Acer Iconia W3-810 tablet: Staples taking Pre-Sale for June 16 delivery…

Earlier we had seen rumors of the Acer Iconia W3-810 with 8.1-inch screen, Amazon slipped and had posted the Acer Iconia W3-810 with some specs but was quickly taken down. Well now Acer has officially announced the Acer Iconia W3-810-1600 and is available for Pre-Sale at Staples for $380 with June 16 delivery. This makes the Acer Iconia W3-810-1600 compatible pricing with the iPad Mini and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

The Acer Iconia W3-810-1600 is the smallest Windows 8 tablet to be announced and soon you will be able to get your hands on one. The specs are going to be more in line with the current Atom Z2760 Dual-Core processor that is powering many of the lower end hybrid tablets. Remember, this is the new Atom Z2760 processor which has proven to handle all your basic needs and for on the go tablet. What makes these tablets very portable is that, the newer Atom Z2760 processor gives you anywhere from 8 to 10 hours of battery life depending on the device.

Under the hood of the Acer Iconia W3-810-1600 you will get the following:

• 8.1" 1280 x 800 resolution, Acer CrystalBrite™ LED-backlit TFT LCD with integrated 10-point multitouch screen
• 32GB Internal Storage
• Windows 8
• Intel® Atom™ Dual-Core Processor Z2760 1.5GHz with Intel® Burst Technology up to 1.8GHz
• 2048MB of LPDDR2 800 MHz Memory
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator
• 2MP Rear-facing camera, 2MP Front-facing camera
• MicroSD memory slot up to 32GB (SDHC 2.0 compatible)
• 802.11b/g/n Wireless
• Bluetooth® 4.0 + EDR
• 1 x Micro USB 2.0 port, 1 x Micro-HDMI™ with HDCP support, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack (headphone/speaker), 1 x DC-in Jack for AC adapter
• Up to 8 hours of battery life

The Acer Iconia W3-810-1600 will be available in a 32GB and 64GB version. If you pick up the 32GB version, you might want to pick up a 32GB MicroSD and configure to have Windows 8 use as a storage drive. This will give you some extra storage for your documents and any pictures that you will want to carry around.

If you plan on running any games on the Acer Iconia W3-810-1600, you might want to stick with an i5 Core or higher, especially now that Intel has announced Haswell with up to 9 hours of battery life with DVD playback.

I am looking forward to getting my hands on the Acer Iconia W3-810 and give it a test, for the most part I would mostly use this small of a screen on the metro side of apps and this should make my everyday Windows 8 experience yet, that much more portable! 

Free Book Cover Case: Purchase the Galaxy Note 10.1 to get your cover

Looking into getting the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet this Memorial Day weekend? Well you can head over to Best Buy and when you purchase the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, you can pick a Book Cover Case for your new Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet absolutely free. You can chose between several different colors, which before was only limited to White and Blue colors. This sure sweetings the deal for those that are looking in getting a tablet. The Book Cover Case normally sells for $49.99 but you will have to hurry to get the free Book Cover Case, only good for the Memorial Day 4-day sale at Best Buy.

Great deal on HP Envy x2 at Staples with $100 coupon

Just not to long ago Office Depot had offered the HP Envy x2 for $599 which was a great deal. Now Staples has a great deal as well with $100 off coupon that is good until 5/27/13. If you want to take a look what the HP Envy x2 offers, head on over to my last review of the HP Envy x2. If you are in the market for a 11.6-inch hybrid tablet and you asked me, I would recommend the HP Envy x2 unless you need a digitizer for using the tablet to take notes, then I recommend the Samsung ATIV 500T Smart PC.

Staples is showing the HP Envy x2 for $599.99 after a $56.00 savings and a $44.00 instant savings. Then you can use your $100 off coupon and to grab the HP Envy x2 for $499.99 with keyboard dock! Sure this won't replace your high gaming machine, but this Atom tablet will allow you to do your daily activities for the most part.

Get a Windows 8 tablet as low as $399 at Staples...

When we started to see Windows 8 tablets released at the end of December and early January 2013, you could expect to pay anywhere from $699 and up depending on the type of Windows 8 tablet you purchased. Fast forward May 2013, now Staples has some really good deals going on with a $100 coupon that you can use towards any Windows 8 tablet.

