Razer CEO wants annual Blade laptop refreshes, isn't worried about price complaints

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/01/razer-ceo-interview-blade-2/

Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan is charismatic, clearly very smart and passionate -- not a bad combination considering he's the face and voice of a major international hardware manufacturer. Razer's latest, the second-generation Blade gaming laptop, launches this week for the whopping price of $2,500, and we spoke with Min-Liang about just that. "This," he said, referencing the second-generation Blade's slim power brick, "costs seven times this," he added, pointing to a competitor's power supply. "Do we have to do this? Probably not." And that's emblematic of Razer's whole approach to the Razer Blade, as a line of gaming computers. Expensive? Yes, very. But significantly nicer and more detailed that its less expensive competition? Also yes. Also very.

As our own Sean Buckley put it in our review of their latest gaming laptop, "the Blade is a gorgeous machine." It's true -- at just 0.88 inches tall and 6.6 pounds, the new Blade is remarkably thin and light for a 17-inch laptop with enough juice under the hood to sate even the most spec-obsessed of PC gamers. But are enough gamers out there willing to trade a lower price tag for a better-looking machine? Razer and its CEO certainly think so, and they've got numbers from the first, more expensive Blade to prove it. "The original Blade was at $2,799. Back then, it was pricey, but we've been surprised at the amount of demand for that. We thought we were gonna sell out in 30 days -- we had 30 days' stock. But we sold out in 30 minutes for the first batch," he said. And, as far as pre-order numbers go for the second version, Min-Liang's confident they mean good things for the future of the Blade! .

"We're getting hammered with the pre-orders for the new Razer Blade. Right now, we'll be able to ship most of the orders by September 30, fingers crossed. But we're trying to bring in as many units as possible," he excitedly explained. Min-Liang isn't too worried about offending first-gen buyers, either -- the first Razer Blade launched in early 2012 for just shy of $2,800. Less than 10 months later, the second-gen Blade is launching for $300 less with a significantly upgraded graphics card. Sure, first-gen adopters get a $500 discount on the new Blade, but the sting of early adoption is especially rough in such an instance.

Gallery: Razer Blade 2 hands-on

Continue reading Razer CEO wants annual Blade laptop refreshes, isn't worried about price complaints

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops

Razer CEO wants annual Blade laptop refreshes, isn't worried about price complaints originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba Regza J7 and Z7 TVs pack built-in DVR with recommendation feature, we go eyes-on (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/01/toshiba-regza-j7-z7-hands-on/

Toshiba had its new lineup of Regza HDTVs on hand at CEATEC today, showing sets from both the J7 Series and Z7 series. The J7 Series offers 32-, 40, 50- and 65-inch options, all of which boast 1080p resolutions save for the 32-incher. Pricing starts at ¥75,000 (about $961) and tops off at ¥370,000 for the largest model. The slightly higher-end Z7 Series includes 42-, 47- and 55-inch models, with pricing ranging from ¥180,000 to ¥370,000. The Z7 Series also boats Toshiba's "time-shift machine" feature, which automatically records up to 40 hours of content on primary channels and suggests programs based on your viewing habits.

We spent a few minutes staring into the high-def abyss at the company's rather dim booth, and all of the displays looked quite stunning. Unfortunately, we weren't able to test out the time-shift feature, so we'll have to take the company on its word there. The premium Z7 models include a thinner bezel and an overall sleeker look, while the J7 featured a more rounded design, with a beefier border around the panel. All of the TVs are expected to debut in time for the holiday season. For now, you can get a sneak peek from our hands-on video below.

