world's largest PC manufacturer is going strong, asLenovoannounced today that it witnessed a second-quarter profit increase to the tune of 19 percent. The rise is attributed to healthy sales of smartphones as well as PCs, with Lenovo seeing an increased market share in both categories.
Lenovo posted a net profit of $262.1 million for the quarter, up from $219.7 million a year earlier.Overall revenue rose from $9.77 billion to $10.48 billion, an increase of 7 percent. According to chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang:
Lenovo had another strong quarter that saw excellent market share gains and profit expansion. Not only did we reach nearly 20 percent share in PCs, but we became #1 in the broader PC+ tablet market for the first time.
The Chinese manufacturer not only controls nearly 20 percent global market share in the PC segment, but is also making its way up the smartphone charts. With 16.9 million sales during the quarter, Lenovo is now the fourth largest smartphone vendor in the world. The ascension is largely due to strong sales in its home market, where Lenovo was successfully able to capitalize in the entry-level segment. The manufacturer also unveiled products for the mid-tier and high-end segments at the IFA this year, including the Vibe X2 and the QHD display-toting Vibe Z2 Pro.
In late 2013, Lenovo recruited Ashton Kutcher – yes, that Ashton Kutcher – as its celebrity "product engineer" to collaborate on the original Yoga Android tablet. In all fairness, wasn't like other Android tablets around at the time, and that hasn't changed much to this day. With an unusual design and claims of killer battery life, there were certainly things to help it stand out from the crowd.
But inferior hardware and less than ideal software performance let it down. Lenovo tried again earlier this year with the Yoga 10HD+ with improved hardware, but now its back again – as is Kutcher – with an all-out sequel. The Yoga Tablet 2 is a family of devices that covers both Android and Windows and boasts a 13-inch 'Pro' edition complete with a Pico Projector.
And so it comes time to review. We've got the 10-inch Android version in – because the Windows 8 tablet wouldn't belong here, would it? – to put through its paces. Is it a winner this time around? Read on to find out.
About this review
This review has been written after using a European, WiFi only version of the Yoga 2 over a period of two weeks running on Android 4.4.2 and build number 1050F_140822.
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 video walkthrough
The design and using the Yoga 2
The Yoga 2 looks a lot like the first Yoga tablet, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Once again, the whole tablet hinges around the fold-out kick stand at the base. As such we're left with an insanely slim tablet for the most part, and a 'hump' at the base where we find the stand, and a honkin' great battery inside.
YOU COULD CERTAINLY SLICE SOME CHEESE PRETTY WELL WITH IT
One critique we had of the original Yoga was that due to it's design it was difficult to actually hold. The same applies to the Yoga 2, which is actually a few grams heavier than its predecessor. It's also worth pointing out that the stand is still pretty sharp around the edges. It's not going to cut you every time you pick it up, but you could certainly slice some cheese pretty well with it.
If you're looking for a tablet to consume vast amounts of media, though, Lenovo has nailed it with the stand. Prop it up on a table and thanks to a pretty nice looking 1080p display and stereo speakers with Dolby sound, it becomes a superb mobile video machine.
One thing the stand adds to the Yoga 2 that is new is the so-called "Hang" mode. Because it's got a hole cut into it you can now hang it up from a hook as an alternative to standing it up on a surface. It's got niche appeal, sure, but if you use your tablet a lot in the kitchen for looking at recipes it's ideal.
When it comes to actually holding the tablet, we've found that going "upside down," that is, with the heavy part at the top, is a more comfortable experience. It also makes using the camera easier since it's located in one corner of it. If you're holding it by the hump, the camera is really awkward to use.
Overall, the design of the Yoga 2 is what differentiates it from the rest of the Android tablets out there. You'll either like it or you won't, either way it remains one of the more interesting parts of it. And it's what's going to catch your eye in the store before anything else. On that front Lenovo has done well — variety is never a bad thing.
