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Lenovo’s New Budget A Series Tablets

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Lenovo’s New Budget A Series TabletsLenovo, at the CES 2014, gave nothing away that it was planning to launch a series of budget tablets, so when the company announced not one, but three budget Android tablets, the tech world was a bit surprised. Lenovo’s new budget A Series tablets are impressive for their prices. That’s exactly what they are designed to be, impressive for their prices. Let’s take a look at the three tablets Lenovo has prepared for the budget shoppers.

Lenovo’s New Budget A Series Tablets – Our Thoughts

The A7 has a 7-inch display, the A8, you guessed it, 8 inches of display and the A10, 10 inches. All the displays are IPS and feature 1,280×800 pixels. Aside from the displays, which differ, everything else is absolutely identical between Lenovo’s new budget A Series Tablets: they have the same MediaTek MTK8121 1.3 GHz processors, 16 GB of storage, 1 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, a microSD card slot and a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front-facing camera.  Lenovo’s new budget A Series tablets all run Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). The A10 model has an optional Bluetooth keyboard, which is a pretty nice option to have on a budget tablet.

The A7 will be priced at $129, the A8 will cost $179 and the largest tablet of the series, the A10 will have you shell out $249. The prices are alright, we think, for what the tablets are offering. No doubt, you can find other tablets on the market with the same specifications and the same prices, but you won’t be getting the Lenovo stability.

The tablets will feel a bit cheap in your hands, because they actually are cheap – the plastic they are made of will give you that impression. The processor moves alright, but don’t expect to be able to run the latest tablet games with it. Lenovo’s new budget A series tablets are meant for browsing the internet, sending emails, listening to music, watching movies and looking at pictures. The tasks an average tech consumer does on a daily basis, but if you plan to do a bit more with it, then we suggest you invest in something a little bit smarter.

What are your thoughts on Lenovo’s new budget A Series tablets? Are you impressed enough to buy one? Do you think that a budget tablet could work for you or do you prefer something with a bit more quality to it and you’re comfortable with spending a little more money on it?

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon – A Review

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 CarbonWhen Lenovo makes a new notebook, they go out of their way to make it right. We’re in love with the Lenovo Miix 2, a mix of tablet and notebook, but today something else has caught our attention, the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, and we thought of making a short review for it, so here it goes.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

Before we begin we’d like to say that the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a wonderful laptop that is aimed at corporate users, but it could very well be a great consumer product. What Lenovo does best is the build quality and their new notebook looks and feels amazing. The lid is made from carbon fiber and the hinge can extend to 180 degrees without any problems. It’s one tough cookie, just the way we like our notebooks.

Tech Specs

When it comes to ports, the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a Gigabit Ethernet port, two USB 3.0 ports, Lenovo’s OneLink power connector, a Mini DisplayPort, a full-sized HDMI socket, a headphone jack, but it has no SD card slot the previous model had. The keyboard is now a five-road setup and it has an adaptive panel that takes the place of the dreaded Fn keys. They also shrunk the Backspace key, which we think is a great idea.

The standard model with 4 GB of RAM, a 1080 display and 128 GB SSD costs $1,259. The 2,560 x 1,440 model starts from $1,359 and if you would like touchscreen with any configuration, you’ll have to pay an extra $150.

Let’s wrap up and say that we love the fact that the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is that is very durable and it is very thin and light. The high resolution screen left us speechless and the adaptive keyboard panel is quite impressive. The cons about the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is that the battery life isn’t too great, it has no SD slot (and we miss it) and the touchscreen doesn’t come with standard models.

Are you impressed with the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon? Are you thinking of buying one? Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

New Smartphone Lenovo S860 has an Incredible Battery

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lenovo s860Last month Lenovo created some buzz with its 2014 major products launches and just when the buzz was starting to die off, they unveiled their flagship phone, the Lenovo S860 and we must say we are impressed.  The Lenovo S860 has an incredible battery and that’s just one of its amazing features.

The s360 is as high-end as smartphones come, retailing at $349 unlocked. The battery is an enormous 4,000 mAh which promises 24 hours of 3G talk time and 43 hours on 2G. If you don’t know what to make of that, we’re telling you that the iPhone 5s has 10 hours of 3G talk time and that’s quite something. More than double battery life, makes this new Lenovo smartphone quite a force to be reckoned.

