Android News

Minggu, 05 Januari 2014

Android desktops arrive as Lenovo eyes your living room - ZDNet

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Summary: Monday Morning Opener: As CES 2014 kicks off Lenovo launches an Android all-in-one. Android desktops plus Chromebooks could give Microsoft's Windows 8 franchise a headache.

Lenovo on Sunday rolled out an Android all-in-one home computer designed to be a living room multimedia PC. Should Android-powered PCs do well it would further disrupt the PC market and splinter the operating system selection a bit more.

The company's first Android home computer, the Lenovo N308, has a price tag that may spur some interest. The N308 starts at $450 and has a 19.5 inch 1600x900 touchscreen desktop.

According to Lenovo, the general idea is to put the PC at the center of folks who already use Android for browsing, apps and entertainment on their smaller screen devices. The N308 runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and is powered by a Nvidia Tegra processor.

The N308 has up to 500 GB of storage, a Webcam, keyboard, mouse and integrated battery with 3 hours of life. The N308 can stand or lay flat should you want to use it as a big tablet.

Add it up and Lenovo's N308 is an inexpensive spin on its larger tabletop PC, the Horizon 2, which is 27-inches and runs Windows 8 and the PC maker's custom interface. Horizon 2, an interesting living room addition that starts at $1,499, is basically a big tabletop tablet, that's positioned more upmarket than the Android all-in-one PC.

The N308 was outlined as part of Lenovo's larger play for the digital home. Lenovo also announced a personal cloud storage unit dubbed Beacon starting at $199 to share content and media in a home as well as the A740 all-in-one desktop starting at $1,499.

What's interesting is that PC makers are pushing toward Android after seeing Chromebooks sell well. Why? Chromebooks remain the domain of Google. With Android PCs, hardware manufacturers can customize more, add security features and preserve the application ecosystem. Google has all the control with the Chrome OS.

Rumor has it that Google has been working with various PC vendors to launch Android product lines.

For Windows 8, Android PCs and laptops could be a royal pain. Sure, Android PCs won't have Microsoft Office, but there are plenty of editing and viewing apps. Games on Android are plentiful and you could do worse things than buy a PC for $450.

In other words, should these early Android PC makers get any traction product roadmaps will expand. If Google can give Microsoft headaches with Chrome OS PCs just imagine what it could do with Android and Chrome OS hardware. Google's game is clear: Upend Microsoft's operating system domination.

For PC buyers, acquiring and Android computer may not be that much of a stretch. Android will be more familiar to customers than Chrome OS in many cases. And if all else fails, someone could use Lenovo's all in one as pricey dumb monitor attached to a laptop.

Since we're in the post-PC era, hardware manufacturers are going to try a little bit of everything to sell devices and preserve some profit margin. Android seems like a good experimental OS for PC makers. There's not a lot to lose and potential gains ahead. Rest assured other PC vendors will hop on the Android bandwagon.

ZDNet's Monday Morning Opener is our opening salvo for the week in tech. As a global site, this editorial publishes on Monday at 8am AEST in Sydney, Australia, which is 6pm Eastern Time on Sunday in the US. It is written by a member of ZDNet's global editorial board, which is comprised of our lead editors across Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States.

ZDNet's Monday Morning Opener

06 Jan, 2014

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Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFhOi76Ho4WMIOyqVbcmKMBs-nYTQ&url=http://www.zdnet.com/android-desktops-arrive-as-lenovo-eyes-your-living-room-7000024678/
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Lenovo uses price to pitch multi-mode PCs - ZDNet

Summary: Will the masses go for laptop and tablet tweeners? Now the price is right we'll soon find out.

Lenovo is sold on its lineup of convertible and detachable multimode computing devices and now is using price as a carrot to get the masses to buy them.

At the Consumer Electronics Show, Lenovo outlined the MIIX 2, a three-mode laptop, the Yoga 2, with four modes and the Flex 14D and 15D.

