notebook

Lenovo updates IdeaPad S series for Windows 8

As part of the flood of new IFA products, Lenovo has updated its slim S series of IdeaPad laptops for Windows 8.

Unlike some of the laptops from Dell, Toshiba, Samsung, and others we've previewed this week, we have not had a chance to see these new models in person. But Lenovo describes the new IdeaPad S300, S400, and S405 as follows:

Equipped with the latest technology, the Lenovo IdeaPad S300 and S400 laptops are available with Intel's third-generation CoreTM i3 or i5 processors, while the IdeaPad S405 is packed with up to AMD A8 quad-core processors. Up … Read more

Samsung adds a Windows RT tablet, the Ativ Tab

Samsung is one of a handful of PC makers embracing Windows RT, releasing some information about its upcoming Ativ Tab at IFA this week. This 10.1-inch tablet is different than the full Windows 8 tablets and touch-screen laptops we've already seen from Samsung. In fact, when we asked the company about its RT plans recently, the group responsible for Intel/AMD laptops brushed off the issue, telling us that some other division within the company was working on RT products.

Here's what Samsung had to say about the Ativ Tab at IFA:

The new Samsung Ativ Tab … Read more

Best laptops for under $600

Not too long ago, a budget laptop was, by default, a big, ugly plastic box. It may have gotten the job done in terms of school or office work, but it wasn't going to turn any heads at the coffee shop, or fit comfortably onto an airline tray (with the exception of too-small Netbooks, which had their own list of problems).

We'll look back on 2012 as the first year when budget laptops really got a fair shake, with many models looking and acting much more like their expensive cousins than ever before.

Even at the very low end of budget -- laptops that are $600 or under -- you can get a slick-looking HP Envy Sleekbook, or a powerful Acer Aspire V5.

Here are a handful of recent favorites, from 11-inch ultraportables to 17-inch desktop replacements, each of which costs about half as much as a 13-inch MacBook Air.… Read more

How Apple's courtroom win affects you

Monday's tech news roundup translates the Apple v. Samsung legalese:

Apple won the patent case against Samsung late Friday, but the battle between the two biggest smartphone makers is not over yet. The jury in San Jose, Cali. found Samsung products infringed on Apple's patents, such as rounded edges and pinch-to-zoom. The jury decided that Samsung should pay $1.05 billion to Apple in damages.

Next up: the judge has to decide if she wants to change the amount for damages, Samsung is expected to appeal, and Apple will ask for an injunction to ban selling Samsung products … Read more

Hands-on with the Synaptics ForcePad for Windows 8

Gearing up for the shift to Windows 8, Synaptics wants PC makers to switch to an entirely new kind of touchpad, called the ForcePad. We recently met with the company in New York to take this new touch interface, which eliminates moving parts and adds pressure sensitivity, for a test drive.

Synaptics invented the touchpad in 1995, and since then, touch has become an increasingly important part of our interaction with technology (and the company now makes touch screens for phones, tablets, and laptops as well).

But laptop touchpads have also been a frequent pain point for consumers, with laggy … Read more

Laptop accessories to save you from a meltdown

Laptop stands, coolers, and risers are great accessories to pair with a new back-to-school laptop. Inexpensive, portable, and useful, think of these as stocking stuffers for September, and perfect for tiny dorm room desks and trips to the library.… Read more

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga tablet may surface as Windows RT device

The upcoming Windows RT device mentioned by Lenovo last week may be none other than its IdeaPad Yoga.

Lenovo revealed last week that it will unveil a Windows RT device around the same time that Windows 8 launches on October 26. But it was mum about the name or other details.

Now we may have a name: the IdeaPad Yoga.

The convertible tablet/notebook will reportedly hit in the market around late October in two different versions, sources told ABC News. One version would be powered by an Intel CPU and offer Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. The other … Read more

Lenovo reportedly developing convertible Windows RT tablet

Lenovo may jumping into the Windows RT convertible business.

The Chinese PC maker is cooking up a convertible notebook/tablet outfitted with the ARM-based version of Windows 8, according to The Wall Street Journal. Citing "people familiar with the matter," the Journal said that the new device would offer a keyboard that flips around to transform it from a notebook into a tablet.

Equipped with a processor from Nvidia, the convertible would run Windows RT, the version of Windows 8 designed to work on devices powered by an ARM chip rather than a traditional Intel or AMD CPU. … Read more

Lenovo has new ultrabook details, Windows 8 tablet for ThinkPad at 20

During an event at New York's Museum of Modern Art, PC maker Lenovo has announced new details about upcoming laptops, as well as a new ThinkPad-branded Windows 8 tablet.

The event was to mark the ThinkPad brand's 20th anniversary. Originally IBM's PC line, Lenovo bought the brand in 2005. The three new products profiled have all been spotted before, at CES 2012 or later in the year, including the flagship ThinkPad X1 Carbon ultrabook.

ThinkPad X1 Carbon First spotted in May 2012, we've already given this 14-inch ultrabook an extensive hands-on look. It starts at $1,… Read more