ForbesOnTech

Congratulations Microsoft, You May Have Lost Me as a Customer, Like Forever.

When I first began outlining an idea i had for a book on contemporary gold prospector and their tribal natures, I realized I needed to think very carefully about what i needed in a portable computer. List in hand,  I went shopping for a new machine. A convertible seemed like a perfect fit so I marched over to the Main Exchange at Camp Pendleton and forked over $900 for a Microsoft Surface Book. I was attracted to the idea of its  detachable screen-- which I could use to view and interpret sectional maps of the CA Gold country its overall performance and lightweight.

The icing on the cake for me was up to ten hours  of  battery life, a wicked fast SST and a keyboard I could use comfortably for hours at a time.The ground truth of my Surface book  experience however left me convinced most notebook computer designers  have never ever done much more than build to marketing design bullet points or copy other manufacturers’ reference designs. In the case of my first Surface Book I came to believe Microsoft had copied the worst of Apple’s MacBook Air, i. E, a sealed case. 

And, the system battery went south shortly after the Surface book’s warranty expired and the estimated cost of repairing it nearly exceeded its original purchase price.My experience with the Surface book has made me very nervous about replacing my current all-in-one desktop with Microsoft’s sleek new Surface Studio desktop or moving from my current Lenovo-made cell phone to Microsoft’s forthcoming Duo cell phone.

hubba hubba,Please don't let them launch the Surface Duo nwith a sealed case.

Jim Forbes on April 20,2020

 

Acers New Flagship Sets High Bar for Windows 10 All in One Desktops

It’s been a long time since I was surprised by an all-In-One computer  out of the box experience.  but, Acer’s new  Aspire Z3-719UR54 has ended my dry spell, this is Acer’s new top of the line all-in one and it runs Windows 10.The Acer Aspire Z3-719UR54 is  a top of the line all-in-one desktop.

Acer supplied me with a standard configuration: an Intel Core i5-4590T processor that zips along at 2.0 GHz but can boost its speed  to 3.0GHz, a full 8GB of DDR3L dual channel memory; a 1TB SATA hard disk drive. The new Acer AIO has a 23.8 inch screen that’s driven by  Intel’s HD 4600 graphics controller. As provided me for this reviewr the purpose of this review, the Aspire Z3 -719UR 54 costs $899.

This AIO has a configuration that makes it useful for corporate offices,student dorms, or home offices.

I like the fact that this AIO doesn’t scrimp on expansion ports .It has three USB 2,0 ports and two USB3.0 ports, HDMI in plus audio input and out  jacks are built into the system case. A DVD. multi optical drive also part of this system.

The Aspire Z3-719UR54 may be the best designed AIO Acer has ever produced.The system case is mounted on a pedestal, and the touch screen has 25 degrees of elevation.

The first thing I did when I set up the Acer Aspire Z3-719UR54 was see how it worked as a video conferencing platform. Its HD 1080 pixel camera captures crisp images and this system’s 23.9 inch screen (which has two stereo microphones built into its bezel makes video conferencing a great application.

The performance of this system is well above average, particularly running graphics and processor intensive applications. The same attributes, also make a very good entertainment PC

The stunning graphics capabilities of the new Acer All In One is made possible by Intel’s new HD46000 graphics processor which has the horsepower to fill a 1920 by 1080 pixel screen display to its edges while rendering crisp images.

I do have a couple of criticisms of this machine. First, I believe that all AIO manufacturers need provide keyboards with greater tactile feedback;Secondly, while the volume of this system’s speakers are acceptable for front on experiences it could be louder.the audio quality, however is above average.In fact I was surprisedb y Acer’s True harmony technology, which is part of this system’s underlying architecture.

There is o doubt in my mind that the Windows 10 operating system contributes to the performance and outstanding usability of this all-in-One desktop. Running Windows 10, boot up times are shorter and other features mhelp improve the performanc and capabilities of touch interface technologies.

The Acer Aspire Z3-719UR54 is one of the best All in ones i’ve reviewed in the last several years. At $899 it compares very favorably to Lenovo’s flagship A740 AIO, which has a much larger 27-inch screen but with a near $1,800 price tag costs almost twice as much as the new Acer.--Jim Forbes on 09/04/2015.

It's Time to Open up All in One System Cases and Reboot Feature Sets

At long last PC makers are taking steps to make, All-In-One (AIO) desktops easier to service and upgrade.

Historically, AIOs have used beefed up versions of system boards designed for portable computers but housed in a  case that's not easily opened by users for common upgrade procedures such as adding additional system memory.

Over the last 30 months , a handful of AIO makers have introduced new designs that include access ports that make it possible for owners to upgrade their systems, without completely disassembling a system case.

