Review: Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 with Windows (10")

If your a fan of the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro Laptop, then you'll love the Yoga Tablet 2 10" with Windows, which comes with a magnetic, optional bluetooth keyboard. I had tested out the 10" version during February fashion week and functioned just like a mini laptop, for all my social media and blogging needs. 

My favorite feature of both the Yoga 2 Pro Laptop and the Yoga Tablet 2 is the uniqueness of being able to position them into four modes: laptop, tablet, tent and stand. Another one of my favorite features is the design of the detachable keyboard. As far as using a tablet goes, I prefer to type with a keyboard to write my blog posts and answer emails. The keyboard that comes with the Yoga Tablet 2 is sturdy, yet slim and lightweight. It easily stays in place while typing thanks to the tablet kickstand. The kickstand can also be used to hang the tablet. I haven't tried hanging it yet but I love the option.  

With the exception of The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones, I never watch television shows in real time. There have been some instances where my DVR doesn't record a show because of a recording conflict, I forget to record a show, or my DVR only saves up to 5 recordings of a series. My On Demand also sometimes only featured the most recent 5 episodes of a show. When this happens, I'm glad I can download The CW, Syfy Now and FXNOW or watch via Amazon Instant Video. I can't tell you how many issues I've had with trying to catch up on television shows on my iPad. The Full HD (1920 x 1200) IPS display is superb, with a really crisp and bright picture quality. 

This tablet has an Intel Atom processor, 32GB of internal storage, and a microSD slot located behind the kickstand. It also comes with a one year subscription to MicrosoftOffice 365. The one thing I wish it did have is a USB port to access media kits on flash drives, or to charge my phone. With the right cable, the tablet allows you to charge your phone through the micro-USB with powered OTG connection. It would have been a major plus if the tablet came with the extra cable. 

Whether I'm at home, at the office, running around the city or traveling, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 has just about everything I am looking for in a tablet - portability, slim design, touch screen capability and keyboard, plus a year of MicrosoftOffice 365. Even with the keyboard, the tablet (1.3 lbs+) doesn't get too heavy if I'm running around the city all day. I can conveniently tote it around! The 15 hours of battery life is a major plus.

One thing I can't believe is the price. At $369.99 at shop.lenovo.com, this is such a better deal than spending $499 on an iPad. 

- Kim Weling

Review: Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro

Having previously reviewed the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S, I already knew I was going to love the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro. One of my favorite features is the unique 360-Degree Flip-and-Fold Design, easily changing between the four different modes - Laptop, Stand, Tablet and Tent. The 13.3" QHD+ 3200 x1800 (versus 11.6 HD, 1366 x 768 on the IdeaPad Yoga 11S) IPS widescreen with 10-point multi-touch has the best display I've ever seen on an ultrabook. Whether I am catching up on the latest episode of The Vampire Diaries, editing video footage or pictures, the images are incredibly crisp and sharp. 

This ultrabook also has great portability - 1.39 kg, 15.5 mm thin with a 9 hour battery life to get you through the whole day, versus the 1.4 kg, 17.2 mm thin, 6 hour battery on the IdeaPad Yoga 11S. Like the IdeaPad Yoga 11S, there are two USB ports and a 2-in-1 card reader.It also has up to 4th gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor with integrated Intel graphics,  up to 8GB DDR3L memory, up to 512 GB SDD storage and stereo speakers with Dolby® Home Theatre® for immersive sound. 

Lenovo motion control allows you to browse and select files with simple hand gestures. This is perfect for navigating through recipes hands-free. With voice control technology, you can just speak to open programs and websites. The Yoga Picks custom software detects and recommends the most suitable apps for any given mode. Some of the preloaded apps include Phone Companion, Camera Man, Photo Touch, and Yoga Chef. Yoga Chef has some easy-to-follow recipes I definitely want to try, with vivid photos that make me instantly hungry.

All these enhancements and features are user-friendly and interesting to explore, but for the most part I've been using the Yoga 2 Pro for watching tv shows, blogging and editing photos and videos. My main laptop is currently a MacBook Air but I despise editing videos with iMovie. I still prefer Windows Movie Maker, so I feel like I'll always need a Windows-friendly ultrabook just for that reason. During February and March, the Yoga 2 Pro came in handy specifically for editing fashion week videos, uploading them to YouTube and downloading photos from my Nokia 1020 (which is incompatible with my MacBook). Since I do a lot of blogging late night, the backlit keyboard really helps. This function can be turned on and off by pressing the Fn key and space bar. The touch screen capability comes in handy as well. It's so much easier to swipe through pictures when deciding which ones to use and edit. Every now and then I'm reminded of how my MacBook isn't touchscreen when I tap the screen out of habit. 

The Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro is available at lenovo.com with a list price starting at $1199.00.

 

- Kim Weling

Review: Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8

The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 is the perfect on-the-go tech gift this holiday season. I'm a big fan of the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S, so it was only natural that I'd love the new tablet. One of my favorite features which makes this tablet unique are the usage modes: Hold, Tilt and Stand. I love using the kickstand and resting it upright in Stand mode to watch videos or movies, catch up on tv episodes, and play Candy Crush. I can easily type using Tilt mode when updating my blog and social media channels or following up on emails.