Like last year, Lenovo is betting big on multimode and the concept that tech buyers do want a PC that doubles as a tablet. The Yoga 2 is the most flexible of the bunch and has a 360 degree flip and fold design.

What's changing is that Lenovo has most of the price points covered. The MIIX 2 convertible laptop starts at $499 for a 10-inch model and $699 for the 11-inch version. The 10-inch, however, isn't available until March and the 11-inch won't arrive until April.

Price is the connective tissue in many of Lenovo's CES announcements. Lenovo's latest line of standard laptops are all competitively priced in the $600 ballpark.

Yoga 2, with a 13-inch display, starts at $999, but the 11-inch version is available in late January at $529. The Flex 14D and 15D, which use AMD processors, start at $499.

Nick Reynolds, executive director of Lenovo Business Group, said the plan was to improve multimode laptops and get the Yoga 2 "to mainstream price points." "People have a choice to come in and use a multimode device at an entry price," said Reynolds.

Now the fun really begins. Lenovo's multimode PCs will be priced in the same ballpark as many standalone tablets. The issue is that multimode devices haven't been perfected enough to do everything well. Lenovo's bet is that people will choose the twofer over going with a laptop vs. a tablet. Pricing is a big step forward, but it remains to be seen whether tech buyers will go gaga for multimode overall.

06 Jan, 2014

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Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNG8PzPnj3xM23FmrWHb3Zbokdak_Q&url=http://www.zdnet.com/lenovo-uses-price-to-pitch-multi-mode-pcs-7000024679/
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The #CESlive stage is taking shape ...

CESlive

The special live #CESlive coverage begins from South Hall on Tuesday. In the meantime, catch all of our pre-CES special live coverage at our CES hub here.

Phil Nickinson 06 Jan, 2014

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Lenovo announces the N308, an All-in-One Android computer

Lenovo N308

With the start of CES Unveiled Lenovo has taken the wraps of its first all-in-one Android computer, the N308. Having to hop between an Android tablet and a desktop computer can be a bit tedious at times, and Lenovo hopes to have solved that for many people. Featuring a 19.5 inch HD+ display the N308 runs Android 4.2 at launch. Inside the computer you can have either a 320GB or 500GB hard drive depending on preference, and it will support up to 2GB of DDR3 memory as well.

Much like a full desktop computer the N308 has two USB 2.0 ports, a microphone, headphone, and LAN jack as well as a 6-in-1 card reader. In addition it will come with a full sized wireless AccuType keyboard and a wireless mouse. Inside the device you will also find a battery that is said to last about three hours, so if you feel the need to move this 19.5 inch display around with you it can be done. With full access to Google Play and Amazon's AppStore you will be able to download your favorite Android applications without issue.

Starting at $450 for the base model and going up from there depending on options, Lenovo has unfortunately not given an exact release date at this time.

Phil Nickinson 06 Jan, 2014

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/w0s7gtclvJ0/story01.htm
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Sphero introduces an all new form factor with the Sphero 2B

Sphero 2B

Sphero has drawn a ton of attention with their little robotic balls that were controlled by Android devices, and today they have announced an addition to the family. With the Sphero 2B they have brought a bunch of changes to the device with a whole new form factor, and the ability to change various parts like the hubcaps, wheels, and tires. Having two main points of contacts the Sphero 2B is able to turn on a dime, and offers some crazy speed along with the ease of maneuverability.

In addition to the new hardware Sphero has also launched seven new applications for CES, which now brings their total up to 35 different titles. In addition to being able to play with this by yourself you can use the built in infrared technology for player vs player or multiplayer game play as well. Priced at $100 the Sphero 2B will start shipping in Fall 2014. If you want to be among the first to have one be sure to hit the link below to reserve your spot, and stay tuned right here to see if we can check one of these out live from Las Vegas.

Source: Sphero

Today, we're excited to announce a new addition to the Sphero family. Meet Sphero 2B!

