If you’ve been holding out for some interesting Windows 8 devices, Samsung’s latest lineup could be just for you.
Samsung just announced a new convertible Windows 8 laptop, the Ativ Q, as well as an incredibly thin tablet, the Ativ Tab 3, at its Premiere 2013 media event in London. Additionally, the company also announced two standard laptops — the Ativ Book 9 Plus and Ativ Book 9 Lite — as well as the all-in-one Ativ One Style 5 desktop.
“There’s a magic to pop-up books,” the event’s master of ceremonies said as he kicked off the event, which was fitting for the pop-up like Ativ Q.
The big draw of the Ativ Q is its screen hinge, which can place its 13.3-inch touch-screen display in four orientations: flat over the keyboard like a tablet, upright like a laptop, floating above the keyboard, and flipped all the way up (with the keyboard behind it like a stand). It also sports a sharp 3200 by 1800 pixel resolution, the highest for a display this size. The Ativ Q weighs only 2.8 pounds and measures 13.9 millimeters thick.
The Ativ Q can run Android apps right alongside Windows 8 (likely by taking advantage of Bluestacks’ technology). During an onstage demo, Samsung reps were able to flip between the Android home screen and Windows 8 Start screen instantly.
Whereas the Ativ Q is all about versatility, the Ativ Tab 3 is focused entirely on being the thinnest Windows 8 tablet on the market. It’s just 8.2 millimeters thick and weighs 1.2 pounds. Samsung claims it also has over 10 hours of battery life, which is typical for tablets.
Both machines also sport Samsung’s S Pen stylus. I’ve noticed for a while that Samsung has placed far more emphasis on its Note lineup compared to its standard Galaxy tablets over the last few years, so today’s announcements are yet another sign of the S Pen’s growing importance for Samsung.
Samsung didn’t offer up any pricing or availability details for either Ativ device today, but we expect to hear more in the next few months.
2013年6月20日星期四
2013年6月10日星期一
Mountain Lion Adoption 9 Times Higher Than Windows 8
Just before announcing its new desktop operating system, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that OS X 10.9 Mountain Lion is the company’s best selling release of all time. On stage at this year’s WWDC, Cook announced that 35 percent of Mac users have upgraded to Mountain Lion, with 28 million copies of the software sold.
This outshines Microsoft’s most recent operating system by a long shot, as recent statistics from Net Market Share show that only 4.27 percent of PC users are operating on Windows 8. According to the data, this marks a new low for Windows adoption—even worse than the ill-fated Windows Vista which accounts for 4.51 percent of PC users.
But this trend isn’t specific to software alone, according to Cook. The Apple CEO continued to say that the average annual growth rate for Mac is 15 percent versus a three percent growth rate for PCs.
What Will It Take for Small Windows 8 Tablets To Be a Hit?
The first wave of Windows 8.1 7- and 8-inch tablets washed over Computex in Taiwan last week. Up until now, all Windows 8 tablets had measured 10 inches or larger. This is despite the fact that the smaller tablet segment of the market is on fire; estimates suggest as much as 65 percent of all tablets sold worldwide by the end of 2013 will fall into this category.
Acer led the pack with an impressive 8-inch version, the Iconia W3 (pictured). It has an MSRP of $379, which is $30 above the entry level iPad mini, but in retail it will probably cost less than the iPad mini. This is important because Acer is beating all of its competitors to market with a small Windows 8 tablet, a tablet size that is just now becoming available thanks to Windows 8.1.
Computex also marked Intel's public release of Haswell. This is its new low-powered processor designed for all types of mobile devices that today are dominated by ARM chips and a variety of new hybrid and convertible designs as well as the new Atom and Temash touch-based notebooks under $500. AMD didn't sit back either; it launched its next generation of mobile chips with stellar graphics.
