Huawei guns for Apple with Mac-alike Matebook X Huawei won't unveil its new P20 flagship phone until the end of March, so it used MWC to showcase an envy-inducing laptop, the Matebook X. The Chinese giant is clearly gunning for Apple, which has irked its core customer base by adding gimmicks, removing ports and messing with the keyboard. So are Microsoft (Surface Laptop) …
You'd also think a professional journalist wouldn't contradict himself in the same paragraph.
"Huawei used a more powerful Intel M core rather than the parsimonious U core because it reckons its battery and power technology is sufficiently superior to anything else on the market. The model I saw under embargo last week boasted an i7 8550U part at 1.8Ghz."
Which is it? U or M?
Just like software written by professionals has bugs, articles written and edited by professionals have errors from time to time. It's fixed.
As for the Intel U/M thing. It's a Kaby Lake R Intel Core M part, but has a U in the part name. Because Intel.
From the official spec sheet, the 8550U is a Kaby Lake R part as opposed to a Kaby Lake U or a Skylake U.
Chipzilla's naming of stuff drives me bonkers.
C.
Teslas really do contain laptop batteries - or at least, cells. The sooper-advanced hiteck battery pack is just a metric gajillion lithium 18650 cells - just like in your laptop. (see article here)
Other electric car manufacturers actually made new automotive Li cells. Nissan for example.
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Key question for any review:
How well does it run a typical Linux install? For example my Thinkpad E565 despite being on the approved Ubuntu list, has no support for the weird internal broadcom card (and needs an ugly USB thing stuck in the side due to BIOS whitelists), which apparently is major issue with some newer Lenovo machines (seems the quality fade and cost cutting is kicking in - they get approval with one card, then swap it out mid-cycle on the same model).
If this machine has full hardware support, it would be top of many people's list now Lenovo are jumping the shark. But we need to know for sure (and also have some guarantee that the manufacture's are not going to try the quality fade trick and change the spec without telling anyone).
Yet my works t440p is the worst laptop I've had the misfortune to use... (seriously trying to convince the P.T.B. to let me use my ancient x200t which is far more capable and a much better typing machine) bleh...
On the other hand, the better halves aging VAIO is...well barely functioning so might just have to treat her so long as it can last 5+ years.
needs an ugly USB thing stuck in the side due to BIOS whitelists
Whoever thought this was a good idea and justified it by saying "but the FCC..." outside of the US needs shooting with their own excrement. I'm yet to see a laptop running any wireless NIC that can exceed 20dBm ERP with the stock damp string in the lid, yet their "approved" Broadcom 43xxx thing can be fitted with a yagi on a pigtail quite easily and will then end up non-compliant.
No, it's nothing to do with wanting to restrict spares to overpriced OEM crap, is it? Bastards.
weird internal broadcom Is the bane of your existence if you use linux. Hell there is no guarantee it will work right on any thing les then the newest version of windows when it was released . Under Ubuntu I had a broadcom wired nic disconnect and reconnect every 30 seconds. I have them work right under windows 7 then puke on 8/10
weird internal broadcom Is the bane of your existence if you use linux. Hell there is no guarantee it will work right on any thing les then the newest version of windows when it was released
Hear hear.
I suppose one could reduce windows to minimal Virtualbox (or whatever your chosen virtualisation solution is) host if the hardware proves not to play nice with Linux or BSD natively. Not ideal of course but sometimes needs must.
Because it doesn't come with Mac OSX, but with increasingly annoying windows.
Unless Apple is selling Mac OS for it or Linux Mint + Mate is perfect on it, it's nearly pointless.
Also Lenovo's online agent for Ireland (Invoice is from Shannon) refuses to honour 2 year SOGA and will only refer replacement queries to wrong Lenovo technical support or even IBM UK.
I'm not buying Lenovo again till they start implementing Irish / EU law on sales. What is Huawei SOGA retail sale compliance in EU like?
@Mage - what was all that about?
Mac clone? Of course it doesn't come with OSX its not made by Apple. Article was talking about the hardware.
Annoying Windows? Writing this on a windows/linux machine that hasn't annoyed me since I switched it on (windows) and doesn't come with thhe Apple idiot tax.
Linux - fairly sure it will work - apart from the auto screen rotate when I put this Lenovo Yoga in tablet mode then everything else works perfect under both Ubuntu and Mate. Fairly sure Huaweis stuff will be much the same.
I feel your pain if Lenovo aren't honouring law - go to a small claims court - you will be back with your money in no time. Would work the same for Huawei.
I feel your pain if Lenovo aren't honouring law - go to a small claims court - you will be back with your money in no time. Would work the same for Huawei.
