Windows 8

Synaptics’ New ForcePad Adds Thinner, More Accurate And Flexible Notebook Interface

By / Personal Computing, Windows 8 / February 18, 2015

The PC hardware industry today is riddled with a lot of similarities between the different hardware, so many PC OEMs are constantly looking for ways to differentiate themselves. One way to accomplish this is through improving the overall PC user experience through new and unique hardware user interfaces. One of those ways has been through …

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Is Windows 10 Microsoft’s Consumer Comeback OS?

By / Gaming, Personal Computing, Smartphone, Tablet, Windows 8, Workstation / February 18, 2015

I had the distinct pleasure attending Microsoft’s event in Redmond last week where they brought out a myriad of new products like HoloLens and Surface Hub and disclosed many more details on Windows 10, in particular, the consumer features. In the totality of the event, I think Microsoft score big in that they projected that they could innovate and that …

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Advanced Micro Devices ‘Mullins’ SOC Gets Serious For Windows 8 Tablets

By / Tablet, Windows 8 / May 29, 2014

The tablet market has been a challenge for most everyone without an ARM-based SoC, but Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) just made an x86 SoC tablet announcement that has really piqued my interest. Last week, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) launched their “Mullins” x86-based SoC specifically designed for Windows 8 tablets and Advanced Micro Devices’s (AMD) Mullins both enhances AMD’s …

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Windows 8.1 Does Little to Boost Holiday 2013 Sales

By / Windows 8 / August 7, 2013

Last week, I tuned into Microsoft’s Channel 9 to listen to keynotes and developer lectures for MS BUILD, Microsoft’s developer conference. BUILD attracts Microsoft devotees from its developer community for PCs, phones, servers and even XBOX. The biggest item on everyone’s mind was Windows 8.1 and how Microsoft planned to breathe developer life into the platform. The conference was set …

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Intel’s Haswell Dramatically Strengthens The “2 In 1” Device Argument

By / Hybrid Convertible, Personal Computing, Ultrabook, Windows 8 / September 28, 2015

Modularity is basically the concept that one device’s utility can be extended to another.  I’ve been researching device modularity since 1996 and have kicked it into high gear over the last few years with phones, tablets andPCs.  Think of how the smartphone has sucked in the GPS, mp3 player, and camera and has the potential to do the …

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Why I Prefer PC Convertibles Over Traditional Notebooks

By / Hybrid Convertible, Personal Computing, Ultrabook, Ultrathin, Windows 8 / September 28, 2015

Ever since Microsoft unveiled Windows 8 at the BUILD event in 2011, it was apparent that the Windows PC future was touch, gestures, tablets, convertibles, and hybrids. Intel’s unveiling the following year at Computex 2012 with Microsoft Surface Pro a plethora of form factors solidified that future. To predict the future of PCs, one must have an opinion …

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My Painful Journey Using an Old Notebook- Should You Upgrade Yours?

By / Personal Computing, Ultrabook, Windows 8 / September 28, 2015

In my line of work as a technology industry analyst, I have had a lot of discussions recently about the current and futurepopularity of notebooks versus smartphones and tablets.  While none of the three devices can replace any of the other right now, data does indicate that consumers are waiting a bit longer to replace …

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HP ENVY X2: One Step Closer to the Hybrid Future

By / Hybrid Convertible, Modularity, Personal Computing, Windows 8 / June 6, 2013

As a technology analyst, I spend a lot time analyzing and keeping the pulse on the latest in inflection points, the ones that matter. Modularity is one of those factors and will be an important thing to keep an eye on for the next 5-10 years. In present day, modularity is important with the smartphone to …

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The Most Significant Consumer Technology Products of 2012

By / Hybrid Convertible, Personal Computing, Smartphone, Tablet, Ultrabook, Windows 8 / May 27, 2016

One great thing about a tech industry in transition is that manufacturers amp up the amount and breadth of the products they announce.  2012 was a transition year for PCs, smartphones, and tablets, and there were so very many great options to choose from. My selection criteria for my favorite, significant products was simple: I personally used …

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Microsoft Surface: How Relevant Are Legacy Apps and Hardware?

