Acer Iconia W4 Windows 8.1 tablet launched

Acer has announced all the tablets it will be showcasing at CES 2014, with the Acer Iconia W4 taking top spot.

The Iconia W4 is an 8.1-inch slate running Windows 8.1 on a 4th generation Intel Atom processor.

Two other Acer tablets will get some of the spotlight at CES as well, the new models of the Android Acer Iconia A1-830 and Acer Iconia B1-720 tablets.

Acer Iconia W4 Features

The Acer Iconia W4 is the latest edition of the company’s Windows tablet, running Windows 8.1 on a 8.1-inch 1280 x 800p HD resolution LCD IPS screen in a 16:10 ratio.

Running on a 4th generation 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor, the Iconia W4 comes with 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, all expandable via the in-built microSD card slot.

The Iconia W4 comes with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 Edition as standard, and you can opt to buy the keyboard accessory to accompany the W4 as well.

There’s also a micro HDMI port and the tablet only weighs 415g, so is fairly lightweight. The Iconia W4 also has a 2-megapixel front camera and 5-megapixel rear camera with autofocus.

The Iconia W4 will be available to buy from the end of this month with a starting price of €299 (approx. £250).



Acer Iconia A1-830 Features

The newest Acer Iconia A1 model, the A1-830, is a 7.9-inch Android tablet powered by an 1.6GHz Intel Atom Clover Trail Z2560 processor with 1GB of RAM.

The A1-830 has a 7.9-inch 1024 x 768p HD IPS display with a slim bezel enclosed within a body that is just 8.15mm thick.

The Clover Trail processor makes the A1-830 a little more energy efficient, for a battery life of up to 7.5-hours.

It runs the rather outdated Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean OS and has microSD-expandable 16GB of internal storage.

The Acer Iconia A1-830 will be available sometime Q1 2014 for a price of €169 (approx. £140).

Acer Iconia B1-720 Features

Acer has announced the third-generation of the 7-inch Iconia B1 Android tablet, which comes with a 1.3GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM.

The cheapest of the three tablets, the B1-720 has a 7-inch screen for which Acer has yet to disclose the resolution, which is rather worrying. It does have 10-point touch recognition though.

The B1-720 is available in Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi and 3G models, and features a microSD card for expandable storage options.

The Wi-Fi 16GB Iconia B1-720 model is priced from €129 (approx. £105) and will be available from mid-January. The 3G version comes with 16GB of internal storage and will be available at the end of January from €179 (approx. £150).



Read more: Best tablets of 2013

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Acer Liquid Z5 unveiled as 5-inch Android phone

Acer has jumped the CES 2014 gun, unveiling a range of new products including the Acer Liquid Z5 smartphone.

Lining up alongside new tablets and laptops, the Acer Liquid Z5 is set to hit the UK later this month with dual-core innards and a mid-range array of specs in tow.

An Android powered handset targeting the first time smartphone owner, the latest addition to the manufacturer’s Liquid-branded range is set to boast a number of user friendly UI traits and profile modes, making the device more accessible to all manner of owners.

Acer Liquid Z5 Features

Powered by a 1.3GHz dual-core processor, the Acer Liquid Z5 will not set the entry-level smartphone market on fire, but it will hold its own against leading competition. With 4GB of internal storage thrown in to the mix, the handset looks set to be a pretty run-of-the-mill device.

With a 5-inch LCD display taking centre stage, the Acer Liquid Z5’s specs sheet sees the expansive panel benefit from a multimedia-friendly 16:9 aspect ratio.

Lining up at just 8.8mm thick and a reasonable 147g in weight, the Acer Liquid Z5, which is set to be made available in both white and grey colour schemes, will further benefit from a 5-megapixel rear-mounted camera, forward-facing speakers and Google’s Android OS.

Improving ease of use, the Liquid Z5 will support four distinct Quick Mode interfaces, allowing everyone from the smartphone novice to the handset aficionado to benefit from the phone’s full feature list.



Acer Liquid Z5 Release Date and Price

Although an exact Acer Liquid Z5 release date has yet to be detailed, the company has confirmed that the cut-price smartphone will be available in the UK starting from “mid-January.” With UK costs yet to be finalised, an Acer Liquid Z5 price has been set at €169 (£140).

Read More: Acer Liquid Z3 Review

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Garmin VIRB Elite Sat Nav Review

What is the Garmin VIRB Elite?

The VIRB Elite is Garmin's first foray into the action camera market. Where Mio released a camera aimed at a market related to its sat-nav range in the shape of the Mio MiVue, Garmin is targeting those who might already be owners of its outdoor- and sports-oriented products. The VIRB is rugged and waterproof to IPX7, and comes bundled with a selection of mounts for attaching to your helmet and other equipment.

The VIRB is not a me-too product, or a vain attempt to diversify out of the difficult sat-nav market. Although the VIRB does jump on an increasingly popular action camera bandwagon, Garmin has called upon pretty much every existing area of the expertise it has in other areas to make this a unique take on the concept. Full HD shooting, a rugged build, and Wi-Fi are just the beginning.