You missed the whole point, good manufacturers have good service ... expecting you to have to go to a small claims court when something goes amiss with the kit is piss-poor service, I would even go as far as qualifying it as fraud. I am slightly excessive? Basically, it means the company is betting on punters either to not know what the law says ortoo busy to go through the hassle of a small claims court..... iow BASTARDS (ala John Cleese)
Companies like that DO NOT DESERVE ANY CASH not until they figure out how to provide adequate service.
Centred camera would be best, but top of screen is "better" than bottom.
A high camera angle above eye level will emphasise the face which helps people appear slimmer, however a low camera angle below their eye or chin is not very flattering for most people. You end up looking up their nostrils, and the body appears larger than the head and face, which is generally not desired by most people.
Get a laptop desk stand and I'm sure the angle thing would become less of an issue (and at least it can be angled separately to the screen. Nothing quite like angling a screen so you can be seen whilst only being able to see some glare off a light or the day star etc etc...)
That angle will also make it look like you are looking down on anybody at the other end.
Just as I intend.
That nincompoop from management better learn his place.
OTOH, the size of this camera does not make me feel safer about being spied on. One realizes how small these are...
Does anyone even use the camera? Seems like a waste of space on a laptop to me. I must have webcammed for any constructive purpose (couple of job interviews) about 3 times ever. And the job interviews I used a USB webcam as the laptop cam made me look very very very scary . . .
Much easier to and better to pull a usb cameera out of the drawer / bag when its needed.
Guess people mileage varies . .
> Maybe they could use two cameras and use the same technology that they use in Rugby matches to move the "virtual camera" so it appears that you're looking at the other person.
It seems to me that what we want to see is the expression on the caller's face, a smile, a raised eyebrow - gestures that add meaning to the caller's voice. If we start using software to move the apparent position of the caller's eyeballs, it could interfere with our interpretation of their facial expression eg: [rolls eyes]
It's almost more honest to replace the video feed with a motion-captured animated avatar (that advertises itself as being fake) than it is to subtly modify live video. Plus bandwidth would be saved by not transmitting video of the caller's imperfect complexion.
When will this be available for sale?
Edit:
Ah, so I see it's already available, at least the non "Pro" version.
It has "HD+" resolution, it looks like. I was confused by the use of the word "3k" display in the article.
So, comparing it to the MacBook is really difficult. They use completely different CPUs etc.
This one looks like it's a bit more "modern" - but as the article hints: you have to run Windows on it.
Having recently had to use W10, I found it nearly unusable. At least, from an "occasional Windows 7 and mostly X-Windows / macOS"-user point of view.
Maybe, if all you do is switch between a browser and an office app, that's enough.
The slight price increase of the Apple MacBook compared to this one, as well as the ability to spec it to 16GB would be totally worth it - for me.
El Reg said: "Huawei guns for Apple with Mac-alike Matebook X" as well as: "The rest of the cruft is Microsoft's: the usual garbage of discarded kids' toys emptied over your desk."
Obviously the proper OS for the Matebook X is Ubuntu Mate.
https://ubuntu-mate.org/
Camera in a "...clever popup on the keyboard."
Oh great...
More and more often, TV interviews are being conducted over Skype or similar video chat applications.
It's already a major TV News annoyance that we have some so-called "expert" pontificating about blah blah blah, while the poor TV viewers are distracted by the too-low webcam angle looking right up their nostrils.
Viewing the hairs, whiskers, and disturbing what'snot.
Yeah. Expert. A PhD in whatever, but knows nothing about camera angles.
Trust me, it's snot a nice look.
So now these laptop designers are moving the webcam even lower...
That'snot a good move.
Camera is already on top of the laptop
>distracted by the too-low webcam angle
So the design should be some self extending arm to about what? a foot above the screen?
Yeah most people dont give two craps about the camera on the laptop and frankly wish it would kindly fuck off, so digging it into the keyboard out of sight (literally) is of a lot more appeal, you know since they dont make laptops without camera's
How about a USB type-C port center top, just above screen.
And then separate a camera mounted on the (lower) end of a short arm with a right-angle USB-type plug on the end such that the camera could be plugged in only as needed (thus implementing privacy most of the time) and when needed it is located the "eye level" of the other person's eyes.
The arm could probably be mostly clear plastic with very fine embedded wires
and the entire arm+camera could be sold in a variety of lengths such that it matched
the desired screen size and prefered video-calling app displayed the other person('s eye height).
> How about a USB type-C port center top, just above screen.
A good idea, one I've had myself in the past. In addition to cameras, the port would be handy for microphones and wireless cards, or even active IR 3D scanners, a la HP Sprout or Leap Motion.