By / Modularity, Tablet, Windows 8 / December 30, 2012

Microsoft Surface has been on sale for a while now and reviews  are out where reviewers tell the public what they thought about their experiences. The reviews varied widely as I illustrate below, but I wanted to spend some time digging into one of the more controversial topics, Surface’s backward compatibility with legacy hardware and …

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Evernote and Sugarsync: Headed in Reverse Windows 8 Gear

By / Cloud Services and Enterprise Software, Windows 8 / December 9, 2012

Two of the apps that changed the way I work are Evernote and Sugarsync.  Evernote allowed me to go paperless and Sugarsync allowed me to have access to all my data accessible by any device.  Both of the apps have very robust Windows 7, OSX, Android and iOS capability.  Robustness stops, though, at Windows 8, …

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Dell XPS 12: Windows 8 Ultrabook Re-imagined

By / Hybrid Convertible, Modularity, Personal Computing, Tablet, Ultrabook, Windows 8 / September 28, 2015

With the advent of Microsoft’s Windows 8, computer makers developed different form factors to take advantage of the new operating system.  Most of these new Windows 8 form factors were shown for the first time atComputex in Taipei and then at the official Windows 8 launch event in New York.  The new PC form factors extend the functionality by …

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Samsung ATIV SmartPC 500T: Intel Strikes Back

By / Hybrid Convertible, Modularity, Personal Computing, Tablet, Windows 8 / May 31, 2013

Over the course of the Windows 8/RT industry discussions, ARM-based tablets have received the lion’s share of the discussion.  This has been particularly true with Microsoft’s announcement of Surface RT.  Does this mean Intel cannot deliver a competitive tablet solution?  Hardly.   Intel’s CloverTrail platform is shockingly competitive and I wanted to share some early experiences with …

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Things I Prefer to do on my iPad versus my Surface

By / Modularity, Tablet, Windows 8 / November 14, 2012

Last week, I covered areas and usage models where I preferred to use Microsoft Surface over my Apple iPad(s). I was actually surprised I would like Surface in so many areas given it is such a new device and ecosystem.   This week, I will reverse gears and discuss areas where I still prefer my iPad. …

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Ten Things I prefer to do on Microsoft Surface versus my Apple iPad

By / Tablet, Windows 8 / November 14, 2012

My primary tablet of choice for years has been Apple’s iPad. The iPad, iPad 2, and the New (now old) iPad (3). This is after trying at least 20 other tablets with Android phone, Android tablet, Kindle Android, Windows 7, webOS, and QNX operating systems. Before Surface, I used my iPad 2 primarily in productivity mode …

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Microsoft Pulls it Together (Almost) for Windows 8 Launch

By / Personal Computing, Tablet, Ultrabook, Windows 8 / November 21, 2013

I attended Microsoft’s launch last week for Windows 8, Windows RT, and Surface. While launch day is only one milestone in a string of milestones, launch day is the one day that everything must come together, the day where some make their final judgment. So how did Microsoft do? Importance of Launch Day Launch days is …

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Microsoft Surface: How Relevant Are Legacy Apps and Hardware?

By / Modularity, Tablet, Windows 8 / November 14, 2012

Yesterday, Microsoft lifted its embargo on product reviews for its flagship Windows RT tablet, called “Surface”. That means all the reviewers who were seeded early units get to now tell the public what they thought about their experiences. The reviews varied widely as I illustrate below, but I wanted to spend some time digging into …

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Windows, iOS, and Android All Have Something to Prove This Week

By / Smartphone, Tablet, Windows 8 / November 21, 2013

Prior to Apple developing iOS and over the last 25 years, there had never been much of a threat to the Windowsecosystem. With iOS, Apple proved many things, including the value of a holistic experience delivered through purpose-built combinations of hardware, software and content. Now in mobile, it’s Microsoft looking into the window wanting to …

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