As the major hardware vendors started to come out with their latest product innovations for the holiday season, tech enthusiasts worldwide are feeling the urge for their private and business lives to converge – again. To satisfy the “tech tooth”, we have collected the major laptop and tablet announcements and some arguments when you want to shop for the business.
Microsoft
October began with a series of new announcements from Microsoft concerning the Surface laptop product line. The device boldly named Laptop got an upgrade, so Laptop 2 comes with an 8th generation quad-core processor and a longer battery life. The Pro 6, the laptop-tablet hybrid, is also equipped with an 8th-gen Intel processor and claims to keep going for 13.5 hours while still remaining lightweight. However, the USB-C ports missed by many in the previous years are, well, still missing.
What are the business advantages?
No huge changes or fireworks here, but the latest generation of processors does provide an even more seamless work experience. Both the processor and the keyboard allow the devices to operate silently – no small feat for the office! And the longer battery hours make it a reliable slate throughout the workday.
Apple
The end of October has seen Apple taking it up another level with its hardware keynote on the new MacBook Air. The most awaited announcement was that about the ever-popular MacBook Air coming to life again. The 13.3-inch Retina display is thinner and more accurate, the keyboard is more precise and responsive, and is more resistant to dust. The touchpad finally dropped the click function and now supports Force Touch instead. There is also a fingerprint-management function by Apple’s own T2 security chip. Tablets are not gone either, apparently, seeing the iPad Pro has also got an update, along with the Apple Pencil, both business favorites. The novelties iPad Pro has to offer, include Face ID, an A12X processor providing better AR and gaming experiences, and it also magnetically charges the Apple Pen.
What are the business advantages?
Speaking about the MacBook Air, the security chip is a feature that makes a lot of sense in a business environment, but the new display is also something that has long been on the wishlist for corporate users. It should be a bottom line that the battery doesn’t have to be charged for 8 hours and that the laptop is easy to carry around with its 1.24kg weight.
October was busy for Google too, as it announced the new Pixel Slate, among other hardware innovations. Pixel Slate is the first to feature Chrome operating system on a tablet, further enhancing the tablet vs Chromebook feel and clearly giving a Microsoft a run for their money with Surface. It also has a split-screen option and the Chrome browser really shines when compared to even a PC environment. Keyboard and pen are sold separately, though, and the price of the total set (approaching the $1,000 range) positions it at the higher end.
What are the business advantages?
Other than the quietness and backlit keys of the keyboard that is sung by many, the Pixel Slate is closing the gap again between tablets and laptops. It’s arrangements of display and keyboard and cover make it more comfortably usable at a desk than on the lap, while still being light enough to carry.
Runner-ups
Next to the giants, there is also room for other companies, too, to present their hardware innovations. On the laptop and tablet front, large international tech gatherings, such as the IFA in Berlin, served as a background for them. In the laptop category, vendors like Lenovo, Dell or Acer all focused on creating the lightest devices possible experimenting with different alloys, while keeping performance on a high level by including 8th gen processors of all kinds. On the verge of categories, Lenovo’s Yoga Book has got an important upgrade: C930 has dual-screen with a 10.8-inch size, with the secondary display being an e-ink one that can also morph into a virtual keyboard. Arguably the most genuine announcements came from Flexpai and Samsung, almost simultaneously, about foldable phones that can be transformed into tablets when unfolded. Creating a totally new product category, it has the potential to create a new definition of work as well.
What are the business advantages?
As strong believers in doodling, the features of the new Yoga Book are impressive and make it a versatile business companion (although also a pricey one). On another note, Acer deservedly made headlines with its 15-inch laptops both weighing under one kilogram – now challenge that for portability!
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