I believe some gamers use a head band and monitor-mounted sensor to allow them to look around the virtual cockpit of their starfighter.
The downside is mechanical - accidently bashing a usb dongle might have more dire consequences for a port mounted in a thin display than in a thick laptop chassis.
> Do the same people tape over their phone cameras ?
Phones run OSs that offer fewer attack vectors than desktop OSs. Most of the time the phone camera is aimed at the inside of a pocket or at a ceiling, whereas a laptop camera might show a bedroom, or its user in a state of undress.
Phone OSs can be compromised, but the attackers are usually more interested in corporate or state level espionage - hence the attempt to sell a phone where the *microphones* can be disconnected via a physical hardware mechanism.
"Camera? How about just "No"? I don't know of anyone who hasn't taped over the damn thing or painted the lens black. Waste of money to have a camera and never use it."
But how do you know the camera can't operate in the infrared which can pass through tape or paint?
Plus what if (GASP!) you actually use the thing on occasion? Say for a vidcall to your kid or gran?
"the usual garbage of discarded kids' toys emptied over your desk."
This is so true, you get a professional spec PC and turn it on to be greeted by incredibly condescending stuff like "we're so happy you're here" and "we're making things great for you" and then the start menu appears full of fisher-price colourful building blocks.
Oh well, good luck selling them in the USA with all the bad press about Chinese Govt Spyware.
As it runs Windows which is regarded as Spyware with all that data slurping then perhaps your life goes not only to Redmond but Bejing as well. Nothing like data sharing eh...
My first question has already been asked...
Will it be Linux compatible? You can keep the touch crap though.
Apparently there's a Chinese manufacturer about to release a phone with a tiny screen cutout in the top right hand corner for the camera, which is hardly noticeable.
I think Apple actually jumped a shark with the X from a design perspective. Testing with my detachable camera suggests that a camera at keyboard level may not be too much of a problem, whereas a sliding cover does need more real estate on screen than people may have considered.
This is so close to becoming a laptop I'd want!
One thing missing though: A full keyboard with an actual numpad!
I dislile keyboards without numpads, as I default to using them for numbere, calculations etc etc.
Just feels weird and slow using the numbers above the keyboard a calculator while doing accounting or other numeric tasks.
A proper numpad is far more efficient imo.
You can always buy a separate one if you really need it. Otherwise, you'd need an extremely big laptop screen to have a full-sized full-spec keyboard complete with numpad. Separate pad also gives you the ability to position it better for your calculating hand (which could be the left).
I've still got an old Toshiba Satellite which came with a full keyboard. And a 17" screen. It was more a portable desktop than a laptop as it wasn't exactly something you could get out on a train or in a coffee shop without asking people to move. Not that I do the latter. I'm not a hipster, I was uncool before it was cool to be uncool.
I'm reading this right now on a Satellite Pro. It's a battered beast of a laptop but it's got a full numpad and I just wouldn't buy a laptop with out one. A separate USB numpad just isn't as useful as I rarely use this machine on a desk. If I'm going to sit at a table/desk I'll use a full-fat desktop machine.
This Huawei machine does look quite nice but it's too small for me to want to use it as a primary machine, despite how well-specced it is.
sorry guy but if you're really hardcore about keyboards you should be symmetrical in your hand input skills. When you have that you hate anything that makes your hands move from the ideal position (index on F and J). For me there are not enough good keyboards without the numpad, although the matias wireless comes pretty close. Having something on your desk that pushes you to prefer a side of the desk only leads to scoliosis.
Are we talking about the same thing here? The article says "weighs 1.33kg", but the technical specs which the article linked to gives the weight as 1.05kg.
This is an important difference - similar to the difference between a 12" Macbook and a 13" Macbook Pro.
This would be a nice machine if it runs Linux, although if it's only sold with 8GB RAM (and is not upgradeable) that rules it out for me.
The company reckons you'll go from cold to a functioning Windows 10 desktop in 7.8 seconds.
Uh huh. Admittedly the wife's HP Envy laptop is a year and a bit old, but given the ridiculously long boot times I find this claim highly unlikely. Has there ever been a version of Windows that booted that fast? I can't recall one.
(OK, I suppose it might be possible, but that assumes that you're not booting after or during a software or OS upgrade. Which it seems is every single time the thing is booted.)
(Hmph. my guess is that the camera under a key thingy will give up the ghost pretty fast.)
"Admittedly the wife's HP Envy laptop is a year and a bit old, but given the ridiculously long boot times I find this claim highly unlikely."
My 6yo Pavilion g7's ridiculous boot times were severely reduced by switching to an SSD. That's an i3 running a clean W7x64 install. Also maxed out the RAM. SSD highly recommended if you're still running on spinning rust. The clean install of generic Windows of course removed a bunch of useless manufacturer's cruft.
