IFA 2012: Samsung's new Windows 8 devices shake up industry

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

IFA, Berlin ( Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) -  Samsung fired an opening salvo of Windows 8 devices at IFA today to intensify its commitment to Microsoft's new OS ecosystem. Launched earlier under the new ATIV line were the first Windows Phone 8 smartphone in the ATIV S, the Samsung ATIV Tab Windows RT tablet and the 11.6-inch ATIV Smart PC.

The timing of these releases (along with that of the new Galaxy Note as well as the Galaxy Camera) couldn't have come at a better time for Samsung.

The echoes of the Apple-Samsung patent case are still resonating and fresh on everyone's mind. Then there's the double whammy of having to pay Apple over $1 billion in damages plus the $12 billion loss suffered from slumping shares just last Monday.

The introduction of Windows 8 focused devices is important to Samsung. It pivots the company on a completely new market of devices, allows them to excel without any fear of being labeled copycats, and balances out their Android heavy cache of products.

ATIV S Windows 8 Smartphone

As far as Windows Phone devices go, Samsung's only device in Canada was the Samsung Focus which was a decent device but felt more like a placeholder for something better (then Samsung wisely stopped making new Windows Phone 7 devices and focused on Android).

Boy, was this ever under the radar. 

Many of us in the industry were convinced that Nokia's close association with Microsoft would guarantee them the Golden Ticket (i.e. dibs on the first Windows Phone 8 device).

Nokia and Microsoft even invited a few of their favourite tech writers to a widely reported September 5 launch event in New York. 

Many believed that this was going to be the big debut for Windows Phone 8 with the Lumia maker at the forefront.

Now Samsung has deftly stolen the limelight with the ATIV S being the first ever device to showcase what Windows Phone 8 can do with a significant handset release that surprised everyone.

The best thing about this release is that they took the recipe of their most successful smartphone yet, the Samsung Galaxy S III and put Windows Phone 8 on it with the following specs.

• 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display made from Gorilla Glass 2
• 1.5 GHz dual core processor
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB or 32GB integrated memory with a microSD card slot
• 8 megapixel camera
• 1.9 megapixel front facing camera
• 2300 mAh battery
• 8.7mm thin brushed aluminum chassis
• physical Windows button

These specs are going to be tough to beat on any mobile platform, Android and iOS included.

 As for the ATIV S, well it looks really good and quite frankly raises the bar for Windows Phone flagship devices. Nokia, HTC, LG and others better have something comparable to show or else ATIV S is going to be the one that turns new users on to Windows Phone 8.

ATIV Smart PCs

Samsung has already proven that it can create stunning Ultrabooks and notebooks and it really flexes its muscles with the ATIV Smart PC.

These are two 11.6-inch notebooks that double as a Windows 8 tablets.

The Tablet runs independently of the keyboard which gives the device the ultimate in portability and versatility- the epitome of what Microsoft hopes to achieve with Windows 8.

The ATIV Smart PC Pro is targeted towards business professionals and packs an Intel Core i5 processor and can handle particularly demanding professional use and multimedia consumption.

Less demanding users will gravitate to the consumer-focused ATIV Smart PCs with the next generation Intel Atom processor which is a solid match for everyday productivity tasks.

The two devices feature USB 2.0(Smart PC), USB 3.0(Smart PC Pro), mHDMI, miniSD and two extra USB 2.0 ports on the keyboard.

The ATIV Smart PC has a battery life of up to 13.5 hours, whereas its stronger sister device, the ATIV Smart PC Pro, runs up to eight hours. I am applauding as I write this.

Pricing has not been released but hopefully Samsung will not price itself out of the market because these products are really interesting and bring two of the most popular products today (Ultrabooks and tablets) under on device.  HP is doing the same as well and we expect other manufacturers to follow suit,

Whether these ATIV Smart PCs can match or even surpass standalone tablets and notebooks remains to be seen but the specs look promising.

Samsung ATIV Tab

The new Samsung ATIV Tab idelivers a full Windows 8-based PC experience with a tablet's mobility.

Weighing 570g, featuring a 10.1” display, and measuring 8.9mm thick, the ATIV Tab  compares with many Android tablets in the market.It instantly boots up without lagging and comes with Office Home and Student 2013 RT, offering the new versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote to help transform the way people get things done at home, school or work. This is really what Microsoft has envisioned for Window 8. A tablet that can function as a notebook or even a desktop.

An 8,200 mAh battery allows you to work on your projects and review or share them virtually anytime and anywhere. Moreover, the ATIV Tab is compatible with a range of Windows-based PC devices and accessories, including printers, keyboards, projectors, external monitors, and other peripherals, through its USB port and uHDMI, with no need to install extra software. 

So, Samsung's come to IFA with the intention of making a splash and showing the industry that are a serious player and have products in various platforms, operating systems and form factors.