Windows RT: ARM tablets and laptops, better battery life, and fewer features – The Verge

Microsoft left alone with Windows RT as Dell drops XPS 10 tablet

2013-09-25T10:06:09-04:00

Dell XPS 10

Microsoft appears to be the only company still selling a Windows RT-based tablet. Dell's XPS 10 is now listed as unavailable, following a price drop for the past few months. While the company won't comment about its future Windows RT plans, it did reveal to PC World that a fresh tablet line up will be announced at an event in early October. A refreshed XPS 10 is unlikely as the company is opting for Intel's Bay Trail processor for an upcoming 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet.

Dell joins Lenovo, Asus, and Samsung who have all bailed on Windows RT. Despite backing Windows RT earlier this year, it appears that the "slower" sales of Dell's device have le …

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Asus will no longer make Windows RT tablets

2013-08-09T18:23:57-04:00

Asus Vivo Tab RT 640

Windows RT is running out of friends. Asus told The Wall Street Journal that it will no longer make Windows RT tablets with ARM chips, saying it took a loss on its Windows RT devices last quarter. Instead, the company will build full Windows 8 devices using Intel processors. Originally, Asus was one of the operating system's stalwart supporters, putting its Asus Vivo Tab RT on shelves before the competition, but other companies like Samsung, Toshiba, HTC and Nokia have all curtailed their efforts, and companies like Acer and Dell are proceeding cautiously.

Not a single Windows RT tablet was announced at Computex Taipei, Asia's biggest compu …

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Nvidia pins blame for disappointing Tegra revenue on Windows RT

2013-08-09T04:03:41-04:00

Microsoft Surface RT stock

Microsoft isn't the only one feeling the pecuniary pain of Windows RT's market failure. Nvidia's latest earnings report has been accompanied by commentary from CEO Jen Hsun-Huang saying that a "particular platform just didn't do as well as we or frankly anybody in the industry had hoped." Though Huang doesn't name Windows RT explicitly, it's evident that it's the platform he's referring to, and he goes on to say that its disappointing sales have impacted Nvidia's bottom line to the tune of up to $300 million. What's more, Huang admits that "we don't expect it in the short term to come back."

The Surface RT tablet that Microsoft introduced a …

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Nvidia reveals it’s working on Microsoft’s Surface 2 tablet

2013-08-08T19:10:59-04:00

Microsoft Surface RT stock

Microsoft has cut the price of the Surface RT in recent weeks due to slow sales, but it appears there are other reasons the company wants to shift its current tablet supplies. In an interview with CNET, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang has revealed that the chipmaker is working together with Microsoft on the next-generation Surface. Despite Microsoft's $900 million Surface RT write-down, Huang is hopeful about the upcoming Surface refresh.

After claiming Outlook for Surface RT would make his "life complete," and labelling Windows RT disappointing, Huang now believes that the inclusion of Microsoft's mail application in an upcoming update is "the kill …

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Microsoft took a $900 million hit on Surface RT this quarter

2013-07-18T16:26:06-04:00

Microsoft Surface RT stock

Microsoft just announced earnings for its fiscal Q4 2013, and while the company posted strong results it also revealed some details on how the Surface RT project is costing the business money. Microsoft's results showed a $900 million loss due to Surface RT "inventory adjustments," a charge that comes just a few days after the company officially cut Surface RT prices significantly. This $900 million loss comes out of the company's total Windows revenue, though its worth noting that Windows revenue still increased year-over-year. Unfortunately, Microsoft still doesn't give specific Windows 8 sales or revenue numbers, but it probably performed …

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Nokia’s cancelled 10-inch Windows RT tablet allegedly pictured

2013-07-09T04:14:14-04:00

Gallery Photo: Nokia Windows RT tablet photos

Nokia was building its own Windows RT tablet that was set to debut earlier this year, but sources familiar with the project have revealed to The Verge that it was cancelled in favor of a full Windows 8 version. Alleged images of Nokia's RT tablet have surfaced on a Korean forum this week, showing what looks like a 10-inch tablet running Microsoft's Windows RT operating system. Five images posted to a Naver Cafe forum dedicated to games also show a charging port that the poster identifies as a magnetic connector similar to the MagSafe used on MacBooks and on Microsoft's Surface tablets.

Nokia's Windows RT tablet is said to be running on Nvid …

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Windows RT 8.1 preview: all the additions you’d expect, but no desktop removal

2013-06-26T20:30:08-04:00

Windows RT 8.1

Windows RT was largely unmentioned during Microsoft's Build opening keynote on Wednesday, but the company is also releasing a preview version of Windows RT 8.1 this week. Designed to update ARM-based tablets to the same features that Windows 8.1 provides, there's little difference between the two. I got the chance to run Windows RT 8.1 on a Surface RT and see exactly what Microsoft has improved.

First things first, the desktop mode remains. Despite not being able to install and run traditional desktop applications, the desktop mode in Windows RT 8.1 is still present and includes the Start button just like its x86 counterpart. It's not that …

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One year after debut, Windows RT is a Computex no-show

2013-06-05T12:01:03-04:00

Steve Mollenkopf qualcomm windows rt 8.1

Three days into Computex Taipei, Asia's biggest computer show, not a single manufacturer has announced a Windows RT device. Windows RT, the version of Windows 8 designed for more power-efficient ARM processors, made its official debut at last year's show on a convertible tablet by Asus.

The operating system has suffered a shaky period since its October launch, with disappointed comments from partners, fire sales from manufacturers, and unflattering performance comparisons all contributing to a general sense of negativity. The Computex show floor has been dominated by devices running Windows 8 on Haswell and other chips from Intel, but ARM-p …

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HTC reportedly cancels plans for full-size Windows RT tablet, but 7-inch tablets still on track

2013-05-30T16:56:34-04:00

Windows Phone stock buttons Radar 4G (1020)

HTC has reportedly canceled its plans to develop a full-size Windows RT tablet, citing weak demand for larger tablets, according to Bloomberg. High cost of development was also cited as a reason for canceling the planned 12-inch device. However, the company is still apparently on track to develop a 7-inch tablet running Microsoft's stripped down operating system, with a launch expected later this year. HTC is also said to be planning a new 7-inch Android tablet for the same time frame. Both tablets are expected to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.

Bloomberg initially reported HTC's plans to develop Windows RT tablets back in Dec …

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Windows RT hits a new low: just $300 for Dell’s XPS 10 convertible

2013-05-15T03:34:35-04:00

Dell XPS 10

Microsoft's Surface notwithstanding, Windows RT hasn't yet been the success that Microsoft has hoped. Samsung seems to be distancing itself from the operating system, and many PC manufacturers have yet to bite at all. However, Dell has publicly committed to the OS, and this week it's making Windows RT more accessible than ever before: it's cutting the price of the Dell XPS 10 tablet to just $299.

We still wouldn't necessarily recommend buying one at that price, even with the sizable $150 discount it represents. Even tablets equipped with Intel's lowly Atom processors have been putting Windows RT devices to shame, and we haven't spent enough …

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