If you had been wanting to pickup the Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T, now is your chance. Staples is showing the ATIV 500T for $499 and if you use your $100 off coupon, you are basically paying $399 for a Windows 8 tablet that has great battery life and a digitizer to take notes and works great. I had done a review of the Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T and an unboxing video.

If you want to take advantage of the extra $100 coupon, you will have to hurry up as the coupon shows that it is only good until 5/27/13 so you have a few more days left.

Acer joins the 8-inch world with the Iconia W3 running Windows 8 tablet

Acer announced that we would be seeing 8-inch tablet running Windows 8 at their earnings conference call. Now as we get closer to what we just might see it actually get released, though Acer hasn't made any official release date for the Acer Iconia W3. Just a few weeks ago Amazon slipped and had it on the site, and now you find the Acer Iconia W3 product page over at Acer's Finland webpage.

 

The Acer Iconia W3 rumored pricing is $380, which will be inline with the current iPad Mini and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 but the Iconia W3 will be running full Windows 8 OS. This could mean that you will be able to run full Windows application on the road and dock it or use it as a full desktop if need be! This is something to look forward as you can do business as usual and still travel very light weight and still have enough display to actually read email, web browsing, read your RSS feeds, news, etc...

 

Acer has confirmed the following specs from its website:

 

• 8 inch display
• Intel Atom Z2760 Clover Trail processor
• Windows 8 Pro
• 2GB RAM
• 64GB SSD
• 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0
• micro HDMI and micro USB ports
• microSD card slot
• 8 hour battery
• Optional keyboard dock

 

The Acer Iconia W3 will be the first Windows 8 tablet in a 8-inch display, this could be something that would give Acer the head start of sales for such a device. That is if the consumer see's the benefit of having an 8-inch Windows 8 tablet. I would like to see the Iconia W3 have a Wacom digitizer. I personally need for my work load to mark up documents, sign PDF's and this makes it much easier. Sure I could use a capacitive stylus, but when using OneNote to take notes in meetings, the Wacom digitizer makes a world of a difference.

Acer decided to actually make the keyboard dock a little bigger than the Iconia W3 to give you better typing experience. Having a small keyboard is just not good for productivity, and since Acer is including Microsoft Office is no wonder Acer has opted to give you better keyboard to be productive with the Iconia W3. You will be able to snap the keyboard to the back of your Iconia W3 when traveling.

 

From the earlier posting of the Acer Iconia W3 over at Amazon it did suggested that it will come with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013. Question is, will you hold off and wait to purchase the Acer Iconia W3? or wait for the iPad Mini with Retina? or maybe get the Samsung Galaxy Note 8? 

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 users: Get your $25 credit for Google Play…

If you purchased a Galaxy Note 8, don’t forget to take advantage to claim your $25 credit for the Google Play store. When you purchase the Galaxy Note 8, you also get upgraded to 50GB Dropbox, this will allow you sync your pictures, documents, files, etc… with your brand new Galaxy Note 8. Also you will get Polaris Office Suite which I have been using on my Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. With Polaris Office Suite you can edit documents right with your stylus and markup any document with ease. Read on to see how to claim your $25 Google Play store credit.

 

You have to head over to Samsung website to create an account to register your new Galaxy Note 8. Just keep in mind that in my experience, the account is not the same one if you have created a sync Samsung account on your device. So don’t use that account if you already have an account, unless you know for sure you have created an account in the past for Samsung.  At least for me, it didn’t work I had to create another account right from the registration form. 

After you have filled out the information, you will get the thank you screen. Head over to your Gmail email and download your email to redeem your $25 credit. In the email you will find a redeem code that you can just copy and paste to redeem the $25 credit. So now I am off to spend some credits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It didn’t take long for the email to come through with the redeem code. So I was applying my code within minutes after submitting my registration.

Samsung Galaxy S4 flip cover available at Best Buy stores…

As we all know, the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be hitting the store shelves and users that have been eager to get there hands on the Galaxy S4 still have to wait at least till April 30. Though I did talk to a Best Buy Samsung Kiosk yesterday and mentioned that they will be displaying the S4 starting Sunday. We will have to wait and see if this is true…

In the meantime, you can head to your local Best Buy and chose your Samsung Flip Cover for your Galaxy S4, well at least be ready for when your Galaxy S4 arrives.