The specs
OS
Android 4.4 KitKat
Chipset
Quad-core Intel Atom Z3745 (up to 1.86GHz)
RAM
2GB
Display Size
8- or 10-inches IPS
Display Resolution
1920x1200
Cameras
8MP f2.2 Rear 1.6MP Front
Internal Storage
16GB
External Storage
microSD
Connectivity
802.11b/g/n Dual-Band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz) , Optional 4G (in select countries, not US): WCDMA (900/2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz), Integrated Bluetooth® 4.0
Weight
419g (8-inch), 619g (10-inch)
Battery
Upto 18 hours on a single charge
Audio
2x front large-chamber speakers, Dolby® Audio, Wolfson® Master Hi-FiTM
The hardware
THERE SEEMS TO BE PLENTY ENOUGH HORSEPOWER UNDERNEATH
With the Yoga 2 Lenovo has gone for hardware more suitable of a higher-end Android tablet. We've got a 1920x1200 resolution IPS display, Intel's latest 64-bit, quad-core CPU and 2GB of RAM. In theory that should provide plenty of power. The display is attractive enough on the whole, though there is some weirdness – and it's hard to describe it as anything other than that – with rendering and sharpening that leaves text and images fuzzier than they ought to be. There seems to be enough horsepower within to run the Android UI with almost no perceptible lag. It does creep in from time-to-time but largely things are pretty smooth.
Inside you're getting 16GB of onboard storage, and that's it. But, there is a microSD card slot to expand that, which is good to see given the obvious media consumption pretentions. There are two cameras, 8-megapixel and a 1.2-megapixel units, and both could probably be in better locations on the tablet. The front-facing camera is on one of the short edges, yet would surely be better along the top for using with the tablet standing up. We'll look at camera quality in more depth further on.
We've looked at the design, but how about the construction? How well is it put together? On the whole, very well. The base and the stand are metal while the screen housing is plastic. It works well this way because to offset the weight added by the honkin' great battery in the base, the rest of the tablet is insanely thin and light. The back has a slight texture which makes it reasonably easy to hold on to, and the stand is silky smooth to fold out.
THE SPEAKERS ARE LOUD AND THEY SOUND GREAT
We can't ignore the front mounted stereo speakers, either. With backup from on-board Dolby software to tweak the output, once again Lenovo has delivered with sound. They're loud, and sound great whether you're watching a movie, listening to music or catching up on podcasts.
And it's a small touch, but the charging light around the power button is a pretty awesome addition.
The software
Lenovo is still doing its own thing with software, and on the Yoga 2 its taken its own paintbrush to Android 4.4 KitKat. The launcher remains without an app drawer – Lenovo certainly isn't the only one going that way – and so all your apps add to an ever increasing number of home screens. You also still get a legacy menu button on the home screen, tucked away discreetly down there in the bottom right.
LENOVO IS STILL DOING ITS OWN THING WITH SOFTWARE
Aesthetically it's not so bad, though, and it's a definite improvement on previous efforts from Lenovo on this front. The notification drawer has a translucent effect showing through just the slightest hint of whatever it behind it, and the lockscreen has a very sparkly effect when you unlock the tablet. While it won't be to everyone's tastes, it's clear some effort has been made.
Lenovo's software comes with a few useful features baked in, too —
4-app multi-window: Sure, the list of apps you can use is limited, but with a tap of the button in the bottom left you can drag-and-drop 4 different applications to use at once making great use of the screen real estate. Apps can be resized, too, within reason.
Swiping up from the bottom of the display opens a control center in much the same light as we've seen before from Apple and even Huawei. It's best thought of as an alternative to quick settings in the notification tray. With a tablet of this size, swiping up from the bottom is an easier motion than pulling down from the top all the time.
Smart Switch: Different display modes optimized for the different modes the tablet can be used in. Honestly, the "Hold" setting adds a pretty nasty looking Sepia tone over the display, perhaps best suited when you're using it that way to read a book. You can alter things manually, too, and even tweak the Dolby sound while you're fiddling with the display.
Some of the biggest issues with the software aren't even necessarily Lenovo's to fix. Apps not supporting landscape viewing is a big one, especially for a tablet of this size and form factor. The more nerdy among us will know there are ways and means to deal with this, but sadly the more casual user may not.
THE SAME EXACT TABLET CAN BE HAD WITH WINDOWS 8.1
On the whole, though, it's a notable step forward from Lenovo compared to some of its previous attempts. Some will love it, some will downright hate it, but there's enough good stuff inside to please most of the people, most of the time.