While most analysts believe Haswell will seriously challenge the ARM crowd, it is way too early to tell how well it will do. Haswell delivers much lower voltage and great graphics, but Nvidia and Qualcomm chips will always cost less than Intel's if Haswell's price is consistent with traditional Intel prices. The good news for Intel is that it is starting to win some tablet bids, such as Samsung's new 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 3. I suspect that Dell, HP, and Lenovo will eventually have Haswell in some of their larger tablets too as they target the enterprise where some might want backward compatibility with existing Windows apps.
Microsoft has its work cut out for it given the competition. Right off the bat, the Windows tax already hinders its partners since Android is free. And unless Intel is priced competitively with the ARM vendors, this too could impact any vendor's ability to create a low-cost, small tablet to oppose Amazon and those targeting the real low-end of the tablet market.
Another issue that could possibly hamper the success of Windows 8.1 on any tablets is the absence of what some call "long tail apps," or apps that people also have on their iOS and Android devices. For example, many soccer moms are tied together through an iOS app that helps them manage their kids' schedules around practices, games, and carpooling. That same app may be available on Android but it's not likely on Windows 8 for tablets. And there are thousands of long tail examples of content where this plays out with consumers, many who take these to work via a BYOD program.
My company has been talking with software developers and their development strategy is iOS first, followed by Android. We have found very few that are even considering putting long tail apps on Windows 8 for now. When we talk to VCs who are backing tablet software projects, they tell us they are only funding iOS development. If it makes sense and they think the company could make money with an Android version, only then will they green-light those projects. But as of now, Windows 8 apps for tablets are not even on their radar.
We could see some substantial uptake in larger Windows tablets within IT where backward compatibility with corporate written apps on Windows is still important, but I fear that Windows for smaller tablets is just too late to the party. Sources say that by CES 2014 we will see many $99 Android tablets based on ARM. Amazon and Barnes & Noble will probably also have smaller HD tablets as low as $139 or $149 by the holidays. With the Windows tax on small tablets there is no way small Windows 8 tablets will hit these prices, though I've heard they might drop below $300 by the third quarter.
Apple and others may continue to make more souped up small tablets with more memory and better graphics but the lack of software, especially long tail software, could keep the demand for smaller Windows tablets at bay even if priced under $300.
Acer led the pack with an impressive 8-inch version, the Iconia W3 (pictured). It has an MSRP of $379, which is $30 above the entry level iPad mini, but in retail it will probably cost less than the iPad mini. This is important because Acer is beating all of its competitors to market with a small Windows 8 tablet, a tablet size that is just now becoming available thanks to Windows 8.1.
Computex also marked Intel's public release of Haswell. This is its new low-powered processor designed for all types of mobile devices that today are dominated by ARM chips and a variety of new hybrid and convertible designs as well as the new Atom and Temash touch-based notebooks under $500. AMD didn't sit back either; it launched its next generation of mobile chips with stellar graphics.
While most analysts believe Haswell will seriously challenge the ARM crowd, it is way too early to tell how well it will do. Haswell delivers much lower voltage and great graphics, but Nvidia and Qualcomm chips will always cost less than Intel's if Haswell's price is consistent with traditional Intel prices. The good news for Intel is that it is starting to win some tablet bids, such as Samsung's new 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 3. I suspect that Dell, HP, and Lenovo will eventually have Haswell in some of their larger tablets too as they target the enterprise where some might want backward compatibility with existing Windows apps.
Microsoft has its work cut out for it given the competition. Right off the bat, the Windows tax already hinders its partners since Android is free. And unless Intel is priced competitively with the ARM vendors, this too could impact any vendor's ability to create a low-cost, small tablet to oppose Amazon and those targeting the real low-end of the tablet market.
Another issue that could possibly hamper the success of Windows 8.1 on any tablets is the absence of what some call "long tail apps," or apps that people also have on their iOS and Android devices. For example, many soccer moms are tied together through an iOS app that helps them manage their kids' schedules around practices, games, and carpooling. That same app may be available on Android but it's not likely on Windows 8 for tablets. And there are thousands of long tail examples of content where this plays out with consumers, many who take these to work via a BYOD program.
