Archive for the ‘tablets’ Category

Review: ASUS Transformer Book T100HA 2-in-1 detachable laptop

Friday, June 24th, 2016

The Transformer Book T100HA is an ideal laptop-cum-tablet hybrid companion for the mobile warrior looking for good performance, portability, connectivity and long battery life – all at an affordable price of S$499.

The ASUS Transformer Book T100HA 2-in-1 hybrid features the latest quad-core Intel® Atom™ x5 ‘Cherry Trail’ processors, Windows 10 (64-bit) operating system with Cortana, the voice-powered personal assistant, and support for Windows 10 Continuum adaptive interface technology.

The ASUS Transformer Book T100HA 2-in-1 hybrid features the latest quad-core Intel® Atom™ x5 ‘Cherry Trail’ processors, Windows 10 (64-bit) operating system with Cortana, the voice-powered personal assistant, and support for Windows 10 Continuum adaptive interface technology.

I used the Transformer Book T100HA from ASUS for two weeks as I went about between meetings and events on the road, to see how usable the hybrid 2-in-1 laptop-cum-tablet would be for someone constantly on the move.

Lighter & thinner than predecessors, the tablet measures 265 x 175 x 8.45mm physically and weighs 580g, while the keyboard dock measures 265 x 175 x 10mm and weighs 470g.

Lighter & thinner than predecessors, the tablet measures 265 x 175 x 8.45mm physically and weighs 580g, while the keyboard dock measures 265 x 175 x 10mm and weighs 470g.

I found the device ideally suited as a workhorse for the typical mobile warrior – it’s compact and therefore highly portable, and its battery easily lasts an entire workday before you put it to charge when you retire for the night back at home or at the hotel.

For leisure, you can simply pull the screen off the keyboard dock and use it as a tablet.

Typically, a compact machine like this – and even those super-thin but larger Ultrabooks – suffer from a dearth of connectivity ports.

But the tablet/screen portion of the T100HA comes with 1 x Micro USB port, 1 x Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 1 port, 1 x Micro HDMI, 1 x Micro SD card slot and 1 x headphone/mic combo jack.

The ASUS Transformer Book T100HA sports a durable aluminium-clad lid available in four colours: Rouge Pink, Aqua Blue, Silk White and Tin Grey.

The ASUS Transformer Book T100HA sports a durable aluminium-clad lid available in four colours: Rouge Pink, Aqua Blue, Silk White and Tin Grey.

The keyboard dock has an additional full-sized USB 2.0 port.

This means you can connect a mouse, an external hard disk drive and a mobile device all at the same time if you need/want to.

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New arrivals: Microsoft Surface Pro 4 tablet-laptop hybrid in Singapore

Wednesday, November 25th, 2015

Microsoft has launched the new Surface Pro 4 tablet computer in Singapore. Available now starting from S$1,399 – online & in stores. Prices below.

Microsoft touts the Surface Pro 4 as “the tablet that can replace your laptop”. This version has gotten thinner, lighter and faster.

Microsoft touts the Surface Pro 4 as “the tablet that can replace your laptop”. This version has gotten thinner, lighter and faster.

Microsoft has announced retail availability of Surface Pro 4 in Singapore.

“Surface Pro 4 brings together the performance of a laptop and the full power of Windows 10 with the portability of tablet. Surface has transformed the category by focusing on productivity, creating a highly versatile device that people love to use,” said Arthur Huang, Director, Consumer Channels Group, Microsoft Singapore.

The newest in the Surface lineup, Surface Pro 4 takes what people love about Surface Pro 3 and makes it better, packing more power and performance into the thinnest, lightest Surface Pro yet.

The tablet is designed to run Microsoft Office and Windows in conjunction with Windows Hello, Surface Pen and Microsoft Edge.

Customers can buy the Surface Pro 4 Intel Core m, Core i5, and Core i7 models in Singapore at microsoftstore.com, select retailers including Challenger, Courts, Harvey Norman and Newstead, as well as authorised commercial resellers.

