It seems like a year ago already, but it's been only a few days since we wrapped up our inaugural Engadget Expand event. If you weren't able to join us in person, you missed a seriously good time. Attendees got to take a ride in a Tesla Model S, perform surgery using a da Vinci robotic surgery system and cruise around the show floor on the San Francisco Special edition of the electric ZBoard, which made its debut at the show.

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The term "phablet" has always been, at best, a relative descriptor. It kicked in with the release of the original Galaxy Note even though the voice-enabled Dell Streak had beaten that product to market. And while the portmanteau raises the question of whether there is any meaningful difference between a phone and tablet other than size, all it means is "a big phone."

Up until recently, and barring the use of Bluetooth headsets, the constraints defining the upper practical limit of a phone included the ability to fit into a pocket and be held against the side of an (adult) head to facilitate a voice call. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, two companies smashed through at least the first of those criteria. Twisting the name of the PadFone, which extended the screen of a handset to that of a 10-inch tablet by use of a touchscreen shell enclosure, ASUS introduced the FonePad.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Samsung, Google, Amazon

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As one would hope in dealing with two products that share the same name, Microsoft has maintained strong consistency between the Surface with Windows RT and Surface Pro. Allowing for a bit of girth variation, there's a similar industrial design as well as common features that have been nearly universally lauded (the snap-on keyboards) and lambasted (the underwhelming cameras). There's also an identical user interface as far as "modern" Windows apps are concerned.

This has created an interesting lab test to see what customers really want from a Windows tablet in 2013. The early and unsurprising results indicate that it's really backward compatibility -- even at a premium of half the battery life and nearly double the price. Lenovo, which offers its Yoga 11 convertible as a Windows RT tablet, will also bring out the device in a Windows 8 version. Indeed, if one is attracted to some of the advantages that Windows RT offers on its ARM-based variants, such as the Snap and Share features, multiple devices with integrated keyboards, broad driver support and desktop Office compatibility, its toughest competitor is Windows 8.

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Windows powers tablets and PCs. It supports desktop and "Windows 8-style" apps using touch and keyboard / mouse and can run on x86 and ARM CPUs. You can even get it on hardware from Microsoft and third parties. Microsoft refers to this as creating a "no-compromise" operating system.

Some of its users will run Windows on an Intel Ultrabook, which an Intel blog post has referred to as a "no-compromise" notebook. But it won't run on the Google Nexus 7, which Google describes as a "no-compromise" Android tablet. And it certainly won't run on a Wang 2200 SVP from the early 1980s, which was hailed by a sales brochure as "the low-cost, no-compromise computer."

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, Apple, Microsoft

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It's that special time of year between the holiday sales and the pre-CES hype that presents an opportunity to consider some of the most innovative devices of the year. Switched On is proud to present the Saluting Wares Improving Technology's Contribution to Humanity awards, also known as The Switchies. This year marks the seventh annual Switchies, which are decided based on a rigorous examination of the opinion of me, and do not reflect the opinion of Engadget or its editors. For that latter honor, nominees will need to win an Engadget Award.

This week's Switched On will cover many of the major award categories while next week's will cover some of the more obscure ones. Let's roll out the red carpet then.

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The case for rich operating systems supporting a wide range of applications has been proven out among PCs, tablets and smartphones. But the jury is still out for other devices such as televisions. While Samsung pushes ahead on attracting apps to its Smart TVs using its own platform and LG, Sony and Vizio align with Google TV, there are still reasons to believe that the smart TV will fail to have tremendous impact as Switched On discussed last year. Blu-ray players, video game consoles and cheap boxes from Apple, Roku, Netgear and others allow consumers to expand their video options while integrated networking provides gateways to content from smartphones, tablets and PCs.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment

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Rumors have swirled that Microsoft is developing a high-powered 7-inch gaming tablet dubbed Xbox Surface, the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup of Microsoft's homegrown hardware brands. Such a move would change the landscape of Microsoft's Xbox and portable game initiatives. It would mark a reversal for the company, which has stayed out of the increasingly challenging handheld space in favor of promoting Windows Phone as part of its ecosystem battle. However, it would be in keeping with Steve Ballmer's promise (or is it OEM warning?) to expect more hardware from Microsoft. As the tablet was partly Apple's answer to the netbook, it could also be Microsoft's answer to the PlayStation Vita.