Gallery: Toshiba REGZA Z7 and J7 eyes-on

Continue reading Toshiba Regza J7 and Z7 TVs pack built-in DVR with recommendation feature, we go eyes-on (video)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Toshiba Regza J7 and Z7 TVs pack built-in DVR with recommendation feature, we go eyes-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ViewSonic's new VX70Smh-LED IPS monitors arriving this month, pricing starts at $159

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/02/viewsonics-vx70smh-led-ips-monitors/

Only a couple of months have passed since ViewSonic announced its new pair of wallet-friendly VA12 monitors as well as that larger, energy-efficient 27-inch VX2703mh-LED. Fast forward to today, and the company's back with a trio of fresh VX70Smh-LED panels, including a lavish 27-incher in the VX2770Smh-LED, plus a couple of 22- and 23-inch monitors for those who prefer something a bit more conservative -- all of which are equipped with IPS technology, a 1920 x 1080 screen resolution (30,000,000:1 MEGA Dynamic Contrast Ratio) and SRS Premium Sound. ViewSonic has said both the 23- and 27-inch VX70Smh-LEDs will be available "early October" for $189 and $319, respectively, while the smaller 22-inch VX2270Smh-LED is expected to hit shelves around December with a $159 price tag.

Gallery: ViewSonic's VX70Smh-LED Series press shots

Continue reading ViewSonic's new VX70Smh-LED IPS monitors arriving this month, pricing starts at $159

Filed under: Displays, Misc

ViewSonic's new VX70Smh-LED IPS monitors arriving this month, pricing starts at $159 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC One X+ official: 1.7GHz quad-core Tegra 3, 64GB, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4+

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/02/htc-one-x-plus-tegra-3-android-jelly-bean-sense-4-plus/

Remember HTC's early 2012 Android flagship? Well, it's back and plus-sized for the tech-savvy masses. Officially announced today, the One X+ is a minor refresh of the original that debuted at MWC this past spring, albeit with a faster 1.7GHz Tegra 3 CPU, larger 2,100mAh battery, expanded 64GB of storage and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Sense 4+ onboard. As part of that upgraded custom skin, the 4.7-inch device can now tap to pair, or "Tap and Go" as the company calls it, with Beats-branded speakers, allowing users to easily connect and disconnect from their audio peripherals. Apart from that, the 8-megapixel rear module with f/2.0 lens and ImageChip-assist has stayed the same, but the camera software's been slightly tweaked with the addition of two new modes: Self Portrait for subtle retouching of front facing shots and Sightseeing which allows for quick launch of the camera app. Also debuting alongside this hardware update is HTC Get Started, a web-based service that lets users manage initial setup from the desktop for one-click installation on the phone itself. The One X+ is slated to launch globally this fall, hitting Europe and Northern Asia this October, with a November rollout in South Asia to follow. As for a US release, well, you'll just have to sit tight and see what news the day brings. Official PR after the break.

Gallery: HTC One X+

Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/02/toyotas-smart-insect-concept-ev-kinect/

Toyota is showing off its new Smart Insect prototype at the company's CEATEC booth. The fully electric car charges via a standard 100-volt AC outlet, and it's decked out with gull-wing doors and motion detection courtesy of Microsoft's Kinect. The on-board motion sensors allow the car to recognize its owner based on face and body shape, and it predicts the owner's behavior by analyzing movement and determining when to open the door, for example. (It also allows for the front and rear displays to show a welcome message when the owner approaches the car.) There's also voice recognition for opening the car door and other functions, with a speaker on the hood of the car and dashboard-mounted "dialogue monitors" on the front and back.

The tech carries through to the Insect's interior, which sports a wireless charging pad, a dash-mounted monitor that connects to the driver's handset and a button for dialing up Toyota's virtual agent. As a connected car, the Insect naturally ties in with entertainment and navigation services (in this case, via Toyota's Smart Center). There's also integration with a home energy management system, which allows the owner to adjust air conditioning and lock the front door via a smartphone app. As this is a proof of concept -- and one we couldn't test out, at that -- it's unclear how well these features work, and it's unlikely that we'll ever see the prototype make it to market. Still, it's fun to dream, and you can do that by tuning into our hands-on video just past the break.

Continue reading Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video)

Filed under: Transportation

Toyota's Smart Insect concept EV packs Kinect motion sensor, voice recognition (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 05:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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