Panasonic TX-P42GT50 that sits between them? Actually yes. The Panasonic TX-P42GT50 gets off to a great start by offering features galore by 42-inch standards. Highlights include 3D, online video/gaming/information services, an advanced version of Panasonic's very latest plasma panel design, THX endorsement and decent amounts of multimedia flexibility. There's even a Freesat tuner to accompany the Freeview one, if that floats your boat. The real star of the Panasonic TX-P42GT50's show, though, is its picture quality, which is nothing short of outstanding - especially (though not exclusively) if you dim the lights to watch a Blu-ray movie. Other reviews this week Cameras Sigma SD1 Merrill review Nikon Coolpix S9300 review Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX20 review Cases Bitfenix Prodigy review Graphics Cards Asus GTX 660 Ti DCU II Top review Headphones Tritton Warhead 7.1 Wireless Surround Headset for Xbox 360 review Mobile phones LG Optimus L3 review Monitors Samsung SyncMaster T27B750 review Motherboards Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe review Tablets Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review Televisions Toshiba 55VL963 review |
| Facebook Shares Dip Below $20 for First Time Posted: 17 Aug 2012 08:15 AM PDT  For all the hype leading up to Facebook's Initial Public Offering (IPO) in May of this year, it's somewhat hard to believe the social networking site is performing so poorly in the stock market. It's not shocking that Facebook hasn't lived up to all those inflated valuations that came courtesy of hefty private investments before being traded on the public market, but would you have guessed it would become the second worst performing IPO post share lock-up? Let us explain if you don't know what that means.
Some two billion shares held by early investors and employees are now eligible to be sold, whereas previously they were tied up in a so-called "lock-up" period for 90 days. The idea is to prevent early investors and insiders from dumping stock on the first day. Now that the lockup period is over, investors can't rid themselves of Facebook shares quick enough, and as a result, the social networking site's stock is tanking. Facebook shares are currently trading for around $19 a pop. It's the first time the company's stock has dropped below $20, which has now lost 50 percent of its value since debuting in May at $38. According to Bloomberg, only Zynga has performed worse in post lock-up trading, which dropped 7.9 percent on the first day insiders could trade stock. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Kingston Adds a 'Predator' to HyperX Memory Family Posted: 17 Aug 2012 07:53 AM PDT  It's too bad for Kingston there's not an award for 'Best DDR3 RAM Memory Name', because if there was, the company's new Predator modules would be a shoe-in. And then wouldn't it be awesome if Corsair or another competitor came out with an Aliens system memory line? Ah, but we digress. Killer name aside, Predator represents the newest addition to Kingston's HyperX memory family, and it takes direct aim at "extreme enthusiasts and overclockers," the company says.
HyperX Predator modules don a more aggressive suit of armor to dissipate heat than previous HyperX variants, underneath which sit cherry-picked memory chips ranging in frequency from 1600MHz to 2666MHz. "The PC gaming market is robust and growing and we are pleased to contribute to that market with our new, more aggressive HyperX Predator memory kits," said Mark Tekunoff, senior technology manager, Kingston. "Enthusiasts will experience higher performance, ultra-responsive multitasking possibilities and an overall faster system thanks to its top optimized performance settings for specific modules ― handpicked and tested by our Kingston engineers." HyperX Predator kits of 2 and 4 come in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB capacities. No word yet on when you'll able to purchase them or for how much. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Los Angeles Restaurant Deducts 5 Percent for Patrons Who Put Away Their Phones Posted: 17 Aug 2012 07:34 AM PDT  When I was growing up, I knew better than to wear a baseball cap at the dinner table and risk the wrath of my mother, a woman of Italian descent who could cook up a storm and asked (demanded, really) proper manners in return. To this day I won't wear a hat at a dinner table, even if is socially acceptable on a casual basis, but I have been known to whip out my smartphone for one reason or another, a practice my mother would have also banned if they were around when I was growing up, and one that can result in a higher dinner bill.
According to a CNN Money report, Eva Restaurant in Los Angeles will deduct 5 percent from your dinner bill if you forego Facebooking and hand your mobile phone to the receptionist before sitting down to eat. "Eva is really about family and being at home. That's what we want to exemplify," Mark Gold, a chef who runs the restaurant with his wife, Alejandra, told CNN Money. Gold says his discount policy is something patrons "get really enthusiastic about" and estimates that as many as half of his customers take him up on the offer. There are other restaurants in the area that encourage cell phone abstinence while eating, but his is the first to offer a discount. What do you think, would you be willing to hand off your cell phone for a 5 percent discount on your dinner bill? Image Credit: Flickr (Jen DI) Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Dunkin' Donuts Dips into Mobile App Payments Posted: 17 Aug 2012 07:08 AM PDT  If there's a better way to wipe off the morning grogginess than by washing down sugary treats with a strong cup of joe, we haven't found it yet. In the meantime, we consider coffee and baked goods a perfectly acceptable way to start off the day, and if you're a fan of Dunkin' Donuts, you don't even need to fumble through your wallet for loose bills now that the chain accepts mobile payments.
