Laptops have seemingly overtaken the desktop in terms of popularity and usage. With laptops now readily accessible and affordable, most people now prefer laptops over desktops just by the fact that they can use it anywhere. Desktops therefore have to come up with better features that will make them stand out from laptops. Current desktops function better as workstations which make them compete well with most laptops, that is, when not counting portability or mobility as a feature. This  new HP Sprout G2 PC makes a credible argument for that. The new HP Sprout G2 all-in-one PC was recently introduced in 2017 CES in Las Vegas. It is a sleeker version of its predecessor, the HP Sprout Pro, which was launched way back in 2014. This PC comes with a device that can scan objects in 3D. Now, not every PC  or even laptop can do this, making the HP Sprout G2 unique and stand out from the rest. Other unique features of the HP Sprout G2 is the Touch Mat in  place or a physical keyboard.  the 20-point multi-touch feature allows two sets of hands to interact with objects projected on the display. It also serves as a base where any object can be 3D scanned and digitized. 3D scanning is made possible by the Sprout Illuminator, which includes an FHD projector and a 14MP downward facing camera. Inside, the HP Sprout G2 is powered by the latest 7th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, Intel HD Graphics 360 processor, an upgraded NVIDIA GTX 960M graphic processor for faster 3D scanning, a 16GB DDR memory, and a 23.8-inch high resolution display. The HP Sprout G2 is expected to be available sometime in March of this year, along with the pricing options. Image Source: HP     Read More

Users tend to look at laptops as simply an electronic device. At least that is how most people look at them. And while performance and practicality are common bywords associated with laptops, a certain level of elegance can also help make them interesting. With the new HP Spectre 13.3 laptop, elegance finally finds its way at the forefront. The new HP Spectre 13.3 laptop is not just powerful but also designed with a touch of elegance in mind. This laptop only weighs 2.45 pounds and is just 10.4 mm thin, one of the thinnest laptops out there. Despite this, the HP Spectre 13.3still feature some of the more powerful capabilities for a typical laptop. People try to equate thin with less power. But that is not the case for the new HP Spectre comes with either an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor. This laptop also comes with 8GB of RAM and a PCI solid state drives that offer up to 512GB of storage. Despite its thin profile, the laptop comes with a battery pack that offers power for up to nine hours of use. Other features include a more elegant design that many people may find quite appealing. The HP Spectre 13.3 was just recently launched and will be available for pre-orders on April 25th. It is expected to be available in select stores by May. Different configurations can cost from $1,170  to $1,250 to get their hands on the first HP Spectre 13.3. Image Source: Engadget Read More

With the popularity of portable personal gadgets nowadays, people are increasingly dependent on mobile computing. Now that people bring along their gadgets with them anywhere, there is a certain level of convenience they still yearn for. For example, tablets are now being used in different ways that require the use of a wireless portable keyboard and mouse. But bringing along the peripherals all the time can be a hassle. If there is a way to streamline them, people will surely welcome the idea, just so they have less gadgets to carry with them. A novel concept to help alleviate this problem is one offered by the Moky Invisible Touchpad Keyboard. The Moky Invisible Touchpad Keyboard is a more convenient alternative for people in need of a portable keyboard and mouse on a daily basis. But Moky does away with the mouse and instead functions as an invisible touchpad as well. The whole keyboard not only functions as a typing tool, users can also use the surface as a convenient touchpad. There is no need for people to bring a separate touchpad or mouse along with a keyboard. The Moky offers the same features in a more convenient way. With just a push of a button users can alternate between typing and using the keyboard as an invisible touchpad. This is made possible by thin and safe IR laser sensors built into the keyboard that creates the invisible touchpad over the keyboard surface. This helps do away with using a separate mouse or touchpad to navigate the display. The Moky supports Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, taking advantage of the low energy consumption and longer battery life. The Moky Invisible Touchpad Keyboard has gone through a successful crowdfunding campaign at Indiegogo. You can still be a part and pledge $74 in order to get one Moky. Estimated delivery of the new Moky Invisible Touchpad Keyboard is slated on October of this year. Image Source: Indiegogo Read More

