Category: Microsoft news

Technology from phones to smart homes has been getting safer, smarter, more personalized and immersive. Facial recognition and sensors for biometric authentication, cinema-quality entertainment on the go, and voice recognition to activate multiple virtual assistants that co-exist are now all possible. Evolving needs – such as desiring security and privacy without sacrificing convenience, or immersive entertainment without compromising on portability – have driven these advancements.

PCs have been quietly progressing in the same direction too. Artificial intelligence (AI) coupled with advanced audio and display technologies are making Lenovo’s next-gen Yoga computers their smartest yet. Whether you’re a digital nomad, business professional, digital content creator or designer, see how these technologies in the new Yoga S940, Yoga A940, Yoga C730 with AMOLED and Yoga Mouse with Laser Presenter can help you get things done faster and make life easier.

With the rise of work-life integration, remote work and the gig economy, video meetings and conference calls can happen anytime, anywhere – sometimes in environments that are less than ideal, from a noisy coffee shop to a crowded co-working space. But what if your laptop can solve that when you’re on your next video call with the boss? The new Yoga S940 ultra-slim laptop can do just that and more. Its new AI features [1] can automatically filter out ambient noise and blur out distracting backgrounds during video calls, so that your dog’s barking and the neighbor’s car honking doesn’t have to disrupt video calls with colleagues, friends or family again.

Camping out at a co-working space and need to step out for a coffee break? The minute you look away from your laptop screen, the Yoga S940’s AI sensors [1] can detect your absence and auto-lock the display to protect your data from unwanted eyes. It can also detect and alert you when a nosy neighbor is shoulder surfing from your screen. Beyond the added benefits of security and privacy, the Yoga S940 has attention-sensing AI technology, which can help increase productivity too. Look from your main laptop display to a second screen, and it can automatically track your movement and shift open windows and content to a connected external monitor for a seamless and intuitive user experience. All these are part of an entire suite of Lenovo Smart Assist AI-enabled features available on the new Yoga S940 [1].

Lenovo Smart Assist includes hands-free PC log-in through its built-in infrared camera and Windows Hello for an added layer of security and convenience, and voice-matching personalization to respond to just your voice when speaking to Amazon Alexa or Microsoft Cortana from across the room [2]. The Yoga S940 learns from your usage patterns to optimize its performance. For instance, it’ll auto-adjust its power settings for longer-lasting power so that you get every last squeeze out of the up to 15 hours of battery in FHD [3].

The Yoga S940 is also the world’s first laptop with Contour Glass that wraps around its bezels – reducing the look of its already razor-thin bezels for a streamlined design [4]. It will start at $1,499.99 and is expected to be available at Lenovo and Micro Center starting in May [5].

For artists and designers, nothing is better than sketching with a pencil on paper, right? The new Yoga A940 all-in-one desktop is here to challenge that notion. Built for digital content creators, the Windows 10 Yoga A940 is a powerful creative canvas with a large 27-inch optional 4K IPS touchscreen display with Dolby Vision. It features a rotating hinge that enables the display to tilt to a comfortable 25-degree drafting mode, for remarkable flexibility and stability when drawing, sketching or annotating with a digital pen.

A mouse and digital pen are all convenient ways of inputting information on your computer with one hand. But wouldn’t it be even faster and more productive to be able to multitask with both hands? Then check out the Lenovo Precision Dial, a controller that’s tailor made for designers, photographers and videographers to make precise selections and adjustments to their content.

Time to watch that video project you’ve been working on? Experience it on the Yoga A940’s Dolby Vision-enabled 4K wide-angle display, boosted by Dolby Atmos Speaker System for rich, moving audio through speakers custom designed and tuned by Dolby. A second set of speakers under the rotating display ensures powerful sound even in drafting mode. It also comes with a range of Lenovo Smart Assist [1] AI-enabled features for greater productivity and privacy. With up to 8^th Generation Intel Core i7 processors, AMD Radeon RX 560 discrete graphics, up to 32GB DDR4 memory and up to 512GB PCIe SSD or 2TB SATA HDD storage [6], the Yoga A940 could be the ideal centerpiece in any content creator’s home or workspace.