All that amazing battery does make the smartphone a bit bulky, but some like it like that. It’s 10.3 mm thick and weighs 190 grams (it is a little bit over 70% heavier than the iPhone 5s); it also has a whopping 5.3 inch screen and a brushed metal back which makes the phone feel more like a powerful tool in one’s hand, rather than a smartphone.

The Lenovo S860 has an Incredible Battery and Superb HD Resolution

We’ve already mentioned that the Lenovo S860 has an incredible battery, but the tech specs aren’t to be ignored at all the large display has a beautiful HD resolution (1,280×720), a mid-range 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, 16GB of storage (which is unfortunately, not expandable) and 2GB of RAM. What it does lack is the capacity to do 4G LTE – if anyone in the smartphone business wants to hit it big with a model, 4G LTE is a must. It also has an old version of Android, which can really be troublesome, but we expect it to get an update pretty soon.

The S860 will hit the markets in June of 2014 and it will be available in China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries, Mexico and some other Central American countries. In case you didn’t know, Lenovo does not sell mobile phones in the US or Western Europe.

Lenovo at CES 2014: Round Up of Major Products Launched

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Lenovo at the CES announced some new products that they would be launching this year which ranges from 8 inch tablets to the fully fledged 23 inch AIO devices. All would have Windows 8 as the OS.

lenovo

Lenovo MIIX 2

Lenovo had launched the MIIX tablet last year of 8 inch size which they are upping with a 10 inch and 11 inch model this time. These tablets would have magnetically connected keyboard docking station as an option. Hardware specification of the device is a screen resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixel, while the processor for the 10 inch variant is an Intel Atom chip. They would have JBL surround speakers and storage space of 128/256 GB. The storage space can be further expanded via microSD cards. Battery power is sufficient for one day of operation. The 11 inch variant would have an Intel Core i5 processor.

Lenovo X1 Carbon

One more upped product to their existing one is the X1 Carbon. This is a 14 inch Ultrabook which is the upgraded variant of their existing one. While the previous version was made up of aluminum, the present one boasts of carbon fiber makeover. This makes it tougher yet lighter. The display, company claims, is of higher resolution also that allows for better viewing angles. Battery backup is for 9 hours. It is expected to be available later this month.

Lenovo ThinkPad 8

A competitor for the iPad Mini is the Lenovo ThinkPad 8. With a full HD display and resolution of 1920 x 1080, the ThinkPad 8 is powered by an Intel Atom processor and sports 128 GB of storage space. It is Windows 8.1 based and has for connectivity USB 3.0 and LTE capability. Launch of the product is expected to be somewhere towards end of the month.

Lenovo Y and Z Series

Two more varieties have been added by Lenovo with their Y40 which is a 14 inch laptop and the Y50 a 15 inch laptop. The interesting feature is of course the stylish black leather case that they come in. The display has Ultra HD capability with its 1920 x 1080 resolution factor and powered by an Intel Core i7 chip.

The Z series Laptops would have a starting price of $599 and expected to be in the market by March. They are powered by an Intel core i7 chip and they would come in 14 inch and 15 inch display size for the Z40 and Z50 respectively. Both would have a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and 1 TB of storage space.

Lenovo Horizon 2

Another upped model is the Horizon 2 which comes in a lighter and thinner version than its older sibling. The processor is an Intel Core i7 and has features like Dolby Audio, 10 point touch screen, and NFC. The Windows 8.1 based device would be available around June.

Lenovo A740

The AOI has a display of 27 inch with a resolution of 2560 x 1440, but super slim in dimension. It boasts of 178 degrees of viewing angle which makes this great for family viewing. The graphics card is an NVDIA GeForce for graphics and has Dolby audio with JBL speakers. Onboard will be 1 TB of storage space when it is launched in June.

Lenovo C560

Another AOI is the C560 with a display of 23 inch that has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The processor is Intel Core i7 and for graphics it has NVDIA GeForce processor. This also has Dolby Audio capability and for storage a whooping 2 TB. There is also a TV tuner factored into the device and is expected to launch next month.