Sphero 2B takes on a new form factor, drives like it's from the future, comes with interchangeable parts like tires and hubcaps for different terrain, and will launch with accessories for advanced gameplay. Powered with AI Superdrive capabilities, 2B is unreasonably fast and maneuverable. With only two points of contact, 2B can turn on a dime, launch off steep inclines, and tumble unlike anything you've seen.

Sphero 2B is also made for open play and is designed to inspire future inventors like Sphero's young co-founders. And just like Sphero Original, Sphero 2B offers awesome new ways to play. We've added built-in infrared technology that will offer interactive player vs. player and multiplayer games.

Features:

Gameplay

Unique Driving, Multiplayer Games, Programming

Body Styles

Black or White

Shell

Durable Polycarbonate Body

Interchangeable Parts

Wheels, Tires, and Hubcaps

Speed

Up to 14 ft/s

Connectivity

Bluetooth LE (30m)

Compatibility & Programmability

iOS & Android with SDK's available

Charging

USB Cable

How to Get Sphero 2B

Starting today, you can reserve your place in line to be the first to own the newest Sphero robot at GoSphero.com/2B. Sphero 2B will be available worldwide for under $100 (US) starting in Fall 2014. 2B accessories and customizable parts will be announced at a later date.

And.....what's new with Sphero2.0?

With 7 new apps launched for CES, now totaling over 35, Orbotix continues to deliver on it's promise to provide the world with it's first consumer friendly robot made for games. Come check out advancements in Augmented Reality as you take the stage in Sphero Studios. Also, get a hands-on experience of what Sphero is offering to classrooms around the world in the Sphero EDU corner.

Jared DiPane 06 Jan, 2014

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Apple acquires Snappycam photo app company - USA TODAY

A woman walks past the Apple logo at an Apple store in China.(Photo: Rolex Dela Pena, epa)

Story Highlights

Apple reportedly buying maker of SnappyCam app
Mergers are becoming more common for Apple amid increasing competition
Smartphone cameras increasingly big selling point for handheld gadgets

Apple has reportedly purchased the small company that makes a popular photography app, the latest sign the gadget maker is gearing up efforts to innovate through acquisitions.

SnappyLabs, the company that makes an app called SnappyCam, which adds functions to smartphone cameras, is Apple' latest target. The company was bought for an undisclosed sum, first reported by tech blog TechCrunch and later confirmed by Re/Code. Apple did not respond to USA TODAY's requests for comment.

SnappyCam is a $1 app that allows smartphone users to modify the way the built-in camera takes photos and how quickly the photos are taken. The app is best known for a feature that allows a smartphone's camera to keep taking photos in rapid succession as long as the on-screen shutter-button is depressed.

Apple's purchase of SnappyCam is the most recent evidence of its move away from being resistant to mergers and buyouts formed co-founder Steve Jobs was CEO.

The number of buyouts is heating up as Apple faces tougher competition and increasing criticism for its lack of in-house innovation. Despite years of anticipation, Apple-branded smartwatches and TV products have yet to materialize. It is expected to unveil an iWatch in late 2014. Meantime, Samsung and smaller tech players like Pebble have beat Apple to market with smartwatches.

Shares of Apple are down more than 22% from their all-time high set in September 2012. Apple's stock Friday fell $12.15, 2.2%, to close at $540.98.

Last year, Apple bought 11 companies, ranging from social media analytics company TopsyLabs in December to Hopstop.com, a travel information site, in July, says S&P Capital IQ. That was up from just two buyouts in 2011, the last year Jobs served as CEO. Apple only bought one company in all of 2009, a music service called Lala.com that was a rising threat against iTunes, which Apple later shuttered. And in 2010, Apple bought just four companies.

Apple's latest deal underscores how the quality and usability of cameras in smartphones are increasingly important to users and are becoming selling points for handheld devices. Much of the industry is still playing catch-up with Nokia in this area. Nokia last year launched the Nokia 1020 smartphone, the first smartphone able to capture images at 41 megapixels. Nokia also bundles smartphones with advanced photo processing apps and software.

