HP have revealed two convertible touchscreen successors to their Envy x2 hybrid laptop/tablet mashup, one a standard Windows 8 machine, the other running Android.

Looking first at the HP Split x2, pictured above, it's a Windows 8 touchscreen PC with a detachable keyboard, powered by a choice of either Core i3 or Core i5 processors.

With a screen measuring 13-inches in size with a 1366x768 resolution, each component has its own storage space and battery power, with the attached keyboard boosting on-the-go battery life and giving users access to a 500GB hard drive.

Audio is covered by HP bessie-mates Beats Audio, while Wi-Di screen mirroring is also onboard.
Next up is the HP SlateBook x2, the Android machine.

It runs version 4.2.2 Jelly Bean of Googles OS with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running at a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution.

It too has a detachable keyboard, with the SlateBook x2 powered by the powerful Nvidia Tegra 4 mobile processor, meaning intensive TegraZone optimised Android gaming apps should run like a dream on it.

Launching first in the States (UK availability details are to follow), the SlateBook x2 will be available from $479.99 and the Splt x2 will sell for $799.99. Both hit stores in August.

A training clip intended for staff at UK retailers PC World and Currys has popped up online, revealing a new Windows 8 convertible slider laptop from Sony.

The grainy clip reveals a 13-inch ultrabook using Sony's 1080p Triluminous touchscreen, in a design that allows the screen to be slid down over the keyboard like a tablet, or pushed into a sanding position like a traditional laptop. It's a design Sony are calling the "SurfSlider".

The video appears to show an accompanying stylus shipping with the device, used in the clip to scrawl a few yellow line out over the Fresh Paint app.

Other specs mentioned include an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, NFC connectivity, a backlit keyboard, Clear Audio+ speaker tech and an 8MP Exmor RS camera sensor.

No pricing, release date or even an official name to go with the machine yet, but the intended recipients of the training video seem to confirm a UK release is on the cards at some point.

Either Acer have struck gold with their freshly-revealed Aspire R7 laptop / tablet hybrid, or they've gone crazy.

A drastic re-imagining of the laptop, it's an ultrabook/tablet hybrid that features an incredibly flexible screen and an unusual trackpad placement, putting it behind rather than in-front of the keyboard.

"With the Aspire R7, Acer has redesigned the notebook with an approach that's based on how people interact with their PCs and devices," said Oliver Ahrens, president, Acer Europe.

"Its progressive design redefines the computing experience, so whether consumers are touching or typing, the R7 adapts to allow consumers to create, browse and share content in ways they never have before."

It's certainly a bold move. With a 15.6-inch touchscreen sitting on what Acer describe as an "Ezel Hinge", the R7 can be used in four different ways. There's the standard notebook set up, working like a clamshell laptop, a "Display mode" that sees the screen used like a standing tent for playing back movies and sharing presentations, a "Pad mode" that sees the touchscreen rotate so that it faces up when closed over the keyboard like a convertible laptop or tablet, and the unusual "Ezel Mode".

When in Ezel Mode, the R7's touchscreen controls are pushed to the fore, with the screen lurching over the keyboard on its arm-like hinge. Hence the unusual trackpad placement, with Acer believing you'll more likely use the touchscreen controls (and by extension, this set-up) than the trackpad in a standard configuration, preferring to give unrestricted access to the entire keyboard.

The specs under the hood sound pretty impressive too. As well as that 15.6-inch Full HD touschscreen, you've got an Intel Core i5 processor, as much as 12GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive or an optional 256GB SSD. The keyboard is backlit, while the chassis hold a HDMI port, an SD card reader, audio jacks and three USB ports, as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Sound is provided by four 8 watt speakers.

It's definitely bonkers, and we're a little bit in love as a result. Windows 8 really comes into its own when used with touch controls, but no PC manufacturer has come up with a satisfying way to make touchscreen controls comfortable on a laptop-like machines. This looks like it could be a really smart answer to the problem.