The Lenovo Yoga A940 will start at $2,199.99 and is expected to be available starting in March [5].

Equipped with JBL speakers and Dolby Atmos, which delivers immersive audio over any pair of headphones, the 15-inch Yoga C730 2-in-1 convertible laptop gets an upgrade with up to a 4K AMOLED display. Portable and powerful, the Yoga C730 features 8^th Generation Intel Core i7 processors, Windows Ink for digital pen input, Windows Hello for instant log-in, and the smart convenience of Cortana and Alexa [2].

The 15-inch Lenovo Yoga C730 with AMOLED will start at $1,649.99 and is expected to be available starting in April [5].

Modern professionals have more than enough to carry with them when running from one meeting to the next – from laptops, phones, chargers and more. With this in mind, Lenovo streamlined two accessories into one and designed the latest generation Yoga Mouse with Laser Presenter. With just one twist, it converts from an ergonomic mouse with up to 1,600 DPI for high-precision tracking on nearly any surface into a flat, fully functional laser presenter (and vice versa). No more fumbling with a handful of devices at your next presentation with the latest Yoga Mouse in hand. It will start at $69.99 and is expected to be available starting in June [5].

Find out more about Yoga products and other Lenovo announcements at Lenovo’s CES site.

At CES, Lenovo also introduces the latest generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga laptops with a focus on making incremental – but noticeable – refinements in virtually every area to offer broader improvements for the discerning end-user.

The 7th generation X1 Carbon will be available with a visible carbon fiber weave top cover. Lenovo named its flagship notebook X1 Carbon to call attention to the product’s material. Following customers’ suggestions, the premium X1 Carbon model with 4K Dolby Visiondisplay, has an optional top cover where the weave is evident to further highlight the use of carbon fiber in the construction of the world’s lightest commercial 14-inch notebook.

Now just 14.95mm thin and starting at 2.5 pounds, it features a Dolby Atmos Speaker System and four far-field microphones enhancing the conferencing collaboration experience. With the system being digital assistant ready, you can use your voice for commands to Cortana in Windows 10 or Amazon Alexa for PCs.

If you need to travel, the battery ensures you can continue to be productive for up to 15 hours. And when you need access to large amounts of remote data, LTE-A Wireless WAN will power through the biggest of files, now available with CAT 16 LTE, offering gigabit speeds where supported.

The 2019 ThinkPad X1 Yoga is an all-new, full precision-machined aluminum design in a beautiful iron grey chassis. Aluminum is just as strong as carbon fiber, but requires extra thickness, which usually makes it heavier. Lenovo’s engineering team overcame design challenges to create a thinner, lighter and smaller design than the previous generation ThinkPad X1 Yoga.

The 4th-generation multi-mode laptop is thinner (15.2 mm) and lighter (1.3 kg) with a 17 percent footprint reduction, thanks to narrower bezels, and is wrapped in a precision-machined aluminum chassis. The X1 Yoga now supports all docking solutions, including ThinkPad Mechanical Dock.

Lenovo have also introduced a new ultra-wide ThinkVision P44w display. If you are a multi-display user, you will recognize the challenges and pitfalls of bezels and managing several displays and associated cables. The new ThinkVision P44w eliminates those frustrations. The 43.4-inch display offers an ultra-wide 32:10 aspect ratio with a resolution of 3840×1200, giving a screen real-estate equivalent to two 24-inch 16:10 displays. Dual integrated USB-C ports allow two video inputs that can simultaneously transfer data, video and audio signals as well as provide up to 90W charging power.

Understanding that gamers need to be ready to play in any scenario – on their couch, at their desk, or in a hotel room far away from home – Lenovo Legion is committed to providing high-performance tools so they can play how they want, wherever they want, for a fun and immersive experience.

