Summary: Rather than trying to pick a winner, Lenovo has decide to offer several Windows 8 convertibles. At an event in New York, the company launched four new hybrids including the unique Yoga design.

There are several different ways to build a laptop that converts into a tablet. Rather than trying to pick one winner, Lenovo has decide to cover them all. At an event in New York last night Lenovo launched its Windows 8 convertibles for consumers and small businesses. In all there are four new hybrids including the unique Lenovo Yoga design.

Photo Gallery: Lenovo's lineup of Windows 8 convertibles

As it turns out there are two Yoga laptops, a 13-inch model running Windows 8 and an 11-inch one running Windows RT, both of which have the display that folds backwards 360 degrees. Unlike more common designs with swiveling or detachable displays, the Yoga works not only in tablet and laptop modes, but also at points in between in "tent" or "stand" modes for viewing content.

The 13-inch (1600x900) model uses Intel's third-generation Core processors, up to 8GB of memory and either a 128- or 256GB solid-state drive (SSD). The Yoga 13 measures 0.7 inches thick and weighs 3.4 pounds. Lenovo claims it will have more than 8 hours of battery life. It will be available when Windows 8 launches, on October 26, starting at $1,099.

The smaller Yoga 11 is based on Nvidia's Tegra 3 and has an 11.6-display (1366x768), up to 2GB of memory and either 32- or 64GB of storage. It is 0.6 inches thick and weighs only 2.8 pounds, yet Lenovo says it will get up to 13 hours of battery life which, if accurate, suggests that this is an area where ARM-based systems will have an edge. Like all Windows RT devices, it will also include Office Home and Student 2013 RT Preview. But at $799 and up, the Yoga 11, which will be available starting in December, is priced more like a full Windows 8 laptop.

The other two convertibles, the IdeaTab Lynx and ThinkPad Twist, are more conventional convertibles. The Lynx has an 11.6 inch (1366 x 768) display that detaches from a keyboard dock to switch to tablet mode. This is the same approach that Acer, Asus, HP and Samsung are taking with their Windows 8 convertibles. The tablet is 0.4 inches thick (about the same as the iPad) and weighs 1.4 pounds; the keyboard adds another 1.5 pounds to the system weight, but it has an extra battery that stretches the battery life to 16 hours, according to Lenovo. The Lynx, which uses Intel's recently-announced Atom Z2760 (Clover Trail) dual-core processor and has 2GB of memory and either 32- or 64GB of storage, starts at $599 and the optional dock is an additional $149. It will be available starting in December. Lenovo previously announced a standalone slate, the ThinkPad Tablet 2, which has similar specs and will start at $649 without a keyboard.

The Twist has a 12.5-inch (1366x768) display that rotates 180 degrees and folds flat. Lenovo has been making Windows convertibles using this design for years and I use one of them, the ThinkPad X Series convertible, every day. The drawback to this design is that it has tended to be bulky, but the Twist is sleeker--at 0.8 inches thick and 3.5 pounds it is small enough to qualify for Intel's Ultrabook designation. Like the Yoga, it works in tent and stand modes. Lenovo rates it for up to 7 hours of battery life. Available at Windows 8 launch, the Twist will start at $849 with a third-generation Core processors, up to 8GB of memory and either a hard drive or 128GB SSD.

It's too early to tell whether with Windows 8 convertibles will finally catch the attention of consumers. But there will certainly be a lot more to choose from, and it will be interesting to see if novel designs like the Yoga or Dell's XPS 12 get some traction. It's worth noting that all of these Lenovo convertibles use a newer chiclet keyboard, rather than the classic ThinkPad keyboard, and most of them lack the iconic red trackpoint. Lenovo may be reasoning that the combination of a touchpad and multi-point touchscreen provides enough modes of input. But personally I'm holding out for a thinner, lighter version of the ThinkPad X230 running Windows 8 Pro with Intel's upcoming Haswell processor.