Prices and of the various Surface Pro 4 configurations and accessories are listed below.

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New arrivals: Transformer Book T100HA & Transformer Book Flip TP200

Wednesday, November 18th, 2015

Both the Transformer Book T100HA and Transformer Book Flip TP200 will be available at S$499 from today onwards at all ASUS authorised retailers and ASUS brand stores.

Both the Transformer Book T100HA (left) and Transformer Book Flip TP200 (right) will come pre-installed with the latest Microsoft Windows 10 operating system.

Both the Transformer Book T100HA (left) and Transformer Book Flip TP200 (right) will come pre-installed with the latest Microsoft Windows 10 operating system.

The Transformer Book T100HA sports an aluminium-clad lid and is available in four new colours – red, blue, white and grey.

It ships with the latest quad-core Intel® Atom™ x5 ‘Cherry Trail’ processors, hardware support for Windows 10 Cortana and Continuum, plus USB Type-C ports.

Transformer Book Flip TP200 is the world’s first 11.6-inch Windows 10 convertible laptop with USB Type-C port.

It is slim and light – only 18.45mm thin and weighs 1.2kg – with up to 8 hours battery life.

Its robust 360-degree hinge with multi-gear alloy steel construction enables the screen to flip and to be used securely at any angle.

More details in the press release below.

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New arrivals: Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Android tablet in Singapore

Thursday, July 23rd, 2015

The new Galaxy Tab S2 comes in 9.7-inch and 8-inch form factors as well as 4G+ and Wi-Fi configurations, with 32GB memory and microSD support up to 128GB.

Prices range from S$598 to S$798 (see below). Black available from 7 August while Gold will be in later August.

At just 5.6mm thin and weighing only 389g (9.7”) and 265g (8.0”), Samsung claims that the Galaxy Tab S2 is the thinnest and lightest tablet of its size in the market, and is packed with powerful performance features to offer enhanced usability, whether for productivity and multitasking, or simply enjoying immersive content anytime, anywhere.

At just 5.6mm thin and weighing only 389g (9.7”) and 265g (8.0”), Samsung claims that the Galaxy Tab S2 is the thinnest and lightest tablet of its size in the market, and is packed with powerful performance features to offer enhanced usability, whether for productivity and multitasking, or simply enjoying immersive content anytime, anywhere.

Samsung is targeting users looking for a premium tablet for multimedia entertainment and personal use.

The 4G+ LTE Category 6 capability (for the 4G+ versions) promise users faster Internet access for browsing and downloading content.

Prices and detailed descriptions from the press release below.

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Events: Lenovo #LightAndSeek spotlights Singapore artists – 17 April 2015

Friday, April 10th, 2015

Lenovo has launched a new community campaign – #LightAndSeek – weaving technology and creativity to ignite the Singapore landscape. 10 local artists will use the Lenovo YOGA Tablet 2 Pro to create and project artworks around Arab Street.

#LightAndSeek - happening on Friday, 17 April, 2015 in the Arab Street area in Singapore. Click to view enlarged map of the locality.

#LightAndSeek – happening on Friday, 17 April, 2015 in the Arab Street area in Singapore. Click to view enlarged map of the locality.

For one night only on April 17 this year, Singapore will come alive with an art exhibition that will change the way we see the local art landscape.

The event will bring together ten of Singapore’s rising artists to create a series of artworks that will come to life across ten locations spaces around Arab Street and be projected by the Lenovo YOGA Tablet 2 Pro.

As the facilitator to all these voices and visuals, Lenovo aims to engage the growing local art community at large and give true local DO-ers a chance to project themselves like never before, and for the public to immerse themselves with art through a truly memorable experience.

A new way to watch and hear – Lenovo YOGA Tablet 2 Pro

Throughout the course of this one-night-only event, the YOGA Tablet 2 Pro will be used to showcase creative pieces by the local artists – allowing the blend of a canvas and space through an interactive medium.

The artists will be creating and projecting their artworks using the Lenovo YOGA Tablet 2 Pro.