This year, Lenovo Legion laptops have been upgraded so that they are in step with the higher performance that players demand. Available with up to the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs, Intel Core processors and Windows 10 Home, these laptops offer blazing-fast gaming speeds to play the latest releases, for photo and video editing, to binge-watch shows, or to multitask doing all these things simultaneously.

The Lenovo Legion Y740 has what the most serious core gamer needs. The cutting-edge GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q GPU is available on the 15-inch model, giving it more than enough power to run the latest action-filled titles. Its 17-inch sibling supplies even more power, with up to the GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q GPU, upgraded from the last generation’s GeForce GTX 10-series GPUs.

Both sizes come with up to 8^th-generation Intel Core i7 processors, optional 32GB DDR4 2666Mhz memory, 100 percent anti-ghosting CORSAIR iCue RGB backlit keyboard and system lighting with more than 16 million color customization options. The Lenovo Legion Y740 also features Dolby Atmos Speaker System with Dolby Sound Radar for rich moving audio that places you inside the action from speakers custom designed by Dolby.

The 17-inch Lenovo Legion Y740 Laptop will start at $1,979.99 and the 15-inch model will start at $1,749.99. Both are expected to be available at Lenovo.com and select retailers starting in February [5].

With up to a GeForce RTX 2060 GPU and Intel Core processors, the 15-inch Lenovo Legion Y540 also packs a hefty amount of power at a more accessible price point. Competing on the go with your multiplayer online battle arena team? It weighs only 5.1 pounds for portability and gives you a white, backlit keyboard offering under 1ms input response time for the win. It also comes with Harman Kardon speakers and supports Dolby Atmos for loud and clear sound.

The 15-inch Lenovo Legion Y540 Laptop will start at $929.99 and is expected to be available at Lenovo.com and select retailers starting in May [5].

With the Lenovo Legion M500 RGB Gaming Mouse, core gamers can add accuracy and responsiveness to their peripheral arsenal. With ergonomic textured grips, you won’t lose track of where you are or cramp up in the heat of an intense player vs player game. It’s also totally customizable, with additional side buttons for any abilities you need to hit on a whim. It will start at $59.99 and is expected to be available at Lenovo.com and select retailers starting in April [5].

Mechanical keyboards are also integral to an avid gamer’s toolkit, so meet the new Lenovo Legion K500 RGB Mechanical Keyboard, which delivers ultra-fast response time for more precise combinations. It will start at $99.99 and is expected to be available at Lenovo.com and select retailers starting in April [5].

Knowing your surroundings is the key to success in any gaming situation. Whether you’re trying to hear the footsteps of an enemy or keeping up to date with build orders in a real-time strategy game, the new Lenovo Legion gaming headsets present the right tools.

The Lenovo Legion H300 Stereo Gaming Headset is made for those who want to play all day or all night while staying comfortable. It will start at $59.99. Meanwhile, the Lenovo Legion H500 Pro 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset offers driverless 7.1 surround sound right out of the box. It will start at $99.99. Both headsets’ retractable boom mics provide clearer communication and portability, engineered to hear your teammate’s callouts. Both are expected to be available at Lenovo.com and select retailers starting in April [5].

Your games will sound good with the new Lenovo Legion gaming headsets, but you’ll also want great visuals to match.

Featuring an ultra-wide 43.4-inch curved display with 3840 x 1200 resolution and a peak display brightness of 450 nits, the Lenovo Legion Y44w Monitor creates a panoramic field of view. Whether it’s for racing titles or fighting sims, this monitor is designed to catch every frame of the action with its 144Hz refresh rate. It will start at $1,199.99 and is expected to be available at Lenovo.com and select retailers starting in April [5].