Hitting stores in June, you'll be able to pick the Acer Aspire R7 up from a starting price of £899.

A new line of MacBook Pro computers packing in Intel's next-generation Haswell processors are tipped to be the headline hardware act at Apple's WWDC 2013 event.

That's according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities in a note (acquired by Apple Insider), whose usually pretty accurate with his predictions, also stating that a new version of Mac OS X is likely to feature alongside the new computing hardware at the Moscone Center.

Apart from a spec-bump, Kuo doesn't expect to see any design shake-ups hit the line - Retina MacBook's will still be slim and sans optical drive, while the regular MacBook Pro will hold onto the disc drive.

The Intel chip rumour makes sense; a worthy year-on-year upgrade over last year's Ivy Bridge models, with the Haswell line being revealed on June 3rd, a week ahead of WWDC 2013.

As for the rumoured MacBook Air computers with high-resolution Retina displays, Kuo suggests we shouldn't hold our breath. More likely is a first look at iOS 7, Apple's mobile operating system, which is well overdue a revamp considering the shaky launch of iOS 6. Under Jony Ive's new leadership, it could be an interesting upgrade for the iPhone/ iPad operating system.

WWDC 2013, aimed at developers working on Apple platforms, sold out in just two minutes last week, with the 5,000 person capacity event shifting all of its $1,599 tickets.

Looking to court business users who need both a laptop and a tablet, can't be bothered packing both into their neat little briefcases, Toshiba are preparing to launch the Portégé Z10t, an 11.6-inch detachable ultrabook/tablet hybrid.

Running Windows 8 with a 10-point multitouch full HD screen, the Portégé Z10t can convert into a more portable tablet with the press of a button, detaching the touchscreen from its full-size keyboard base.Offering the "latest Intel processors for Ultrabook" (we'll give you specifics once we get them), the machine will be available in configurations with variable-sized SSD storage depending on wallet size, 1 USB 3.0 port on the tablet and 2 USB 2.0 ports on the keyboard base, HDMI out, Bluetooth 4.0, optional Wi-Di screen sharing and a HSPA/LTE module.

Being aimed at enterprise users, Toshiba are pushing the machine's security features heavily too, with Intel Anti-Theft and vPro features protecting against unauthorised access and offering remote device disabling controls.

Toshiba will also be offering a sold-separately DigitizerPen stylus, letting you sketch notes on the screen and have them turned into typed, digital text through the machine's handwriting recognition software.

Hitting UK stores in Q2 2013, there's no word yet on pricing. We'll keep you posted.

Toshiba are preparing to launch a new high-end Ultrabook called the KIRAbook, with a high-resolution display said to rival that of the MacBook Pro with Retina Display and Chromebook Pixel.

The first in a new premium KIRA line of machines from Toshiba, the KIRAbook will pack in a 13.3-inch screen running at a resolution of 2560x1440. At 221ppi, that's just a shade behind the 227ppi 13.3-inch Retina MacBook and 239ppi Chromebook.

Running Windows 8 Pro, configurations will also include a touchscreen option for those looking to take advantage of the Microsoft OS's touch-focus, though non-touch variants will also be available.

Under the hood will sit a 256GB SSD along with 8GB of 1600MHz memory, with a choice of either Intel Core i5 or i7 processors.

Toshiba's partnership with Harmon Kardon continues, with the company providing the Ultrabooks audio innards, while the keyboard will feature backlighting. All in, the machine is said to weigh no more than 2.6 pounds.

Launching in the US on 12 May, the KIRAbook starts at $1,599.99, with prices going up to $1999.99 for the top spec configuration. Pre-orders start on 3 May from Amazon, BestBuy, Microsoft and direct from Toshiba in the US, but there's no word yet on a UK release.

There's still no images of the KIRAbook available yet, but we'll be updating this post to include them once they're released.

Apple may be preparing to update their Mac line of computers with a new super-fast Wi-Fi standard, according to coding uncovered in the beta release of the forthcoming OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4 update.