CES 2014: Lenovo Announces Miix 2 Tablet/Notebook Hybrid

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There has been no dearth of hybrid tablet devices that doubles up as a notebook as well at CES 2014. Almost all the major tablet makers have taken up the idea in right earnest which means plenty of options for the buyers. One such company is Lenovo that is wooing visitors to the show with its Miix 2 tablet. The tablet is designed to be attached to the keypad unit through a magnetic connection. The device runs Windows 8.1 and makes for a decent choice for those who are looking for a Windows tablet that can make for an excellent device for both work and play.

lenovo-miix-2

The tablet is available in display size options of 10.1 and 11.6 inch with both offering a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The 10 inch version is powered by an Intel Atom chip and 2 GB RAM combo while its bigger sibling gets its power from a fourth gen Intel processor along with RAM of up to 8 GB. storage space available is a generous 128 GB with the 10 inch Miix while its larger model sports 256 GB of internal storage. In any case, both versions of the Miix tablet impressed with its performance which remains free from any lag or shuttering even when pushed hard. Both the tablets come with a 2 and 5 mp webcam along the front and rear respectively. As for its entertainment quotient, both the versions incorporate JBL sound technology which, it must be said does a good job at emitting good quality sound.

The display unit connects to the keypad firmly and together makes for a very robust setup which is also a lot like the way the Surface lineup connects with the keypad unit. However, the most striking difference between the two would be the weight of the keyboard itself where it is a shade heavier in case of the Lenovo Miix 2. Both cases however come with the keyboard dock where the tablet could be inserted into and connects to the keyboard. The aspect of fixing also is a bit different between the two where the fit is snugger in case of the Microsoft Surface tablet. But once the Lenovo Miix 2 is docked the fitting is very solid.

Some interesting features of the Lenovo Miix 2 are the different modes that the device can be set into. The keyboard in one mode could work as the stand. The speakers located at the rear rim gives a good audio for converting the device into a movie watching screen.

The 10 inch variant has been priced at $499 and the 11 inch fetching for $599 which is quite decent given the performance and functionality that both have to offer. Release date of the product can be expected anytime in this quarter.

Lenovo Reveals Lighter ThinkPad X1 Carbon at CES 2014

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Visitors at the CES 2014 would have noticed the ThinkPad X1 Carbon at the Lenovo stall which is a revamped model of the ThinkPad device. Now with a carbon fiber makeover for the ThinkPad X1 has made the device lighter and stouter. Carbon fiber is lighter than both aluminum or magnesium while sacrificing strength. All of these attributes has made the present ThinkPad X1 Carbon to weigh all of 2.8 pounds. This makes the device the lightest Ultrabook in the world in its class as of now.

X1 Carbon

The hardware specifications of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon list an Intel fourth generation iCore processor. It is also purported to have vPro management as per PC World reports. Memory is a max of 8 GB and the hard disk is of 512 GB.

Another interesting product from Lenovo at the CES stalls is the ThinkPad 8. This one comes with an optional keyboard which when connected to the screen converts the tablet into a notebook. this makes the tablet best suited for business people who have to be mobile most times. Users who are looking for higher resolution displays could also look up the products lines under their Y and Z series notebooks. These would fetch for price $999 and above.

There is also the Yoga 2, a budget tablet PC convertible. There is also the Miix 2 which comes with a detachable keyboard with a docking station. Flex 14D is another tablet/notebook convertible device to which is powered by an AMD chip and priced for the budget segment.

Lenovo Launches New 8 and 10 inch Yoga Tablet Priced at $249 and $299

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Lenovo has come up with a new design of tablets as part of their Yoga line-up. The tablet can be used while it is set in standing, tilted or holding posture. The tablets would each have a 10 inch and an 8 inch variant, with the 8 inch version coming with a price tag of $249, while the 10 inch model would cost $299.

Lenevo yoga

The 10 inch tablet would be available throughout the US with multiple stores offering the tablet on their shelves, while the 8 inch variant would be available only at Lenovo.com and Best Buy online store. Both would be available from 30 October. The 10 inch model also has an additional offer from Lenovo, that of a Bluetooth keyboard for $69 more.

However, the most unique aspect of the new Yoga range of Android tablet is the design by which the tablet can be made to stand using the built in kick stand. Also, the kickstand does not jut out like most other such contraption does. It is also placed in such a way that gripping the tablet with the kick stand tucked in is also quite comfortable, in which case it resembles a folded magazine. With the new design, the tablet can be made to recline from 110 to 135 degrees, which allows for slotting the tablet at a an angle for the best convenience.