My company has been talking with software developers and their development strategy is iOS first, followed by Android. We have found very few that are even considering putting long tail apps on Windows 8 for now. When we talk to VCs who are backing tablet software projects, they tell us they are only funding iOS development. If it makes sense and they think the company could make money with an Android version, only then will they green-light those projects. But as of now, Windows 8 apps for tablets are not even on their radar.
We could see some substantial uptake in larger Windows tablets within IT where backward compatibility with corporate written apps on Windows is still important, but I fear that Windows for smaller tablets is just too late to the party. Sources say that by CES 2014 we will see many $99 Android tablets based on ARM. Amazon and Barnes & Noble will probably also have smaller HD tablets as low as $139 or $149 by the holidays. With the Windows tax on small tablets there is no way small Windows 8 tablets will hit these prices, though I've heard they might drop below $300 by the third quarter.
Apple and others may continue to make more souped up small tablets with more memory and better graphics but the lack of software, especially long tail software, could keep the demand for smaller Windows tablets at bay even if priced under $300.
2013年5月30日星期四
Windows Updates: The secret life of Windows 8
Say what you will about the ability of Window 8 to handle every type of computer out there, it can do so fairly well. Sure there are some things easier to do in Windows 8 on a touch tablet, and other tasks more natural on a desktop or laptop. It's clear Microsoft has tried to handle every user scenario possible.
I have grown fond of using my HP Envy x2, and I do so as a touch tablet as well as a laptop. Sometimes the laptop use is strictly with the trackpad and other times by using the touch screen. It's versatile and lets me use the control method that makes the most sense for the given task. I can't imagine using Windows 8 without a touch screen.
Even with keeping track of all the different control methods possible to handle all of the user scenarios possible, Windows 8 has a hidden underbelly that is a little spooky. This hidden life is where Windows 8 does all of the behind-the-scenes maintenance required to keep things running smoothly. It almost seems as if the entire time I am getting things done using the system, the system is checking for updates to keep things running optimally.
There are at least three levels of maintenance that I'm aware of that Windows 8 is running in secret. The first is the OEM level, and while that's not technically Windows 8, it is part of the system operation so it feels the same.
HP, the maker of the Envy x2, has been aggressive at updating its device drivers and also releasing firmware updates to keep the hardware working properly with Windows 8. These can be set up to only happen with manual intervention, but I don't like to miss important updates like these so I have them happen automatically on a regular schedule.
These hardware updates require a system reboot to get applied, so I dutifully allow the system to reboot to get everything up-to-date. This often exposes the hidden underbelly of Windows 8 as about half the time, a reboot indicates it is applying other Windows Updates that were downloaded in secret. This is the second level of maintenance in Windows 8.
You've seen the reboot screen in Windows 8 that says it is configuring updates with a progress indicator. Sometimes these apply quickly and other times it might take a minute or two. The point is Windows 8 grabbed the updates without any indication it was happening, and then sat on them until the next system reboot.
That seems to be a reasonable approach to prevent interrupting the user, but it seems that about half the reboots I do end up with an unexpected application of Windows Updates. That hidden life of Windows 8 seems to be pretty active all the time underneath my work sessions. It's a bit odd that Windows 8 doesn't give an indication that an update is happening in the background. It's not a big deal, but that would be the courteous thing to do.
Sometimes I manually go into the Windows Update spot in the settings to see what might be lurking there. Often it shows a Windows Defender update is there to be applied automatically at some point in the future. Since these updates keep my anti-malware up-to-date, I always hit the link to go ahead and apply them. They only take a few seconds to apply so I don't understand why it was waiting for some time in the future to apply them. They require no reboot nor any user action, so why wait to update after it knows it needs to be done?
Windows Updates have a split personality that further confuses things. I can interact with most Windows Updates through the nice Metro interface accessed in settings on the Charms bar, but not always; sometimes, Windows 8 takes me to the desktop interface. Windows Updates on the desktop seem to require manual application, unlike other updates that download in the background and wait for the reboot. It's a little confusing, to be sure.
