Lenovo updates laptops for Windows 8

In addition to the previously announced IdeaPad S series updates, Lenovo is now showing off several other new and updated laptop models at the tail end of the IFA show.

Clearly targeting prospective Windows 8 shoppers, these new systems include ultrabooks and powerful multimedia laptops.… Read more

Lenovo updates IdeaPad S series for Windows 8

As part of the flood of new IFA products, Lenovo has updated its slim S series of IdeaPad laptops for Windows 8.

Unlike some of the laptops from Dell, Toshiba, Samsung, and others we've previewed this week, we have not had a chance to see these new models in person. But Lenovo describes the new IdeaPad S300, S400, and S405 as follows:

Equipped with the latest technology, the Lenovo IdeaPad S300 and S400 laptops are available with Intel's third-generation CoreTM i3 or i5 processors, while the IdeaPad S405 is packed with up to AMD A8 quad-core processors. Up … Read more

Best laptops for under $600

Not too long ago, a budget laptop was, by default, a big, ugly plastic box. It may have gotten the job done in terms of school or office work, but it wasn't going to turn any heads at the coffee shop, or fit comfortably onto an airline tray (with the exception of too-small Netbooks, which had their own list of problems).

We'll look back on 2012 as the first year when budget laptops really got a fair shake, with many models looking and acting much more like their expensive cousins than ever before.

Even at the very low end of budget -- laptops that are $600 or under -- you can get a slick-looking HP Envy Sleekbook, or a powerful Acer Aspire V5.

Here are a handful of recent favorites, from 11-inch ultraportables to 17-inch desktop replacements, each of which costs about half as much as a 13-inch MacBook Air.… Read more

Hands-on with the Synaptics ForcePad for Windows 8

Gearing up for the shift to Windows 8, Synaptics wants PC makers to switch to an entirely new kind of touchpad, called the ForcePad. We recently met with the company in New York to take this new touch interface, which eliminates moving parts and adds pressure sensitivity, for a test drive.

Synaptics invented the touchpad in 1995, and since then, touch has become an increasingly important part of our interaction with technology (and the company now makes touch screens for phones, tablets, and laptops as well).

But laptop touchpads have also been a frequent pain point for consumers, with laggy … Read more

Laptop accessories to save you from a meltdown

Laptop stands, coolers, and risers are great accessories to pair with a new back-to-school laptop. Inexpensive, portable, and useful, think of these as stocking stuffers for September, and perfect for tiny dorm room desks and trips to the library.… Read more

Lenovo has new ultrabook details, Windows 8 tablet for ThinkPad at 20

During an event at New York's Museum of Modern Art, PC maker Lenovo has announced new details about upcoming laptops, as well as a new ThinkPad-branded Windows 8 tablet.

The event was to mark the ThinkPad brand's 20th anniversary. Originally IBM's PC line, Lenovo bought the brand in 2005. The three new products profiled have all been spotted before, at CES 2012 or later in the year, including the flagship ThinkPad X1 Carbon ultrabook.

ThinkPad X1 Carbon First spotted in May 2012, we've already given this 14-inch ultrabook an extensive hands-on look. It starts at $1,… Read more

CNET's back to school gift guide rounds up late summer tech

Believe it: even though the mercury may be inching toward 100 and everyone is still planning beach getaways, school will start in less than six weeks.

For students and their parents, that means now's the time to stock up on school supplies. These days, that means lots of tech: laptops, tablets, phones, and printers, for starters. For college students, the list is even longer: a dorm room needs to be a home away from home, and that includes a TV, sound system, and other amenities.

Don't have kids? Not going to school? I'll let you in on … Read more

A brief history of failed Windows tablets

Seeing all the attention (and unexpectedly lavish praise) heaped on Microsoft's just-announced Surface tablet reminds me of all the great Windows tablets I've tested and reviewed over the years.

Wait, that's not right. The vast majority of Windows-powered tablets I've tried have been terrible. Some hit minimum levels of functionality, but nearly all were underpowered, lacked touch-centered software, were too expensive, or had terrible input hardware.

It's interesting to note that many of these examples date from the pre-iPad era. Once Apple's tablet hit the scene, there was a sharp drop-off in Windows tablets. … Read more

Microsoft breaks tradition with Microsoft Surface tablets

Editor's note: For CNET's complete analysis of Microsoft's new tablets, check out our First Take of the Surface RT.

It's the end of an era. Or maybe the start of a new one.

Microsoft -- a company that traditionally has relied exclusively on its PC partners to provide hardware powered by its Windows operating system -- is trying out a new business model with next Windows release.

The company is going to offer two Microsoft-branded tablets of its own, both of which are branded as Microsoft Surface. … Read more