At IFA 2012, Samsung has unveiled its new range of ATIV smart devices, which come with the latest Windows 8, Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 operating systems. The latest Microsoft platforms will see general release in October and are expected to see great levels of demand, and, clearly, Samsung has decided not to put all of its eggs in Android’s basket.
We’ve already seen Samsung’s latest Android release from IFA, the new Galaxy Note II, and, as well as the ATIV devices, the South Korean manufacture has also unveiled three new Windows 8-powered all-in-one computers.
Hybrid notebook and tablet PCs
The ATIV suite features four new devices in all. First, there are two hybrid notebook and tablet PCs: the ATIV Smart PC and the ATIV Smart PC Pro. Both come packing an 11.6-inch bright, full-HD LCD display, with the Pro coming marginally thicker at 11.9mm to the basic’s 9.9mm.
The key difference between the two devices is the processing power, with the Smart PC housing a next-generation Intel Atom processor, while the Smart PC Pro packs an Intel Core i5. The battery life on the more powerful Pro model is just eight hours, while the basic model can get up to 13.5 hours.
Both devices run on Windows 8 with Windows 7 compatibility. Like the new all-in-ones, the hybrids feature 10-finger multi-touch control. On top of that, users also have the option of using the S Pen.
The detachable keyboard docking system comes with USB 2.0 (and USB 3.0 for the Pro), mHDMI and miniSD ports, and both devices also come with integrated front and rear cameras.
Mobile devices
For devices that are purely mobile, there’s the ATIV Tab and the ATIV S. The Tab is a Windows RT tablet with a 10.1-inch display – an alternative to the Android-powered Galaxy Note 10.1 for Windows fans. The device is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and comes with NFC technology, a 5MP rear camera and 1.9MP front-facing VT camera.
Being a Windows device, the Tab also comes with Office Home and Student 2013 RT pre-installed and is compatible with all manner of Windows-based peripherals.
Finally, the ATIV S is Samsung’s new Windows Phone 8 smartphone, powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. The NFC-enabled device features a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display, 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 1.9MP front-facing VT camera.
