Xbox 360
A look at gadget happenings, as Xbox celebrates 28 months as the top games console in the US, HP unveils two new hybrid laptops, and Dell gets ready to ship its thumb-sized PC device.
Xbox 360: more than two years at the top
While we await details on the next-generation Xbox from Microsoft, due tomorrow, the company is keen to remind us that the current console is still top of the charts.
The Xbox 360 remained the No 1 games console in the US for the 28th consecutive month in April, according to figures from The NPD Group, accounting for 42pc of current-generation console sales that month, with 130,000 units sold.
The total retail spend on the Xbox platform in April (including hardware, software and accessories) reached US$20m, which was the most for any console in the US.
HP’s new Android and Windows 8 hybrids
HP has revealed two new transformer PCs for its x2 range, one running Google’s Android OS and the other with Microsoft’s Windows 8. The HP SlateBook x2 and Split x2 laptops come with a magnetic hinge that can be released to remove the display and use it as a standalone tablet.
HP SlateBook x2 (via HP Hewlett-Packard/Flickr)
The 10.1-inch SlateBook x2 is the Android device, running Jelly Bean 4.2.2. It’s the first Android detachable device with Nvidia’s Tegra 4 mobile processor and users can get access to to Tegra 4-optimised games via the TegraZone app.
HP Split x2 (via HP Hewlett-Packard/Flickr)
The Split x2 is a 13.3-inch Windows 8 device powered by the third-generation Intel Core processor family. Features include Beats Audio, optional hard drive and a 2MP TrueVision full-HD webcam.
Both the SlateBook x2 and the Split x2 feature a dual battery system, with one in the base and one in the slate, offering users more power no matter which form factor they opt for.
With no information yet on European release dates, what we do know is that the SlateBook and the Split will arrive in the US in August at US$479.99 and US$799.99, respectively.
Dell to ship thumb-sized PCs this summer
Project Ophelia from Dell, the thumb-sized PC introduced at CES at the start of this year, will reportedly start shipping to developers in July followed by availability through telecom operators in August with a price of about US$100.
The device is the size of a USB flash drive and can plug into a HDMI port to turn any compatible display into an Android-based computer.
Project Ophelia
The device is expected to come with some form of Android Jelly Bean and will allow users to download and run apps on their display of choice. The device will also be Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled and Dell is working on technology to optimise this device for the business market, PC World reports.
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