Lenovo today announced the Lenovo Miix2 8-inch tablet, a Windows 8.1 multi-mode device that packs an Intel quad-core processor and IPS wide-angle, high-definition display into a small tablet form factor. Paired with an optional stylus and detachable cover, the Lenovo Miix2 8-inch joins its popular predecessor, the Lenovo Miix.

Measuring only 8.35 mm thick and weighing a mere 350 mg, the Lenovo Miix2 8-inch tablet delivers a 16:10 widescreen experience that deftly balances visual experience with portability. The 10-point multi-touch WXGA display delivers an 800 x 1280 resolution and its impressive 178-degree viewing angle means no one is left out of the fun. Equipped with two webcams, one in front (2MP) and one in back (5MP), the tablet is designed for effortless video chatting and photo sharing. Pre-loaded with Windows 8.1, the Lenovo Miix2 8-inch brings all the enhancements of Microsoft's latest operating system, including enhanced searching and sharing; improved Web-surfing with the new IE 11, touch optimization and the return of the popular "Start" button.

Getac Inc., a leading manufacturer of rugged computers, is introducing the V110, the thinnest and lightest rugged convertible and the F110, the thinnest and lightest fully rugged large screen tablet.

V110 is a breakthrough-design rugged convertible less than 12 x 9 inches in size, a mere 1.3 inches thick and weighing just more than 4 pounds. The V110 is the thinnest and lightest fully rugged convertible ever built. A quick twist of the unique multi-position hinge allows the V110 to effortlessly transform from a laptop to a tablet, giving users the versatility needed for use in unpredictable environments. The V110 also features a large 11.6 inch display and a full-size, waterproof-membrane backlit keyboard 56% larger than the competition's. Its 88 standard-sized, island-style independent keys provide an unmatched premium feel and increased durability.

The worldwide smart connected device market, comprised of PCs, tablets, and smartphones, is forecast to grow 27.8% year over year in 2013, slightly lower than the 30.3% growth in 2012. The growth will be driven by tablet and smartphone shipments, while the PC outlook has been lowered by 10% in 2013. As a result, the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Smart Connected Device Tracker expects tablet shipments to surpass total PC shipments (desktop plus portable PCs) in the fourth quarter of 2013 (4Q13).

PCs shipments are still expected to be greater than tablet shipments for the full year, but IDC forecasts tablet shipments will surpass total PC shipments on an annual basis by the end of 2015. Smartphones will continue to ship in high volumes, surpassing 1.4 billion units in 2015 and accounting for 69% of all smart connected device shipments worldwide.

Belkin, a trusted leader of technology solutions for office, classroom, IT infrastructure and mobile environments, today announced the release of two new docking stands: a Dual Video Docking Stand for Windows 8 tablets and Dual Video Docking Stand for Ultrabooks, making mobile computing easier and more productive for business users. The stands, which leverage DisplayLink technology, allow users to turn an Ultrabook or Windows 8 tablet into a full-function desktop with a single plug-and-display USB 3.0 cable. Belkin will showcase the docking stands and other mobile computing solutions at COMPUTEX TAIPEI in Taiwan, June 4-8.

"Greater mobility and the need for an improved user experience are increasingly important to organizations that care about worker productivity and its impact on overall efficiency," said J. Gerry Purdy, Ph.D., principal analyst, Mobile Trax. "Belkin has developed an interesting set of docking stands that really optimize the functionality of Ultrabooks, and particularly Windows 8 Tablets, in the business environment. This is a great step forward for mobile computing at the enterprise level."

DisplayLink, the leading provider of USB Graphics technology, today announced plans to show the latest solutions for Wireless and USB Docking at Interop 2013. Targeting Ultrabook and Tablet expansion and connectivity for business users, DisplayLink will feature wireless WiGig Docking, Enterprise Class USB Docking, and the latest Mac drivers, with demonstrations to be held at the Interop Expo.

Introducing the latest solutions, John Cummins, VP Sales and Marketing for DisplayLink said, "IT Managers are struggling with BYOD. At Interop 2013, DisplayLink will showcase our customer's products, including monitor-docks for tablets with touch screen and integrated Webcams, WiGig Docks for wireless graphics and peripheral expansion, and Enterprise-Class USB Docks with multiple display connections for both Windows and Mac. These products solve problems and enhance productivity."

Expanding upon the success of the Latitude 10 standard configuration launched in October 2012, Dell today announced the Latitude 10 essentials configuration to offer a secure, manageable and durable enterprise-ready tablet option to budget-conscious customers. Ideal for organizations such as schools and small businesses, the new configuration offers outstanding value with essential productivity and collaboration features and a full-featured Windows 8 tablet experience. The new Latitude 10 offers consumer customers rich entertainment features for movies, books and games, as well as compatibility with familiar applications and accessories to transition seamlessly between work and play.