The artists will be creating and projecting their artworks using the Lenovo YOGA Tablet 2 Pro.

Promoting interactivity and versatility like never before, the tablet comes enabled with the new Pico projector that projects a 16:9 high resolution image onto any surface for an instant 50-inch theatre experience.

Featuring a 13.3-inch QHD (2560×1440) IPS display for life-like images, the multimode also comes equipped with up to 15 hours of battery.

Slimmer than your average magazine at just 3.7mm thin and 950 grams, the Platinum-colored tablet also comes enabled with an 8 watt sound system that enables impromptu displays and performances anytime and anywhere.

#LightAndseek ‘Snap N Win’ Contest

In conjunction with the #LightAndSeek event, a ‘Snap N Win’ contest will also be held throughout the day of April 17, and will be open to the public till midnight.

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Intel Core vPro processor family now available in Asia Pacific

Monday, April 6th, 2015

Intel Corporation has announced the availability of its 5th generation Intel Core vPro processor family in the Asia Pacific. The company also showcased a slew of gadgets using its wireless technology.

New clamshell and Ultrabook 2-in-1s, designed and built for business, boast improved performance, battery life and productivity benefits.

New clamshell and Ultrabook 2-in-1s, designed and built for business, boast improved performance, battery life and productivity benefits.

Intel wireless technology offers consumers freedom from wires in devices that include Intel Pro Wireless Display and optional Intel Wireless Docking capabilities.

Intel Core vPro processor-based devices promise built-in security and manageability capabilities that help protect data and enable remote IT access.

Below are more details from the press release.

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MWC 2015: Sony unveils Xperia Z4 tablet & M4 Aqua smartphone

Monday, March 2nd, 2015

Both new devices ship with Android 5.0 Lollipop and are waterproof (IP65 & IP68) & dust-tight.

Sony Mobile unveils the Xperia Z4 tablet (left) and Xperia M4 Aqua smartphone (right), during MWC 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.

Sony Mobile unveils the Xperia Z4 tablet (left) and Xperia M4 Aqua smartphone (right), during MWC 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.

Sony Mobile Communications (Sony Mobile) introduced its class-leading Xperia Z4 10.1-inch tablet, and its mid-range Xperia M4 Aqua smartphone at Mobile World Congress 2015 in Barcelona, Spain.

Xperia Z4 tablet

Sony boasts that the Xperia Z4 is the world’s lightest and slimmest 10-inch tablet, as well as the world’s brightest 10.1-inch 2K display (2560 x 1600 pixels), with a long battery life for up to 17 hours of video playback.

The Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet will launch globally, in 4G LTE and Wi-Fi variants, from June 2015.

The Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet will launch globally, in 4G LTE and Wi-Fi variants, from June 2015.

The Xperia Z4 measures 167 x 254 x 6.1mm and weighs 389g for the Wi-Fi version (393g for Wi-Fi + LTE version).

The Android 5.0 Lollipop tablet runs on a 2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core 64 bit processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal memory, with up to an additional 128GB through the microSD card slot.

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Review: ASUS Fonepad 8 (FE380CG) Android phablet

Monday, February 16th, 2015

The ASUS Fonepad 8 is one of the largest and most affordable phablet on the market. At only S$299, it provides you with all the features and functionality that you need out of a tablet/phone combo.

ASUS designed the Fonepad series with affordability in mind. The Fonepad 6 and Fonepad 7 were released in 2013, while the Fonepad 8 were launched in late 2014.

ASUS designed the Fonepad series with affordability in mind. The Fonepad 6 and Fonepad 7 were released in 2013, while the Fonepad 8 were launched in late 2014.

The dual-SIM gives you much needed flexibility especially when you’re travelling and wants to slot in a cheap local SIM, but still wants to remain contactable on your regular number.

Two features which impressed me was the dual-SIM capability and long battery life of the ASUS Fonepad 8 phablet.

It is easy to slot in/out the two micro-SIM cards as both slots are in a special compartment on the left side of the phablet, along with the microSD card slot, that allows you to expand the 8 or 16GB internal storage of the Fonepad 8 by up to another 64GB.