The 27-inch Lenovo Legion Y27gq Monitor with 2560 x 1440 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate is designed to give players the opportunity to take advantage of every possible frame. And with NVIDIA G-SYNC HDR technology built in, it’s designed so that flickering or screen tearing don’t take away from the gaming experience. It will start at $999.99 and is expected to be available at Lenovo.com and select retailers starting in April [5].

Find out more about Legion devices and other Lenovo announcements at Lenovo’s CES site.

Further product specs, images and more are available on the Lenovo StoryHub newsroom.

[1] Lenovo Smart Assist features are expected to be available starting May 2019. Users will be automatically prompted by Lenovo Vantage to access those features. Features will vary per product.

[2] Cortana is accessible through the Windows 10 start menu, and Alexa for PC is accessible through Lenovo Vantage during the initial set-up. Both come with far-field voice recognition technology, with recommended use of up to 4 meters away on Cortana, and up to 2.74 meters on Alexa. Alexa is available on select Lenovo PCs in the US, UK and Germany.

[3] All battery life claims are approximate and based on test results using the MobileMark 2014 ver 1.5 battery life benchmark test. Actual results will vary, and depend on numerous factors including product configuration and usage, software, operating conditions, wireless functionality, power management settings, screen brightness and other factors. The maximum capacity of the battery will naturally decrease with time and usage. See https://bapco.com/products/mobilemark-2014/ for additional details.

[4] Based on research conducted by Lenovo on December 1, 2018 of PCs sold by major PC manufacturers shipping > 1 million units worldwide annually.

[5] Prices do not include tax, shipping or options and are subject to change without notice; additional terms and conditions apply. Reseller prices may vary. On-shelf dates may vary by geography and products may only be available in select markets. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings, features and specifications at any time without notice.

[6] Actual available capacity is less and varies due to many factors, including formatting, partitioning and operating system, etc. which utilize part of this capacity. The available capacity may change with software updates.

Updated January 8, 2019 11:08 am

Building on more than 30 years of purposeful innovation, Dell unveiled at CES 2019 a host of new and improved products and software experiences across its award-winning Latitude, XPS and Inspiron portfolios.

Because everyone can use more time, the new Latitude 7400 2-in-1 has the ability to wake itself and be ready to go before you even touch it. The world’s first PC to use a proximity sensor enabled by Intel Context Sensing Technology, it includes ExpressSign-in. It detects your presence, wakes the system and immediately scans for facial recognition to log you in with Windows Hello. Just sit down with your device and start working without a touch, without a password. And when you step away for a break, it will know you’re gone and lock itself to preserve battery life and maintain security.

A CES 2019 Innovation Honoree, the Latitude 7400 2-in-1 is the world’s smallest commercial 14-inch 2-in-1. It will also be the first Latitude to use Dell’s ocean-bound plastics packaging. This Latitude is also expected to deliver the longest battery life in its class. It’s designed for 24 hours of run time [1] on a single charge, and Dell’s ExpressCharge gets the battery back up to 80 percent in just an hour.

Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 will be available in early March, starting at $1,599.

Also announced at CES, Dell has added a new top-mounted innovative webcam and a new frost color option to the XPS 13, the highest performance 13-inch laptop in its class and now even more powerful with the latest quad-core 8^th Generation Intel processors. Another CES 2019 Innovation Honoree and Dell’s most award-winning product ever, the XPS 13 is sought-after by professionals and consumers alike. At just 2.25mm, Dell’s smallest HD webcam ever enables the XPS to maintain its trend-defining Infinity Edge display despite moving the camera to the top of the display for a better video experience. The XPS 13 is also the first laptop in Dell’s portfolio to launch Dolby Vision, unleashing the potential of HDR to deliver ultra-vivid picture quality.

The Dell XPS 13 is available on Dell.com starting at $899.99 and Microsoft.com and in limited quantities in select Microsoft stores.