Filed under: Gaming, Tablets, Microsoft

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As Windows 8 arrives on the tech scene, Microsoft's retooled operating system carries a truckload of new devices in tow. While the Ultrabooks and All-in-ones are on their way, a lot of attention is being given to the Redmond outfit's Surface slate. The Windows RT-wielding tablet slides into the spotlight in this week's issue of our e-magazine and we give it a thorough review to see just how it stacks up against the current contenders. We also spend some quality time with Dell's XPS 12 Windows 8 convertible and the LG Optimus G handset while the all of the recently announced Apple gadgets occupy Hands-On. Weekly Stat tallies worldwide mobile subscriptions, Visualized steps inside Google's Douglas County, Georgia data center and Time Machines recalls the origins of digital photography. As always, there's quite a bit to take in, so consult your usual download sources to take a gander at the goods.

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Microsoft has finally revealed details on the pricing for the all-singing, all-dancing Surface RT. True to Steve Ballmer's word, the Windows RT device is priced competitively with the iPad. It is, in fact, the same price as the entry-level, now not-so "new iPad" and with double the flash memory, an advantage that may change by the time the Surface ships.

The commercial shows off the device's signature hardware features -- the kickstand and touch keyboard cover -- and plays up the "click" they make when they attach to the Surface, which is of course similar to the "click" made when an Apple Smart Cover connects to an iPad. And in a bit of irony for a product that is more focused on tapping than the mouse clicks of the desktop mouse, its campaign slogan is "click in." (It also raises the question as to why people would be constantly attaching the sold-separately touch keyboard when it doubles as a cover, but it is a commercial after all.) While expensive relative to the price of the device, Microsoft's keyboard covers represent an extension of one of Apple's best-conceived iPad accessories (the Smart Cover) and far exceed one of Apple's worst (the original iPad keyboard dock).

Filed under: Tablets, Software, Microsoft

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At its event in San Francisco a few weeks back, Apple had more up its sleeve than just an aluminum-clad smartphone. In the latest issue of our weekly, we put both the new iPod nano and iPod touch through their paces to find out how they fare against their elder siblings. If a duo of PMP reviews doesn't snag your attention, we also throw down the review gauntlet on Wacom's Cintiq 24HD touch and this year's slimmed-down PlayStation 3. Eyes-On peeks at an ultrathin ultrabook, Weekly Stat examines emoticon use and Time Machines tallies up some more gadget history. The week's end is mere hours away and the usual download links that follow can help you settle in for a bit of leisurely gadget reading.

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If Google had to pick a device category in which it wanted Android to dominate, it would certainly be mobile phones for many reasons. Indeed, the original band of Android backers was dubbed the Open Handset Alliance. However, a strong position in tablets would not only have helped to round out the Android ecosystem, it would also have created a beachhead from which to take on Microsoft prior to the launch of its tablet strategy.

Alas for Google, sales of Android tablets have been lackluster and several PC-centric licensees -- including Acer, Dell, Lenovo, Sony, Toshiba and even Android standard-bearer Samsung -- are hoping to improve their standing in the tablet market with imminent products based on Windows.

Filed under: Tablets, Software

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With the release of Windows 8 just around the corner, the arrivals of tablets and hybrids that are decked out with the aforementioned OS are also imminent. Sure, we've already seen a number of these, but up until now, we've yet to spend any quality time with the announced hardware. In this week's edition of our tablet magazine, though, we finally get to take one back to Engadget HQ for a detailed preview. We offer our thoughts on Acer's Iconia W510 -- a laptop / tablet hybrid that sets its sights on the premium end of the Windows 8 gadget spectrum. On the regular review front, we put the Canon EOS M and the Samsung Galaxy Note II through their paces before serving up in-depth analysis of each. Eyes-On climbs aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, Visualized gets electrified and Nest's Matt Rogers tells all in the Q&A. The weekend won't last forever, so jump down below to snag the latest issue before settling in for a little weekend R&R.

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Another week has come to a close and that signals the arrival of a brand spanking new issue of our weekly e-magazine. This time out, Darren Murph makes the trek to the United Arab Emirates to chat with Ahmad Zahran about how crowd sourcing has jumpstarted his company, Infinitec, for a second time. We also pay a visit to the Paris Auto Show to take a gander at the latest in transportation tech, while Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite and the Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G get the full review treatment. "Eyes-on" tackles a suitcase full of sound, "Weekly Stat" offers a look at data consumption amongst Android users and NVIDIA's Nick Stam tells all in the Q&A. Grab a spot in your favorite reading chair because the latest issue is just a few clicks away.

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Apple's App Store has more smartphone apps than those of its competitors. But the sheer size of the library is not the only source of consternation for Google or Microsoft, which would both readily concede that it's also important to obtain the kind of key apps, optimized apps and platform-first apps the iPhone enjoys. The iPhone's commanding marketplace lead is due to several factors. These include the huge number and historical affluence of its users and the ease of its App Store.

