Blackphone tweak makes app updates less annoying for the security-conscious

<b>The clandestine Blackphone finally has its own dedicated app updater, eliminating the need to restart the device every time new software from Blackphone or its app partners arrives.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydGecjCuQMGyoztneAL9PT7QEN0aEK29dIlWhiKlS-b3tL1sf2U5DgW2thm73wTiBOZK_e7gZ-gcwrjMT63oBcjx1JZJeaJMUQotIH5h6l7bEQsJHLBDVbWpndbn7T0sul8mk5K9WUz2p/s1600/Blackphone-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydGecjCuQMGyoztneAL9PT7QEN0aEK29dIlWhiKlS-b3tL1sf2U5DgW2thm73wTiBOZK_e7gZ-gcwrjMT63oBcjx1JZJeaJMUQotIH5h6l7bEQsJHLBDVbWpndbn7T0sul8mk5K9WUz2p/s1600/Blackphone-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Blackphone tweak makes app updates less annoying for the security-conscious" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackphone tweak makes app updates less annoying for the security-conscious</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> And that's not the only new feature in the Blackphone's PrivatOS 1.0.5 update, which also adds a custom build of the K-9 email client, a panorama camera mode, and call audio improvements, along with numerous smaller improvements and bug fixes.<br /> <br /> The company posted the full release notes on it site. If you have a Blackphone, an over-the-air update should hit your device soon.<br /> <br /> The story behind the story: The Blackphone runs a forked, privacy-focused version of Android called PrivatOS, which is built for better control and visibility of data coming to and from the phone. It doesn't even have access to the Google Play Store, so you have to sideload apps yourself.<br /> <br /> Because the OS is built specifically for this device, many of its features are rather rudimentary compared to run-of-the-mill Android devices—such as its inability to elegantly handle updates (until now). But if you get the Blackphone it's not because you want to post selfies to Instagram—the device is designed for privacy and security enthusiasts zealous about keeping firm control over their data. <br /> <br /> One of its core apps is the Blackphone Security Center, which lets you view and control what information is going into and out of your phone. Contacts, messaging, and phone calls connect to the encrypted Silent Circle service.<br /> <br /> The company that builds the Blackphone is even located in Switzerland, which it says has better privacy laws than other western nations. </div> <div> <br /></div> <div> <br /></div>

Blackphone tweak makes app updates less annoying for the security-conscious

The clandestine Blackphone finally has its own dedicated app updater, eliminating the need to restart the device every time new software fro...

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The Tempescope shows you tomorrow's weather by physically creating it

Another very cool item hidden within CEATEC, Japan's biggest tech show, was the Tempescope. The team behind it call it "an ambient physical display that visualizes the weather, inside your living room" -- it's an elaborate lit-up box that shows you tomorrow's weather in a very classy, oddly relaxing, way.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuAYhY8BIl8Cbn5HsMaypsuPPmg2gl00X0ugKFa5GZLKORK8BMs3pKQ_GSbXKwjckw6vGy6960_vFiXYJ7kb6O-001ulmFwt0dlvHodyCyy5OJ4gg2Hf4KHH3DC1hwVzx0XyGapNjAxh-/s1600/Tempescope-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuAYhY8BIl8Cbn5HsMaypsuPPmg2gl00X0ugKFa5GZLKORK8BMs3pKQ_GSbXKwjckw6vGy6960_vFiXYJ7kb6O-001ulmFwt0dlvHodyCyy5OJ4gg2Hf4KHH3DC1hwVzx0XyGapNjAxh-/s1600/Tempescope-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="The Tempescope shows you tomorrow's weather by physically creating it" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tempescope shows you tomorrow's weather by physically creating it</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> <div> To work out exact what kind of weather it should summon, the Tempescope pulls hourly forecasts from a wireless connection from a PC (future models could pretty easily pluck similar information from your smartphone), and once the 'scope knows what's happening, it'll try to create those meteorological conditions inside the sealed cuboid you see above. A combination of water and ultrasonics creates the cloudy vapor inside the box, while water can also be gathered at the top, and dripped down to create rain. LED lights at the top attempt offer up an estimation of either thunder or sunshine, depending on what's going down tomorrow.<br /> <br /> The product of after-hours and weekend tinkering by a small team of three, it's been in development for a few years and now they plan to launch crowdfunding campaign early next year which, if successful, will pave the way for a professionally-finished, thoroughly modern weather vane. You can check their site for all the details -- and even the whole schematics for the thing, if you're feeling particularly productive.</div> </div>