Now that most people make use of portable devices to get connected rather than desktops or even laptops, there are some things that they just need to sacrifice. Portable devices such as tablets or do not allow you the ability to types fast. The keys are just too small and cramped to sometimes even allow you to type with both hands. A portable keyboard will always be your best bet for times when you need one. The Rapoo E6700 Bluetooth Touchpad Keyboard offers just the right option for you. The Rapoo E6700 Bluetooth Touchpad Keyboard is a wireless keyboard that provides you the convenience of using a full QWERTY keyboard whenever you need it. This keyboard can connect to devices wirelessly via Bluetooth. There is no need to deal with messy wires using the Rapoo E6700 Bluetooth Touchpad Keyboard. The Rapoo E6700 Bluetooth Touchpad Keyboard comes with a slim design at just 4.3mm at its thinnest point. Despite its size, it provides users with full-sized keys for added typing comfort. In addition, this wireless keyboard also comes with a Smart Touch Area on the side that acts as a touchpad. With it, you no longer need to use a separate mouse. The scratch-resistant glass surface of the touchpad makes it convenient and easy to clean. Users can also program up to 15 gestures on the touchpad for smoother navigation. It also comes with a lithium ion rechargeable battery that can go for two weeks on a single charge. The aluminum allows housing adds some elegance into this slim and wireless keyboard. The Rapoo E6700 Bluetooth Touchpad Keyboard is now available at selected retailers for $60. Image Source: Max Borges Agency Read More

Most of the tablets used today are mainly for casual use. It became popular as a portable entertainment device for people on the go. But tablets can also become quite valuable for use in different businesses. However, the typical tablet most people use may not cut it for rugged use in a work environment. It may take a special tablet like the new Panasonic Toughpad FZ-B2 to become relevant as a device for the workforce. The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-B2 Tablet is specially designed for rugged environments. It is designed to be dust and water-resistant as well as survive drops for up to 5 feet high. Its performance is just as powerful. It comes with a Quad-core Intel Celeron N2930 processor running on Android 4.4. It also features a 7-inch multi-touch display with a daylight-readable screen, making it perfect for outdoor use. Enterprise grade software encryption ensures that data and information are protected and secured on the device. Other features include a 2GB SDRAM, 32GB internal memory and up to 64GB additional storage through a microSD card. What may make the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-B2 Tablet unique is that this tablet comes with quick charging user replaceable full-shift battery. This means users need not worry about running out of power when they are out on the field as there are replacements always on standby aside from the standard 7-hour battery that tablet comes with. The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-B2 Tablet is designed for tough work. Casual users may not always appreciate its ruggedness until they try it for themselves. The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-B2 Tablet is expected to be available in the market sometime in February of next year. It is expected to cost somewhere around $1,300. As stated earlier, it is not your ordinary run of the mill tablet. Image Source: Panasonic. Read More

Most people think that desktops are slowly going obsolete. After all, most people may prefer using laptops or portable gadgets such as smartphones and tablets as primary devices. Desktops lose out because people can only use them in one area. With more and more people becoming mobile and always on the go, desktops are used less and less in the process. But far from becoming obsolete, desktops only need a different tweak to make them interesting again. HP may have done just that with its new HP Sprout desktop computer. The HP Sprout is something that you do not always get from a company like Hewlett Packard. But this desktop is something that might revolutionize and rethink what people can do with the desktop. The HP Sprout may not be the typical desktop you may be accustomed to using. It features a unique 14 MP depth-sensing 3D camera fixed on top of the display that also projects a virtual display on the touch mat placed before it. The touch mat not only acts as a second display for the HP Sprout, it also provides a means that you can interact with the device in many innovative ways. The touch mat can become a virtual keyboard or touch screen or even a virtual canvas for digital painters. Using specialized apps, HP Sprout users can manipulate, adjust or move objects from the main display to the touch mat. The 3D camera can also act as a scanner that can scan any 3D objects placed before it and process it as a 3D object into your computer. The innovative features of the HP Sprout can provide new and exciting ways  people can use a desktop. This device currently runs using Windows PC with custom software added to provide for its many interesting functions. It also comes with a 23-inch 1080p monitor. This all-in-one desktop is available for pre-sale at $1,899. The units start shipping first week of November this year. Image Source: Sprout HP Read More