The iPhone, though, was not the first phone to have apps. In fact, in its early days, it didn't have apps at all as the company urged developers to create optimized web apps for the platform similar to what Mozilla is now advocating for its streamlined mobile operating system Boot2Gecko. Apple originally put its efforts into creating archetypical apps for tasks such as calling, browsing, email and mapping. Rather than open the iPhone to third-party developers at first, it handpicked partners for various features, such as Google for maps and Yahoo for weather and stocks.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software

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As the summer comes to a close (as least north of the equator), temperatures are dropping and the leaves are beginning to change their hues. Leisurely strolls and bike rides that had become quite uncomfortable are options for relaxation once again. Speaking of bicycles, that's precisely where the cover story of this week's edition of our tablet mag focuses. Terrence O'Brien visits with Dan Sorger at his DBC City Bike workshop in Boston and discovers how -- with the help of designers, engineers, and medical professionals from institutions like MIT -- The Swift takes a beloved European-style bike and adapts it for American city dwellers. This week's "Hands-on" section circles the globe as we check in at the Tokyo Game Show and Nokia's HQ before returning in the States. On the review front, we put Sony's Xperia T and Xperia Tab as well as Vizio's all-in-one through their respective paces and offer our detailed impressions of each. Find yourself a spot on the porch and settle in before grabbing the latest issue via any of the options that lie down below.

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One sits far atop the Android smartphone heap while the other has recently stepped up its efforts to compete more aggressively by acquiring the stake of its decade-long joint venture partner. But at the recent IFA event, electronics giants Samsung and Sony both acknowledged the importance of their smartphone sub-brands by stretching them into new product categories. For Sony, its Xperia sub-brand hopped across to its tablet while Samsung brought the Galaxy brand to a connected camera. How these companies have stretched these brands reflects their relative position both in terms of where they've moved from and where they've moved to.

For Sony, the move of Xperia to another product category represents somewhat of a full circle (as does the return of the Sony brand to handsets itself). Part of the early playbook for Sony Ericsson was to bring established Sony Electronics brands -- notably Cyber-Shot and Walkman -- to phones focused on imaging and music in the heyday of the feature phone, which the joint venture clung to for too long. Xperia, in contrast, was the company's first "native" sub-brand meant to evoke "experience", of course. And while many in the line have been well-received, they never translated into a strong global market share for Sony Ericsson.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets

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Last week, Amazon took the wraps off of its Kindle Fire HD. Claiming top billing in the latest issue of our slate-friendly publication, the new tablet gets the full review treatment from Engadget HQ. Does it pack enough punch to claim the Nexus 7's budget crown? You can rest assured we'll tackle that question and more. In case you were on a remote island a couple of days ago, Apple dedicated a few hours to the iPhone 5 with an event in chilly northern California. Our editors offer their thoughts on the proceedings and we snag a hands-on preview of the iOS 6-toting handset. If that doesn't wet your gadget whistle, Darren Murph recently spent some time going inside Innovation Lab with its co-founder, Mads Thimmer, chatting about a driving passion for what's next. Now that the week is over, cozy up in your favorite chair because this edition is hot off of the e-presses.

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For many products -- TVs and the iPod, for example -- the leap to color displays represented an evolutionary change. But color was just part of the big leap that Amazon made with the Kindle Fire, moving from a reading appliance to a converged device. There was no couching it as "a reader's tablet", the positioning Barnes & Noble had sought with the Nook, even though Amazon now claims that it has the "best content ecosystem." Still, as discussed two weeks ago in Switched On, Amazon still managed to fly well under Apple's radar with an inexpensive, smaller tablet, one that broke a "magic" price point of $200.

Filed under: Tablets

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Last week, the tech world focused on Berlin for IFA 2012. Those few days were jam packed full of 84-inch 4K televisions, super-sized smartphones and both Windows 8 slates and hybrids. In the latest edition of our weekly tablet mag, we take a look at the best of what IFA had to offer this time around -- including all of the devices that made a lasting impression. In case you've been napping, the last few days have been all about phones. In "Hands-on" we take a closer look at what Nokia and Motorola revealed in recent press events. On the review front, we put the Canon EOS-1D X and the Sony Reader PRS-T2 through the wringer and offer our detailed analysis. "Eyes-on" catches a glimpse of the Jambox Remix, "Weekly Stat" compiles smartphone screen sizes, "IRL" has even more of our daily gadgetry and meme maker Mr. Weebl admits in the Q&A that all he really wants is a keytar. This week's issue is bursting at its e-seams, so grab it via your download method of choice to get the weekend reading started.