06 Jan, 2014

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Lenovo brings Android to 4K monitor, all-in-one PC - PCWorld

PCWorld News

Lenovo is going beyond smartphones and tablets with Android, putting the operating system in a unique 28-inch 4K smart monitor and a new, 19.5-inch all-in-one PC.

The ThinkVision 28 is the first 4K monitor to be offered with Android, while the N308 all-in-one PC, which starts at $450, provides an Android alternative to Windows PCs. Android brings a familiar mobile user experience to desktops, with the ability to run apps and games and share files between devices, Lenovo officials said.

People are accessing more applications, entertainment and storage services over the Internet, and Android is designed for that type of computing, said Nick Reynolds, a Lenovo executive director of marketing.

"Everyone is finding they have an explosion of personal digital content and they need to store and manage it," Reynolds said. "It changes the way people are working with their traditional desktop."

The addition of Android to a 4K display is unusual; the OS is usually found on lower-resolution smartphones and tablets. But the ThinkVision 28 is a professional 4K monitor first, and can be used as an Android desktop when needed, Lenovo said. The display has three HDMI ports, one Displayport and five USB 3.0 ports.

"Now you get a very high resolution display that you can use for work situations, as well as being able to have an Android interface that can access applications," said Matt Bereda, a Lenovo marketing director.

The ThinkVision has an Nvidia Tegra processor and a stock version of Android, and can access games from Nvidia's TegraZone service, a Lenovo spokesman said. There are no plans for a customized user interface similar to the one in Lenovo's tablets and smartphones.

"There are base Android apps installed, similar to what you'd get with your phone. You can expect a similar interface. Kind of the baseline video, camera type of apps, but then you will also be able to download others," Bereda said.

The ThinkVision 28 can also wirelessly access data from Android smartphones and tablets.

Lenovo didn't disclose the price of the ThinkVision 28 but said it will ship in April.

The N308 is being pitched as a supersized tablet and an alternative to Windows 8.1 all-in-one PCs. It runs on Android 4.2 and the components are encased in a 19.5-inch touchscreen that can display images at a 1600 x 900 pixel resolution.

"This is something different from the traditional all-in-one," Reynolds said. "We see this as a great device for people who want a very affordable all-in-one."

The N308 is for people who want to browse the web and use apps they're familiar with from their smartphone, Reynolds said.

"You can use it in your house like a very large tablet and move it around," he said.

The N308 is 32.88 mm thick, runs on a quad-core Tegra 4 processor, has 500GB of storage and includes a webcam. A battery will be integrated in North America models, but will be optional in other parts of the world. A shipping date wasn't provided.

Agam ShahReporter, IDG News Service

Agam Shah is a reporter for the IDG News Service in New York. He covers hardware including PCs, servers, tablets, chips, semiconductors, consumer electronics and peripherals.
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06 Jan, 2014

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Yahoo Malware: Hundreds Of Thousands Of Users May Be Infected Due To ... - International Business Times

A new report details the possibility that hundreds of thousands of visitors to Yahoo may have been exposed to malware advertisements. The activity was first discovered on Jan. 3 and involved several hosted ads, served by ads.yahoo.com.

Fox-IT, an Internet security firm, discussed the malware attack on its blog. "On Jan. 3 we detected and investigated the infection of clients after they visited yahoo.com," said Fox-IT.

Not all of the advertisements delivered by ads.yahoo.com are malicious but several malware ads were detected, redirecting users to a "Magnitude" exploit kit that installed several malware files. Per Fox-IT, "This exploit kit exploits vulnerabilities in Java and installs a host of different malware including ZeuS, Andromeda, Dorkbot/Ngrbot, Advertisement clicking malware, Tinba/Zusy and Necurs."

As described by Fox-IT, the user sees an iframe ad. The malicious redirects the visitor to one of several domains and the malware is then served from one IP address.