Dunkin' Donuts is the latest of a growing number of establishments that allow patrons to pay for goods and services with their smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device. Similar to the Starbucks app, coffee (and donut) lovers can pre-load funds into the mobile app, lookup menu items, see nutritional information, and more. You can also send virtual gift cards in increments of $2 to $100 to be delivered via text message, email, or through Facebook. The app is available on Android (Google Play) and iOS (iTunes) and supports American Express, Discover, Mastercard, Visa, and PayPal. Buckazoids are not accepted at this time. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Google Entices Chrome Bug Hunters with More Lucrative Bounties Posted: 17 Aug 2012 06:47 AM PDT  Catching bugs in your spare time can turn into a lucrative hobby, provided the bugs you're hunting reside in Google's Chrome browser. The Chromium Vulnerability Rewards Program has shelled out over $1 million to date, putting money in the pockets of security researchers who help make Chrome more secure, and it's about to start doling out larger payments for flaws that have become increasingly hard to find.
"Recently, we've seen a significant drop-off in externally reported Chromium security issues. This signals to us that bugs are becoming harder to find, as the efforts of the wider community have made Chromium significantly stronger," Google stated on its Chromium blog. Researchers who discover "particularly exploitable" issues will receive a bonus payment of at least $1,000 on top of the base reward. Google is also now offering minimum $1,000 bonus payments for discovering bugs in stable areas of Chrome's code base, as well as for serious bugs that impact a significantly wider range of products, such as open source parsing libraries. It's unlikely anyone could make a living by just hunting Chrome bugs, even with the bonus incentives, but it is a great way to beef up the bank account. Google has, at times, awarded bug hunters upwards of $10,000, plenty enough to build a Dream Machine caliber PC with money to spare. Image Credit: animalcrossing.wikia.com (Safaqsy) Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Department of Justice Tweaks Verizon's $3.6 Billion Spectrum Deal Posted: 17 Aug 2012 06:21 AM PDT  The U.S. Department of Justice said it would approve a $3.6 spectrum deal between Verizon and four cable companies -- Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, and Cox Communications -- if certain changes are made to a series of agreements that it deemed anti-competitive. As originally constructed, the DoJ feared the deal would ultimately harm competition and lead to higher prices and lower quality service for consumers.
Verizon struck agreements with the four largest cable companies in the U.S. last year to purchase spectrum that it intends to use to flesh out its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. As part of the deal, cable companies would be able to bundle Verizon 4G plans in with their own offerings. "By limiting the scope and duration of the commercial agreements among Verizon and the cable companies while at the same time allowing Verizon and T-Mobile to proceed with their spectrum acquisitions, the department has provided the right remedy for competition and consumers," said Joseph Wayland, Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. "The Antitrust Division's enforcement action ensures that robust competition between Verizon and the cable companies continues now and in the future as technological change alters the telecommunications landscape." As approved by the DoJ, the companies in the deal will be subject to a review every four years and must submit regular reports in the meantime. In addition, in areas where Verizon's FiOS service isn't offered, Verizon must sell the local cable company's Internet and service bundles. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Lenovo Confident of Besting Surface with 'Better Hardware' Posted: 17 Aug 2012 06:18 AM PDT  Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing is the latest PC industry honcho to share his thoughts on Microsoft's upcoming Surface tablet family. Even though Microsoft has yet to reveal what exactly lies beneath the Surface, Yuanqing is convinced that regardless of whatever it is that's inside, the Chinese PC vendor, a Windows RT launch partner, will have no problem bettering it.
During the company's Q1 2013 earnings call, the Lenovo boss gave his thoughts on the Microsoft Surface and its impact on the relationship between the two companies. If he's worried about the upcoming tablet from Redmond, he did a pretty good job of smothering those concerns and feigning total insouciance. "[They're] just one of our many competitors. We are still confident that we are providing much better hardware than our competitors including Microsoft. They are strong in software, but [we] don't believe they can provide the best hardware in the world. Lenovo can," Yuanqing said at the company's latest earnings call. "To be frank, we're not that worried about [Surface]. Microsoft is still our strategy partner," he continued. "We are very optimistic on the Windows 8 launch so we will fully leverage that to launch our new products." However, he admitted that ideally he would like to see Microsoft restrict itself to software. Image Credit: Lenovo |
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