Have you been thinking about the Acer Iconia W3 since the price was reduced? A full Windows 8 tablet with a full Web experience, flexible connectivity and a weight of just 540 gram / 1.2lb? I have. At $299 it’s a ultra mobile PC at almost giveaway pricing. It even comes with a Microsoft Office license!
The problem is that the screen is cheap. The viewing angles are tight, there’s a mesh-like layer which reduces clarity and it’s only 1280×800 in resolution.
I had a chance to get the W3 in my hands last week and took four photos that show the viewing angle problem. It is, in my opinion, a real problem for usage in landscape mode. At video-viewing distances, not a major issue but for reading, it’s pretty horrible. In portrait mode, however, it’s not an issue, and that’s how I’d be using the W3 most of the time if I had it because thumbing across the bottom is way easier in this mode.
The choice is up to you though. If you want a UMPC, this is your only choice below 10-inches until the Lenovo Miix 8 or other small formfactor Win 8 tablets appear.
Personally I’m sticking with the Acer W510 that I’ve grown used to and am very close with now. Along with a cheap ASUS Fonepad I’ve got it covers all angles. I would, however, be interested in a lighter 10-inch tablet/2-in-1 with 3G and Windows 8.1. Perhaps later in the year!
Note: I’m on tour at IFA (Berlin) and Intel’s Developer Conference (San Francisco) next week. I’ll bring you any UMPC-related information I uncover.
After having our hands on the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S Ultrabook convertible for a few weeks, we’re ready to bring you the full review. Is this 11.6-inch convertible with Intel’s Ivy Bridge Y-series processor right for you? Step inside to see our analysis.
At 699 Euro, the Haswell-based Lenovo Ideapad U330 is the cheapest Haswell Ultrabook on the market right now. It’s now available to order and shipping, at least in Germany. If you’re not into touch, there’s a non-touch version (not a true 2013 Ultrabook but up to 2012 Ultrabook specs) available for 599 Euro.
The Lenovo Yoga 11S Ultrabook convertible is an 11.6-inch version of the Yoga 13, with one important difference — it’s running an Ivy Bridge ‘1.5’ processor, the Intel Core i7-3689Y. This new processor was created by Intel to meet the demand for small Windows tablets ahead of the Haswell launch. We’ve got the Yoga 11S on hand and will be putting it through the paces over the next few weeks. For now we’ve got our initial impressions and photos for your perusal.
If you’re using your laptop primarily to ‘get things done’ then you’ll have a couple of things at the top of your wish list. Large screen, perfect working fascia and battery life; You’ll probably also be prepared to take a hit on style or even weight for the right product. The Lenovo Thinkpad S531 could be just what you’re looking for. A 9hr, 15” laptop with the Thinkpad KWM fascia and Ultrabook advantage. One thing to be aware of though is that this ‘new’ Ultrabook is based on older standards.
The wheels are starting to turn again for the Windows-based handhelds that were once called UMPCs. First the Acer Iconia W3 and now something from Lenovo. The Lenovo Miix 8 was shown at a Microsoft press event at Computex although there’s little information available.
Lenovo has announced the ThinkPad T431s business Ultrabook, succeeding their prior T430s laptop. The new vPro equipped Ultrabook is aimed squarely at businesses, much like Lenovo’s premium ThinkPad X1 Carbon. The T431s has a 14-inch 1600×900 display (which can fold back 180 degrees), backlit keyboard, up to 12GB of RAM, a fingerprint scanner, and more.