And it's worth remembering that should you prefer it, the same exact Yoga Tablet 2 in 8-inch or 10-inch sizes can be had with Windows 8.1 instead of Android 4.4.2.
The cameras
If you're into taking photos with your tablets then you'll be pleased to know that Yoga 2 comes reasonably well equipped. There's an 8-megapixel f/2.2 shooter on the back teamed up with a more pedestrian 1.6-megapixel unit round the front. Tablet cameras are rarely exceptional, but before getting to the image quality there's a more pressing consideration — the positioning.
The Yoga 2 isn't exactly your regular slab, and as most of it is insanely thin the rear camera finds itself on the thickest part of the tablet. Right down there on that hump in the bottom corner. You can't use it with the stand open at all – though perhaps why you'd want to anyway is a better question – so instead the best way of using it at all is to flip the tablet upside down. This is also the most comfortable way to hold the tablet, so perhaps it's a good idea in the end. It's just a little awkward.
OUTSIDE IN WELL LIT CONDITIONS IS WHERE IT SHINES
The position of the front facing camera seems to be best suited if you're holding the tablet vertically. But given that most of the time you'll surely be standing it up it then puts the camera off on the left hand side. It still works fine it's just more difficult framing yourself up properly with the Yoga 2 used in this manner.
So, the pictures, how does it fare? As far as tablets go it's far from the worst we've seen. Indoors in lower light it actually does better than some smartphones, though outside in well lit situations is where it shines. Things go a little awry when you're facing the sun with images getting very washed out, very quickly, but with the light behind you it's possible to take some pretty satisfying shots. The front facing camera does as good a job as it really needs to for those quick selfies and video chatting situations. Check out a selection of samples for yourselves in the gallery below.
– / 9
As far as video goes, the Yoga 2 will record at 720p from the rear camera, and you're not going to be shooting any Hollywood blockbusters on it. But if you're using it to grab some quick clips of your kids, pets, and the like, it'll do just fine. The biggest issue with both the front and rear cameras is that it automatically seems to zoom in on whatever you're shooting. So you really need to stand back to frame things up properly. Or to make sure that your video chats don't involve looking up your nose.
Battery life
Battery life on a tablet is a less pressing issue than on your smartphone – unless you rely on your tabletmore than your smartphone – but the Yoga 2 comes packing regardless. Lenovo doesn't actually specify just how big the battery is, just that they're claiming 18 hours use from it between charges.
In our testing that's worked out to be around two days, but it's been two days with some pretty heavy gaming – mostly Asphalt 8 and The Walking Dead, if you're curious – and media use thrown in, as well. It could absolutely go more than two days but it's screaming out to be used to watch Netflix, play your favorite tunes and kick back with a little gaming.
But since most of the hump at the bottom of the Yoga 2 is full of battery, there's little reason to worry about it. It's certainly up there with the best of them.
The bottom line
The Android tablet space is a crowded one and it takes something truly out of the ordinary to stand out from that crowd. By its design alone alone, the Yoga 2 does that. Sure, it's the same basic design Lenovo has fielded previously, but in a sea of black (and white) slabs it's easily noticeable. As far as tablets go for consuming media – and lots of it – the Yoga 2 is worth consideration alongside anything else on the market.
It isn't without its flaws, though. The auto-display setting for holding it vertically is appalling, there's the odd sharpening effect you see on the display that's hard to unsee, and the software will be polarizing. However it is competitively priced, and unlike the previous Yoga tablet it's got enough hardware muscle to deliver a smooth user experience.
Black Friday, the day after American Thanksgiving, and while the origin of the name as the point where retailers' balance books shift from being in the red (running a loss) for the year to black (profit!) is dubious (any business that's losing money for 11 out of 12 months probably won't be around for next year's sales), the day still sees numerous retailers across the country offering substantial deals on a wide range of products.
What follows are our hand-picked best deals for this year's Black Friday sales. We don't believe in recommending sub-par quality products, regardless of if they're a few bucks off on a random day or not. We're only pointing out sales on quality merchandise that we might consider buying if it weren't on sale. But they are on sale, so the deals are yours to take!
