Toshiba announces two new Satellite Click 2-in-1 PCs

There was a time when 2-in-1 laptop-cum-tablets were a niche tool and a bit clunky to use. Quickly, however, they've become much slicker and will surely become a mainstream device in the future. Presumably of the same mind, Toshiba has just released two such pieces of kit.

The Satellite Click 2 and Satellite Click 2 Pro each feature a 13.3-inch display that can be used as a tablet when removed from their keyboards. "Both give consumers the productivity benefits of a laptop and the convenience and battery life of a tablet in one device,” says senior director of product marketing for Toshiba America Information Systems Philip Osako in a press release.

As you'd expect, the Satellite Click 2 is the more restrained of the two devices. Having said that, it still features a quad-core Intel Pentium processor, a 500 GB hard drive and 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as a 1366 x 768 HD display.

Toshiba says it is both audibly and physically discrete. The Satellite Click 2 is said to run quietly and has a slim 0.9 in (2.3 cm) profile. Other features include hard-drive impact protection and the ability to charge other USB devices even when it is in sleep mode. The device will retail for a recommended US$586.99 in the US, and at comparable prices elsewhere.

The Satellite Click 2 Pro is, naturally, somewhat more of a powerhouse. At 0.78 in (2 cm) it is a little trimmer than its sibling, but it's powered by a 4th-generation Intel Core processor and has a full HD display. It features a Harman Kardon sound system, a front HD webcam for video chatting and a rear 5 MP camera for taking high-res photos and videos.

The tablet itself has a 128 GB SSD HD and gains an extra 500 GB of storage when connected to the keyboard. A variety of ports and connections include a microSD card slot, Micro HDMI and Micro USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports including one with USB Sleep & Charge functionality, an HDMI port, wireless display and Intel WiDi support. Toshiba's recommended price for all that is $1,028.99.

Both the Satellite Click 2 and the Satellite Click 2 Pro will be available from late June

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MICROSOFT WINDOWS 8.1 PREVIEW

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says the latest update to Windows is a "refined blend" of its older operating system for PCs and its new touch-enabled interface for more modern, mobile devices.

After some hands-on time with it, the update seems to me like a patch over an ever-widening chasm.

The issue is that there are over a billion personal computers that use some version of Windows as it existed until last October, when Microsoft unveiled Windows 8. All those PCs are responsive to mice and keyboards, not the touch screens and other input methods like voice and gestures that represent the future of computing. Making it easier to cross that bridge is one of the goals of Windows 8.1, a preview version of which Microsoft released Wednesday.

After spending several hours with devices running Windows 8.1, it remains unclear to me whether a touch-based environment is what traditional Windows users want to accomplish the productive tasks for which they've come to rely on Windows.

But Microsoft has added to 8.1 a grab bag of fun features that make the free update worthwhile.

One way Microsoft reaches into the past is by reviving the "Start" button in the operating system's traditional "Desktop" mode. It appears as a little Windows icon at the bottom left corner of the screen.

However, other than the location and its general look, the button doesn't do what it once did. A single tap brings you back to the "Modern" interface, instead of the traditional Start menu, which used to bring up a whole host of convenient items like recent programs and commonly used folders.An extended press brings up a list of complex settings functions - the kind that most people would probably rather leave to their tech department if they are fortunate enough to have one.

So, instead of bringing back a familiar environment, the revived "Start" button is mainly just another way of directing you to the new one.

Another way Microsoft attempts to appease its established PC user base is by allowing people to launch their computers directly into the "Desktop" environment. But again, with no way to access programs except through the "Modern" interface, there is little cause for celebration among traditionalists.

The main changes in Windows 8.1 offer an easier way to function inside its "Modern" environment, better more integrated search results, and a hint of what's possible in the future.

One feature that makes the new environment easier to navigate: Now, a screen called "All Apps" is just a swipe away from the "Modern" tile screen. Swiping up literally displays all the apps on the computer, not just the ones that you have made as favorites on the start screen. In the past, you had to swipe up from the bottom edge and tap another button to get there.

Unfortunately, the "All Apps" page feels like too much. An array of icons easily covers two full screens. Although you can re-organize the apps into categories or alphabetically, there are too many to make it easy to use.

It's easier to use the search function, which can either be brought up by swiping in from the right edge, or just typing when in the "Modern" tile screen.

Entertainers get terrific new billing in Microsoft's improved search function. Type in an artist's name, say Lily Allen, and Windows 8.1 brings up a lively and colorful sideways-scrollable page that shows big photos, her birth date, and a list of songs and videos followed by decent-sized renditions of websites.

Clicking on a play button alongside a song instantly plays it. You don't have to own the song, because Microsoft throws in the feature as part of its Xbox Music service - which inserts ads unless you pay a monthly fee. You can queue up all the top songs and even add them to a playlist for listening to later

Now folks that sounds pretty cool..... 
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