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ASUS's latest ultraportable the ZenBook 3 is often compared to Apple's 12-inch MacBook. And can you blame people? The laptop is even thinner and lighter than Apple's two-pound wonder, but just as fast and with longer battery life. And it comes with a mini dock in the box, adding precisely the sort of ports you'd be missing on the MacBook (and would only have access to if you paid extra for an adapter). On paper, then, it's precisely the computer Windows-using travelers have been looking for.

Depending on your needs, that may still be the case, but in practice we found the ZenBook 3 isn't everything we hoped it would be. In particular, we found the keyboard and trackpad uncomfortable to use, and we had some concerns about the build quality too. It's possible you'll disagree with us there, but you owe it to yourself to get some hands-on time with the machine at a local store before buying, if at all possible.

Pros

• Thin and light design comparable to the MacBook
• As fast as other high-end ultraportables
• Vibrant screen
• Comes with a mini-dock for extra ports

 

Cons

• Keyboard and trackpad are difficult to use
• Fingerprint sensor placement makes no sense
• Build quality is suspect

Summary

The ZenBook 3 does a decent job of mimicking the MacBook's design while also cramming in faster hardware. But the combination of a hard-to-use keyboard and trackpad, along with build quality concerns, make it difficult to recommend.

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Lenovo Yoga 910

The most notable announcements include the Lenovo 910 convertible laptop with a fingerprint sensor on the keyboard for faster login, sports a full metal design, and comes with a 360 degree rotating hinge which offers 4 different modes such as laptop, tablet, tent and stand. It features a 13.6-inch 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) or FHD (1920 x 1080 pixels) near edgeless display (5mm bezel), with 14 percent more in pixel density and 100 percent sRGB color.

It is powered by the latest 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor and Intel HD Graphics 620 GPU. It comes with a fingerprint reader for Windows Hello and streamlines security settings for quick, typo-free access. The company claims that the laptop can last up to 15.5 hours on a single charge. It houses JBL speakers with Dolby Audio Premium for enhanced sound quality.

Lenovo Yoga 910 Specs:

• Dimensions of 323 x 224.5 x 14.3mm
• Weight of 1.38 kg
• IPS LED Display of 13.9 inches with 4K or FullHD resolution
• Windows 10 operating system
• 7th Gen Intel Core i7-7500U 2.7 GHz Processor
• Intel HD Graphics 620
• 8GB / 16GB of DDR4 RAM
• 256GB / 512GB / 1TB SSD
• Fingerprint reader
• Connectivity of Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 1 x USB 3.0 Type-C with Video-out, 1 x USB 2.0 TypeC with Charging, 1 x USB 3.0 with Always-on Charging, Audio Combo Jack, 4-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/SDHC/SDXC)
• Battery life: up to 10.5 hours (4K), 15.5 hours (FHD)
• HD webcam
• Dual JBL Stereo Speakers with Dolby Audio Premium

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The Acer Switch Alpha 12 Is the Best 2-in-1 Notebook for the Price

The Acer Switch Alpha 12 is not just another entry in the crowded market for 2-in-1 notebooks. As the first device of its kind to pack liquid cooling, the metal-clad slate features more capable hardware than most of its competitors, while maintaining fanless design and quiet operation.

With detachable keyboard and optional stylus pen, the Acer Switch Alpha 12 is a direct rival to Microsoft's own Surface Pro 4 slate. However, thanks to its remarkably lower $600 starting price tag, the newcomer is considerably more affordable than its more popular competitor.

In the Metal

With a brushed metal back and neatly integrated kickstand, the Acer Switch Alpha 12 looks and feels as upmarket as the best devices in its class. The front of the tablet is dominated by its 12-inch display, whose bezels we wish were a tad smaller.

The build quality of the Acer Switch Alpha 12 is solid; the same goes for the device's bundled accessories. Despite its long spec sheet, the Switch Alpha 12 is only a bit over half an inch thick, and weighs about 2.8 pounds.

Hardware

Buyers of the Acer Switch Alpha 12 can choose between Intel's sixth-generation Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 processor. Depending on their configuration choice, they will get 4GB or 8GB of RAM.

All Switch Alpha 12 tablets boot Windows 10. Some of the top-end variants run the Pro version of the OS.

Onboard storage choices range between 128GB and 512GB (all solid-state drives). Users can also expand memory via a microSD card slot. as well as by plugging external drives into the device's USB ports.

Every Acer Switch 12 features an excellent 12-inch IPS touchscreen with a resolution of 2,160 by 1,440 pixels. The sharp display panel delivers good color reproduction, stellar contrast, and top-notch viewing angles.

