laptop

Microsoft Surface 2 and Surface 2 Pro: First impressions

Microsoft Surface 2 and Surface 2 Pro: First impressions

October 22, 2017 Richard Gomez 0

Is Microsoft's Surface a tablet or a laptop?
I'm not quite sure, but it is a lot easier to type on than an iPad.
The software company unveiled updates to its Surface tablet computers Monday at an event in New York, where I had a short amount of time to try them out.
It almost seems unfair to categorize the new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 as tablets. Although they have touch-screen keyboards like regular tablets, they work best when attached to an optional cover with a keyboard on the inside.
The better one I tried was the Type Cover 2. In addition to coming in four fun colors – pink, purple, blue and black – that cover has backlighting, silent keys and a typing feel similar to that of a laptop keyboard. At $130, it is just $10 more than a Touch Cover 2, which doesn't have movable keys like real keyboards.
The slick wireless mouse designed for the tablets is helpful, too, as is the docking station created to go with the Pro version of Surface.
The result is something that..

HP ElitePad 900 [year] review

HP ElitePad 900 2024 review

April 10, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

The HP ElitePad 900 is a Windows 8 tablet that targets enterprise users. It was announced in October 2012 but reached the Indian market only last month. Windows 8 is the first iteration of the desktop operating system that was optimised for touch use. In fact after the release of the OS, hardware makers decided to offer hybrid devices that mash keyboards and touch screens together in different ways.
The USP of the EliteBook is its optional accessories, also called “Smart Jackets” that extend its capabilities with additions such as extra battery life, connectivity ports, a keyboard, a stylus or memory-card slots. We try to find out if the tablet can become your only computing device replacing the laptop.
Design/ Build
The HP ElitePad 900 is one of the more sleek Windows 8 tablets that we've come across. Its form factor is pretty similar to the iPad barring the thickness. The ElitePad is even a little lighter than the current generation iPad. The tablet is mostly made of aluminium ..

Acer C720P [year]

Acer C720P 2024

June 14, 2015 Richard Gomez 5

Acer C720P – The Chromebook matches between AN iPad or golem capsule and a full-fledged laptop computer laptop. whereas roughly as moveable as a capsule, […]

Review: Asus Eee Pad tablet transforms into laptop

Review: Asus Eee Pad tablet transforms into laptop

March 1, 2016 Richard Gomez 0

The tablet computers that compete with the iPad have mostly been uninspiring. The Eee Pad Transformer stands out with a design that isn't just copied from the iPad: It's a tablet that turns into a laptop.
For $399, $100 less than the cheapest iPad, you get a tablet computer with a 10-inch screen and hardware that doesn't cut corners. It's fully usable on its own. For another $149, you can buy a keyboard that connects to the tablet. Together, they look and open like a small laptop.
The Transformer is made by Asustek Computer Inc., the Taiwanese company that started the brief “netbook” craze a few years ago by selling small, inexpensive laptops. With the keyboard attached, the Transformer is nearly indistinguishable from a netbook.
But before you get too excited about the prospect of a laptop-tablet hybrid that combines the best of both worlds, I have to tell you that you're not getting a Windows laptop in the bargain. The Transformer runs Google Inc.'s Andr..

Acer One [year] Review

Acer One 2024 Review

April 29, 2019 Richard Gomez 0

The budget PC market has always been highly competitive, and pretty much every manufacturer is in a race to the bottom in terms of pricing. Surprisingly, though, that hasn't stopped them from trying out all kinds of designs and throwing in popular features to tempt users. Touchscreens and 2-in-1 tablet designs have trickled down from the high-end to the budget segment, giving customers more choices than ever.
However there has to be some give and take. You can't expect to have every possible feature at this price level. Most of what we've seen are basically tablets with flimsy keyboard stands, such as the Notion Ink Cain, Swipe Ultimate and Croma 1177. While these are portable and affordable, they use slow processors and aren't easy to use in many situations.
Acer has a slightly different take on the idea. The new Acer One, which the company says was designed especially for Indian buyers, costs around the same as the aforementioned products but looks a lot more like..