The Tempescope shows you tomorrow's weather by physically creating it

Another very cool item hidden within CEATEC, Japan's biggest tech show, was the Tempescope. The team behind it call it "an ambient ...

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Sony’s PS4 game streaming Xperia Z3v lands on Verizon Oct. 23 for $199 on contract

<b>Sony announced Thursday that it’s finally bringing one of its Android-powered smartphones to more than one carrier in the U.S.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvREU8pHt7JdaOK0niDRwSYeyzlr1cCbRjAICsh2XG5zXQc25inOL_O9o4ueY5pAwspKLs7mODh-_mPsKdRfx9OB68nOoWagAw01ncGHV8yz4AVHCwKtJ3s4Sze4yht37B1svT6gjeGaL/s1600/Sony-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvREU8pHt7JdaOK0niDRwSYeyzlr1cCbRjAICsh2XG5zXQc25inOL_O9o4ueY5pAwspKLs7mODh-_mPsKdRfx9OB68nOoWagAw01ncGHV8yz4AVHCwKtJ3s4Sze4yht37B1svT6gjeGaL/s1600/Sony-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Sony’s PS4 game streaming Xperia Z3v lands on Verizon" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sony’s PS4 game streaming Xperia Z3v lands on Verizon</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Verizon Wireless will be the second carrier ever to offer one of Sony’s flagship phones, the Xperia Z3v (the carrier previously only offered an Xperia tablet). Big Red will also carry the Sony SmartWatch 3 when it launches next month. Sony's Xperia Z3 variant will go on sale for $199 with 2-year contract on October 23.<br /> <b><br /> FLORENCE ION</b><br /> <br /> The Xperia Z3v at a glance.<br /> <br /> The Sony Xperia Z3 was introduced last month at IFA 2014 in Berlin, but this is a special variant with Verizon-exclusive features. Like the Z3, the Z3v is powered by a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor and 3GB of RAM, and it features a 5.2-inch full HD display and a 20.7-megapixel camera with Sony’s Exmor RS mobile sensor. Verizon users will also have access to wireless charging, 32GB of storage—16GB more than the T-Mobile variant—and a slightly spruced-up design, which resembles the handset’s predecessor, the Xperia Z2. The battery, at 3200mAh, is slightly larger than the regular Z3.<br /> <br /> Why this matters: Sony offers a solid lineup of Android-powered handsets, but it’s been struggling to gain much traction stateside because of the apparent exclusivity of its devices. Previously, if you wanted to adopt one of Sony’s latest flagships, you had to be a T-Mobile subscriber or buy an unlocked device online. It seriously limited those who were with a bigger carrier, like Verizon, from even considering a Sony handset.<br /> <br /> The expansion to other carriers should help Sony resonate with more customers in the U.S. It’ll be interesting to see how well it sells at Verizon six months from now, especially considering the other Android flagships it’s going up against.</div>

Sony’s PS4 game streaming Xperia Z3v lands on Verizon Oct. 23 for $199 on contract

Sony announced Thursday that it’s finally bringing one of its Android-powered smartphones to more than one carrier in the U.S. Sony’s PS4...