 

Best Buy is offering a great selection of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Flip Covers. The Flip Cover will set you back $40, and will come in some great color choices. You can select from green, white, blue, black and yellow. Also if you want to try the new S View Flip Cover, which will set you back $60 and is available in black. The S View Flip Cover will allow you to answer your phone with out having to flip the case open to answer and see who is calling, all will be available through the window opening. I personally would like to give the S View Flip Cover a try as now I usually use my Flip Cover for my Galaxy Note II closed when talking with callers.

Samsung Kiosk stores in some Best Buy stores…

Best Buy is already rolling out the Samsung Kiosk stores inside your local Best Buy Stores. The setup is very well laid out, with tables at user height to access laptops, tablets, smartphones and hybrid tablets for you to use, hoping that you will make a purchase. This has worked very well for Apple, so this will be very interesting to see what could happen. Could this spell some bad news for other manufactures?

The layout consist of a Smart Home setup to demonstrate the uses of the Galaxy products with your home and your Galaxy products. Also it is great to see all the accessories for the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablets and the Galaxy S III smartphones. Here you get to chose from some very nice color Book Cover cases that in the past had only been available through online sales. This gives you the chance to actually see the varies colors that is available.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8: WaterField announces SleeveCase and the Suede Jacket

 

WaterField Design has just announced the Ultimate SleeveCase for the Galaxy Note 8 tablet. If you are familiar with WaterField sleeves and cases, then you know you will be getting a great product. 

 

The Ultimate SleeveCase for the Galaxy Note 8 is priced at $59, with optional add-ons. It is made out of ballistic nylon with shock absorbing neoprene to protect your Galaxy Note 8 from daily bumps and drops. The SleeveCase is a nice stylish stand-alone case or you can use it with your daily computer bag as well. Since the Ultimate SleeveCase is TSA checkpoint friendly, you wont have worry about taking your Galaxy Note 8 out of its sleeve. Very convenient! You can check WaterField website for the SleeveCase.

 

If you find that the Ultimate SleeveCase is a bit too big for your taste, you might want to look into picking up the Tablet Suede Jacket for your Galaxy Note 8. With this Suede Jacket, you can't get any thinner than this. Your Galaxy Note 8 will fit nicely and snug, protect it from daily bumps while you travel around town or from office to your home. You will also find that you can easily drop this inside your computer bag or backpack and helps protect your Galaxy Note 8 as well while inside another bag. You can check out the Tablet Suede Jacket over at WaterField website for more information. You will find that the Suede Jacket for the Galaxy Note 8 is just priced right at $19.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video Review: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Book Cover Case... with wake / sleep

If you managed to pick up the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 on release date, or thinking of getting the Galaxy Note 8 you will find out that accessories are a bit hard to get. I like to keep my tablets as slim as possible and with the Book Cover Case you can achieve this. At this moment you can only get the Book Cover Case in white at your local stores, but this will change come the following weeks.

Like I have mentioned, I really like to keep my tablets as slim as possible and by doing I understand that protection is not the best as you will see that most of the Galaxy Note 8 is exposed using the Book Cover Case. On the plus side, the Book Cover Case is light weight and adds very little weight to your Galaxy Note 8 which makes it very comfortable to carry around with you. The Book Cover Case is made out of vinly and plastic, well at least that is what it feels like. The inside of the front cover has felt, this could help from getting your screen scratched. The back is made out of hard plastic which protects the Galaxy Note 8 from minor drops and keeps your back cover from getting scratched. All of the ports are accessible with the Book Cover Case, so you won't have any problems when you want to raise the volume or power off the Galaxy Note 8.

Here you can see that the Galaxy Note 8 fits perfectly in the Book Cover Case, and you can see the felt on the inside of the front cover.

The Book Cover Case has an option to use the Galaxy Note 8 in angle to type or just use it for browsing the web. It does have a magnetic on the edge of the front cover case that makes it very easy to convert the Book Cover Case in typing mode. By having the magnetic on the Book Cover Case and now that Samsung has added the wake / sleep feature on the Galaxy Note 8, this is on par with the iPad Mini and Kindle Fire HD tablets that also has the wake / sleep feature, glad to see this on the Galaxy Note 8.

The Samsung Book Cover Case also has a way to use the case as a stand. The front cover becomes a kick stand to prop the Galaxy Note 8 up and gives you a nice viewing angle to watch movies or if you pair up with Bluetooth keyboard and Bluetooth mouse, your Galaxy Note 8 could be your on the go work station.

If your thinking about getting the Samsung Book Cover Case, check the video for more in-depth review.