Tablets

Xbox Gamers May Get a New 7-Inch Playing Surface
November 07, 2012

Microsoft is reportedly working on a 7-inch Xbox Surface gaming tablet. The 7-inch tablet has become a battleground of sorts lately, with Apple's iPad mini being the latest entrant. "We are seeing a shift in demand for 7-inch devices so it wouldn't be all that surprising," said Ryan Reith, program manager at IDC, adding that things are still at the rumor stage.

Apple, Microsoft and Google Play High-Stakes Musical Chairs
November 05, 2012

The last decade seemed to be about the decline of Microsoft, the dominance of Apple, and the emergence of Google. This decade, Microsoft seems to be trending up, Apple looks increasingly at risk, and Google looks more and more like the Microsoft of 10 years ago. It is almost as if the companies have shuffled and changed chairs.

Court Orders Apple to Revise Cheeky Apology
November 02, 2012

The British court that ordered Apple to post a statement declaring that Samsung didn't infringe on its designs isn't happy with the way the order was carried out. Apple posted a statement to its UK website, but it was apparently not what the three-judge appeals panel had in mind.

Google's Nexus 10 Hits Apple Where It Lives
October 30, 2012

Google canceled its New York press event Monday due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast, but that didn't stop it from announcing its new Nexus 10 tablet, along with the Nexus 4 smartphone and Android 4.2, an update to Jelly Bean. A step up in size from the Asus-made Nexus 7, released in July, the Samsung-made Nexus 10 will be available beginning Nov. 13.

What Lies Beneath the Surface Tablet's Screen
October 29, 2012

The last thing people probably consider when buying a new gizmo or gadget is how hard it might be to fix, but according to the teardown team at iFixit, Microsoft's shiny new Surface tablet is easier to repair than the latest iPad, but it is still difficult to take apart. The online teardown site rated the Surface's "repairability" a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the easiest.

Microsoft Boxes Apple's Ears With Surface Tablet
October 29, 2012

You really don't get a sense of just how limited the iPad is until you actually explore the Surface tablet that Microsoft released last week. It is like the designers sat down over beers and argued over every single shortcoming they found in the iPad and then built into Surface just the right features to make the iPad look inadequate.

Surface Success May Hinge on Cool Covers
October 26, 2012

The Microsoft Surface tablet made its official debut on Thursday, and many are judging this tablet by its two magnetic keyboard cover options. The keyboards are one of the main components allowing the Surface to be positioned as much as a laptop as a tablet. They could allow the new Windows 8 machine to break out and claim its own niche in the market.

iPad Mini: The Difference Is in the Details
October 26, 2012

Feature for feature, the iPad mini mainly bests its rivals in the 7-inch tablet market, but it does so at a price that's 65 percent higher than those competitors. The mini has a larger display than Amazon's Kindle Fire HD and Google's Nexus 7. Its screen measures 7.9 inches diagonally, while the Fire and Nexus have 7-inch displays. Apple's tablet is longer than both its competitors and wider than Google's slate.

Windows 8 Embarks on Perilous Journey
October 25, 2012

Some 1,000 people gathered in New York City to see the long-ballyhooed Windows 8 unveiling on Thursday, and countless others watched a live stream from the Microsoft website. "Windows 8 shatters perceptions of what a PC really is," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told the audience. "We've truly reimagined Windows."

Chinese Company Rips Off iPad Mini and Its Tagline
October 25, 2012

Goophone, a Chinese company best known for cloning Apple products, reportedly will release its iPad mini doppelganger in November. The "GooPad mini," which already appears on posters, will sell for $99, while Apple's iPad mini will cost $329 but won't be sold right away in China. Goophone has even taken the liberty of ripping off Apple's "Every inch an iPad" tagline: "Every inch a GooPad mini."

Ecosystem Agnostics May Tip Scales for iPad Mini Sales
October 24, 2012

All eyes were on Apple on Tuesday as the company held its second product launch this fall to announce the iPad mini, along with refreshes to its iPad, iMac, MacBook Pro and Mac mini lines, ahead of the holiday shopping season. The iPad mini features the same dual-core A5 processor as the iPad 2. The 7.9-inch device was designed to be light and thin for one-handed use.

It's a Hard-Knock Life, so Far, for Microsoft Surface
October 24, 2012

Microsoft's new Surface RT tablet won't officially go on sale until Friday, and the early reviews have praised the design and even the interface, but some critics have taken aim at a slow operating system and, notably, the shortage of applications. Is it even fair to cry foul over a brand new device with a brand new operating system arriving light on apps?

Apple's Big Mini Mystery Solved
October 24, 2012

Apple made it official Tuesday and unveiled its new iPad mini tablet along with a new iMac and MacBook Pro. The new tablet is notable in that it is 7 inches, the same size as similar products from Amazon and Google. The MacBook Pro features a 2.6 GHz Intel processor, high-resolution Retina display and solid-state drive. The new MacBook will be 20 percent thinner than the previous generation.

Skinny Mini Joins Apple's Chorus Line
October 24, 2012

Apple revealed not only the much-anticipated iPad mini Tuesday, but also a flurry of updates across its product line. The full-size iPad, now in its fourth generation, gained a new A6X chip with twice the CPU and graphics performance as the previous generation's A5X chip. The 13-inch MacBook Pro picked up a graphic-intense Retina display, while Apple also announced a beefed-up Mac mini.

iPad Mini May Be Spoiling for a School Fight
October 22, 2012

Apple fans are preparing for Tuesday's press event, when the company is expected to launch a smaller version of the iPad tablet and possibly announce refreshes to its other computer lines or even a new push to capture the education market. The company sent out invitations that teased it had "a little more" to present. An iPad mini would compete with Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire.

Google to Get Last Word in Week of Tablet Launches
October 22, 2012

Google could be poised to roll out new Nexus tablet offerings at next Monday's press event in New York City. The search giant is also likely to introduce a new smartphone, the LG Nexus 4, powered by Android 4.2. The timing of the event is certainly interesting, as it comes later on the same day that Microsoft is holding a Windows Phone 8 event in San Francisco.

Windows 8 vs. iPad Mini: Smackdown of the Decade?
October 22, 2012

There is probably no battle we will see that will better define the futures of the new post Steve Jobs Apple and Steve Ballmer's revitalized Microsoft than this week's dueling launches. Apple is defined as the company that focuses tightly and drives people to its products, while Microsoft's strength is in the breadth of partners that collectively have the power to obliterate all challengers.

UK Judges Order Apple to Set the Record Straight
October 19, 2012

A three-judge panel has rebuffed an attempt by Apple to overturn a UK court's decision favoring Samsung. Britain's Court of Appeal upheld a lower court ruling that found Samsung's Galaxy tablet did not copy tablet designs registered by Apple in the UK. The court also sustained the lower court's mandate that Apple inform the public that Samsung's tablet does not infringe Apple's registered designs.

A Tale of Two iPads
October 18, 2012

Even before Apple actually announces a product, as a Mac and iOS device enthusiast, I tend to start imagining how I could actually use Apple's new awesomeness. The results aren't always as I hope. Often enough, I end up concluding that I don't need it -- like the 27-inch iMac and the Mac mini -- and sometimes, that I don't even want it.

Apple's Mini Doesn't Need Mega Success
October 17, 2012

Early adopters of the iPhone 5 probably don't have much time to bask in the glory of owning the latest Apple product. The company sent out invitations to an Oct. 23 event in San Jose, when it is expected to launch a smaller, more affordable tablet. The invitation reads, "We've got a little more to show you," with the "little" apparently implying a smaller iPad is truly on its way.