The Internet security firm says the first infections occurred on Dec. 30 although the Yahoo malware ads may have started prior to that date. Fox-IT estimates 300,000 visits to this malware site per hour, leading to 27,000 infections every hour with Great Britain, France and Romania being the most affected countries.

Fox-IT recommends blocking the IP addresses 192.133.137/24 subnet and 193.169.245/24 subnet. Yahoo has since responded to the threat and Fox-IT notes traffic to the malware exploit kit has decreased. "The attackers are clearly financially motivated and seem to offer services to other actors," said the security firm, which means the group behind the malware would sell access to infected computers to other groups.

It is unclear who is responsible for the malware ads but the Washington Post describes two possible scenarios that could have led to the malware attack. Ashkan Soltani, a security researcher speaking to the Post, said the malware ads could have been delivered via the hacking of an ad network or the malware could have been disguised as a normal ad and managed to bypass Yahoo's security system. A spokeswoman for Yahoo said they discovered a malicious ad and have removed it, notes the Washington Post.

The most recent attack exploits vulnerabilities in Java and serves as a reminder to avoid the 20-year old programming language, reports the Washington Post. Flash and JavaScript are preferred over Java and it is recommended that users block Java on your browser. Gizmodo has a handy guide to disable Java on Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer and Firefox and recommends doing a virus scan if you have visited Yahoo recently.

06 Jan, 2014

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Lenovo brings Android to 4K monitor, all-in-one PC - PCWorld

PCWorld News

Lenovo is going beyond smartphones and tablets with Android, putting the operating system in a unique 28-inch 4K smart monitor and a new, 19.5-inch all-in-one PC.

"Everyone is finding they have an explosion of personal digital content and they need to store and manage it," Reynolds said. "It changes the way people are working with their traditional desktop."

The ThinkVision 28 can also wirelessly access data from Android smartphones and tablets.

Lenovo didn't disclose the price of the ThinkVision 28 but said it will ship in April.

"This is something different from the traditional all-in-one," Reynolds said. "We see this as a great device for people who want a very affordable all-in-one."

The N308 is for people who want to browse the web and use apps they're familiar with from their smartphone, Reynolds said.

"You can use it in your house like a very large tablet and move it around," he said.

Agam ShahReporter, IDG News Service

Agam Shah is a reporter for the IDG News Service in New York. He covers hardware including PCs, servers, tablets, chips, semiconductors, consumer electronics and peripherals.
More by Agam Shah

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06 Jan, 2014

LaCie brings super-fast and super-sleek portable storage devices to CES 2014 - CNET

LaCie shows off at CES 2014 two incredible storage devices: The new 1TB PCIe SSD-based Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2, which delivers a data speed of up to 1,400MBps, and the unprecedentedly sleek LaCie Sphere, a shiny USB 3.0 portable drive that comes with a spherical chassis handcrafted from silver-plated steel.

by Dong Ngo January 5, 2014 4:00 PM PST

The LaCie Sphere is so leek it's to appreciate its shininess in photos.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

LAS VEGAS -- If any thing, LaCie aims to impress at CES 2014.

Apart from the Fuel, the storage vendor announced today two new remarkable portable storage devices, the new LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 and the LaCie Sphere.

The LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 is the major upgrade to the exciting Little Big Disk Thunderbolt that came out a few years ago. The new drive now supports Thunderbolt 2 and comes with two 500GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) on the inside in a RAID 0 configuration to offers the total of 1TB of storage space and superfast data speed of some 1,400MBps. To put this in perspective, that's some five times to the speed of even the fastest USB 3.0 storage device. With this type of speed, professionals can easily use it for real-time 4K video editing. And the compact design, which is exactly the same as that of the previous model, means that they can do that even when they're on the go.

Similar to its predecessor, the new Thunderbolt 2 Little Big Disk comes with a full aluminum enclosure, but now comes in black instead of white. The new LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 will be available for purchase in the first quarter of 2014, with an estimated price that lands somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000, with a three-year warranty included.