"Dell's heritage is rooted in meeting the needs of our customers with cost effective, tailored solutions that empower them to reach their potential, be it in the office, classroom or hospital," said Neil Hand, vice president, Dell end user computing products. "This legacy, combined with our portfolio of new enterprise services and product offerings, such as the Latitude 10, enables our customers to deploy the latest technology while balancing IT control and end-user productivity."

VIZIO announced today its spring 2013 line-up of Windows 8 PCs, equipped with 10-finger capacitive touch displays on every new model. Seamless touchscreen technology and premium entertainment enhancements to the new spring line give users the ideal interactive Windows 8 experience, supported by outstanding picture quality and rich audio.

VIZIO will be showcasing select PC models at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV, January 7 -11, 2013 at the Wynn Hotel, by appointment.

ASUSTOR Inc., a leading innovator and provider of network storage solutions, today announced the release of three new NAS Apps for its well-received AS 6 Series NAS devices. These new Apps consist of Symantec Backup Exec's RALUS, an acclaimed backup solution, Dropbox, a popular cloud storage and sync service and DVBLink TV Server, a digital television App. Additionally, two of ASUSTOR's existing Apps are being upgraded with advanced features and enhancements. Download Center now features the new and convenient Smart Download Folder function. Its mobile App, AiDownload, has added a push notification function and is now available for both iOS and Android. Not to be outdone, the Surveillance Center App now boasts added Daylight Saving Time adjustments along with full compatibility with Panasonic's BB and BL camera lines. Interested users may begin enjoying these new Apps and upgrades by downloading them through ASUSTOR's App Central.

Microsoft Corp. today announced plans to make Microsoft Surface available at additional retailers as soon as mid-December. In addition, the company announced the extension of the Microsoft holiday stores, including the transition of several of the stores into permanent Microsoft retail outlets.

"The public reaction to Surface has been exciting to see. We've increased production and are expanding the ways in which customers can interact with, experience and purchase Surface," said Panos Panay, general manager, Microsoft Surface.

Getac Inc., a leading manufacturer of rugged computers, is introducing the next generation of its V100 and V200 fully rugged convertible tablets. Both models can be configured with the powerful, third-generation 2.6 GHz Intel Core i5-3320M (MAX 3.3) or 2.9 GHz Core i7-3520M (MAX 3.6) processor with vPro technology.

Blazing fast, the V100 and V200 clock in at 251% and 177% faster, respectively, than did the previous generation. The Getac V100 and V200 also incorporate the Intel HD Graphics 4000 for over four times the responsiveness versus the previous models.* The combination of improved speed, high performance, and fully rugged design will help increase productivity by military, utility, police, fire and field-service professionals working in the most demanding environments.

Through its official blog Microsoft has announced that the x86-flavored Surface tablet, which runs Windows 8 Pro (the ARM-based Surface RT is loaded with Windows RT), will arrive in January, priced at $899 (64 GB model) and $999 (128 GB).

Set to have about half the battery life of the Surface RT, the upcoming device is equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor and has a 10.6-inch (1920 x 1080) ClearType display supporting both finger and pen input, 4 GB of RAM, 802.11 b/g/n/ WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a micro SDXC card slot, two 720p HD LifeCams, stereo speakers, an USB 3.0 port, a mini DisplayPort output, and a kickstand. The Surface with Windows 8 Pro is 0.53 inches thick, has a VaporMg casing, and is backed by a one-year warranty.

Presenting NextPowerUp, our sister tech-publication in the works, designed with a bigger canvas. TechPowerUp established itself as one of the top PC hardware publications thanks to our pursuit for quality reviews and relentless news delivery. We decided it was time to put these core ideals to use, in addressing the much larger consumer electronics and gadgets markets, without disturbing TechPowerUp's focus on PC enthusiast content, one of its hallmarks.

NextPowerUp is designed to keep you up to speed on the latest in over 20 markets (and growing), each with its own content channel, and editors hand-picked for them. These include Audio (personal, home, professional, concert), Business, Cinema (filming, production, exhibition), Desktops (pre-built desktop PCs), Displays (signage, projectors), Gadgets, Gaming (games, game development, gaming industry, consoles), Internet (the business of WWW), Networking (social networking), Notebooks (notebooks, Ultrabooks, netbooks), Phones (of all shapes and sizes), Photo & Video (cameras of all shapes and sizes), Politics (industry soap-opera), Robots (outside assembly lines), Science (popular science, space exploration), Software, Storage, Tablets, Televisions (TVs and technologies built around them), Transportation (wheels that don't run on fossil fuels), and Wireless (Cellular carriers, commercial WiFi).