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In the unmarked office of 3-D Vision, Inc., you can see a television or PC display a videogame or movie with a convincing stereoscopic effect. That might not seem very unique. However, the television is a CRT from the 1990s, the video game is Super Mario for the Nintendo 64 and the movie is The Wizard of Oz, made in 1939.

Despite the growth in 3D television sales, the requirement to wear 3D glasses has loomed as one of the most significant barriers to adoption. 3-D Vision's technology still requires glasses, at least for now. However, with some caveats, it overcomes some of the other, oft-overlooked barriers to 3D adoption by creating 3D video from 2D content on 2D (or 3D) displays. On televisions, this is achieved via a small set-top box -- a prototype of which approaches the size and noise level of a mini-fridge -- that plugs into the video source and the TV and converts the video in real-time with virtually no latency. The box should be available early next year.

Filed under: Displays, Gaming, Tablets

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In 2004, Curt Schilling and a badly injured ankle led the Red Sox to their first World Series championship in 86 years. That's right, he was the ace that helped break the "Curse of the Bambino" from the mound. Fast forward to 2010, where Schilling had hung up his cleats and lobbied for Rhode Island officials to give his video game outfit, 38 Studios, a $75 million loan guarantee. Just two years later, the studio filed for Chapter 7, leaving the state's taxpayers holding the tab. In this week's issue, Jason Hidalgo takes a look at what went down in New England and examines the risk of public funds being used to support private tech companies. We had folks on the ground in Berlin to monitor the happenings at IFA this week and a few notable gadgets from said event occupy "Hands-on". As far as full-on reviews go, we put the Archos 101 XS, Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE and Acer Aspire V5 through their paces. "Forum" is chock full of even more reads, eSports commentator John Sargent stops by for the Q&A, "Time Machines" kicks it old school and "Eyes-on" takes on 35mm, retro-style photography. The week is over, so hit the link that you fancy the most to grab your copy and let the relaxation begin.

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If widespread rumors hold true, the coming weeks will see two of the most successful tablet vendors invade each other's screen size turf. Apple, which once rebuked the 7-inch tablet as unfit for normally proportioned human hands, appears ready to try its own hand at an iPad rumored to be on the larger side of the 7- to 8-inch range. Amazon, which lagged its bookselling rival Barnes & Noble in bringing out a color tablet, stands ready to introduce an infernal successor to the Kindle Fire that may include a display that is close to 9-inches or larger.

It's not quite the first ride along the screen size escalator for either company. For Apple, a smaller iPad would fill in the iOS screen size gap between the iPhone and iPad. For Amazon, also rumored to be working on a phone, a larger color tablet would revisit the ground it explored to lackluster results with the Kindle DX. That product hasn't kept up with even e-paper-based e-readers with advances such as touchscreens and side-lighting, both of which are found in the latest Nook Simple Nook.

Filed under: Tablets

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Well, friends, back to school season is in full swing. For some, it's a time of great sorrow, but for others it's a glorious time that usually means some new tech is on the way to combat the year's upcoming workload. Lucky for all of those in the latter group, the folks here at Engadget HQ have done our homework and compiled our picks in 14 different categories for your buying reference. In this issue of our weekly, we give you the full rundown on what to look for when you're in the midst of your back to school gadget shopping. As you might expect, some of the usual suspects are here as well for your weekend reading exploits -- including a closer look at the Wacom Cintiq 24HD touch, hands-on with a few of Gamescom's gadgets and a list of "Rec Reading" for the end of this seven-day period. Don't wait any longer, though. Hit your link of choice below to grab an end of summer guide of your very own.

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In mature, competitive markets flooded with products, many brands come and go. Last week, though, two companies came to New York City to celebrate milestone anniversaries of their electronic products. Lenovo celebrated the 20th anniversary of the ThinkPad as Casio marked the 30th anniversary of the G-Shock watch. The notebook PC remains among the most versatile and complex devices consumers use today while the watch is one of the simplest. Yet some commonality between these two products may include lessons for other technology products that wish to remain around for decades.

Filed under: Laptops, Wearables

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The unfinished Galaxy Note 10.1 was cast into Android slate prime time at Mobile World Congress a few months back. Now the production model as arrived and we put it through its paces in this week's edition of our e-publication. If tablets aren't really your thing, we also give the Vizio Thin + Light and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon the in-depth review treatment this time around. "Eyes-on" takes a closer look at the B&O Beolit 12, "Rec Reading" offers a collection of Rudy Rucker's short stories, "Weekly Stat" catches a nice breeze and Red Hat's Chris Moody gives the Q&A a piece of his mind. Grab your S Pen (or other stylus of choice) and tap on the appropriate download link below to sort out your weekend reading.

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