The new Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2 from LaCie at its internal parts.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

The LaCie Sphere, on the other hand, is a USB 3.0 portable drive so it doesn't have the above speed to impress. Instead, it more than makes up in the design. This is the first portable drive on the market that comes in a super sleek silver-plated steel spherical chassis. The drive looks like a piece of jewelry, and in fact it's very much a piece of jewelry with a portable drive attached on the inside.

Partnered with Christofle, a French luxury silvercraft brand founded in 1830, LaCie created the Sphere as a luxurious piece of technology. The drive is enclosed in a handcrafted spherical case of steel. According to Lacie, due to its round shape, the LaCie Sphere requires a careful manual plating process. After than the entire sphere is plated in silver, stamped, and finally polished for a exceptional shininess in Christofle's silversmith workshop in Normandy, France. The result is a highly reflective finish that makes the hard drive a decorative piece for any home or workstation.

The LaCie Sphere is slated to be available in the first quarter of 2014 in a single 1TB capacity, and with the estimated price of $450.

Check back after CES for the full review of the LaCie Sphere and the new Little Big Disk Thunderbolt 2.

06 Jan, 2014

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Check out the crazy $99 connected electric toothbrush - VentureBeat

Check out the crazy $99 connected electric toothbrush

Kolibree

Kolibree's connected toothbrush.

CES 2014

What will be hot in consumer electronics and computing in 2014? Read our full coverage of International CES 2014 to find out.

Kolibree is announcing what it calls the world's first connected electric toothbrush today. It sounds pretty weird, but Kolibree says it can analyze your brushing habits and display them on a mobile dashboard that you can access from your phone. The idea is to motivate you, or shame you, into brushing better.

For $99, it better be good. The Paris-based company unveiled the electric toothbrush at the 2014 International CES, the huge tech trade show in Las Vegas this week. It sounds nuts, but no more so than the Hapifork connected fork that debuted at CES last year.

You download a free mobile app, connected your smartphone to the toothbrush via Bluetooth wireless. It records every brushing and syncs the information to your smartphone. Then you can use the app to see whether you brushed long enough and reached the hard-to-hit but important parts of your teeth and gums.

You get a score for your brushing and can share those stats with your dentist or your family. But if you share this data too widely, it will clearly be in the "too much information" category. Kolibree rewards your progress when you are improving. The company will make the brushing data available via an applications programming interface so third-party game designers can create games around it.

The toothbrush will be available in the fourth quarter. You can start pre-ordering it this summer, initially through a Kickstarter campaign. The device will range from $99 to $200, depending on the model.

06 Jan, 2014

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At CES, Belkin bets big on WeMo - CNET

With new connected bulbs, devices, and appliances, Belkin wagers the house on home automation.

by Ry Crist January 5, 2014 4:15 PM PST

(Credit: Belkin)

Many of us expected home automation to take a step forward at CES this year, and Belkin didn't disappoint, announcing a new slate of WeMo devices that promise to make the smart home even smarter. With new LED light bulbs, an intriguing, multifunctional "Maker" device, and even a connected slow cooker, WeMo is looking less and less like a niche offering and more and more like a legitimate, full-fledged home network.

We've already come away impressed with the trio of WeMo switches that Belkin has released thus far, and a lot of what we like about those products will carry through to the new offerings. Everything will integrate into WeMo's existing Android/iOS app, and also into IFTTT, the free automation tool that links social networks, online services, and connected devices like Philips Hue bulbs and the SmartThings suite of sensors. That means that all of the new WeMo products will feature the same wide range of creative functionality that that the existing lineup enjoys.

The new WeMo Smart LED is a dimmable, automatable 60-watt replacement that promises a 25,000-hour lifespan.

(Credit: Belkin)

Lenovo's shape-shifting laptops, tablets receive a facelift - PCWorld

PCWorld News

Lower pricing hasn't stopped Lenovo from adding a gaggle of new features and innovations to its latest hybrid laptops and tablets.