The Yoga Tablet 8 is so light (starts at 0.88 pounds) that it's perfect for toting around the city with me, even when I'm carrying all the extras like my DSLR or a pair of heels to change into. It's also a great backup device to have with me in case my phone runs out of battery. I don't have to worry about this tablet running out of battery because it lasts up to 18 hours, thanks to the roomy battery storage housed in the cylinder-shaped side chamber. This is the kind of tablet I need to bring with me to all day events, like Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week or Comic-Con. 

In addition to the sleek, stylish design, here are some key features of the Yoga Tablet 8: an 8" multitouch HD (1280 x 800) display for high definition visuals, front facing integrated stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus, 5.0M rear and 1.6M front cameras for high-definition pictures and crisp, clear video chats and Micro-USB and audio jack ports. Another plus is being able to expand the 16GB of eMMC storage with up to 64GB micro-SD card storage support, which comes in handy for transferring photos and videos or storing large files like movies. 

The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 is available at lenovo.com and bestbuy.com with a list price starting at $249.00.

- Kim Weling

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S

Over the past few weeks, I've quickly adapted to the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S Ultrabook convertible. This 11.6-inch ultrabook has a unique 360-degree flip and fold design, with the ability to use in tent, stand, tablet or laptop mode. I have mainly been using the Yoga 11S as a laptop but love watching movies or catching up on my favorite tv shows in tent mode with the convertible's rich Dolby Home Theatre Audio. Since I just got through the Spring 2014 season of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week here in New York, this ultrabook has been perfect for scrolling through fashion show images and watching videos in tent mode. I love being able to just swipe through each look via touch-screen instead of having to click through each image.

As a laptop, I mainly use it for email, blogging, social media, cropping photos, video editing, and indulging in my Candy Crush addiction. It was easy for me to open PDF files in Nitro Pro 8 and download Paint.NET and Windows Live Movie Maker. This was also my first time using Windows 8. I love the multi-touch screen features, which makes it easy to  review photos and access SkyDrive files. There are two USB ports, which is a must-have for me to charge my phone and access flash drive files. The 2-in-1 card reader is also an important feature for me, so I can easily access images I take with my DSLR camera. 

The Yoga 11S is just as fashionable as it is functionable, with a soft-touch exterior and Clementine Orange color (also available in Silver Grey but I prefer it in Clementine Orange). Although I love the texture of the soft exterior, it can be more prone to scratches or dents, so be sure to keep it in a sleeve or case if you plan on using it on-the-go. It's stylish and slim, and easy to travel with. The keyboard is easy and comfortable to type on. The Yoga 11S weighs in at 3.1 lbs at 0.68" thick, with 6 hours of battery life. It has Intel® HD Graphics 4000 (integrated), up to 3rd Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor, up to 8GB DDR3 memory and up to 256GB SSD storage.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S is available at lenovo.com and bestbuy.com with a list price starting at $799.99.

- Kim Weling

Acer Iconia B1 $99 Tablet Launching in 2013

Acer, the Taiwanese PC giant, is ready to set the gadget world on its ears with a new $99 tablet set to compete in the emerging low cost market against, Amazon, Google, and Barnes & Noble. This is big news as Acer is already the manufacturer behind Google's Nexus 7 devices which have been a huge success for the company at the $199 price point.

Acer is planning to launch the Iconia B1, a $99 tablet that runs the Google Android operating system, early in the first quarter of 2013, a source close to the project has disclosed to the Wall Street Journal. The $99 tablet is set to feature a 7 inch display much like the Nexus 7, with a pixel resolution of 1024 x 600, and a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor.

Acer's plan for the $99 tablet would beat its competitors in the low cost tablet market, many of whom rushed to bring their tablets to consumers this past year, with aggressively priced options in the $150-200 range. Amazon offers a 7-inch Kindle Fire which is priced at $159 for an 8GB model and also boasts a Kindle Fire HD in their lineup which starts at $199. Barnes & Noble on the other hand offers the Nook Color HD, also 7 inches, at $199 for a 8GB Model. The iPad Mini, which measures 7.9 inches starts at $329 for the 16GB Model.

For those looking for a cheap starter tablet the Acer is a great option, but there is one hiccup that could present itself. The $99 Acer tablet is aimed at emerging markets and although the device has been submitted to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for clearance, there is no confirmation on whether it will be sold in the United States at this time.

Acer also could open the door for competition at this $99 price point. Google is ready to go even lower on their margins than the $199 Nexus 7 and could be pushing a tablet as low as $99 in the very near future. However, this tablet might not be $99 from launch, as it has been rumored to start in the $129 or $149 range and work its way down.

Either way you draw it up, Acer is going to be great for the consumer as it will undoubtedly bring competition into the tablet market, and force other manufacturers to bring low-cost tablets and gadgets into the marketplace for consumers.

- Sam Victor