TECHNOLOGY
shiny
objects
First impressions
tap into Microsoft’s touch-driven operating system with these Windows 8 devices
When you boot up Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system, you might have no idea where to click first. The “Start” button is gone; in its place, dynamic multicolored tiles invite users to dive in through a number of entry points, from maps and calendars to videos and music. The desktop system was designed with touchscreen PCs and tablets in mind, so you
can tap, flick, swipe and click. It’s a sea change for our idea of the PC, which still works as a desktop tool, but now can do double duty
as a POS terminal or presentation device. —john Patrick Pullen
1
ALL WORK AND ALL PLAY
Vizio All-In-One Touch PC
($1,539)
sleek hardware with an expansive
27-inch multitouch display yields
the most immersive Windows 8
experience imaginable, perfect for
showrooms or customer interaction. With two hDMi inputs and an
infrared remote control, it can also
double as an hDtV. the speakers integrated into the base are a
feat of engineering, but there’s a
catch: to skimp on heft, the power
supply was built into an external
subwoofer, which must remain
connected in order to run the Pc.
2. 4 Ghz intel core i7; 8 Gb
RaM; 1 tb hD; 32 Gb
solid-state microdrive
3
2
LIGHT TOUCH
Microsoft Surface
Windows RT ($699)
Photo© ben alsoP
Designed to compete with net-books or bare-bones laptops, the
surface keeps pace on weight
but adds work-minded features
such as a microsDcX card slot,
Usb port and a kickstand to hold
it upright. the 64 Gb model comes
with the touch cover, a keyboard/
screen protector that adds the
practicality of a laptop. heads up:
“Rt” indicates a stunted version of
Windows 8, meaning you can’t run
your old desktop software. but the
device comes standard with office
2013, which may be all you need.
Quad-core nvidia tegra 3
processor; 10.6-inch hD display;
2 Gb RaM; 64 Gb hD
Windows 8:
Should you
upgrade?
among the minimum
requirements for running
Windows 8, Microsoft lists
a 1 Ghz chip, 2 Gb RaM,
20 Gb of storage, 1366 x
768 pixel resolution, and
a DirectX 9 graphics chip.
but unless you have a Pc
that supports touchscreen input, you’re going
to miss out on the fun.
Without it, upgrading is
probably not worthwhile.
4
3 TWIST ’N’ SHOUT
Lenovo ThinkPad Twist
Multitouch Ultrabook ($899)
at first it looks like any other
laptop, but rotate the twist’s leD
display and it turns into a tablet
with full Windows 8 drag-and-swipe functionality. the 3.5-pound
ultrabook, with its tiny trackPoint
mouse, is a perfect marriage of
office workhorse and tablet fun.
2. 6 Ghz intel core i5; 12.5-inch
hD display; 4 Gb sDRaM; 500 Gb
hDD; 24 Gb solid-state microdrive
4 LOOKIN’ GOOD
Acer Aspire S7 ($1,649)
this 2.86-pound ultrabook gets
the job done in high style, with key
details like a self-adjusting backlit
keyboard and a hinge engineered
to withstand sustained touch-
screen use. expect to see cre-
atives with s7s under their arms,
since apple hasn’t yet merged the
iPad’s interface with a Macbook.
1. 9 Ghz intel core i7; 13.3-inch
hD display; 4 Gb RaM; 256 Gb
solid-state drive
