Lenovo low price iMac and Mac mini slayers revealed!

Microsoft is just getting started with Windows 8, and over the next few months you can expect to see the new operating system popping up in all sorts of form factors, from tablets to desktops and everything in between. Up next to show off its new wares is Lenovo, which has whipped the covers off two very tasty affordable machines that promise the same experience as an Apple iMac or Mac mini at a mere fraction of the price. Up first are the Lenovo C240 and C245 all-in-ones,18.5-inch desktop machines packing Windows 8, and the more powerful 20-inch C340 and C345 models powered by Intel’s top of the line Core processors. They’re all sporting 720p HD displays, and can squeeze in up to a huge terabyte of storage – thousands of albums and movies. Just as tantalising is Lenovo’s new Mac mini killer, the Lenovo IdeaCentre Q190. It’s just 22mm thick, but full powered, with options for a speedy Core i3 processor and up to 8GB of memory for monster multi-tasking, as well as optional 3D Blu-ray support. It also comes with a multimedia remote with a keyboard and mouse you can use in the dark – making it perfect for plugging into the telly and creating your very own smart TV. We’re still working on a UK price and launch date for both, but the Lenovo IdeaCentre Q190 arrives stateside in January starting from $349 (£220) and the Lenovo C240 from the same price. www.tell-me-first.com

Microsoft boasts of 32 different Windows 8 tablets to take on iPad

The Apple iPad continues to be the leading tablet computer. To combat this Microsoft is reportedly working with its hardware partners to launch not one, but a total of 32 different Windows 8 tablets this year, with some costing less than £200.

By flooding the market with Windows 8 tablets, the plan is to decrease the market share of the iPad from 70 per cent to below 50 per cent by mid 2013, reports Digitimes. The Windows 8 tablets are already in development.

It is estimated that at the current rate of development there will be 32 Windows 8 tablets arriving this year, launched by the likes of Dell, Lenovo, Acer, Toshiba, Packard Bell, and more, priced from around $300 (£187) rising to $1,000 (£623).

Any of the prices mentioned could deliver some serious competition not just to the iPad, but other tablet devices, too such as the Amazon Kindle Fire abroad. Despite the increasing presence of tablets in the market, there is still a lack of choice of truly great tablets worthy of toppling the iPad.

Former Apple CEO John Sculley recently described the Samsung Galaxy Tab as the “only serious” competitor to the Apple iPad. Asus would of course have something to say about that. Its new quad-core Asus Transformer Prime TF700 is already on our most-wanted list.

Lenovo releases 11.6-inch ultraportable laptop

It seems like tablets have taken over when it comes to portable computing, but 11.6-inch laptops still have a lot to offer if work is on the agenda. The Lenovo ThinkPad x121e is one such machine, boasting a light and compact design, along with great build quality and a decent set of specs.
We love tablets for browsing the web or watching movies, but they’re nowhere near as good as laptops when it comes to typing or actual work. The Lenovo ThinkPad x121e looks like a good solution, providing a compact 11.6-inch footprint, along with a decent-sized keyboard and powerful processor.

The Lenovo’s screen features a sharp 1366×768-pixel resolution, offering enough space to view a couple of windows simultaneously, making it easy to multi-task.

You’ll find either an Intel Core i3 or AMD Fusion chip inside the Lenovo ThinkPad x121e’s chassis, along with the option of a 128GB solid state drive (SSD).

Despite the compact chassis, you’ll still find three USB ports in place, along with a memory card reader, HDMI and VGA ports and WiMAX.

Set to launch in the next month, prices for the Lenovo ThinkPad X121e have yet to be announced.