ASUS, a global leader in the new digital era, today announces VivoTab, a thin and light tablet featuring Windows 8. With an MSRP starting from US$799, VivoTab has an 11.6" multi-touch HD display, Wacom digitizer stylus and Intel Atom dual-core processor for an excellent combination of performance and energy efficiency. Its optional Mobile Dock offers increased productivity too, thanks to its full keyboard and a built-in battery that gives up to 19 hours' mobile use.

ASUS VivoTab has a 1.8GHz Intel Atom Z2760 dual-core processor with enhanced performance and incredible energy efficiency allowing Windows 8 to run both, the latest software and legacy applications, giving users a wide choice of software for every need. VivoTab's 11.6" multi-touch display has a pin-sharp 1366 x 768 HD resolution with vibrant colors, wide viewing angles and superior outdoor visibility, thanks to the amazing brightness of its Super IPS+ technology. ASUS TruVivid technology enhances image clarity still further by reducing the display thickness, while scratch-resistant Corning Fit glass with anti-fingerprint coating keeps the screen crystal-clear.

It looks like Razer's reluctance over Project Fiona may have cost it some potential market share, and it's going to have to face mighty Microsoft in the upcoming gaming tablet market segment. Redmond plans to fuse its Xbox and Surface product lines to create the Xbox Surface, a 7-inch tablet designed for gaming. There's not much information on how Microsoft will handle input, but we're guessing that in addition to its multi-touch screen, Microsoft could bundle a wireless Xbox 360 controller. The tablet itself could be designed with buttons and thumb-sticks. The 7-inch 16:9 screen of the Xbox Surface features a native resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels (720p). Driving the tablet is an ARM-based SoC, though it's possible that Microsoft could decide to use an Intel x86 chip. The ARM processor is backed by high-bandwidth memory. The new tablet is most likely slated for 2013.

Initially announced for the Chinese market, Lenovo's ThinkPad Helix tablet is expanding its reach and is set to arrive in Israel, and likely other countries, in the not too distant future. The Helix is a business-oriented offering that runs Windows 8 and features an 11.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS screen supporting both finger and pen input, an Intel Ivy Bridge CPU (up to a Core i7), WiFi, 3G, NFC, and a battery allowing up to 10 hours of operation. The tablet comes with a ThinkPad -style keyboard dock for improved productivity.

The ThinkPad Helix has not been priced.

Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) introduced today the Yuma 2 rugged tablet computer-a powerful mobile computing solution that provides full office capabilities in the field for construction, transportation, public safety, field service, forestry, utilities, mapping, insurance and any other outdoor or service-related industry.

The Yuma 2 offers a 7-inch capacitive multi-touch screen in an easy-to-hold form factor that measures 6.3 inches x 9.6 inches, and weighs less than three pounds. Featuring new display technology for even clearer readability in direct sunlight, the Yuma 2 can be used by mobile workers in the brightest outdoor conditions. The 3.75G dual-mode cellular data capability enables connectivity anywhere GSM or CDMA cellular networks are available.

NEC's Celron-driven VersaPro VZ 12.5-inch tablet and UltraLite VG 13.3-inch Ultrabook received a specifications update, with Windows 8 Pro being the standard OS. Originally launched in March and July 2012, respectively, the two originally featured Windows 7 Professional. Driven by dual-core Celeron ULV CPU, the VersaPro VZ packs 4 GB memory and 128 GB SSD storage. The UltraLite VG, on the other hand, is driven by Core i7-3517U "Ivy Bridge" dual-core processor, with 4 GB dual-channel memory, and 128 GB SSD storage. The the two refreshed NEC products could hit the racks after October 26.

AMD announced that its AMD Z-60 accelerated processing unit (APU) powers the new Fujitsu STYLISTIC Q572 10.1" tablet, providing quality and performance to professionals on the move. The combination of processor and system design provides users with portability, Windows compatibility and security in one tablet device. With impressive performance at low power, the AMD Z-60 APU supports unique Fujitsu features like an integrated Smart Card reader and removable battery.

Supporting a rich Windows 8 or Windows 7 experience with its AMD Radeon graphics, the AMD Z-60 APU enables the ability to run the full suite of legacy PC applications while supporting the most visually demanding programs. A suite of enterprise-friendly features such as the trusted platform module (TPM) and hardware-based disk encryption are also supported by the AMD Z-60 APU. The STYLISTIC Q572's lightweight (approximately 1.6-pounds) design and impressive feature-set make it an ideal match for the mobile workforce.

Today LG Electronics has revealed some of its first products running Windows 8, the H160 tablet boasting a slide-out keyboard and the V325 all-in-one PC. The H160 is 15.9 mm thick, it weights 1.05 kg and features a 11.6-inch IPS touchscreen, WiFi, USB and HDMI ports, a microSD card slot, and a battery allowing for up to 10 hours of operation.