Garmin VIRB Elite: Features

The first unusual feature is the 1.4-inch Chroma display. Only a few action cameras offer a screen, most notably the JVC ADIXXION GC-XA2 and GoPro HERO3 via its optional backpack. However, a screen always comes at the expense of battery life, and Garmin has chosen a novel way round this problem. The screen is not backlit, so it consumes far less power than a regular LCD.

The main downside is that it is impossible to see in the dark, and not exactly rich in colour. But bright sunlight is actually beneficial, although viewing angles are still relatively poor. The resolution is also just 205 x 148, which is really only enough to ensure your framing is approximately correct and the camera is pointing in the right direction. But it's better to have than not, as it also lets you configure menu settings.

The VIRB's core specification is pretty reasonable for an action camera, too. The sensor is a relatively sizeable 1/2.3-inch CMOS with 16Mpixels, which allows the camcorder to capture video at up to 1080p and 30 frames per second. There are also 1,280 x 960 and x 720 recording options, with the former available at 48 frames per second and both at 30 or 60 frames per second.



It's also possible to record WVGA at up 120 frames per second, and stills at up to 16Mpixels. There are burst modes of up to ten pictures per second at 8Mpixels, or six per second at 16Mpixels. A microSD slot is buried beneath the removable battery, and at the top 21Mbits per second video data rate an 8GB module will be enough for 50 minutes of footage.

With Full HD only requiring 2.07Mpixels of resolution, Garmin could have provided an advanced zoom without losing any detail. This isn't available, but you do get digital image stabilisation, which is an advantage over many camcorders in this class. There is also digital lens distortion correction built-in, to counteract the effect of the wide-angle.

The bundle includes two mounts, although both are fairly similar. Both are adhesive, with one providing a flat surface and the other concave, so it will adhere more securely to a helmet. Two sets of fixings are included, too, so you can easily transfer the camera between them. It also clips in and out of its cradle very easily. There is a truly massive range of optional mounts, too, including vests, dashboard mounts, numerous straps, and even a waterproof dive case that is a relatively reasonable £34.99.

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Intel to showcase “innovative wearables” at CES

Intel has teased that it will launch a selection of “innovative wearables” at CES 2014.

According to Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, the company will be making a move into the wearable technology sector next week.

“Wearables is wide open. What you will see at CES is that we are actually going to bring some very innovative wearables to the show that are developed and manufactured here,” said Krzanich.

Although the Intel CEO failed to offer any more information apart from this tantalising titbit, he has got some huge goals to aim for with Intel.

Speaking to Re/code, Krzanich said his main aim is to move Intel into the mobile world, as other companies have already moved into manufacturing mobile chips.

Intel once dominated the now slow-growth PC market and Krzanich is looking to make up some of that lost time at CES 2014.

Along with those “innovative wearables”, Intel will also announce the latest in the Quark chip line it originally launched in early 2013.

Intel aims to introduce these new Quark chips into new devices like wearables and other machines.

“Our view is that Quark can make almost anything smart. We’ll show you some things that you would never have thought could become smart and communicate.”

Krzanich has also set Intel a rather ambitious goal of powering 40 million tablets sold in 2014. Some of this plan will be announced at CES.

“What you will see at CES [are] tablets that are doing some things that you didn’t think possible. We’ll bring some new innovations in imaging, for example. That’s about all I can tell you for now.”

Intel does realise that the smartphone market will be tough to crack, especially as companies like Qualcomm have already made alliances with the major smartphone manufacturers.

“The phone space is tough because it is consolidated. If you really want to make inroads in [smartphones], you need to win one of the two big guys [Samsung and Apple].”

Read more: Best laptops of 2013

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HTC M8 specs leak again

Specifications for the HTC M8 have once again been leaked onto the internet, giving us a firmer idea of what to expect from the HTC One follow-up.

Back in November we got our first major taste of HTC M8 spec goodness thanks to the appearance of some AnTuTu benchmark results. This followed leaked snaps apparently detailing the forthcoming flagship phone.

Now, ultra-reliable internet tipster @evleaks has weighed in on the subject of HTC’s next big hitter.

In a typically to-the-point Tweet (which is the whole point of Twitter, after all), we learn: "Preliminary HTC M8 specs: Snapdragon MSM8974, 5" 1080p display, 2GB RAM, UltraPixel rear / 2.1MP front cams, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, KK, Sense 6.0."

That would mean a larger display than the HTC One’s 4.7-inch example, as well as an improved processor. While the HTC One runs on a Snapdragon 600, the chip mentioned here belongs to the Snapdragon 800 family.

We’ll have to wait to see if that UltraPixel camera has boosted the megapixel count at all following the HTC One’s somewhat underwhelming (but impressively bright) 4-megapixel unit.

