Bonnie Cha

Recent Posts by Bonnie Cha

Can’t Decide Between Windows or Android? Samsung’s ATIV Q Convertible Does Both.

With the launch of Windows 8, we’ve seen the emergence of convertible devices — machines that twist, fold or detach so you can use them as a laptop or a tablet. Now Samsung is giving new meaning to the term “convertible.”

At an event in London today, Samsung introduced the ATIV Q, a hybrid device that can run Windows 8 and Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2. The company said it designed the ATIV Q after its customers expressed a desire to access Android apps on a Windows PC. Now, users can switch between the two operating systems seamlessly.

You can even pin Android apps to the Windows 8 start screen, and transfer and share files between Windows 8 and Android. (Asus also introduced a Windows-Android hybrid, the Transformer Book Trio, at Computex earlier this month.)

But that’s not where the covertible-ness of the device stops. The laptop also features a hinge design that lets you use the machine in four different modes. You can use it as a regular laptop; you can lay the display flat over the keyboard to use as a tablet, or flip it over to watch videos. Finally, you can pull the display away from the hinge and position it at different angles — sort of like an all-in-one PC.

Sound familiar? That’s because Acer offers a similar design with its Aspire R7 laptop, though the ATIV Q has a smaller form factor. It measures 0.5-inch thick, and weighs 2.8 pounds; the Aspire R7 comes in at 0.7-inch thick and 3.3 pounds. While thinner and lighter is better, these types of convertible devices often come with trade-offs.

Samsung boasted that the ATIV Q’s 3,200 by 1,800 pixel touchscreen offers 2.8 times the pixel density of full HD displays, can be viewed in bright sunlight, and has a 178-degree viewing angle. The ATIV Q is powered by Intel’s latest Core i5 processor, and promises up to nine hours of battery life.

In addition to the ATIV Q, the company also introduced the ATIV Tab 3. Dubbing it the world’s thinnest (stop me if you’ve heard this before) Windows 8 tablet, the ATIV Tab 3 measures just 0.3-inch thick and weighs 1.2 pounds. It’s targeted at those looking for a portable tablet to use on the go.

It comes preloaded with Microsoft Office Home & Student and, like the Galaxy Note series, the tablet includes a stylus (called the S Pen), so users can take notes, make annotations and sketch doodles right on the device. The ATIV Q also supports the S Pen.

Samsung did not announce pricing or availability for either devices at this time. Also unveiled today was the Android-based Galaxy NX camera.

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