Top right corner of the Fonepad 8.

Top right corner of the Fonepad 8.

The phone supports 3G for both SIM cards but not 4G/LTE.

I found usage of dual SIM straightforward like in other dual-SIM Android phones.

The internal, non-removable 4,000mAh battery provided long hours of usage without worry of running dry.

Even with intense usage and video viewing, the Fonepad 8 easily lasted an entire day and then some.

On my more typical day, there was usually at least 20-30 percent battery left at the end of the day.

Fonepad 8 is available in four colors—black, white, red and gold. White and gold models include white bezels, while the black and red models feature a black fascia. Out of the box, the pre-loaded ZenUI color scheme matches the device’s back cover color, which is plastic and features a non-slip diamond-pattern coating.

Fonepad 8 is available in four colours—black, white, red and gold. White and gold models include white bezels, while the black and red models feature a black fascia. Out of the box, the pre-loaded ZenUI color scheme matches the device’s back cover color, which is plastic and features a non-slip diamond-pattern coating.

ASUS rates the battery life to 14.2 hours of Wi-Fi Web browsing, 12 hours of HD video playback, and 21 hours of 3G talk time.

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New arrivals: HP notebooks & tablets for enterprises in 2015

Tuesday, February 10th, 2015

HP has launched its 2015 line-up of notebooks and tablets for businesses and enterprises. The wide range of computing devices will be available from end February till May 2015.

Detailed pricing and availability below.

HP’s new line-up of notebooks and tablets for 2015 offer a wide range of mobility solutions for businesses and enterprises.

HP’s new line-up of notebooks and tablets for 2015 offer a wide range of mobility solutions for businesses and enterprises. Left: HP EliteBook Folio 1020 G1 Speical Edition. Right: HP ElitePad 1000 G2 Rugged Tablet.

Amongst the new devices is the EliteBook Folio 1020 family – which HP touts as the industry’s thinnest and lightest business-class notebooks.

“The HP EliteBook 1020 represents game-changing innovation in both materials and mechanical engineering to create the world’s thinnest and lightest business notebooks in a form factor that enables our customers to be more productive in more places,” said Serena Yong, general manager, Printing and Personal Systems, HP Singapore and Malaysia.

The HP EliteBook 1020 and the HP EliteBook 1020 Special Edition (SE) are ultra-thin at 15.7 mm, and the SE takes advantage of HP’s exclusive blend of magnesium-lithium alloy and reusable carbon fiber to achieve a weight of only 1 kg (2.2 lbs).

Price and availability of the new line-up of tablets/notebooks is tabulated below.

The HP EliteBook 1020 and the ultra-lightweight HP EliteBook 1020 SE are designed with enterprise mobility in mind, with up to 9 hours of battery life to power a full work day.

Price and availability of the new line-up of tablets/notebooks are tabulated below.

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CES 2015: Intel unveils 5th Generation Intel Core & 14mm processors

Monday, January 5th, 2015

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015 at Las Vegas, Intel announced the release of its latest wave of 14nm processors, promising improved system and graphics performance, more natural and immersive user experiences, and longer battery life compared to previous generations.

5th Generation Intel Core technology unveiled at CES 2015

5th Generation Intel Core technology unveiled at CES 2015

Key benefits of the 5th Generation Intel Core family and the next-generation 14nm processor for tablets include:

  • More powerful performance with 35% more transistors on a 37% smaller die.
  • Power efficiency for up to 1.5 hours better battery life than the previous generation.
  • The next evolution in processor graphics architecture that enable 4K Ultra HD display.
  • Better support for the Internet of Things with a smaller thermal envelope.
  • Provides the foundation for great user experiences today and in the future with Intel technology such as RealSense 3D and wireless innovations.

The release of the 5th Generation Intel Core technology includes 14 new processors for consumers and businesses, including 10 new 15W processors with Intel HD Graphics and four new 28W products with Intel Iris Graphics.

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