The third level of Windows 8 maintenance takes place in the app store. Windows 8 is constantly keeping an eye on apps that have updates in the store, and indicates this on the Windows Store live tile on the start screen.
I like to keep the Metro apps updated, so I dutifully enter the store and tap the link to update all the apps. This normally happens quickly, but several times the app update process has ended with an error message indicating that the apps couldn't be updated, and to try again later. At first I thought maybe the server was down, but I've come to realize it has to do with those secretly downloaded Windows updates that are waiting to be applied.
Whenever I get the app update(s) failure, I've come to realize I need to reboot the system. This triggers the pending Windows Update application, which lets the app updates complete successfully after the system is updated. The app updates seem to regularly need the system updates to be applied before the former will work.
There's nothing unusual for an app update to be dependent on a system update, but those behind-the-scenes Windows Updates don't give any overt indication they are waiting to happen. They download invisibly and then just sit there waiting to actually be applied.
Don't misunderstand me, I'm glad that Windows 8 is serious about keeping my system protected and up-to-date. I just find it spooky that it does it in the background, but without actually applying the updates. Maybe there's somewhere I could go to see if updates are waiting to be applied during a reboot, but I shouldn't have to do that. The system could easily indicate that a restart is needed to get the PC updated. It doesn't need to be hidden from me, especially if it's going to prevent dependent app updates from working.
The update process seems like it's been designed to be a bit spooky. Ordinarily I don't mind surprises, but not when it comes to system maintenance, and especially since it happens all the time.
Update: Microsoft has online resources explaining how to configure Windows Update to avoid some of the issues detailed in this article. A good place to start is with this Microsoft Knowledgebase article dealing with automatic updates. The article explains how automatic updates work and the details of using it. It specifically covers the reboot process that is triggered after an update has been downloaded as covered in this article.
I have grown fond of using my HP Envy x2, and I do so as a touch tablet as well as a laptop. Sometimes the laptop use is strictly with the trackpad and other times by using the touch screen. It's versatile and lets me use the control method that makes the most sense for the given task. I can't imagine using Windows 8 without a touch screen.
Even with keeping track of all the different control methods possible to handle all of the user scenarios possible, Windows 8 has a hidden underbelly that is a little spooky. This hidden life is where Windows 8 does all of the behind-the-scenes maintenance required to keep things running smoothly. It almost seems as if the entire time I am getting things done using the system, the system is checking for updates to keep things running optimally.
There are at least three levels of maintenance that I'm aware of that Windows 8 is running in secret. The first is the OEM level, and while that's not technically Windows 8, it is part of the system operation so it feels the same.
HP, the maker of the Envy x2, has been aggressive at updating its device drivers and also releasing firmware updates to keep the hardware working properly with Windows 8. These can be set up to only happen with manual intervention, but I don't like to miss important updates like these so I have them happen automatically on a regular schedule.
These hardware updates require a system reboot to get applied, so I dutifully allow the system to reboot to get everything up-to-date. This often exposes the hidden underbelly of Windows 8 as about half the time, a reboot indicates it is applying other Windows Updates that were downloaded in secret. This is the second level of maintenance in Windows 8.
You've seen the reboot screen in Windows 8 that says it is configuring updates with a progress indicator. Sometimes these apply quickly and other times it might take a minute or two. The point is Windows 8 grabbed the updates without any indication it was happening, and then sat on them until the next system reboot.
That seems to be a reasonable approach to prevent interrupting the user, but it seems that about half the reboots I do end up with an unexpected application of Windows Updates. That hidden life of Windows 8 seems to be pretty active all the time underneath my work sessions. It's a bit odd that Windows 8 doesn't give an indication that an update is happening in the background. It's not a big deal, but that would be the courteous thing to do.