Devs speaking to 9to5Mac have spotted code in the OS's Wi-Fi framework that references the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard, which wasn't present in OS X 10.8.3, the current public release.

The 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard is faster and more stable than current Wi-Fi offerings, and it is thought that Apple are teaming up with Broadcom to put new Wi-Fi tech that can capitalise on it in forthcoming machines. Broadcom can provide gear capable of 1.3Gbps throughput with three antennas to take advantage of the standard.

According to Broadcom, it'll offer extended range as well as the ability "to watch HD-quality video from more devices, in more places, simultaneously".

Apple would be following ASUS's lead, who employed the new Wi-Fi standard in their ASUS ROG G75VW gaming laptop last year.

It's not clear yet whether the technology is ready for a wide-spread roll-out, but with a MacBook refresh due in the coming months, it seems that Apple are at least keeping their options open with the technology.

Microsoft wants to put it's Xbox 360 Kinect motion control system into laptops and tablets, hinting at the possibility of a Surface tablet with Kinect motion controls embedded.

It's the "dream" of Craig Mundie, senior advisor to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who told The Verge that Microsoft is looking into shrinking Kinect down in size and exploring ways to manufacture it more cheaply price so that it can be popped inside mobile devices such as the Surface tablet, Windows Phones and laptops.

"It's not gonna happen tomorrow," he said, "but we can see a path towards that sort of thing."

However, with tablets, laptops and smartphones designed primarily as portable devices, Microsoft are encountering difficulties in getting Kinect to work when outdoors.

"It turns out it's infrared so when you go out in the sunlight the sun is a big infrared source that drowns it out," Mundie explained.

"There's a whole bunch of problems, not just miniaturization, in designing the sensors so they actually do what you expect them to do in all of the environments."

Kinect is expected to feature heavily in the forthcoming Xbox 720 next-gen console from Microsoft. Rumours suggest the device will be smaller and thinner than the current Kinect unit, as well as being far more accurate and able to work effectively in smaller play spaces. There's also a strong chance that the Kinect 2 will come embedded within the console, and that it will be an "always-connected" requirement of play with the Xbox 720.

The Chromebook just got serious: Google have revealed the Chromebook Pixel, a high-resolution notebook using their Chrome OS, following weeks of speculation and leaks.

Packing in a 2560x1700, 239ppi touchscreen display 12.85 inches in size, it's bigger than Chromebook's from Google's partners, with its anodized aluminum body clearly looking to court those who'd otherwise look towards purchasing an Apple MacBook Air. Indeed, it's got 19 more pixels per inch than even Apple's might MacBook Pro with Retina display.

Interestingly, the Chromebook Pixel sports a 3:2 ratio display. Google executives state this is due to its web-centric nature - websites use more vertical designs than standard applications, and this unusual screen size will accommodate it by meaning you won't have to scroll around them as much to view them. The screen also boasts a 400 nit brightness and 178-degree wide viewing angle.Though using the web-only Chrome OS (the Pixel will come in both Wi-Fi only and a Wi-Fi and 4G variant in the States), the machine is fairly well spec'd compared to the standard low-powered Chromebooks on the market. Though storage space remains low, with only 32GB and 64GB SSD variants available (Chrome OS encourages you to save all your files in the Cloud through Google's Drive storage service, and 1TB of free storage for three years is offered with the Pixel), under the hood also sits a decent 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB RAM. Don't expect to do any serious gaming on the device though; its only Intel's integrated Graphics 4000 card on offer here.

Other features include a backlit keyboard, glass touchpad, two mics with noise cancelling tech, a 720p webcam, two USB 2.0 ports, a mini-display port and a two-in-one SD and MMC card reader.

It wont come cheap though. Expect to pay $1,299/£1,049 for the Wi-Fi only version, while the LTE build will cost $1,449 in the States. So far, no 4G version is slated for release in the UK. Cost taks into account onboard storage capacities; 32GB for Wi-Fi only, while there's 64GB in the LTE model.

