We originally reviewed the Modbook back in 2008, when it was a hand-built mod that took stock 13-inch white polycarbonate MacBooks, deconstructed them, and put them back together as bulky touch-screen tablets. Earlier in 2012, we learned that that original company had folded but the brand name was about to be resurrected by one of the first ModBook tablet's designers as part of a new company, called Modbook Inc.

The new Modbook was short on details, especially price and configuration options, when we first wrote about it in June. Today, the company has announced that it is taking preorders … Read more

In the run-up to Windows 8, the one keyword you hear most often is "touch." That means touch-screen tablets and slates, touch panels added to traditional clamshell laptops, and touch-enabled all-in-one desktops. It also refers to Microsoft's new emphasis on touch gestures for touch pads, as well as the ambitious plans component companies such as Synaptics have for touch input in Windows 8.

While all this touch talk is going on, there's another trend gaining steam in the background. The standalone touch pad, once a very obscure computer accessory (even the Apple Magic Trackpad failed to … Read more

Starting October 26, laptop shoppers will be inundated with a flood of new PCs designed around Microsoft's new operating system. In fact, I've counted about 50 new laptops, tablets, hybrids, convertibles, and all-in-ones on my back-of-the-envelope list already.

A handful of these have already been announced, a healthy chunk will be announced early in October, and the rest will simply go on sale on October 26, alongside Windows 8.

Having seen a good number of these upcoming systems in person already, I can safely outline three big trendlines that will drive laptop and related device sales through the Windows 8 launch season and into 2013. If you're looking to buy a laptop anytime soon, keep these in mind as you dig through the dozens of upcoming new choices. … Read more

Congrats to Hal S. of Pittsboro, N.C., for winning a Wi-Fi-only version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 in last week's giveaway, and to Padraic O. of Bedford, N.H., for winning a copy of Nuance's Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 voice recognition software the week before that. Both those prizes would fit nicely into this week's freebie, a Booq Cobra pack laptop backpack.

The Booq Cobra pack holds a 15- or 17-inch MacBook Pro, or a PC laptop up to 17 inches, in a highly protective laptop compartment with a water-resistant zipper. It's got … Read more

Owners of ultrabooks face a variety of technical woes, from limited battery life to poor screen quality, according to a new study from FixYa.

Tracking questions and complaints from its site users, FixYa narrowed its scope to seven different ultrabooks, shining a light on the key problems found in each one.

Low memory was the top complaint among users of Apple's popular MacBook Air, followed by thermal shutdown, which automatically turns off the computer if it gets too hot. Some owners also said the Air was difficult to repair and that the speaker quality was poor.

To deal with … Read more

We previously saw HP's big flagship Windows 8 products, the Envy Spectre XT Touchsmart ultrabook and the Envy X2, and now HP is ready to reveal a handful of its more traditional laptops. Like virtually every other Windows 8 laptop we've seen, these are due alongside Microsoft's new operating system in on October 26.

HP Envy m4 This mobile-minded addition to the growing Envy family has a brushed-aluminum design, current-gen Intel Core i-series processors, and a 14-inch display. Options include a backlit keyboard and Intel's Wireless Display.

Like all of the Envy laptops, and a growing … Read more

It may not generate excitement on a par with the iPhone 5, but Dell has added two new Windows 8 systems to its business-targeted Latitude lineup. While that's not a product line that usually catches our attention, these are definitely on the more adventurous side for Latitudes.

Latitude 6430u ultrabook This 14-inch Windows 8 ultrabook meets certain MIL-STD-810G standards, which is what we usually see in semi-rugged laptops. To work that kind of rugged design into a 20mm thick ultrabook is noteworthy, especially as most of the ultrabooks we've seen are on the flimsy side.

The 6430u will … Read more

The technology industry hasn't exactly spawned the most fashion-forward looks of all time, but the hoodie stands out as a persistent fashion meme, thanks to an ongoing assist from Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg.

While you're all zipped up in your Zuckerberg tribute hoodie, nice and toasty, your poor tablet is left out in the cold with nothing but a scant Smart Cover to keep it warm. Maybe it's time to buy your iPad a hoodie of its very own.

The Hoodie Sleeve comes from Computer Apparel, the same company that brought us V-neck shirts for iPads. I suppose you could combine the two if you really want to treat your iPad like a Cabbage Patch Doll.… Read more

Driven by the popularity of tablets, personal computers grabbed a new high in customer satisfaction in the September report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

Labeling desktops, laptops, and tablets all as personal computers, the ACSI gave the category a grade of 80 out of 100. That proved a 2.6 percent gain over the 78 score earned last year and in 2010. Though some may disagree with the tagging of tablets as PCs, the iPad and its brethren were partly responsible for the bump in satisfaction among computer buyers.

"The recent stall in demand for desktop PCs comes … Read more