Lenovo announced the new detachable Miix 2 and Yoga 2 laptop-tablet hybrid, which carry lower starting prices of $499 and $529, respectively. The highly anticipated ThinkPad X1 Carbon, which starts at $1,299, has an innovative reprogrammable keyboard that can adapt to applications. The 27-inch Horizon 2 all-in-one PC allows content and apps to be pulled from smartphones, tablets and other PCs.

The new models are thinner and lighter, and step up performance with Intel's latest Atom chips, called Bay Trail, and fourth-generation Core processors, nicknamed Haswell. The new PCs were announced ahead of the International CES show in Las Vegas.

Yoga 2 hybrid

The Yoga 2 is the thinner, lighter and cheaper successor to the original Yoga laptop announced last year. The current Yoga 11S starts at $799, while the Yoga 13 starts at $849.

The Yoga can double up as a tablet, with the screen capable of twisting 360 degrees around and folding into the base of the laptop.

"The Yoga 2 advances the design and gets to mainstream price points," said Nick Reynolds, executive director of marketing for Lenovo business group.

The hybrids will come in models with 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch screens. The screens are available at up to a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. The Yoga 2 PCs will ship this month.

Starting at $529, the 11-inch model is 17 millimeters thick and weighs 1.3 kilograms. It has a quad-core Intel Pentium processor and a 500GB hard drive.

The 13-inch model starts at $999, is 17.3 millimeters thick and weighs 1.5 kilograms. It is performance-oriented, with a Core i5 and 500GB SSHD (solid-state and hard-drive combination) storage.

ThinkPad X1 Carbon ultrabook

The innovative ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a refresh of the company's popular laptop introduced in 2012. Starting at $1,299, the laptop "is the world's lightest 14-inch ultrabook," Reynolds said. It is 17.7 mm thick and weighs 1.27 kilograms. The laptop will become available in January.

It has Haswell processors and offers nine hours of battery life. Another new feature is an "adaptive keyboard," in which the keyboard's function buttons can be reprogrammed to work in accordance with programs.

"As I launch one application such as a Skype call, it will dynamically change those keys to have Web conferencing or VOIP conferencing applications. If I change that once again over to an Internet browser, it will adapt those keys to functions that are relevant," said Matt Bereda, marketing director for Lenovo's Think Business Group.

The goal is to make it easier for users to access functions when most needed. It is easy to reconfigure the adaptive keyboard, Bereda said.

Horizon 2 all-in-one table PC

The original Horizon all-in-one table PC drew a lot of attention at last year's CES. This year, Lenovo is introducing its successor, Horizon 2, which is 26 percent smaller at 19.8 millimeters, and marginally lighter at 7.62 kilograms.

The all-in-one has a 27-inch screen and starts at $1,499. The PC will have a Haswell processor, and an option of a 3200 x 1800-pixel display.

Lenovo's Reynolds said the Horizon PC is more "interpersonal" with its ability to allow multiple people to work with it. The all-in-one can be laid flat on a table, which could allow multiple users to play a game, paint, or even play different instruments at the same time.

"It becomes a really collaborative computing device," Reynolds said.

One way the Horizon has become more collaborative is through an interface called Aura, which allows the PC to access content, contacts or apps from smartphones, tablets or other PCs connected via NFC or Wi-Fi. With specific Android apps, shaking a smartphone can "drop" content or apps from the handset to the Horizon.

A shipping date for Horizon 2 was not available.

ThinkPad 8 tablet

Lenovo's ThinkPad 8 tablet, which has an 8-inch screen and Windows 8.1, is priced starting at $449. It is 8.8-mm thick, and weighs around 400 grams. It runs on Intel's quad-core Bay Trail processors. It can also function as a basic PC when a monitor is connected through a mini-HDMI port.