In other news, the new 13-inch and 15-inch Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 devices now include a first-of-a-kind Active Pen garage that provides storage for the included full-size Active Pen [2]. The new keyboard combines the power button and fingerprint reader into a new power key, simplifying the look and making way for a number pad, available now for the first time on a narrow-border 15-inch 2-in-1.

The devices also include innovative Adaptive Thermal technology that enables each system to adjust its performance profile based on usage, generating less heat when you’re watching movies on your lap and ramping up to maximum power for productivity on a desk. Hot air is directed out of hidden vents through the hinge, removing hot-spots and preventing accidental blockage from a pillow or couch cushion.

Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 is expected be available mid-2019.

Dell Cinema, the most immersive content experience on a PC (available on XPS and Inspiron 7000 laptops), continues to advance with new features and updates. Sit back and enjoy richer, deeper colors with CinemaColor 2.0, enhanced by Dolby Vision on the XPS and select Inspiron PCs. Dolby Vison content can deliver highlights up to 40 times brighter, and blacks up to 10 times darker. CinemaSound 2.0 enhances volume, bass and dialogue. Sound Optimization on Dell’s 2-in-1s automatically adjusts equalization for the best experience, no matter the position of the device. Waves MaxxAudio NX tracks head movements via the device’s webcam to provide 360 audio enhancement, keeping the sound oriented with the user’s position.

Additionally, CinemaStream 2.0 enhances the video streaming experience with up to 10 times less buffering and up to six times improvement in video quality [3]. It automatically detects and prioritizes the most critical network traffic to maximize bandwidth for live-streaming and video chats for a seamless, stutter-free experience.

Since its launch at CES 2018, Dell Mobile Connect has facilitated more than 30 million phone calls and text messages, helping users avoid having to split their attention between their PC and smartphone. Dell has strengthened this offering with the additional functionality of wireless file transfer capability, allowing Android users to drag and drop any file from their phone to their PC and vice versa, even without an internet connection.

Dell is also revealing a cutting-edge future capability of integrating the smartphone into the VR experience, allowing VR gamers to receive notifications, conduct phone calls, reply to text messages and even access all their mobile applications by pulling up a virtual 3D model of their phone and operating it with touch inside the VR experience.

Dell Mobile Connect is available on XPS, Inspiron, Vostro, Alienware and Dell G Series devices.

Also at CES, Dell and Alienware are bringing innovation front and center to satisfy the growing PC gaming market, with high-end, thin, light and affordable machines for amateur and professional gamers. They’re also partnering with esports brands like Team Liquid and Riot Games to make the gaming experience more competitive, personalized and accessible.

Alienware marks CES 2019 as a brand milestone with the debut of a totally new design identity, Alienware Legend, which sets a new bar of excellence for what gamers want most – performance and function. Alienware evaluated multiple concepts and chose one that was the biggest and boldest departure from its current look and the sea of sameness in the industry.

Alienware Legend stays true to the brand’s core design tenets, taking cues from its deep roots in sci-fi culture and its early industrial designs, to distinguish the brand from the rest of the industry. The new Legend design is optimized with cutting-edge thermal and cooling technology to achieve and sustain unparalleled power, improved AlienFX lighting, ultra-thin screen borders, and a new “three-knuckle hinge” design which reduces the overall dimension while creating a stronger assembly, all combining to yield the ultimate gaming experience.

Alienware Area-51m, the world’s most powerful 17-inch gaming laptop [4], is the first product to reflect the new Legend brand identity, almost 20 years after Alienware launched the first gaming laptop with upgradeable graphics, praised for its performance and expect to garner multiple CES awards.

This second flagship notebook with upgradeable graphics and processors is the first and only laptop with a 9th Generation 8-core desktop processor, 64 GB [5] of memory, 2.5 Gbps Ethernet technology, upgradeable graphics [6] and desktop processors, and a 17-inch laptop with a narrow-bezel display with 144 Hz. The Area-51m also has cutting-edge thermal and cooling technology, with 50 percent more performance and 32 percent less volume than its predecessor.