HP is still around, just in case you are wondering, and it has recently unveiled its latest Chromebook called HP Slatebook 14. While HP is promoting its latest hardware as a "Chromebook," it actually runs on Android instead of Chrome OS. The look of HP Slatebook 14 appears like the Chromebook 11 released late last year. The device works just as you would expect Android to work on a PC: a larger home screen, more room for apps, and definitely more functionality than Chrome OS. Also, there are many Android apps that is resolution-independent (enabling to adjust its size regardless of the device's screen size), enabling you to run programs you normally won't do with Chrome OS, like Skype (imagine that?). The HP Slatebook 14 is powered by a NVIDIA quad-core processor (making it gaming-friendly), a touchscreen, and a microSD card slot, HDMI port, three USB ports, and a 3.5mm audio port. Even with this partial spec list, you know this is a compelling alternative to Chromebooks, but only at the right price (which HP has yet to announce). Source: TechCrunch Read More

In contrast to its recent big launches to its budget mobile devices, HP has ditched the fanfare in unveiling its successor to the Slate 7 Plus. The HP 8 only got a mention on the company's website, along with its low-end specs and the $169.99 price tag. The latest HP tablet features an ARM-based Allwinner A31s quad-core CPU and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. It also sports 16GB of built-in storage with microSD card slot, about twice as much as its predecessor, and a 7.85-inch IPS screen. Its screen resolution, however, is a downgrade to 1024 x 768. The HP 8 also comes with a 2-megapixel fixed focus rear camera, as well as a 0.3-megapixel front camera and a 3800mAh battery that delivers up to seven hours of power before recharging. It also has WiFi and a 3.5mm audio jack. The device comes preloaded with Box app that can store up to 25GB of free cloud storage. Some tech bloggers could not help but compare HP 8's appearance to the iPad Mini. We cannot blame them, though, for both tablets look almost alike, at least on the front. Source: ZDNet Read More

While Panasonic has given up on consumer smartphones, the Japanese company still makes gadgets for business clients. At the Mobile World Congress, a pair of new Panasonic Toughpad smartphones were on display. You can clearly see the difference on what is displayed on their 720p 5-inch screens: the FZ-X1 runs on Android 4.2.2, while the FZ-E1 has Windows Embedded 8 (pictured). Both Toughpads are over one inch thick and designed to resist dust, accidental drops, and liquid. They have a modular design, wherein some components on the back can be unscrewed and swapped out. Like their larger, tablet-sized predecessors, both devices sport rubberized buttons, port flaps, and 8-megapixel rear-facing cameras. The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-E1 features a 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, while the FZ-X1 settles itself with the 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4. Being entrepreneur-oriented, do not expect this new batch of Panasonic Toughpads to be available on retail stores and will cost around 130,000 yen ($1,300) when it officially launched later this year.. They are ideal for professionals who need a tougher mobile device such as construction workers and warehouse personnel. Source: Engadget Read More

The last time HP tried to venture into the smartphone business, things did not go so well. For one, the company changed CEOs and scrapped Palm, the company it acquired for a whopping $1.2 billion. Now with a another brand-new CEO, HP has announced its return to the smartphone market with a pair of phablets. In an interview with re/code, HP CEO Ron Coughlin has revealed the company will launch a pair of HP smartphones with the size of tablets, which they name the Slate 6 and Slate 7. As stated in their names, one device has a 6-inch screen, while the other has 7 inches. Both handsets run on Android Jelly Bean and comes with an unspecified quad-core processor, front-facing stereo speakers, a 2-megapixel webcam at the front, a 5-megapixel camera at the back, and 16GB storage that can be expanded to 32GB with a microSD card. The HP Slate 6 has a 1280 x 720 display resolution, while HP Slate 7 has 1280 x 800. HP has yet to reveal the price for each phablet, but do not expect them to arrive in the United States anytime soon as both HP smartphones will be launched in India first. Source: Engadget Read More