It’s good to see Android 4.4 KitKat on board too, and we’re hopeful that in the Sense 6.0 UI HTC will continue the considerable improvements we saw in the HTC One and Sense 5.0.

There’s nothing new in these leaked specs, then, but the fact that it comes from such a reliable source leaves us confident that this is what we’ll be seeing over the coming months. Expect to see the HTC M8 take a bow some time in early 2014 - possibly at MWC 2014 in February.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy S5 release date, news, rumours, specs and price.

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Microsoft Surface Pro 2 now comes with faster processor

Microsoft has quietly upgraded the processor in the Microsoft Surface Pro 2, just two months after it first hit shops.

The second Windows 8 tablet to emerge from Microsoft HQ was released on October 22 with a dual-core Intel Core i5-4200U processor clocked at 1.6GHz.

It’s been noticed, however, that recent retail models have been running on an Intel Core i5-4300U chip clocked at 1.9GHz. Besides the increased clock speed, the new chip also features Intel’s Trusted Execution Technology, which improves software security.

Various benchmark reports suggest that Microsoft made these hardware changes some time in late December, just two months on from release.

A company spokesperson told The Verge that "Microsoft routinely makes small changes to internal components over the lifetime of a product, based on numerous factors including supply chain partnerships, availability, and value for our customers."

With stocks of the Microsoft Surface Pro 2 reportedly low over Christmas, it seems as if Microsoft has refreshed its entire next batch of tablets. There’s every chance that when you pick up a new model, it will feature the new and improved processor.

One thing this does do is address the reversal in clock speed from the original Microsoft Surface Pro, which shipped with a 1.7GHz processor. Of course, the initial Surface Pro 2 model remained a seriously fast machine regardless.

Whether this speed bump also affects the Surface Pro 2’s improved battery life over the original and its cooler, quieter running state remains to be seen.



Read More: Best Windows 8 laptops and tablets

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Tado Review

What is Tado?

This is the debut product from the German company of the same name. It aims to save you money on your heating bill by replacing your existing thermostat with an Internet connected alternative. This enables you to remotely monitor and adjust your heating while the tado can automatically adjust it based on time of day, weather and even if anyone is currently in the house.

It enters what will soon be a very competitive market with current leader Nest about to follow up its Nest Protect smart smoke alarm with a UK launch for its acclaimed US smart thermostat and rivals such as Insteon, Heatmeiser, Hive (from British Gas) and Owl all launching in volume in 2014.

Tado – Design

The tado system comes in three parts: the replacement thermostat known as the 'tado box', the 'tado gateway' (a small box that connects to your router), and the 'tado temperature sensor' (a portable temperature gauge).

In truth, there isn’t much to look at here. Tado has wisely opted for a minimalist, matt white finish to all three with the tado box simply a wireless receiver with a backplate and plain cover. The gateway is little larger than an elongated matchbox with LED status lights for the Link, Router and Internet connections and wireless for talking to the box.

The temperature sensor is roughly the size of a credit card reader, also communicates wirelessly and has a large solar panel that tado claims will power it indefinitely (three hours light is apparently enough for one year of charge). Build quality is functional rather than luxurious with all three using plastic, but they feel robust and are clearly designed not to draw attention.

The most obvious quirk is, unlike Nest’s fancy LED thermostat, the tado box completely does away with any physical control or temperature display. This can be quite unnerving at first, but the concept is to leave it alone and make any adjustments via your web browser, smartphone or tablet and no display or dial means you have no other choice.

Tado – Features

The key selling point of tado is that it adapts to you to the extent that you should be able to forget about controlling your heating completely. How it does this is with four key sensors: temperature detection, location detection, and time and weather monitoring.

The first is straightforward, the tado temperature sensor picks up the temperature wherever it is situated and wirelessly conveys it to the tado box. Location works using the tado gateway, which receives the location of any devices where you have installed the tado app and when all have left the house it turns down the temperature. When devices get closer to home tado can be set to either a) heat up the house in advance or b) start the heating as you walk in the door.



For time and weather monitoring the tado gateway uses its internet connection to regularly check both.

The former means it can set awake and sleeping hours for weekdays and weekends (which are manually adjustable) so it turns the heating down at night and up in the morning.

The latter checks the forecast daily, so the system knows on good days to let the sun warm your home rather than waste energy doing it.

Adjustment of all settings – including manual temperature control – can be done via Android, iOS and web browser apps, all of which are elegantly and intuitively designed.

The flaw is the lack of BlackBerry 10 and Windows Phone apps because, while tado can still be controlled via a mobile browser, the app is required to detect a user’s location and automatically adjust the temperature.

We’re told a Windows Phone app is in the works.

For a family with compliant devices, however, tado makes some big claims. It says the system can cut heating costs by 31 per cent for two working people living in a 750 sq ft flat, 26 per cent for two working people with a young child in a 1180sq ft flat and 22 per cent for a family with three children and a dog living in a 1500sq ft house. But does it deliver?

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