So you have Android 5.0 Lollipop on your Nexus. You might be feeling a little overwhelmed by all the changes and new features. We don’t blame you; the Lollipop changelog is longer than some short stories. If you’re a new Lollipop user we’ve got a few tips and tricks to help you get started with Google’s sweetest release.
Screen Pinning
A smartphone is full of personal information and sensitive content. This can make it difficult to let people use your phone without your supervision. “Screen Pinning” is a new feature that lets you lock your phone to one app.
The obvious example for this is when someone asks to use your phone to make a call. You can “pin” the Phone app so the user can’t do anything else. To enable this feature go to Settings > Security > Screen pinning. Then open the app you would like to pin, press the Overview (formerly multitasking) button, scroll up and tap the blue thumb tack icon in the bottom right corner of the most recent app. To unpin an app simply long-press the back and Overview buttons simultaneously.
Customize Notifications
Lollipop gives users control over notifications like never before. Every app installed on your device can be configured to send notifications only when you want to see them. There are three options for each app: block, priority, and sensitive.
Block – Never show notifications from the app.
Priority – Show notifications at the top of the list and let them through when in Priority Mode.
Sensitive – Content is not displayed in the lock screen notification
There are two ways to adjust these settings. You can long-press on any notification and select the (i) icon to go straight to the settings for that app. If you don’t want to wait around for a notification you can go to Settings > Sound & notification > App notifications.
Hide Sensitive Content
Like we mentioned above, you can hide sensitive notification content. With notifications now on the lock screen prying eyes can read them even if you have a password or pattern lock. You can mark apps individually as sensitive, like we talked about above, or you can let Android do it for you.
Go to Settings > Sound & notification > When device is locked. You’ll see three options that boil down to “show all, hide sensitive content, and show none.” Select the second option to hide sensitive content. Now when an app that you’ve marked as “Sensitive” displays a notification on the lock screen you’ll only see the app name and “contents hidden.”
Search for Settings
Android has a lot of settings. That’s a good thing for power users who love to tinker and customize everything. It can be a nightmare for average consumers to navigate. Google has done a lot to make the Settings experience easier, but the best thing they did was add the ability to search.
When you go to the Settings app you’ll see a new magnifying glass search icon in the top right. It appears on most pages within the Settings app. You can use it to find settings without digging in each page. The search results aren’t as robust as we’d like to see, but it does a fair job.
Battery Saver
One of the best new features in Lollipop is battery saver mode. Battery saver can help you squeeze out extra time when you really need it. When enabled it reduces your device’s performance, turns off vibrations, and blocks most background data. Battery saver can be turned on manually or set to automatically kick in when your battery is at 15% or 5%. You’ll know it’s working when the status and nav bars turn orange-red. To set up battery saver go to Settings > Battery > tap the menu button.
Smart Lock
It’s a good idea to have a layer of security on your device. The only problem with using a password or pattern lock is that it ends up slowing you down way more than anyone else. A new feature called “Smart Lock” lets you tell your phone when it’s safe. Right now there are three ways to make your phone trust you.
Trusted devices – Any Bluetooth or NFC device can be added here. When those devices are connected your lock screen security is disabled.
Trusted face – This is Google’s much better implementation of “Face Unlock.” After you scan your face it will look for you every time you unlock your device. If it recognizes you the lock screen security will be disabled.
Trusted places – In this option you’ll see any locations you’ve added to your Google account. You can toggle those on or add a new place manually. When you are in those locations the lock screen security will be disabled.
With these three options you can make it so you don’t have to constantly enter passwords or patterns, but if your device is stolen or left behind it will know to lock others out. These options can be accessed in Settings > Security > Smart Lock.
Choose Who Gets Priority
Earlier we talked about marking apps as “priority.” This puts notifications for those apps at the top of the list, but it also allows those apps to get through when you’re in Priority Mode. You can also choose certain people to get through Priority Mode.
Go to Settings > Sound & notification > Interruptions. Under the section titled “Priority Interruptions” you can choose who gets through Priority Mode. You can choose calls/messages from anyone, starred contacts, or only people in your contacts. This is perfect for those times you don’t want to be bothered, but still want to be reachable.
For those who are unfamiliar, Priority Mode is a way to allow only alarms and specific notifications to bother you. It can be enabled by pressing the volume buttons and choosing PRIORITY.
