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Samsung has unveiled three new Windows 8 machines with the innards fitted in a touchscreen monitor rather than a desktop unit. We’d say it’s reminiscent of an iMac, but that might be a touchy subject at the moment.
The three computers will debut in October and come with a mouse and keyboard but no touchpad: users will have to rely on the screen to take advantage of the Windows 8 touch features. They are technically part of two different ranges, the Series 5 and Series 7.
The Series 5 machine is 21.5 inch and costs $749. The Series 7 options are 23 inches for $1,099 and 27 inches for $1,699. (Yes, that’s the same 27″/$1699 as the iMac, but seriously, don’t go there.) The specs scale appropriately: the 23 inch has 6GB of memory while the 27 inch has a better processor and 8GB.
Innards aside, the thing that may stand out the most is actually a tweak Samsung has made to Windows 8 itself. Right there at the bottom of the screen is a custom “widget” officially known as the S Launcher.
The widget has two parts. One icon labelled “Start menu” is indeed a replica of the feature that’s disappeared with the “new and improved” Windows 8. As with the old Microsoft feature, you click on this, start typing a term, and the relevant settings and applications show up. The second icon is a gear and brings up settings options, making it the equivalent of the control panel.
You can also drag application icons to the widget. They’ll then remain there until you remove them, allowing the widget to act as a launcher. That’s a launcher and definitely not a dock, OK?
So yeah, Samsung has indeed tried to turn the potential hybrid mess of Windows 8 into a usable and practical machine, and wouldn’t you know, the results don’t half have an appley taste. Let’s hope for Samsung’s sake that this time the lawyers take it as flattery.
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