Who says gaming laptops have to be expensive? Certainly not Medion: cramming top-tier specs into a machine set to cost just £899, the Medion Erazer X7819 could be a big drawer for PC gamers looking to do some fragging on the move.

That £899 price tag bags you a 17.3 inch laptop that packs in a
a 2.4 GHz Intel Core i7-3630QM processor, 16GB of RAM, 750GB hard drive and a powerful Nvidia GTX 670MX graphics card.

The screen comes in at a respectable 1600 x 900 resolution, while the laptop also offers two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, a HDMI out and a VGA out. Other ports include a line in, line out and a S/PDIF8-channel audio out (as well as a built-in microphone), and there's also a multi-card reader included.

Two other Erazer X7819 variants will also be available. The first offers a full HD 1080p screen, but drops the 670MX in favour of a less powerful 650M graphics chip, though the improved display still leads to a higher £1,029 price tag. The second option is the top of the line model, costing £1,149 but popping both the 670MX and 1080p display in.

Very much an affordable powerhouse then. Medion's gaming laptops may not have the flash of rivals from Alienware, but they've certainly got the graphical chops where it counts. Onsale now, we'll be looking to conduct a full review in the coming weeks so check back soon.

After bowing out of the console game following the so-so response to the Dreamcast, Sega are set to return to the hardware market. But not perhaps in the way you'd have first guessed.

The Sonic stable are putting out a set of four laptop PCs in Japan called the Sega Note, each designed to look like one of Sega's classic retro consoles thanks to interchangeable top lid faceplates.

As well as a simple "blue Sega" model, there's a Mega Drive version (that's the Genesis to US readers), a Sega Saturn version and a Dreamcast model.Each comes with it's own individual specs, but it's the top of the line model we're most interested in. As well as coming with all four console cover plates, it's got a decent spec sheet, packing in a 2.40GHz Intel Core i7-3630QM Processor, 8GB of DDR3 SDRAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GT650M 1GB graphics card, a 120GB SSD and a Blu-ray writer. It sounds like it'd be a pretty capable gaming laptop, all things considered.

No word yet on a European release, and the high cost of the Premium machine (194,250 YEN puts it at around the £1,400 mark before you've even factored in shipping costs) when compared to comparably spec'd gaming machines available in the UK make importing it for die-hard Sega fans only. But if you insist, you can check out the pre-order form from Enterbrain here.

Apple's MacBook Pro with Retina display is pretty much the best laptop that money can buy right now. Today, that range gets even better, with Apple updating the line with faster processors, as well as slashing its price tags.

Kicking off with the 13-inch model, the 256GB model with SSD storage now comes with a 2.6GHz dual-core processor and a new price tag of £1,449 - £200 cheaper than previously sold for. The 128GB model pricing remains unchanged at £1,249.

Moving up to the 15-inch machine, it now packs in a 2.4GHz quad-core processor as opposed to the 2.3GHz processor previously used, while the optional higher-spec version of the 15-inch model also gets a processor boost up to a 2.7GHz quad-core version.

If the slinky, thin MacBook Air line is more your thing, that too gets a price cut, with the 13-inch model with 256GB SSD storage dropping to £1,199.

Heading over to the Apple Store online shows that the older prices are currently still in play, but these new prices are confirmed. Hold out a few hours before making a purchase and you should see the changes in pricing applied.

For PC gamers, gaming laptops represent a bit of a dilemma. On the one hand, they're compact and portable, and come straight off the shelf ready to play top-end PC games. On the other hand, they're usually far more expensive than an similarly powered desktop machine and can't be upgraded easily further down the line.

At just £909, the new Gigabyte P2742G gaming laptop represenets the best of both worlds then. Relatively affordable when lined up against similarly spec'd gaming laptops, but still incredible powerful considering its price.