ThinkPad 8 has a high-definition screen, Lenovo said. It will become available this month.

4K laptops

Lenovo is also bringing 4K to mainstream laptops. Lenovo is offering optional 4K resolution screens with the 14-inch Y40 and 15.6-inch Y50 laptops. The Y40 has an Advanced Micro Devices graphics card, while the Y50 has an Nvidia graphics card. The laptops, which start at $999, are part of Lenovo's high-end laptop lineup for gaming and professional use. The new laptops are faster and more power efficient than previous generations, Lenovo said.

Miix 2 detachable hybrids

Lenovo is betting on detachables like the Miix 2 to grow in the stagnant PC market. Miix 2 models include detachable 10- and 11.6-inch screens. The screens can be pulled out from the keyboard base to become a tablet.

"You have the option to use the Windows 8.1 touchscreen tablet or attach it back to its base for a full laptop experience," Reynolds said.

The 10-inch Miix 2, priced at $499, is 9.2 millimeters thick, weighs 0.58 kilograms and has an Intel Bay Trail processor. The 11.6-inch model starts at $699 and has a Core i5 processor and 256GB SSD storage.

Both the Miix models offer "all-day battery life," Lenovo said. The PCs have screens with a 1920 x 1200-pixel resolution, JBL speakers, 2-megapixel front and 5-megapixel rear cameras, and micro-SD slots. Optional 3G is available.

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06 Jan, 2014

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Lenovo ThinkVision 28 Smart 4K smart display functions as Android standalone - SlashGear

Brittany Hillen

Among the various smartphones, laptops, and all-in-one PCs the company has planned to revealed at CES this week, Lenovo has introduced two new displays: the ThinkVision 28 and the ThinkVision Pro2840m. The most notable aspect of the displays is the standalone Android functionality -- though it isn't something that can replace a home PC, the ThinkVision 28 can be toggled between a smart display and an Android-centric hub of sorts.

The ThinkVision 28 smart display is powered by NVIDIA's Tegra, and can work with Android 4.3 as what Lenovo calls a "premium entertainment system". You'll need an Android device to start with -- it doesn't so much run as standalone unit as it does a larger display that supplements your Android gadgets -- but it is interesting nonetheless. Beyond the Android aspect, the monitors also have some other notable functionality.

The ThinkVision 28 has a 28-inch display with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels with 300 nit brightness and 10-point multi-touch. There are three HDMI video ports, as well as "multiple" USB ports, some audio ports, a DisplayPort, Ethernet, and a microSD slot. There's 2GB of memory and 32GB of internal storage space for those who choose to use it as an Android hub, which is enabled with a single button.

There's both NFC and Bluetooth 4.0, as well as Miracast. Beyond this is the upgraded version, the ThinkVision Pro2840m that features the same 4K display and 300 nit brightness, as well as a 5 millisecond response time and 10-bit color. There are 157 pixels-per-inch and a three million-to-one contrast ratio. There are dual speakers and touch-sensitive buttons, and in addition to the connectivity above, there's also mini DisplayPort and HDMI with MHL.

The ThinkVision 28 will be available in July starting at $999 USD, while the Pro2840m will be available in April starting at $799 USD.

06 Jan, 2014

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Android desktops arrive as Lenovo eyes your living room - ZDNet

Summary: Monday Morning Opener: As CES 2014 kicks off Lenovo launches an Android all-in-one. Android desktops plus Chromebooks could give Microsoft's Windows 8 franchise a headache.

The company's first Android home computer, the Lenovo N308, has a price tag that may spur some interest. The N308 starts at $450 and has a 19.5 inch 1600x900 touchscreen desktop.

The N308 has up to 500 GB of storage, a Webcam, keyboard, mouse and integrated battery with 3 hours of life. The N308 can stand or lay flat should you want to use it as a big tablet.

Rumor has it that Google has been working with various PC vendors to launch Android product lines.

ZDNet's Monday Morning Opener

06 Jan, 2014

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