The first PC maker to introduce those was Apple on it’s high end IMac line. Apple was followed by Asus and Lenovo. A  $1,000  Lenovo or a $2,500 iMac that doesn’t allow a user to easily add more (or change) memory is a bad investment.In fact user accessibilty is so important to me that it was among the top two reasons why I purchased a Lenovo with a 29-inch display last year.

Lenovo B750 with access port

All-in-one manufacturers should rethink all their case designs and support features that make it easier for users to upgrade their systems.

ONe of the most consistent reasons users upgrade memory on their All-in-Ones is t o increase performance overall and specifically to better take advantage of memory hungry graphic programs.

I suspect Microsoft’s new HoloLens technology could be a factor that pressures AIO makers and users to bump up their system memory, or upgrade harddisks.

AIO case system designs should also be changed to make it easier to replace optical disk drives.In the 18 month period ending October of2014, the optical drives on a 23-inch Lenovo and a 23 inch Sony AIO both failed out of the waranty period. I was unprepared for a service bill that included 3 hours of labor and a wait of up to three weeks to get an optical drive that would fit in the cases of either system, so I bought an external USB optical drive and gave the systems to a young relative who is a college student.

I’m willing to bet that hP is at the head of the AIO Makers who will increase the capabilities of all-in-ones in the coming months. The example here is the HP Sprout, a 23-inch Windows 8.1 platform with a capacitive touch pad under the screen that can be used to directly alter or manipulate images.

I hope the other AIO makers take a good look at the HP Sprout and its capabilities, which could kick off a new class of desktops that challenge Apple’s 27-inch iMAC.--Jim Forbes on February 2, 2015.

 

Acer Brings Android to its TAU272 HUL All in One 27-inch Desktop

Acer’s new TAU272 HUL all-in-one desktop, could be the first in new wave of computers that breaks the mold in traditional desktop computing. Unlike most all in Ones this new desktop is based on Google's Android operating system.

The TAU272 HUL has a 27-inch screen and supports 10-point touch controls. I was very anxious to test  out this new Google Android powered all-in-one because over the last year, I’ve switched to cloud-based applications such as Google’s docs and spreadsheets, which eliminates my need for high capacity local storage and other local capabilities as well as expensive personal and office productivity applications.

The TAU272 HUL is a pared down all-in one. It boots Android 2.2 “Jelly Bean” operating system from local storage when it starts up and has been designed to use with cloud-based apps. the basic configuration of this AIO includes, 16GB of memory, an NVidia 1.6MHz quad core Integra processor with 2GB of memory, A Dolby Surround Sound audio subsystem, 3 USB 2.0 and two HDMI ports amd a MicroSD port, plus a 2 MP self contained camera.A wireless small form factor keyboard and mouse are shipped with this system.

Initial pricing for the Acer TAU272 HUL which is just now being offered by some online retailers is about $900.

An integrated hard disk and an optical drive are not included in this system, but a surfeit of USB ports makes adding those components easy, if they’re needed.

this all-in-one’s case is very sturdy  its swingarm stand iseasily positioned to meet the needs of an individual or a group of users.s. The speakers on this system are mounted in a clear plastic mounting under its screen, which improves this desktop's audio experience.

My only complaint with the design of the TAU 262 is this: when the stand is deployed, its HDMI connectors are positioned in a fashion that makes quick connections difficult.

This new all in One is built around Acer’s touch-enabled 27-inch 2540 by 1440 pixel screen. the screen on this system has one of the widest viewing angles (nearly 180 degrees)  I’ve ever tested on any all-in-one desktop. And this machine can be tilted 30 degrees from its vertical upright position. The tilt and widescreen viewing angle make this machine a good platform for entertainment applications where more than one person is viewing the screen.

Unfortunately, although the DOlby Surround Sound system has a great tonal range, it’s somewhat underpowered.

I found the video displays to be not as sharp as other all-in-ones I’ve tested that use faster Intel multi-core processors and more capable display logic.the video display on the TAU272 HUL has a long way to go. it took about 29 seconds for this AIO to boot up, which is on a par with other Android tablets and phablets i've tested.

 

One of the features I like about this computer is connecting my notebook to it using the HDMI connectors. the ability to use this systems display with a 14- 15-inch portable is something I believe some users may find appealing and its useful for bringing touch interface teschnology to otherwise touchless platforms.

After using  Acer’s TAU272 for two weeks, I’ve come to a couple of conclusions: first, Android can migrate to desktops running cloud-based applications; Second, any all-in-one desktop has to have not just high resolution displays but also high performance video controllers; and finally, consumers probably expect Android-based AIO’s to be significantly less expensive than Windows-based machines.

Except as noted, I like the Acer TAU272 and I suspect this desktop could be the first in a long line of future Android desktops.-- Jim Forbes on 04/20/2014