The V325 has a 23-inch (1920 x 1080) screen supporting 10-finger multi-touch, a Core i5 processor, a GeForce GT 640M graphics card, a TV tuner, and it comes bundled with a remote control. In addition to the H160 and V325 LG will also be releasing (this week), another all-in-one desktop, the ET83, and two ultrabooks, the Z355 and Z460, all pre-loaded with Windows 8 of course.

Fujitsu unveiled its FMV series Windows 8 PC family, which includes tablets, convertibles, notebooks, and all-in-one PCs, all of which are touch-enabled to take advantage of the new operating system. To begin with, Fujitsu unveiled the 10.1-inch QH55 tablet. Based on the x86 platform, the QH55 is driven by Intel Atom Z2760 (dual-core, 1.50 GHz) processor, 2 GB memory, 64 GB SSD, Windows 8 32-bit, with Office Home and Business 2010 pre-installed. Its 10.1-inch screen packs 1366 x 768 pixels resolution. Measuring 264.4 x 169.4 x 9.9 mm (width × depth × height), it weighs 574 g. Connectivity features include 8 MP back and 2 MP front-facing cameras, micro USB, micro SDXC, 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WLAN, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, accelerometer, gyrometer, and stereo audio. It is slated for October 26.

With two weeks to go until the official launch of Windows 8, ASUS has given the green light to pre-orders of its Win8-running TAICHI 21 convertible notebook featuring two 11.6-inch touchscreens. The back-to-back displays of the TAICHI 21 have an IPS panel, support up to 10-finger touch, and offer a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

ASUS' multiple monitor mobile machine runs Windows 8 Home Premium (64-bit), is less than an inch thick, and also packs an Intel Core processor (a 1.7 GHz i5-3317U or 1.9 GHz i7-3517U), Intel GMA HD graphics, 4 GB of RAM, a 128/256 GB SSD, stereo speakers with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower technology, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, dual HD cameras, two USB 3.0 ports, and a 6-cell battery enabling up to 5 hours of operation.

The TAICHI 21-DH51 with a Core i5 CPU and a 128 GB SSD costs $1,300 while the 21-DH71 with a Core i7 chip and a 256 GB drive goes for $1,600.

AMD is eyeing a slice of the Windows 8 tablet pie with its Z-Series "Hondo" dual-core x86-64 APU, which was launched earlier this week. According to sources among Taiwan-based notebook makers, the first devices based on the chips will arrive as early as this November. The company, however, did not disclose design wins or the companies working on products around its chip. AMD Z-60 will face off with Intel's recently-launched Atom Z2760 dual-core chip, designed for the same class of devices. Built on the 40 nm "Brazos 2.0" silicon, the Z-60 packs two x86-64 cores, and Radeon HD 6250 DirectX 11 graphics. Its TDP is just 4.5W.

Lenovo today announced a new family of four convertible devices designed for Windows 8/RT to change the way people use PCs and redefine the future of mobile computing. For consumers, the touch-optimized family includes the IdeaPad Yoga 13, a foremost blend of play and productivity, Yoga 11, a svelte, all day mobile companion, IdeaTab Lynx, a premier dual core Intel Atom-based tablet, and for professionals, the ThinkPad Twist, a business-ready device that puts a new spin on the traditional convertible tablet.

"Our family of Ultrabook convertibles addresses the unique needs of consumers, businesses and everyone in between by creating high performance laptop-tablet combinations in new designs and different sizes," said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Lenovo, and president, Product Group, Lenovo. "We think these innovative convertibles are the best devices for a groundbreaking touchscreen experience, plus their multi-modes give people even more ways to use their PC."

Handheld Group, a leading manufacturer of rugged mobile computers and smartphones, today announced the launch of its new rugged mobile device for field professionals: the Algiz 10X rugged tablet PC. The powerful Algiz 10X can withstand tough weather elements and harsh handling, and its large, 10.1-inch touchscreen provides the best screen visibility on the market.

"The new Algiz 10X is perfectly suited for field professionals who need a rugged tablet computer that is lightweight and built to withstand the harsh conditions that come with all kinds of industry fieldwork, and that can display detailed maps and other visuals even in bright sunlight," said Jerker Hellström, CEO of Handheld.

AMD announced its latest entry in the performance tablet and small form factor PC market with the AMD Z-60 Accelerated Processing Unit (APU). The AMD Z-60 is AMD's lowest power APU, delivering unprecedented performance and AMD AllDay power for tablet form factors as thin as 10mm. A compelling combination of features, stunning graphics, support for the latest Microsoft Windows 8 applications and user interfaces, as well as compatibility with Windows 7 and the full-suite of legacy Windows applications, makes the AMD Z-60 APU an ideal solution for a range of designs.

The first tablets based on the AMD Z-60 APU are expected to launch globally this year in conjunction with availability of Windows 8.