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Lenovo has Windows 8 convertibles covered with Yoga, Lynx and Twist

The Lenovo Yoga isn't just redefining Lenovo's product line -- it's also transforming how the company names its products. The company's marketing chief says the laptop/tablet hybrid's name was a serendipitous moment, and Lenovo will be re-examining how it names its products in the near future.

[More from Mashable: Lenovo Yoga Transforming Laptop Arrives, With Friends]

"Yoga" is the incredibly apt (but no too clever) name for Lenovo's laptop whose screen can bend backward a full 360 degrees thanks to a special hinge design. When the screen folds past 180 degrees, the keyboard automatically shuts off, and when completely folded it effectively becomes a tablet.

It's a novel design, and Lenovo CMO David Roman says the name was conceived very early in the process.

[More from Mashable: HSN Jumped the Gun on Sales of Windows 8 PCs]

"Yoga was actually the code name," he says, "but the code name was so logical -- it was just a perfect fit -- that it ended up becoming the real name. And it was justifiable to have a name [as opposed to a number] because it really is a new category."

The Yoga name stands in contrast to less-creative names of Lenovo products, such as its first Intel Atom-powered tablet, the "ThinkPad Tablet 2." Roman says he recognizes the disparity, and that the company is doing something about it.

"We are looking at our naming overall," he says. "We don't feel that our naming is up to snuff. It can be confusing. Taken product by product it makes sense, but put them together it doesn't."

What do you think of Lenovo's naming, and the name of the Yoga in particular? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Able to swivel its screen a full 360 degrees, the IdeaPad Yoga 13 leads Lenovo's "convertibles" line of Windows 8 devices. It'll be available Oct. 26 starting at $1,099.

Read the original here:
How the Lenovo Yoga Got Its Name

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Lenovo (0992.HK) (PINK SHEETS: LNVGY) today announced a new family of four convertible devices designed for Windows 8/RT to change the way people use PCs and redefine the future of mobile computing. For consumers, the touch-optimized family includes the IdeaPad Yoga 13, a foremost blend of play and productivity, Yoga 11, a svelte, all day mobile companion, IdeaTab Lynx, a premier dual core Intel Atom-based tablet, and for professionals, the ThinkPad Twist, a business-ready device that puts a new spin on the traditional convertible tablet.

Our family of Ultrabook convertibles addresses the unique needs of consumers, businesses and everyone in between by creating high performance laptop-tablet combinations in new designs and different sizes, said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Lenovo, and president, Product Group, Lenovo. We think these innovative convertibles are the best devices for a groundbreaking touchscreen experience, plus their multi-modes give people even more ways to use their PC.

IdeaPad Yoga 13 Flexes Into Totally Unique Poses

The IdeaPad Yogas revolutionary hinge allows it to uniquely move 360 and fold from laptop to tablet in one simple motion. As one of the worlds first multi-mode Ultrabooks, Yoga 13 provides a high level of flexibility between work and play without compromises. Infused with powerful 3rd generation Intel Core processors and running Windows 8, Yoga 13 provides laptop-grade performance to get work done all day without slowing down with its super slim 16.9 mm frame and eight hours of battery life.

At the flip of the hinge, Yoga 13 transforms into a media-friendly tablet primed with rich audio-visual features including Dolby Home Theatre. Visuals - photos, videos and websites - look stunning on its 13.3-in high definition IPS display, which provides bright background and vivid colors. Users can even gesture to flip through photos and other content with Yoga 13s special Motion Control technology or simply use their fingers on the multi-touch screen.

The Yoga convertibles are a great example of the commitment Lenovo has made to continued innovation with Windows, said John Case, vice president, Worldwide OEM Marketing, Microsoft Corp. The commitment is evident in the beautiful hardware designs that exhibit flexibility, mobility and extended battery life; combining that with the new capabilities of Windows 8 these PCs provide an experience that is sure to delight customers.