Powered by a speedy Core i7 quad-core processor and backed up by a meaty Kepler-generation NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M 2GB graphics chip, it should happily blast through the latest titles at full the full HD 1080p resolution its 17-inch screen is capable of displaying. According to Gigabyte's internal testing, it's managed an impressive 12,193 score form the 3DMark Vantage benchmarking tool.

Under the hood sits two drive bays sporting RAID 0 technology for speedy support of as much as 2TB of storage space, while the laptop is finished off with a Blu-ray drive and THX TruStudio Pro-packing speakers, making it a very capable movie-watching machine too.

In terms of software, Windows 8 is onboard, though its touchscreen features won't be supported by the P2742G's non-touch display.

Though we're not sold on that bronze-coloured lid finish, it's definitely one to consider if you're on the market for a new PC gaming machine. Full stockist details can be found here.

Name: Toshiba Satellite P845t-101

Type: Touchscreen laptop

Review Model Specifications: Click here for full specs

Price: £749

The Windows 8 revolution is in full swing, with every laptop manufacturer worth their salt putting out touchscreen-packing laptops. Toshiba's Satellite P845t-101 is one of the first to hit the market, offering a 10-point touchscreen display alongside a traditional laptop form-factor. But is it a comfortable feature to use, and is it worth the extra price premium? Read on to find out!

Toshiba's Satellite P845t-101 sits at the premium end of mid-range machines from Toshiba. Packing in a Core i5-3317U processor clocked at 1.7GHz (2.6GHz with Turbo Boost), it houses 6GB of RAM, using Intel's HD Graphics 4000 rather than a discrete graphics chip. It's a comfortably powerful laptop that jumps through the Windows 8 modern UI tile interface (or "Metro" if you prefer) with ease, handling multiple simultaneous video streams, general office functions and casual gaming without a stutter, but those looking to do any substantial 3D gaming or big video editing projects will quickly cause it to buckle.The slight premium in price is accounted for with a 14-inch capacitive touchscreen display capable of taking in 10 simultaneous points of touch input. Though we've been skeptical of touchscreen laptops in the past, the experience we had with the Satellite P845t-101 was a surprisingly pleasant one. Responsive to the touch, with the internal hardware more than up to the task of processing our actions lag-free, we found ourselves using the touchscreen far more than we had expected to. Indeed, some of the quirkier, more troublesome gestures and UI elements of the Windows 8 operating system are more easily overlooked when touch control is involved, and as such the hybrid pairing of physical and touchscreen controls certainly seems the best way to enjoy Microsoft's latest OS in our opinion. It also makes the laptop a little more accessible for the less tech-y out there; pre-installed games like Cut the Rope and Doodle God were just as enjoyable on the laptop as they would be on an iPad or comparable tablet device.

It's not perfect though. For starters, Toshiba's 16:9 panel runs at a lowly 1366 x 768 resolution, the bare minimum we'd find acceptable in a portable machine these days. It's a bright screen, but viewing angles are tight and colours feel generally washed out. However, its glossy coating does well to avoid picking up too many unsightly finger marks, something that will be a challenge for touchscreen laptop manufacturers going forward.The laptop itself is reasonably attractive, with a textured chrome finish used throughout, but eschews the ultra-slim trend currently in vogue. Measuring 349x234x29mm and weighing roughly 2KG, it's a chunky machine that will feel burdensome on an extended journey. The extra heft does allow for a decent array of ports to be included though, with a generous 3 USB 3.0 ports onboard, alongside an Ethernet port, a HDMI-out and headphone jack, as well as the option of hooking up an external monitor. You also get a DVD drive (a dying breed), which suffers from using a tiny, finicky eject button - you'll too often find yourself fruitlessly pushing against the inner spring mechanism rather than hitting the button itself.

