Toshiba outs Encore, an 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablet

The Acer Iconia W3, the first Windows 8 tablet under 10-inch, has finally met its match and it comes in the form of Toshiba Encore; an Intel Bay Trail-powered 8-inch slate running on the revamped version of Windows 8.

With the exception of its IPS display, the Encore sports the same feature set as the Iconia W3 – kinda like identical twins but from different mothers. In most cases, taking a page out of the other’s playbook may turn out well, especially if the reference product garnered positive reviews.

toshiba encore

But considering that the W3 failed to get a nod from most techjounalists, you’re probably wondering why Toshiba even bothered to commit the same mistake. Well, it all boils down to processing power, which is something that the Encore can brag about thanks to the beefy Bay Trail (Atom Z3770) processor at its core.

Running on all fours, and coupled with an Ivy Bridge-based GPU architecture, we can probably expect a more desirable performance out of the Encore compared to other Win8 slabs before it. In addition, the 8-inch tablet will also benefit from the minor refinements that the Windows 8.1 brings to the table which should further enhance the overall use experience.

encore

According to Toshiba, the Encore is expected to hit the retails store by November and will only set you back USD329. That’s for the 32GB variant which will also come pre-installed with Microsoft Office 2013 Home and Student version.

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A preview of Windows 8.1

Microsoft has uploaded a video on YouTube showing the highlights of what to expect in Windows 8.1 which is coming later this year as a free update for Windows 8 customers.

windows8.1

Learning from customer feedback and on how they’re using Windows 8, Microsoft added a slew of new features and enhancements on the upcoming Windows 8.1 update. Below are some of the features to expect:

  • The lockscreen is now a cloud-powered photo frame which shows images sourced from your PC, Skydrive or Windows Phone.
  • New tile sizes. Tile sizes can be larger or smaller for a more efficient start screen.
  • Improved All Apps screen. From the start screen, swipe up to reveal the list of all apps installed on the PC.
  • New personalization options. You can now choose from a wider range of colors for your Windows theme.
  • Motion Accents – an animated start screen wallpaper that moves as you swipe (similar to the Sony Xperia animated wallpapers).
  • Start button is back on desktop mode.
  • New Windows search feature for a more curated app-like experience that brings everything that is on the PC and on the web into one place.
  • Better Skydrive integration.
  • Better multi-tasking experience. You can display up to four apps on the screen at once.

For a better understanding of the features mentioned above, watch the video below:

For those who want to give Windows 8.1 a spin, Microsoft will be releasing a Preview version of the OS on June 26.

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