Croma 1177 [year] Review: A Tablet With a Twist

Croma 1177 2024 Review: A Tablet With a Twist

September 12, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

Croma has been selling house-brand products for a while now, with varying degrees of success. There's definitely a risk involved when a company puts its brand on products sourced from outside; more so in categories that already have their fair share of cheap made-in-China OEM/ODM products.
The large-format retailer has now decided to put its stamp on tablets in addition to home appliances. Two models have been launched; the Croma 1179 with an 8-inch screen and the Croma 1177 with a 10.1-inch screen and a detachable keyboard case. We have the latter, which the company refers to as a “2-in-1”, with us for review today.
While the device is sold exclusively by Croma, it does not carry the Croma brand in the same way that its appliances do. The box and device itself clearly state that it is manufactured for and imported by Datamini. If you were following the branded PC market in the late 90s and early 2000s, that name might ring a bell – the company was well-known for its Festiva range..

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 [year]

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 2024

August 28, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

To appreciate Microsoft's latest tablet computer, you need to accept the notion that one device can do it all.
The Surface Pro 3 works as a tablet when you want to watch video or read e-books. It works as a laptop when you need to get serious work done. The Surface delivers on both, though it falls short of meeting Microsoft's claim to do so without compromising on either.
(Also see: Microsoft Unveils Surface Pro 3 With 12-Inch 2160×1440 Pixel Display)
The Pro 3 runs a full version of Microsoft's Windows 8 system, the same as you get on a traditional desktop or laptop computer. That means that, unlike other tablets, it can run just about any program designed for Windows: Microsoft Office, Photoshop and more.
The Surface has a touch screen like other tablets, but it also has an optional cover that opens to reveal a physical keyboard and touchpad. It has a USB port and one for external displays, both of which are rare on tablets.
It also matches laptops in price. Although ..

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro [year] review

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 2024 review

November 25, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

Is 12 inches too big for a tablet screen? We're about to find out. Samsung has decided that the world needs bigger tablets, and so we have not one but two 12.2-inch models from the Korean giant. As if their lineup wasn't expansive enough, these new models are the largest of a range of new Android tablets.
Samsung's lineup of tablets now extends from 7 inches to 12.2 inches. Factoring in the Galaxy Mega and Galaxy Note phones which have screens of up to 6.3 inches, Samsung really does seem to be trying every possible size.
The two biggest models, the Galaxy Tab Pro and Galaxy Note Pro, look identical and have nearly identical features, so it's easy to mix them up. The chief difference is the S-Pen, which has led to this confusing naming scheme. The S-Pen has been reserved for the Galaxy Note series of smartphones, so it probably seemed appropriate to name this tablet Note Pro.
Look and feel
There's no doubt about it; this thing is huge! It's also rather he..

Samsung Galaxy NotePRO 12.2: First impressions

Samsung Galaxy NotePRO 12.2: First impressions

February 23, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

Samsung's new Galaxy NotePRO 12.2 tablet blurs the distinction between a laptop and a tablet computer.
Its on-screen keyboard has capabilities that are more common with laptops, and its screen is larger than what many laptops have. People can run several apps side by side, and multiple users can share the device with separate profiles.
Samsung also tries to make the NotePRO something professionals can use on the road, while leaving the laptop behind. It's packed with business tools such as a WebEx virtual conferencing app, a one-year subscription to Bloomberg Businessweek's digital magazine and one year of Wi-Fi access on airplanes through Gogo.
It's an impressive lineup of features. Unfortunately, it also has a price tag that exceeds that of many laptops – $750 for the base model with 32 gigabytes of storage, and $850 for 64 gigabytes.
If your primary reason for owning a tablet is to consume content, such as video, music, books and magazines, the NotePRO isn't..