Tablets Topic Center

Tablet news, in-depth articles and more

Best-guess $349 price for smaller Surface RT pits Microsoft against Apple for high-end Mini market

Microsoft will probably price its own 8-in. Surface tablet running Windows RT at $349, just 6% higher than Apple's iPad Mini but nowhere near the basement $199 of Android rivals, an analyst said this week.
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One-third of Americans now own a tablet, Pew finds

A third of American adults now own a tablet computer, double the number of a year ago, the Pew Research Center said Monday.

Microsoft marks down Windows, kicks in free Office to spark tablet sales

Microsoft today confirmed what many analysts suspected, that it has cut prices of Windows 8 and Windows RT licenses to hardware partners building smaller-sized tablets as a way to drop device prices and juice sales.

Intel says Bay Trail chip-based tablets will start at under $199

Intel expects tablets containing its upcoming Atom processor code-named Bay Trail will cost under $200, a company executive said Wednesday.

New laptops and hybrids emerge as 'fatbooks' are kicked to curb

The trusty old laptop is being kicked to the curb, with PC makers trying to spice up their offerings by pushing a variety of hybrids, tablets and smaller-screen devices at the Computex trade show in Taipei this week.

Microsoft and its OEMs stick to an outdated tablet strategy

When it comes to tablets, Microsoft and its OEMs don't know where they're going, an analyst said today.

Apple ordered to pay out $6.5 million collected in copying levies in France

Apple has to pay out $6.5 million in home copying levies that it collected but failed to deliver to the appropriate agency, the Paris High Court ruled.

Hands-on with Acer's 8-inch Windows 8 tablet, Iconia W3

After months on the market, Windows 8 tablets have yet to rack up the sales Microsoft and PC vendors were originally hoping for. But on Monday Taiwanese PC maker Acer showed what could be the first of many Windows 8 tablets to come in smaller screen sizes, following the success of Apple's iPad mini and Google's Nexus 7.

Dell announces XPS 11 hybrid, will ship with Windows 8.1

Dell has expanded its range of hybrid devices with the XPS 11, which can transform from tablet to laptop with the flip of a screen.

Microsoft, Apple cut deals to clear out tablet, notebook stock

Microsoft and Apple last week kicked off promotions that may signal inventory clearing as they prepare their next generations of hardware.

It's a desktop! It's a tablet! Dell XPS 18 vs. Sony Vaio Tap 20

We look at the Dell XPS 18 and the Sony Vaio Tap 20: Two all-in-ones that transform into large-scale tablets. Is this an alteration you can work with?

Blackberry CEO: Tablets are doomed!

Blackberry CEO Thorsten Heins has made a bold prediction: He says that tablets don't have much of a future.

Preston Gralla: iPad vs. PC: Sometimes the accepted wisdom is right

It's clear that hardware makers are experimenting far more with Windows devices than Apple is with the iPad. But that does that herald a revival of the PC?

The new faces of tablets

Try this, try that and see what entices customers. That's the mantra for tablet makers that are experimenting with new tablet features in the elusive quest to deliver the next big hit.

Windows 8 tablet alternatives to Microsoft's Surface Pro

Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet with the Windows 8 OS is due to ship on Feb. 9, starting at $899. Surface Pro's early reviews have been mixed, and there are many Windows 8 alternatives already available from Samsung, Acer, Lenovo and Hewlett-Packard.

Make the most of your shiny new tech gift

Is there a new smartphone, tablet or computer in your life? These Computerworld stories can help you get acquainted with new OSes, find great apps and accessories, safely dispose of your old devices and more.

SwiftKey Flow review: The Android keyboard you've been waiting for

SwiftKey Flow combines outstanding word prediction with a top-notch interface and new slide-to-type functionality. Quite simply, typing on Android doesn't get much better than this.

Computerworld's 2012 holiday gift guide

Need some help choosing holiday presents for the technology fans on your gift list? We've rounded up this year's best tech gifts, from tablets and HDTVs to smartphones, laptops and an array of other gadgets and accessories.

Dell XPS 12 review: Does it succeed as both an ultrabook and a tablet?

Dell's new XPS 12 convertible is one of the first Windows 8 computer to work both as an ultrabook and a tablet. But despite a nice design and great display, it may not succeed.

The new business model: Competing with partners!

Whether you blame Google, Microsoft or Apple, the old way of doing business in the mobile market is falling away. Mike Elgan explains why that's not necessarily bad.