All models feature a 5MP camera on the back, couple with a 2MP front-facing snapper. The latter can also stream HD video.

The device's wired ports include a full USB option, and a speedier USB Type-C one. A full set of wireless connectivity options is also on board.

Performance and Battery Life

We tested a mid-range configuration of the Acer Switch Alpha 12 with Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD. The convertible notebook is plenty powerful for a device in its class, so we weren't surprised to see it make quick work of every task we threw at it.

In addition to handling casual computing without breaking a sweat, the device is also a capable work tool, especially in Core i5 and Core i7 guise. More demanding tasks such as photo and light video editing will not slow the device down.

Acer's detachable backlit keyboard for the Switch Alpha 12 is one of the best in its class. It works well on any surface, including in your lap. The trackpad is reasonably large and pleasantly responsive, while the built-in kickstand allows users to find the right angle on every occasion.

Wrap Up

By offering an appealing blend of power, portability, pleasant design, and attractive pricing, the Acer Switch Alpha 12 is handily on of the most appealing options in its class. The manufacturer's innovative liquid cooling tech allows the slate to deliver performance and productivity that most of its competitors cannot quite match.

The most notable rival to the Switch Alpha 12 is the better looking and hugely capable Microsoft Surface Pro 4. However, with a $899 starting price tag (for an Intel Core m-equipped device), it is considerably more expensive than similarly equipped Acer devices. The excellent keyboard for the Surface costs additional $130.

Pricing of the Acer Switch Alpha 12 kicks off at $600 for a variant with Intel Core i3 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB SSD. In our opinion, the best options to go for are priced between $700 and $850, and come with more powerful Core i5 CPU and 8GB of RAM (internal storage options vary by price).

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• PROS

  • Beautiful display
  • Responsive stylus
  • Wireless RF keyboard
  • Numerous ports

• CONS

  • High cost
  • Fast draining battery
  • Mediocre speaker performance
  • No USB Type-C ports

QUICK TAKE

The VAIO Z Canvas is a high-end, convertible Windows 10 tablet built for creative professionals. It's expensive, but it has the build and performance to justify the cost.

Build & Design

The VAIO Z Canvas is an aesthetically pleasing slab of tech that sandwiches a powerful processor and capable graphics card between an aluminum alloy body and anti-shock, 6-sided reinforced glass. It looks and feels rugged, but we don’t suggest performing a drop test. It’s built with an LCD touchscreen display that’s more than a half-inch thick and weighs 3.5 pounds with the keyboard, 2.7 pounds without it.

Display & Speakers

The tablet has a 12.3-inch LCD WQXGA+ 2560 x 1704 IPS display that renders at 3:2 aspect ratio and displays 95 percent of the Adobe RGB color spectrum. It offers rich colors and crisp images. Screen brightness is exceptional, but its anti-glare screen is somewhat ineffective against bright light sources. The wide angle screen performs best when viewed straight on; at sharp angles, some clarity loss is evident.

A glossy border along the edges of the display makes handling without launching onscreen functions easy. There’s a front-facing 1MP camera on the top border and a capacitive Windows Start Menu launch button on the bottom border. Numerous ports are found on the left edge of the body. The right edge of the tablet is home to a power button, a volume rocker, and a mounting slot for the pen stylus that has a tendency to get in the way.

There’s a ventilation grille on the top edge of the tablet that’s bordered by a single button on either side. One button turns touchscreen functionality on and off. The other launches onscreen controls that allow for one-touch complex keyboard shortcuts. Two stereo speakers on the bottom edge of the tablet emit crisp, clear audio – however the speakers are not capable of reaching volumes that are equivalent to standard laptop speakers

Ports & Connectivity

Numerous ports support a variety of connectivity options. These are found on the left edge of the display and include a headphone jack, AC power jack, two USB 3.0 ports (one for recharging), an SD card reader, a LAN (RJ45) Ethernet port, a mini DisplayPort, and HDMI output. Both mini DisplayPort and HDMI are 4K compatible. USB Type-C connectivity is not supported.

Keyboard & Touchpad

The VAIO Z Canvas’s keyboard is called “detachable” but this is a misnomer since it doesn’t connect physically to the tablet screen at all. It is instead entirely detached, connecting wirelessly to the display via radio (RF) instead of Bluetooth. The downside is that it can’t be used in traditional “on the lap” orientation.