So far as hardware specifications go, both tablets would have MediaTek MT8125 quad core processors at their core running at 1.2 GHz. The screen resolutions would be 1280 x 800 pixels and have 178 viewing angles. RAM would be 1 GB and storage space will be 16 GB, expandable via a microSD card slot to 64 GB. The tablet also comes with a microUSB OTG port while the OS would be Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

To make for the best multimedia experience, the new Yoga tablet comes with front facing stereo speakers. The tablets also come with a dual camera set up where the front facing would be of 1.6 MP and rear camera being of 5 MP. Other features of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth would also figure on the tablets with jack for connecting the headset and have built-in mic with noise cancellation function in it. 3G capable models would also be available in some regions.

The battery pack for the two models would naturally be different with the 8 inch one sporting a 6000 mAh battery pack and the 10 inch sporting a 9000 mAh battery pack. Also, the battery used is not of the slab types that are used in tablet like devices and are more costly. Instead, these are of the conventional cylindrical types that cost less and hence have made it possible for Lenovo to keep cost of the device low. Also the use of battery along the side has ensured the weight of the device to be centered more along the side than it is with most other tablet devices. In any case, the 8 inch version weighs a comfortable 14 ounce while the 10 inch Yoga tablet on the other hand weighs 1.3 pounds.

Lenovo claims 18 hours of reading time with the battery but that is to be achieved with the WiFi turned off. The Yoga Tablet can also be used to charge a smartphone battery by connecting it via the USB port.

Snapdragon 800 Powered Lenovo X910 Spotted in the Wild

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Lenovo had launched K900 flagship smartphone at the beginning of this year had received good ratings by the reviewers on the web. Now, Lenovo plans to release its successor device very soon. The most interesting thing about the successor device which is in the making is that it is going to be powered with Snapdragon 800 CPU from Qualcomm instead of the Intel powered CPU seen in the predecessor device.

lenovo-x910-antutu

According to GforGames, the Lenovo X910 was found listed on AnTuTu website for Benchmark testing. Through the listing it was found that the phone was found running on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 CPU. Currently, this CPU has been seen only on topnotch smartphones. So, we can know that Lenovo is working on a very powerful smartphone. The benchmarking site lists the phone as Lenovo X910.

According to the tests conducted on the phone, it was found that phone is powered with 2.2GHz quad-core CPU and it has a score of 27931. It is running on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

The K900 achieved great popularity in Asian markets and it was announced that the phone will be made available for other markets as well in June but sadly the phone has yet to come to US. Even though the K900 has not reached the US, but the company is already working on the successor phone.

The global performance of PC market is going down day by day. Companies that were solely manufacturing computers have now started to offer portable devices like tablets and smartphones. One of those companies is Lenovo which is well-known for its desktop PCs and laptops. People now prefer to make use of portable devices so that they view movies or work on the go. This has been the major cause in the decline of PC sales.

Lenovo is now manufacturing smartphones as well. However, they are still manufacturing PCs and laptops. The K900 which was powered with Intel Atom Z2580 dual-core CPU which delivers a speed of 2.2GHz became quite famous. The phone is also powered with 2GB RAM. The 5.5inch size display of this phone supports full HD display and sports a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. It comes with 16GB internal storage space. The phone is powered with 2500mAh battery.

The K900 phone was unveiled at the CES event held this year and then it was launched in some selected Asian markets. The other devices that were launched with K900 include A706, A390, P780, S820 and $920.

The details on the tech specs of Lenovo X910 are not completely known yet. However, it seems to be a very promising and powerful phone. We are only hearing the rumors of the phone but as and when we come to know something interesting about the Lenovo X910 we will surely keep you posted on them.

The IFA tech show will be held later this year. It is during this event Lenovo will unveil the X910. Some of the other devices that are to be unveiled at the event are Snapdragon 800 powered Galaxy S4,  Xperia Z Ultra and Honami i1 from Sony along with Honami i1 Mini version. We will have to wait and see how the second half of the year unfolds.

Dell to Launch 11 Inch Convertible Laptop to Pit Against Lenovo Yoga 11S

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By the end of the year, Dell is planning to roll out a 11 inch convertible laptop powered with Windows 8 OS. The new laptop should be available for purchase by the holiday season this year. The laptop is called Dell XPS 11 ultrabook.