Sometimes I manually go into the Windows Update spot in the settings to see what might be lurking there. Often it shows a Windows Defender update is there to be applied automatically at some point in the future. Since these updates keep my anti-malware up-to-date, I always hit the link to go ahead and apply them. They only take a few seconds to apply so I don't understand why it was waiting for some time in the future to apply them. They require no reboot nor any user action, so why wait to update after it knows it needs to be done?
Windows Updates have a split personality that further confuses things. I can interact with most Windows Updates through the nice Metro interface accessed in settings on the Charms bar, but not always; sometimes, Windows 8 takes me to the desktop interface. Windows Updates on the desktop seem to require manual application, unlike other updates that download in the background and wait for the reboot. It's a little confusing, to be sure.
The third level of Windows 8 maintenance takes place in the app store. Windows 8 is constantly keeping an eye on apps that have updates in the store, and indicates this on the Windows Store live tile on the start screen.
I like to keep the Metro apps updated, so I dutifully enter the store and tap the link to update all the apps. This normally happens quickly, but several times the app update process has ended with an error message indicating that the apps couldn't be updated, and to try again later. At first I thought maybe the server was down, but I've come to realize it has to do with those secretly downloaded Windows updates that are waiting to be applied.
Whenever I get the app update(s) failure, I've come to realize I need to reboot the system. This triggers the pending Windows Update application, which lets the app updates complete successfully after the system is updated. The app updates seem to regularly need the system updates to be applied before the former will work.
There's nothing unusual for an app update to be dependent on a system update, but those behind-the-scenes Windows Updates don't give any overt indication they are waiting to happen. They download invisibly and then just sit there waiting to actually be applied.
Don't misunderstand me, I'm glad that Windows 8 is serious about keeping my system protected and up-to-date. I just find it spooky that it does it in the background, but without actually applying the updates. Maybe there's somewhere I could go to see if updates are waiting to be applied during a reboot, but I shouldn't have to do that. The system could easily indicate that a restart is needed to get the PC updated. It doesn't need to be hidden from me, especially if it's going to prevent dependent app updates from working.
The update process seems like it's been designed to be a bit spooky. Ordinarily I don't mind surprises, but not when it comes to system maintenance, and especially since it happens all the time.
Update: Microsoft has online resources explaining how to configure Windows Update to avoid some of the issues detailed in this article. A good place to start is with this Microsoft Knowledgebase article dealing with automatic updates. The article explains how automatic updates work and the details of using it. It specifically covers the reboot process that is triggered after an update has been downloaded as covered in this article.
‘Start Button’ On Windows 8 Returns
Early this month, the company admitted that it was making changes with the Windows 8 operating system because of the complaints raised by customers.
In a blog posted by Antoine Leblond, corporate vice president, Windows Program Management at Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) wrote that the company designed the Windows 8 operating system in accordance with the evolving mobile computing where an increasing number of people interact with their devices through touch.
However, Leblond said the software giant also recognized the fact that many people are still using non-touch devices particularly in the commercial setting. For this reason, the company decided to improve and returned the start button to ensure that people using the mouse and keyboard will be able to use their devices easily.
Microsoft Changed The Start Button In Windows 8.1 Blue:
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) changed the Start button in Windows 8.1 Blue with the familiar Windows logo and it will appear anytime when a user moves the mouse to the bottom left corner of the screen, and will always be visible in the taskbar when on the desktop mode.
“There are also options to change what the corners do, and options to boot into alternate screens. For example, if you prefer to see the Apps view versus all the tiles, you can choose to have the Start screen go directly to Apps view,” explained Leblond.
Microsoft Added More improvements To The Windows 8.1 Blue:
Aside from the Start button, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) added more improvements to the Windows 8.1 Blue such as allowing users to skip the Windows 8 start screen and directly boot their computers into the desktop mode.
With Windows 8.1, users will be able to personalize their devices and turn their PC or tablet into a picture frame by making their lock screen a slide show of their pictures. They can use their photos saved on their computers or from the cloud SkyDrive. Users will now be able to take pictures with the built-in camera without the need to login.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) also provides more customization options with more choice of colors and backgrounds on the start screen, enhanced search function with global search results powered by Bing. The company also released a new version of the web browser, Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) for a better touch performance and faster page load.
