First impressions of the Windows 8 Acer Iconia W700 tablet

Acer announces its latest tablet, the Iconia W700, complete with a cradle dock, Bluetooth keyboard, and of course, Windows 8 compatibility.

As Acer continues to roll out its announcements on its latest Windows 8 lineup, we give you more hands-on impressions of the fresh new products right off the presses. Today, Acer unveils the Iconia W700 tablet complete with an 11.6-inch display in full 1080p high definition at a resolution of 1920 x 1080. The Iconia W700 will come in your choice of Intel Core i5 or i7 Ivy Bridge processor, and of course, the 10-point touch capacitive feature that will allow you to make the most out of Windows 8′s Metro UI.

One of the first things we noticed about the Iconia W700 is how modular the system is. The full set comes with a standing dock and a separate Bluetooth keyboard, both of which will allow you to use it like a PC at home or in your office. You can tilt the cradle dock up from 20 degrees to 70 degrees, depending on your viewing preference. Of course, you can also adjust the dock to stand vertically or horizontally.

Take it out of its cradle and you’ve got a tablet that’s approximately half an inch thich and weighs 2.3 pounds — not too much lighter than the Acer Aspire S7 ultrabook announced two days prior. However, the Iconia W700′s got a few more integrations that make it more of a mobile device than the Aspire S7. Case in point, the built-in G-Sensor, E-Compass, and Gyro-Meter — all of which are meant to help with location-based apps so you can check into a Foursquare joint, find your friends on Google Latitude, search nearby restaurants on Yelp, or the like, in as small amount of time as possible.

Spec-wise, you’ve got your choice of 64GB or 128GB SSD with 4GB of memory, a back-facing 5 megapixel camera that can record 1080p HD videos, and a 1-megapixel front facer that can capture 720p videos. The tablet also has a MicroHDMI and a VGA adapter if you want to hook it up to a projector. One of my personal favorite components of the set is that it comes with its own leatherette case that can pack up the dock, keyboard, and tablet all in a neat place. This makes it perfect for travel, and it’s nice to not have to spend extra on a decent case that can store all the little components and accessories.

The Acer Iconia W700 will be available on October 26 starting at $800.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/first-impressions-of-the-windows-8-acer-iconia-w700-tablet/

Read More

Apple Lightning Adapter: iHome, Gear4 accessories covered

There are worries over Apple's new Lightning cable and adapter's backward compatibility, but is it a cause for concern?

Talk of the iPhone 5’s new Lightning cable and its associated adapter is threatening to become this year’s “antennagate.” Confusion reigns as future iPhone 5 owners question whether they’ll be able to use their already-purchased accessories with the new device, or if the adapter’s limitations will scupper that plan.

Apple hasn’t helped by saying neither video or iPod-out is supported by the adapter, along with the disclaimer that “some 30-pin accessories are not supported,” but without adding any much needed detail.

To see if audio dock manufacturers were expecting any problems, we contacted a few of the big names for comment. iHome, North America’s number one maker of iPod speaker systems, said “The Apple Lightning to 30-pin adapters will support audio and charging with iHome docking stations.”

Good news there, then.

Gear4, who along with a wide-range of regular docks, also produces the licensed Angry Birds docks, provided more detail, saying “based on our understanding of the specification of the adapter, it appears that most or all of our products should work with the new iOS devices through the adapter.” This will include speakers that are “app-enabled,” and the forthcoming Renew SleepClock, that can monitor sleep patterns.

Regarding the Gear4 docks that don’t use a 30-pin connector but Bluetooth and AirPlay instead, the USB charging port on the rear is compatible with the Lightning cable and will charge attached devices as normal.

We’ve contacted JBL and Bose for comment too, and will update with their responses.

Gizmodo claims that the lack of iPod-out compatibility will be more of an issue for those who connect their iPhones and iPods to in-car entertainment systems, where apps that previously integrated with the system may no longer do so, and standard-fit controls may not operate the device either.

As for the video out problem, Apple may have a solution, but it’ll involve buying another set of cables. The Verge reports that an Apple representative told them Lightning to HDMI and Lightning to VGA cables would arrive in “the coming months.” If AirPlay’s not an option for you, then it looks like it’ll be best to wait for the new cables rather than splash out on an adapter.

Unfortunately, concrete answers to questions regarding the Lightning adapter may have to wait until the iPhone 5 and new iPods go on sale, and owners get to test it out when the adapter is released in October. Judging by what we’ve heard from manufacturers so far, it may not be as much of a problem as many feared.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/the-apple-lightning-adapter-which-accessories-will-work/

Read More