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Microsoft updates Skype for Windows, Mac with new chat interface

<b>Chatting in Skype for Windows and the Mac now looks more like the Windows Phone version, whether you like it or not.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3uN1Y0UjIRRlvr9qz6zdBEua_oOgMgs-BX8F-hMjSpkdrEfslgmOQqUjSrQF9qbmhu_rHpvKA9xFgcRUrc5JCjL9MPRf4d1cy3c7ZGr9GgPyMpLH3T_qmsurX8-N3SK6CbqkDKkjJ_8s/s1600/Skype-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3uN1Y0UjIRRlvr9qz6zdBEua_oOgMgs-BX8F-hMjSpkdrEfslgmOQqUjSrQF9qbmhu_rHpvKA9xFgcRUrc5JCjL9MPRf4d1cy3c7ZGr9GgPyMpLH3T_qmsurX8-N3SK6CbqkDKkjJ_8s/s1600/Skype-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Microsoft updates Skype for Windows" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Microsoft updates Skype for Windows</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Microsoft's Skype announced version 7.0 for the Mac together with a new preview version for the Windows desktop. Both include a number of potentially attractive productivity improvements, including the ability to chat and talk simultaneously in the new Mac version. But there's still an awful lot of white space, which may annoy some.<br /> <br /> "For the last year we’ve dedicated a lot of time to refresh the chat experience in Skype. We’ve brought more improvements to the desktop," Tom Huang, a Skype exec, wrote in a blog post. <br /> <br /> <b> MICROSOFT</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vPP6yBUHx-YIq6gCkOICeQpqsViTgRXMZcCX4Gc0tg4z8PL2AGTLbcQmXKk8DKhb1sWevXzfwW08hSUbSphkJKGlGZaDlMlgSvAF7fXEvABl_1mvsR4le-t0hs7uk-VtgpJnCxqH8sF0/s1600/Skype-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vPP6yBUHx-YIq6gCkOICeQpqsViTgRXMZcCX4Gc0tg4z8PL2AGTLbcQmXKk8DKhb1sWevXzfwW08hSUbSphkJKGlGZaDlMlgSvAF7fXEvABl_1mvsR4le-t0hs7uk-VtgpJnCxqH8sF0/s1600/Skype-01-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Microsoft updates Skype for Windows" /></a></div> <div> <br /> Why this matters: What's good for the goose isn't necessarily good for the gander. On a phone, scrolling is part of the experience. On a PC, it's more annoying. The new chat UI could use some tightening up, especially if spread out across a large, high-resolution monitor, to cut out some of that white space. But while Skype hasn't come out and said it, we suspect the new Skype app (at least on Windows) is intended to be (eventually) snapped inside one of the four corner windows that Windows 10 allows. In that scenario, the UI should (hopefully) tighten up and conserve space more efficiently.<br /> <br /> Some useful additions<br /> <br /> In general, the new chat UI looks nice, with round avatars representing your friends. Photos can easily be dropped into a chat session, as can documents. Both are useful features when talking back and forth with a colleague or friend, although the layout isn't quite ideal—they sort of dominate the conversation. Microsoft touts this increased spacing as a benefit, although it may prove a bit annoying to scroll back through a long chat.<br /> <br /> <b> MICROSOFT</b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1UM3Xrq4lf1RChkvSKGVJlxzXav8d6sOJNqGkNWHoew7o8tWaAULjp6JybobPt5JiXmj3uhyphenhyphen_c8NP5LkKigYkcjInUhr3-mI9bV08K0CYHVraf9lxqu1PfDa8r5hrGUekO88px5opWao/s1600/Skype-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1UM3Xrq4lf1RChkvSKGVJlxzXav8d6sOJNqGkNWHoew7o8tWaAULjp6JybobPt5JiXmj3uhyphenhyphen_c8NP5LkKigYkcjInUhr3-mI9bV08K0CYHVraf9lxqu1PfDa8r5hrGUekO88px5opWao/s1600/Skype-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Microsoft updates Skype for Windows" /></a></div> <div> <br /> When chat is tucked into a narrow window, however, it seems to work well. Skype for Mac 7.0 adds the ability to text-chat and video-chat in side-by-side windows, sharing photos and documents alongside the live commentary that you and your friends can provide. And Microsoft also promised that the free group video calls that the company previously announced will work better than ever. <br /> <br /> Naturally, the Skype team promises more updates in the future, and to respond to feedback. How do you like the new chat UI within Skype? Do you actually chat within Skype, or is it more of a tool you use to chat via video? Let us know in the comments.</div>

Microsoft updates Skype for Windows, Mac with new chat interface

Chatting in Skype for Windows and the Mac now looks more like the Windows Phone version, whether you like it or not. Microsoft updates Sk...