We also noticed a slight gap between the keyboard and screen lid when the laptop was closed, something that could lead to screen damage if something were to slide between the two sections when stored away in a bag.The keyboard is comfortable to use over extended periods. Keys are a nice size with good travel, and are gently backlit for late-night sessions. The glossy finish however can make them feel a little sticky under your fingertips, but on the whole its one of the better laptop keyboards we've used recently. There's no numberpad, but a selection of media shortcut keys are useful for movie watching or skipping through playlist tracks.A large single button trackpad (designating left and right mouse clicks to either side of the pad) is included, with a smooth finish that was lovely to use. Windows 8 gestures were easy to trigger (perhaps a little too easy). It's worth noting though that, if you do find yourself regularly using the touchscreen, you'll likely find yourself brushing the trackpad and triggering unwanted input - an unavoidable side-effect of this form factor unless some sort of proximity sensor is implemented.Just above the keyboard below the screen's right edge sits a small, circular backlit power button, and below that on either side of the keyboard is the stereo speakers, here provided by Harman Kardon. They're a cut above most laptop speakers, especially in comparison to slimline ultrabooks. They crank up surprisingly loudly, suffering only from an exaggerated bass and loss of detail in the mid ranges.

A regular HDD, rather than SSD or hybrid storage solution, is onboard, offering up 640GB of storage space. It's a decent amount of space, but Toshiba have popped a fair amount of bloatware on here, including McAfee virus protection, the Wildtangent games hub, Toshiba's own Video Player, as well as Amazon, eBay and Netflix apps. While the last three are likely to be of use to most users, they won't be for everyone, and should not be forced on them. The lack of an SSD drive or hybrid alternative also makes for lengthy boot times; you're looking at on average a 45 second wait from a cold boot.Battery life was more impressive however. With the moderate strain of continuous video streaming at full brightness, we squeezed over 3 and a half hours out of the battery from a single charge. Being a chunky machine, its likely the laptop will be tied to a wall socket and desktop for most of its life, but it's good to know you'd just about get through all of Lawrence of Arabia should the mood take you. The laptop managed to maintain a comfortably low heat too, with only a low (if regular) whirring sound kicking in when the computer started to heat up.

Verdict:

It's a solid start to touchscreen Windows 8 laptops for Toshiba then. The Satellite P845t-101 handles touch input with ease, and you'll find yourself perhaps surprised at how often you'll be swiping away at the screen. The build of the laptop itself leaves a bit to be desired, as does the visual quality of the display, but overall the Satellite P845t-101 is worthy of its slight premium over similarly spec'd machines.

With whispers of an advanced 4K TV set dominating Samsung's pre-show CES 2013 news, the company has felt it prudent to push a few of its smaller launches out ahead of the mania of next week's exhibition opening. It's Samsung's Series 7 laptop range leading the charge as Samsung prepare for the Vegas blowout.

First up is the Samsung Series 7 Chronos, an updated version of a 2011 machine. It comes packing a 15.8-inch Full HD 10-point multitouch touchscreen display and quad-core i7 processor, 2GB dedicated AMD graphics and 8GB RAM, making it quite the workhorse.

The Chronos also features RAMAccelerator software (which claims to give a 150% speed boost when activated) and a 1TB HDD, with a full size keyboard squeezing in an increasingly rare numberpad into the laptop form factor. 11 hours of battery life are promised, with JBL speakers delivering the sonics and Windows 8, naturally, onboard as the OS.

If a slimmed down machine tickles your fancy more than beefy specs, the Samsung Series 7 Ultra ultrabook will pique your interest. Smaller at 13.3-inches in size, it's screen is brighter than the 300-nit Chronos's at 350 nits, while retaining the 10-points of multitouch. An 8 hour battery life is promised, with a choice of Core i5 or i7 processors and a 256GB SSD making up the innards.

No pricing has been revealed for either machine at this point, but you're definitely looking at computers occupying the premium end of Samsung's pricing scale.

Click here for more info.

Apple rolled out the most comprehensive update to their line of Mac and MacBook computers in recent memory in 2012, overhauling the MacBook Pro by adding a Retina display, putting the iMac on a diet and reworking the innards of the MacBook Air and regular MacBook Pro. So what next for the range in 2013?