The convertible laptop, Dell XPS 11 will come with a hinged keyboard which will allow you to use it like a tablet PC. The ultrabook was showcased at the Computex computer event which was held on Monday at Taipei.

The 11 inch screen of Dell XPS 11 offers a display resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. The display technology is IPS display which remains bright from any angle you view it. The screen is powered with a very responsive digitizer which even responds to slight pressure exerted from a pen.

The ultrabook weighs 2.5 pounds and it is very slim measuring only half an inch. It comes with a SSD hard drive and a powerful Core i5 CPU along with Intel HD 4400 GPU. Dell’s spokesperson addressed that the laptop was only unveiled at the Computex event but the official launch is yet to take place. Dell has not revealed any details on the pricing and when the device will be available for sale.

The Dell XPS 11 is expected to compete with several other 11 inch sized ultrabooks. However, the company mainly aims to pit the XPS 11 against the Lenovo’s new Yoga 11S which is 11.6inch ultrabook. You can bend the Yoga 11S to use it as a tablet PC or you can make it stand upright as a display monitor. The Yoga 11S is a predecessor model to Yoga 11 which was powered with Windows RT.

dell-xps-11

The Lenovo Yoga 11S is already available for sale on Lenovo’s website. It is available in two colors, silver gray and orange. The device is powered with Core i3 CPU and comes with 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD hard drive. It is priced at $800. The other version of the Yoga 11S is powered with Core i7 CPU that comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD hard drive.

The 11.6inch HD display of the tablet is supports a display resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and it also supports multi-touch. It has got a 720p high definition camera onboard. The predecessor model which came out with a distinguished flip and multi-mode design had received good reception from the world and now Lenovo wishes to continue the trend.

Lenovo’s Yoga 11S is already available for preorder and the orders are expected to ship to the customers on 23rd June. So, Lenovo has begun half a year early than Dell. Dell XPS 11 is an attractive ultrabook but by the time it rolls out in the market, Lenovo’s Yoga 11S may record a lot of sales. We hope Dell rolls out the new ultrabook at an affordable price.

 

China Based Lenovo to Release Smartphones in US as PC Sales Continue to Drop

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Lenovo’s PC sales have been going down consistently. Experts claim that Lenovo’s interest in unveiling smartphones in US market has come only because of dismal sales of Lenovo PCs. According to Lenovo’s CEO, Yang Yuanqing, introducing smartphones in US market will open “new opportunity” for the company to develop.

lenovo-k900-5

Even though China is the biggest market for just about anything on the face of the earth, it has been observed that the PC sales have considerably gone down in China and experts feel people more and more prefer to buy smartphones rather than purchasing PCs. Not only in China but also in other parts of the world, the situation is quite same.

So, it is quite inevitable for Lenovo to switch over to smartphones. However, selling Lenovo in a market that is already been taken over by the likes of Samsung and iPhone. Lenovo will have to spend quite some time in establishing itself in the US markets. Currently, Lenovo has been offering its mobile phones in only home country and nearby Asian markets like India. However, it is not going to be the same anymore. Lenovo plans to introduce smartphones in 2014.

The major hurdle that lies in the path of Lenovo to introduce smartphones in US is that it has to gain support from various cellular networks and making the phones available at affordable prices compared to Samsung and Apple which rakes in 70% of the market in US. Another thing Lenovo needs to think of is to file its patent portfolio which has been already done by other China based companies like Huawei and ZTE that have paid importance to file patent.

At the moment Lenovo is the second major smartphone manufacturer in China and offers a wide range of feature rich phones such as K900 which runs on Intel CPU. However, the market in China is being ruled by Korean based Samsung. When it comes to making a mark in US, Lenovo has to show innovativeness when it comes to hardware and features. Its future competitors like Apple and Samsung are focusing on making their phone’s software and services very intuitive in order to provide the best user experience. Lenovo has to offer unique features at affordable prices to break the market monopoly.

Since last year Lenovo has been making attempt to expand its horizon outside China. It has launched smartphones in India, Russia and Indonesia. However, it has still not yet been able to shake the market leaders in these regions. Now, it aims to move on US and Europe. The uphill battle is going to be quite challenging for Lenovo. We hope that Lenovo offers some cool feature rich phones at impressive prices.

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