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Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14

<b>It’s been a full year since Lenovo announced it had signed up Ashton Kutcher as a “product engineer,” and Lenovo is apparently happy with the partnership. The actor/investor is to appear via satellite at a Lenovo event in London on Thursday to introduce several new products, including the new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14 notebooks.</b><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VqkC2wiovjr7tZyexiP3onYmQCpY08y7ZKznrkqpvMbAiftaDUeb0E9YX-VC9NtjkDK0TTNCVuQ1AevrO9S410zdkQBfylulQibEkSf0ZKTndYOWBx8zjViaCBV64X7jv0z4tBsfDewO/s1600/Lenovo-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VqkC2wiovjr7tZyexiP3onYmQCpY08y7ZKznrkqpvMbAiftaDUeb0E9YX-VC9NtjkDK0TTNCVuQ1AevrO9S410zdkQBfylulQibEkSf0ZKTndYOWBx8zjViaCBV64X7jv0z4tBsfDewO/s1600/Lenovo-02-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> Moving parts are usually the first things to break on a computer, so conventional wisdom is the fewer, the better—especially on a notebook that must withstand the rigors of travel.That renders the hinge design Lenovo’s engineers have come up with (I can't imagine Kutcher had much to do with this) as audacious as it is beautiful. Dubbed the “watchband” hinge, it consists of more than 800 individual pieces of steel and aluminum.<br /> <br /> Metal watchbands are pretty durable, so maybe the 800 pieces of steel and aluminum that comprise the Yoga 3 Pro's "watchband" hinge will stand the test of time. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXExk0ZBT_eoTghbW0WYeVf3cDinfNhKbbTzatK0cKMkGT8idES_c40uG_PYcQNU790Mad-P9TUsCYTXq8-GAtIVD9aqdNgzY7UF5NZPruAtY0kunmzzIMaxHwFzMUK-P03zBnYwT6VlPO/s1600/Lenovo-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXExk0ZBT_eoTghbW0WYeVf3cDinfNhKbbTzatK0cKMkGT8idES_c40uG_PYcQNU790Mad-P9TUsCYTXq8-GAtIVD9aqdNgzY7UF5NZPruAtY0kunmzzIMaxHwFzMUK-P03zBnYwT6VlPO/s1600/Lenovo-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14" /></a></div> <div> <br /> Lenovo says the hand-assembled hinge enabled its engineers to render the Yoga 3 Pro thinner and 14 percent lighter than last year’s model. And it certainly looked that way based on a preproduction sample Lenovo showed me last week: The laptop measures just 0.5 inches high and weighs only 2.62 pounds.<br /> <br /> The Yoga 3 Pro will be one of the relatively few laptops powered by Intel’s latest (and very late) mobile processor, the long-delayed Core M-70. That chip's integrated graphics will support a 13.3-inch, 3200x1800 IPS touchscreen. The new model boasts twice as much memory and solid-state storage as the Yoga 2 Pro we reviewed late last year: 8GB of DDR3L memory and a 256GB SSD.</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLDurkUU22wno81O1AMZJ1cCJkhdBHNZG-ErtVevU4CDcHZAhRyT_5wjPgt3Wu1sPSrA6eDFq634_8U4E4vAn8jcoG536lGwrjD5rEF4cy5LQG3LS-z_5nuxKcps4cz4xbXu2GcWFdPHn/s1600/Lenovo-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLDurkUU22wno81O1AMZJ1cCJkhdBHNZG-ErtVevU4CDcHZAhRyT_5wjPgt3Wu1sPSrA6eDFq634_8U4E4vAn8jcoG536lGwrjD5rEF4cy5LQG3LS-z_5nuxKcps4cz4xbXu2GcWFdPHn/s1600/Lenovo-03-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> It also moves up to 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity, compared to 802.11n on the older model. This is an important feature, because it can be difficult or impossible to update a laptop’s Wi-Fi adapter without resorting to a USB dongle.