Rather than a massive design overhaul (2012's models will look the business for a good few years we'd say), The Next Web believes that the superfast Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard will take top billing.

By updating the the Broadcom wireless chipset found within Macs, it could supercharge Wi-Fi download speeds for those with fibre optic connections, and generally improve reliability of the signal thanks to its ability to handle 1.3Gbps throughput through its three antennas.

ASUS already put similar technology in their ROG G75VW gaming notebook last year, but if Apple were to roll it out across their Mac and MacBook range they'd be the first company to embrace the standard wholeheartedly.

The problem for the time being is that Broadcom are still working on producing the chipsets on a large scale. With the Spring/Summer Mac refresh now looming, they'll have to get to work pretty quickly if they're to deliver superfast Wi-Fi in time.

The ASUS Taichi has once again been delayed, leaving those hoping to nab one of the dual-screen ultrabook convertibles for Christmas hanging.

An ASUS spokesperson contacted PC, stating in an email that though the device would miss its November shipping date, the company still hoped to get it in stores before the end of December, in the US at least. No reason has been given for the delay.

It's the second time the wacky laptop has been delayed, after first missing its initial October launch date, which would have coincided with the launch of Microsoft's Windows 8.

Many US retailers have no topped taking pre-orders for the device, while UK retailer Expansys still has a November 19th release date on its pre-order page.

As well as sporting dual-screens (one touch, one regular), the lightweight laptop also packs in a 128GB SSD and 4GB RAM.

For our full in-depth hands-on preview of the ASUS Taichi, click here.

Google has dipped its toes into the laptop hardware market with its Chromebook range, an intriguing line of low powered, cheapish portable computers that require a constant internet connection to get the most out of them. But a new report suggests that Google may be making further inroads into the mobile computing space with a fully-fledged laptop running their Chrome operating system.

Designed as genuine competitors to Windows 8 and MacBook machines according to the China Times source, the new computers are said to be currently in the manufacturing stages at Compal Electronics and Wintek.

The Chrome-powered computers could be landing very soon too, with initial shipments said to have already started with an aim to launch the machines in the first quarter of 2013.

Google have increasingly been delving into the world of hardware, partnering with manufacturers like Asus, Acer, Samsung and LG on their Nexus and Chromebook products, not to mention their high-profile acquisition of Motorola. But dealing directly with suppliers will be a largely new move for the company. It'll be interesting to see what fruits are borne from this rumoured new endeavor, particularly as it comes during a period of tentative transition for the usually-stable Windows-based laptop market.

Via: The Next Web

The ASUS Taichi is an ultrabook with a difference. As flexible as its name suggests, this dual-screen ultrabook is as happy being a Windows 8 computer as it is a Windows 8 tablet. We went hands-on today with this intriguing new ASUS machine at Intel's Christmas ultrabook showcase.

We've never seen a laptop nor ultrabook quite like the ASUS Taichi. Though opening up the clamshell reveals a fairly standard, non-touch 11.6-inch screen, closing the case reveals it's killer feature. Where you'd usually expect the screen back covering to be instead sits an 11.6-inch 10-finger multitouch display. Rather than putting the machine in standby mode, closing the ultrabook while it is on instead activates this outside screen, letting you use the Windows 8 Modern UI in a tablet-style mode.

With both screens running at Full HD 1080p resolutions, they're incredibly sharp, with the touchscreen proving particularly responsive (even if the touch-sensitive Home/Modern UI bezel button was a little temperamental), but using the device takes some getting used to, and poses a few unique quirks.