Pen

The VAIO Z Canvas comes with a battery powered N-Trig active digitizer stylus pen powered by a AAAA battery. It has 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity. The lower tip of the stylus has a rubberized comfort grip that houses two function buttons – one for launching Windows OneNote, another for clipping. Tip sensitivity can be adjusted between Soft, Normal and Hard. Built-in screen palm rejection aids in preventing errors when using the tablet for writing or sketching.

The stylus is accurate but requires a certain amount of adjustment. When the pen tip presses against the glossy display, it doesn’t represent the feel of pen on paper but is instead slippery. It does well with correcting the jitters of a slowly-drawn line, though isn’t perfect. That said, it’s better than the Surface Pro 3 Pen.  The function buttons on the rubberized grip are easy to accidentally press while writing. Aside from this, it’s highly accurate and responsive once the users gets used to the action of the stylus.

http://techprod4u.blogspot.com/

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MacBook Pro 2016

At long last, here it is: the new MacBook Pro, available in Silver and Space Gray configurations, refreshed for the first time since May 2015. It's available with either a 13- or 15-inch display featuring a touch bar, simply called Touch Bar, replacing the row of function keys.

The Touch Bar was initially evidenced by a set of product photos leaked by Apple itself ahead of an official announcement and, in turn, discovered by MacRumors. Like the iPhone 7 before it, some rumors even suggested the death of the 3.5mm headphone jack, which was debunked on the Apple Campus stage.

MacBook Pro 2016 release date

While the non-Touch Bar, 13-inch MacBook released on October 27, both Touch Bar models were confirmed to ship "2 - 3 weeks" after their reveal.

We originally expected to see the new MacBook Pro 2016 at Apple's annual developer event, WWDC, this June. However, as reports had previously suggested, this year's conference focused primarily on introducing new software updates rather than hardware. New MacBook Pros took a backseat to macOS Sierra and iOS 10.

More recently, Apple's iPhone 7 event took place on September 7, the next candidate for a pair of new MacBooks to be announced. While there were no computers in sight at the iPhone event, shortly thereafter Apple CEO Tim Cook suggested we "stay tuned" for Mac developments.

The MacBook Pro 2016 was finally unveiled on October 27 at an Apple Special Event on the Apple Campus stage. The 15-inch version is 20% smaller than the previous model and weighs only four pounds. 

MacBook Pro 2016 price

There will be three different variants of the MacBook Pro 2016: 13-inch without a Touch Bar, 13-inch with a Touch Bar and a 15-inch model also with a Touch Bar. The vanilla 13-inch model will set you back $1,499 (£1,449, AU$2,199) while the touch bar-equipped model is priced at $1,799 (£1,749, AU$2,699).

The 15-inch MacBook Pro complete with discrete graphics runs for $2,399 (£2,349, AU$3,599). 

The 13-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro, tucked away apologetically at the foot of Apple's product page, surely wasn't long for this world; now after the updates only the older Retina 13-inch models stand in its wake. 

The 2015 editions of the 13- and 15-inch are still available for $1,299 (£1,249, AU$1,999) and $1,999 (£1,899, AU$2,999).

MacBook Pro 2016: Hello Thunderbolt 3, goodbye USB  ports

Apple has confirmed, in line with some rumors leading into the October event, up to four USB-C, Thunderbolt 3 ports will be present in place of traditional USB ports. 

Apple isn't sentimental about removing supposedly must-have features it deems redundant - the MacBook Pro lost its SuperDrive years ago - so it was only natural for the company to drop the MacBook Pro's other ports in favor of the newer standard. 

Not only that, but any of the four Thunderbolt 3 ports can be used to charge the device as well.

Fortunately, for analog audio fans, the headphone jack is still present despite the presence of two-to-four USB-C ports (depending on your configuration) and Bluetooth serving as alternatives.

MacBook Pro 2016: The magic of Touch Bar

One of the most interesting MacBook Pro rumors was that it would get a touchscreen and perhaps a detachable keyboard too. That's expecting a little much from Apple. 

Instead, there's a OLED Touch Bar that's essentially a long and skinny iPhone screen grafted onto the MacBook. Measuring  60 pixels high and 2,170 pixels wide, it grants quick-access to virtual controls while integrating a TouchID sensor for logging in and authenticating Apple Pay. 

What's more, it brings and adaptive control element to the tried-and-true MacBook formula that can also be used to navigate color swatches in Adobe Photoshop and embeds DJ controls for audio applications.

Apple has positioned the Touch Bar as an enticing compromise for those in pursuit of the classic MacBook Pro experience as well as those craving a touch-control interface seen on many Windows-powered 2-in-1 laptops.

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