In a blog posted by Antoine Leblond, corporate vice president, Windows Program Management at Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) wrote that the company designed the Windows 8 operating system in accordance with the evolving mobile computing where an increasing number of people interact with their devices through touch.
However, Leblond said the software giant also recognized the fact that many people are still using non-touch devices particularly in the commercial setting. For this reason, the company decided to improve and returned the start button to ensure that people using the mouse and keyboard will be able to use their devices easily.
Microsoft Changed The Start Button In Windows 8.1 Blue:
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) changed the Start button in Windows 8.1 Blue with the familiar Windows logo and it will appear anytime when a user moves the mouse to the bottom left corner of the screen, and will always be visible in the taskbar when on the desktop mode.
“There are also options to change what the corners do, and options to boot into alternate screens. For example, if you prefer to see the Apps view versus all the tiles, you can choose to have the Start screen go directly to Apps view,” explained Leblond.
Microsoft Added More improvements To The Windows 8.1 Blue:
Aside from the Start button, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) added more improvements to the Windows 8.1 Blue such as allowing users to skip the Windows 8 start screen and directly boot their computers into the desktop mode.
With Windows 8.1, users will be able to personalize their devices and turn their PC or tablet into a picture frame by making their lock screen a slide show of their pictures. They can use their photos saved on their computers or from the cloud SkyDrive. Users will now be able to take pictures with the built-in camera without the need to login.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) also provides more customization options with more choice of colors and backgrounds on the start screen, enhanced search function with global search results powered by Bing. The company also released a new version of the web browser, Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) for a better touch performance and faster page load.
2013年4月24日星期三
Surface Coming to More Countries Over Next Several Weeks
If there’s been a consistent complaint about Microsoft’s Surface family of tablets, it’s that the devices are not available in enough markets. That’s about to change: Microsoft announced today that Surface RT and Pro will be launching in additional markets over the next several weeks.
“We know it took us a while, but we hear you, and are excited to be able to provide an update on the countries where Surface RT and Surface Pro will be launching in May and June,” Microsoft general manager Brian Hall wrote in a post to the Surface Blog. “Additional details on launch events, retail availability, and pricing will be provided in [the] future ahead of actual launch dates.”
Launched in October 2012, Microsoft’s Surface with Windows RT is already available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. But that will expand to the following countries on the following dates:
Surface with Windows 8 Pro launched in February 2013 and has experienced availability difficulties and is available currently online in a few markets: The U.S., Canada and China. But that’s changing big time. The following countries will get Surface Pro on the following dates:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Before the end of May
Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand. Before the end of June
Mr. Hall noted that Microsoft’s silence about availability expansion over the past few months was due to sensitivity about the problems it had shipping enough Surface Pro units into the market already, especially the 128 GB version. But he says that most retail partners in the U.S. and Canada as well as the Microsoft Store now have the 128 GB product consistently in stock, and it’s time to expand.
“We know it took us a while, but we hear you, and are excited to be able to provide an update on the countries where Surface RT and Surface Pro will be launching in May and June,” Microsoft general manager Brian Hall wrote in a post to the Surface Blog. “Additional details on launch events, retail availability, and pricing will be provided in [the] future ahead of actual launch dates.”
Launched in October 2012, Microsoft’s Surface with Windows RT is already available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. But that will expand to the following countries on the following dates:
Surface with Windows 8 Pro launched in February 2013 and has experienced availability difficulties and is available currently online in a few markets: The U.S., Canada and China. But that’s changing big time. The following countries will get Surface Pro on the following dates:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Before the end of May
Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand. Before the end of June
Mr. Hall noted that Microsoft’s silence about availability expansion over the past few months was due to sensitivity about the problems it had shipping enough Surface Pro units into the market already, especially the 128 GB version. But he says that most retail partners in the U.S. and Canada as well as the Microsoft Store now have the 128 GB product consistently in stock, and it’s time to expand.
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