I believe they've improved boot times on WX? 8 seconds does seems unbelievable, but I'm not willing to reject the possibility out of hand.
Huawei Guns for Apple...
Huawei Sets Their Sights on Apple...
Huawei Reloads With New Feature against Apple...
Huawei Takes Dead Aim at Apple...
Huawei Releasing Magic Bullet at Apple...
Huawei Fires Salvo Towards Apple...
***
With all the recent shootings in the News, my reaction to this Headline, produced a few more... :)
Given that Linux users have diverse tastes in desktops and distributions, and that even those who happen to like the flavour that that the machine ships with might want to reinstall it from a source they trust, it seems that pre-installing Linux is more trouble than it's worth - other than demonstrating that the drivers work.
https://www.linux-drivers.org
http://www.zdnet.com/article/linus-torvalds-reveals-his-favorite-programming-laptop/
There's 2 huge reasons a lot of non-technical people are prepared to buy apple kit regardless of the cost/performance: (a) the apple logo and (b) the simplicity of the interface. This can't touch either of those.
For sure there are reg readers (like me) who have bought apple for other reasons, and might be tempted by kit like this in the future, but we are in the tiny minority of mac users.
Your group (a) is buying a brand, so can easily be pulled to another brand once that becomes recognisable as being a status-symbol. HP/Lenovo/Dell would be better off creating a new brand for these models (as Microsoft does with Surface and Dell does with Alienware for the same reason in a different demographic),
But the brand-whores also make up some of a third, much more relevant group: "(c) you're spending somebody else's money, so you buy the most expensive toy that you can."
That's who Lenovo, HP, Microsoft are trying to chase. Those users don't actually want macOS; they want an expensive laptop to run their office apps and web-based line-of-business apps on; but it has to be recognisably expensive, so that everyone else sitting in the lounge can see it.
@Kristian
Your group (a) is buying a brand, so can easily be pulled to another brand once that becomes recognisable as being a status-symbol.
No device with Microsoft Windows can ever achieve "status-symbol" brand recognition. Sony has been trying for years, Microsoft's trying now and seems to be faring pretty badly, even with their army of fanbois ... basically because Microsoft is uncool and everybody has it running on their desktops ...
HP/Lenovo/Dell would be better off creating a new brand for these models (as Microsoft does with Surface and Dell does with Alienware for the same reason in a different demographic),
Microsoft Surface is a "more money than sense" symbol, sure, but the kit is crap AND expensive PLUS has lousy support, so more like the idiot symbol ...
Alientware, status symbol brand WTF ?
1. Dell bought Alienware
2. Alienware makes gamer laptops, not ideal as a status symbol, especially business people
I think you misunderstood the whole branding and status symbol concept.
NB: I used to be a Mac OS X fanboy, back when nobody used it (first Mac in 2001) - OS 9 was crap - even had an iPhone years ago, but switched when idiots started running around with one ... stopped buying Apple laptops when the RAM/SSD soldering started. I do not think they are over-priced since they come with a usable OS that is what I consider "pretty stable" and support is good.
Just one more incredible option would be nice. Choice of Windows 10 or any one of the professional, full function Desktop Linux distributions - like SuSE, Redhat or Ubuntu - that offer (full) corporate support and updates/upgrades.
While IBM, Google, Oracle and many other large corporations, as well as governments and enterprises in Europe and elsewhere do use significant amounts of Linux desktop, a solid offering from Huawei to savvy end users would be nice.
Dell's Linux laptop is incomplete, with little or no hardware support from Dell comparable to that for Windows.
I like Macbook Pros.
Not a fan of Apple, but the 15" MBP is where i need to be.
Still not found a reasonable replacement for my late 2010 15"
it's SSD 8GB and quad core, battery life is still good, solid build, with a decent array of ports, and a lovely chicklet backlit keyboard & decent filtered charger that doesn't kill my radio reception when it's plugged in, with upgradeable battery, RAM and HD a replacemebt *Must* run BSD & Linux out of the box and by doing so have same battery life and stay as cool as it would running Windows or Mac.
A few of the Asus are pretty interesting, but the PSU look like the generic cheap shitty unfiltered radio interference device :( but nothing has tempted me yet, as i haven't tried one for long yet, and not sure they'll run BSD without major buggering about, heat generation, lack of features or fail.
Until then, i'll just buy used Macbook Pros and when the outdated OSX i run becomes impractical, i'll try one of these things or spend 2 months trying to get BSD or Linux running as sweet on the MBP as well as crappy Windoze.
still waiting.
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