It’s also packed with an array of gaming must-haves, including the latest Tobii eye-tracking technology and the latest Alienware Command Center.

Alienware Area-51m with Legend design will start to ship on Jan. 29, starting at $2,549.

Alienware also introduced its thinnest and lightest 17-inch gaming notebook, the new Alienware m17, adding to the recently announced Alienware m15, for gamers on-the-go who prioritize weight and thinness for mobility. Powerful enough to handle high-graphic games, yet portable enough to take with you from destination to destination, the m15 weighs only 4.76 pounds [7], while the m17 is just 5.79 pounds.

Available now: Alienware m15, starting at $1,379.99.

Available on Jan. 29: Alienware m15 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20 Series GPU, starting at $1,579.99; Alienware m17, starting at $1,649.99.

For those looking for an affordable yet powerful gaming system (or buying their first gaming system), check out the new G Series. The G5 15 and G7 (in both 15-inch and 17-inch models) are redesigned to deliver enhanced performance with upscale features in a sleek chassis.

The thinnest G series to date with beautiful narrow borders, the G5 and G7 incorporate 8^th Generation Intel CFL-H 6-core CPUs and the latest NVIDIA RTX graphics up to 2080, optimized for demanding AAA game titles and versatility for everyday use. They also come with the option of a blazing 144 Hz refresh rate, G-Sync display panels, a 4-zone RGB keyboard with customizable backlighting, and will now ship for the with Alienware Command Center for the first time. The Dell G5 15 Special Edition is also available in alpine white, with a clear panel on the bottom of the system to show off the blue fans of the cooling system.

Available Jan. 29: Dell G5 15, starting at $999.99; Dell G7 17, starting at $1,380; and Dell G7 15, starting at $1,099.

Alienware made more than 30 updates to its proprietary Alienware Command Center, the central hub where users can customize all aspects of their experience including system and peripheral lighting, power management, thermal control, overclocking, audio and content organization.

Alienware Command Center now offers GPU overclocking (and underclocking), an Alienware first, allowing changes to take effect at the system level and work in conjunction with CPU and RAM overclocking as well as thermals; and user interface improvements to make Alienware Command Center easier to use.

Alienware doubles down on esports through continued Team Liquid expansion in 2019, with the opening of their second training facility in Utrecht, Netherlands, the future European headquarters and additional training hub for Team Liquid athletes competing across the world. Team Liquid athletes will now stream, train and even help in the development across the full portfolio of Alienware desktops, laptops, premium displays, gaming headsets and peripherals.

Nurturing further innovation in the multibillion-dollar esports industry, Alienware has forged a new multi-year partnership with Riot Games. A year in the making, this new partnership is designed to help gamers become esports players and help professionals compete at a higher level.

For professionals, Alienware Aurora desktops and AW2518H monitors will facilitate the NA LCS (North America League Championship Series), EU LCS (Europe League Championship Series) and a mix of global competitions such as MSI (Mid-Season Invitational), ASE (All-Star Event) and WC (World Championship). For fans, Alienware will introduce a special VIP seating section at the playoffs and finals of LoL tournaments, offering select fans the opportunity to play while they watch.

Visit the Dell CES 2019 press site for product information, images, releases and more.

 [1] 24-hour run time based on MobileMark 2014 tests using optional 78WHr battery
[2] The first 2-in-1 with a full-size pen garage in the hinge. Based on Dell internal analysis, November 2018.
[3] Based on Dell internal analysis, November 2018.
[4] When equipped with Intel Core 19-9900K processor, 64GB of DDR4 2666MHz memory and NVIDIA GeForce RTX (8GB) graphics. Based on internal analysis of competitive gaming laptops as of Dec 2018.
[5] System memory may be used to support graphics, depending on system memory size and other factors.
[6] Limited to same generation of NVIDIA RTX 20 Series
[7] Weights vary depending on configuration and manufacturing variability.