Firstly, whereas most convertible ultrabooks that double up as quasi-tablets use a single touchscreen display, the use of two displays (both touch and non-touch) can make for some jarring transitions. Maybe it was down to a lack of caffeine in my system when trying out the Taichi, but I regularly kept trying to swipe away at the non-touch screen after re-opening the ultrabook, something that wouldn't cause a problem on a standard single-display, fully-touch convertible. Two screens also necessitate extra weight and a higher price; 1.25kg is an acceptable ultrabook weight, but not comfortable for an extended tablet usage session, while the £1499 price tag is certainly towards the upper limit of what we'd comfortably pay for a Core i5 11-inch machine. You'll also have to keep a laptop sleeve handy if you want to put the Taichi in a bag and keep it in tip-top shape.

Despite these issues, there's no denying that the Taichi represents the simplest, speediest tablet-to-ultrabook convertible solution we've seen yet. There are no hinges to twist or catches to unlock, as it's as simple as closing the lid in order to enter tablet mode. You can even have both screens running at once if necessary, like a futuristic version of Battleship (it will be a crime if a bespoke version of the boardgame doesn't come pre-installed here)!

Configuration options are reasonably thorough too, with options for Intel Core i7 or i5 Ivy Bridge processors and either 128GB or 256GB SSDs for speedy boot times. SonicMaster audio is onboard, co-developed by Bang and Olufsen too. There is no option for a dedicated GPU however, relying instead upon integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000. 4GB DDR3 RAM comes as standard across all models, with a quoted battery life of 5 hours suggesting you'll struggle to get a full days work out of each charge.

It's an interesting concept that's sure to turn heads during the ultrabook wars this Christmas. With so many OEMs vying for attention following the Windows 8 drive, ASUS's Taichi is one of the more eye-catching options for sure. Whether it's a sensible one remains to be seen.

We're hoping to get hold of a review sample ahead of the ASUS Taichi's winter launch, where we'll give our full verdict of all features of the tablet/ultrabook hybrid.

How light do you think the world's lightest ultrabook could be? 2KG? 1.5KG? How about just 875grams. That's what you get if you pick up the NEC LaVie Z ultrabook, the lightest in the world, shedding the pounds without shedding top-tier specs. Though it's not available from UK retailers, it can be shipped in from Japan, and we were lucky enough to go hands on today at Intel's ultrabook Christmas showcase.

Lift up the NEC LaVie Z and it's almost hard to believe that there are the components of a working laptop tucked away somewhere inside. Thin (but not staggeringly so) at 14.9mm, what's incredible is the weight. It's no exaggeration that, with some careful balancing skills, you could comfortably hold the LaVie Z with a single finger. It's that lightweight.Costing around £1179 (not including shipping costs), it features a 13.3-inch LCD display with glossy finish, hitting resolutions as high as 1600x900. It's a little reflective, and brightness levels could be a bit higher, but it's sharp with good colour reproduction.Under the hood of the model we tested was an Ivy Bridge generation Intel Core i5 @ 1.7GHz (Turbo boost up to 2.6GHz, and there are also i7 build available too, which is insane in an ultrabook this svelte), backed by 4GB of DDR3 RAM. This was more than enough to comfortably check out a few tabs worth of HD video, though with Windows 7 rather than Windows 8 onboard, we weren't able to try out how well it handles Microsoft's latest offering.

At 13.3-inches, there's enough room for a decent sized touchpad that responded well to our swipes and clicks, favouring an Apple-style single button for all touchpad input (left side represents the left mouse button, right mouse button on the right side). The keyboard, which was a Japanese/English International hybrid was a bit cramped, and the Japanese characters in place of some UK keyboard stalwarts was jarring, but nothing we're sure that a little more extended time with the LaVie 7 couldn't be acclimatised to.Port options were generous too, with a USB 2.0 port, a USB 3.0 port, a multi-card reader and even a full size HDMI port on show.

Boasting an 8 hour battery life, the LaVie Z is an incredible bit of engineering. Though it's magnesium alloy finish lacks the premium feel of, say, a MacBook Air, it's remarkably light, almost unbelievably so. Though it might be a bit of a pain to get one in the UK at the moment, anyone who regularly carries their laptops with them will be thanked by their backs and shoulders for any effort put in to track one down.