</div> <div> <br /> And rather than use a separate power connector that’s useless when running on battery power, Lenovo came up with a new design that has you plugging its AC adapter into a USB 2.0 port (the Yoga 2 Pro also has two USB 3.0 ports and a 4-in-1 memory card reader). Lenovo claims up to nine hours of battery life for its new laptop.<br /> <br /> ThinkPad Yoga 14<br /> <br /> Lenovo launched Yoga as a consumer brand in 2012, and it introduced the first ThinkPad Yoga to the business-notebook market one year later. The model we reviewed last yearfeatured a unique “Lift ‘n Lock” mechanism that raised the frame surrounding the keyboard so that it’s flush with the keys when the laptop is in tent or tablet mode. The appeal is that you don’t feel the keys when the keyboard is flipped around and the bottom of the chassis makes contact with the top of the lid.<br /> <br /> This design has been carried over to the new, larger ThinkPad Yoga 14, but this machine won’t be getting the fancy hinge treatment or the Core M processor the consumer model has. And while its 14-inch IPS display is larger than last year’s 12.5-inch model, the Yoga 14 will remain limited to resolution of 1920x1080 pixels.</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVndegyAM5_VH3X8HHmM-lnn2c1DvyCH1BsE0rD1iBnbzjj303cID-Qi23tGpi1z4o6RDYoRbXoEUy9yshHJ3ItsxpW5R-ftWU-6qm2iQM6Jc9XXr7UvvpwqARGdM1_LaLjLCs9f8_uJJ/s1600/Lenovo-04-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="alt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVndegyAM5_VH3X8HHmM-lnn2c1DvyCH1BsE0rD1iBnbzjj303cID-Qi23tGpi1z4o6RDYoRbXoEUy9yshHJ3ItsxpW5R-ftWU-6qm2iQM6Jc9XXr7UvvpwqARGdM1_LaLjLCs9f8_uJJ/s1600/Lenovo-04-tech24h.blogspot.com.jpg" title="Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14</td></tr> </tbody></table> <div> The new ThinkPad is powered by a Haswell-class Intel Core i5 processor, with integrated graphics in the base model. An Nvidia GeForce 840M mobile graphics processor is available as an option. Both configurations come with 8GB of DDR3L memory, a 1TB hard drive supplemented by a 16GB solid-state memory cache, a 4-in-1 memory card reader, two USB 3.0 connectors, and one USB 2.0 connector that serves double duty as a power port.<br /> <br /> Being a business-oriented laptop, the ThinkPad Yoga 14 has a docking connector adjacent to this power port, so you can connect it to one of Lenovo’s desktop docking stations using a single cable.<br /> <br /> The ThinkPad Yoga won’t be a super thin-and-light machine, measuring 0.7 inches thick and weighing 4.1 pounds without the discrete graphics processor option. Lenovo says buyers can expect to get up to 8 hours out of its battery.<br /> <br /> Pricing and availability<br /> <br /> Lenovo says the Yoga 3 Pro will be available in three colors—Clementine Orange, Platinum Silver, and Champagne Gold—when it goes on sale at Best Buy and Lenovo.com at the end of October. Prices start at $1349. The ThinkPad Yoga 14 will also be available at the end of October, but in basic black and exclusively at Best Buy, with prices starting at $1199.<br /> <br /> What do you think of Lenovo’s designs? Are you enamored with the hybrid laptop/tablet idea? Do you prefer hybrids with detachable displays? Do you think the whole hybrid concept is silly, and that laptops should be laptops and tablets should be tablets? Should Ashton Kutcher go back to looking for his car? Let us know in the comments section, below.</div>

Lenovo recruits Ashton Kutcher to unveil its new Yoga 3 Pro and ThinkPad Yoga 14

It’s been a full year since Lenovo announced it had signed up Ashton Kutcher as a “product engineer,” and Lenovo is apparently happy with th...

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