IdeaPad Yoga 11 Balances Power and Mobility

Yoga 13s smaller screen size counterpart, Yoga 11, is the worlds slimmest multi-mode PC, measuring just 15.6 mm. Yoga 11s slim design, 11.6-in screen and long 13 hour battery life make it a great convertible for mobility. Equipped with NVIDIA Tegra 3 the worlds only quad-core processor for Windows RT Yoga 11 lets users watch HD movies, play games, get connected and stay productive with Microsoft Office applications virtually all day long. As an added bonus, both Yoga 13 and 11 can be used in completely new ways: convert them into a Stand1 by flipping the keyboard behind the screen to comfortably watch movies or view pictures up close, or bend them upright like a Tent2 to bring games or video chats to life.

The IdeaPad Yoga 11 is elegant, thin and light, combining the convenience of a tablet with the capability of a laptop, said Rene Haas, vice president, Notebook Business Unit, NVIDIA. Powered by the energy-efficient Tegra 3 processor, the Yoga 11 lets you work and stay connected all day long and leave your laptop charger at home.

Read more from the original source:
Lenovo Premiers Yoga and Debuts Family of Convertible Devices Designed for Windows 8

If you're stressed at work, a little yoga on your lunch break might just help.

A new study from the United Kingdom suggests yoga done at work can reduce stress levels and lowerback pain.

The study involved 74 British government workers ages 25 to 64 who said they experienced stress and back pain that was somewhat bothersome. Participants were randomly assigned to practice either eight weeks of yoga, or no yoga.

People in the yoga group took part in a 50-minuteyoga classonce a week, either at lunchtime or after work. They could also practice yoga at home twice a week for 20 minutes using a DVD.

All participants completed questionnaires designed to assess back pain, stress levels and overall well-being.

At the beginning of the study, 10 people in the yoga group and eight in the control group said they had back pain. At the end of the study, just four participants in the yoga group reported back pain, compared to 13 in the control group.

In addition, participants in the yoga group had reported lowerlevels of stressand less sadness at the study's end, compared with those in the control group.

The findings agree with previous research showing that yoga can reduce stress levels and back pain.

The researchers, from the Bangor University in North Wales, noted that the majority of participants were women, so the findings may not apply to men. Also, the benefits in the yoga group may have been influenced by the placebo effect the idea that a treatment is beneficial simply because patients believe it will work.

Future studies should examine whether yoga at work can reduce the number ofsick daysworkers take, the researchers said.

Originally posted here:
Yoga at work may relieve stress and back pain

The number of computers being released ahead of Windows 8 might seem crazy, but there's also a bit of crazy in the computers themselves.

This evening Lenovo released the details of its Yoga convertible laptop and its ThinkPad Twist and Lynx models. All three of the Windows 8 computers pair touch screens with keyboards.

In some cases, as with the Lynx, Lenovo is offering a simple tablet with a keyboard accessory, but in others, like the Yoga, it is offering a laptop with a hinged screen that is more flexible than your yoga instructor.

Flexibility With Yoga

The Yoga, which was first previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show last year, looks like a regular laptop -- until you start pushing the screen back. The hinge moves 360 degrees, allowing you to rotate the screen all the way over the back of the keyboard to make it a tablet. You can also prop it up and turn it into an easel or tent of sorts. To see the entire thing in action we encourage you to check out the video above.

The Yoga will come in two flavors. The Yoga 13 comes with Intel processors (Core i3 or i5), a 13.3-inch display, and Windows 8 Pro. It will start at $1,099 and will be sold at Best Buy starting Oct. 26, when Windows 8 officially launches.

The Yoga 11 will have an 11-inch screen and be powered by an ARM Tegra 3 processor from Nvidia.

The lower-powered processor enables the computer to run Windows RT, a version of Windows that doesn't support older applications. However, because of the lower-energy chip, it will run 13 hours on a single battery charge. The processor architecture also costs less, so the Yoga 11 will start at $799.

Twist, Lynx While the Yogas might steal the show with their flexible screens, Lenovo has two more tablet/keyboard devices up its sleeve. The ThinkPad Twist is a modern take on the old tablet PC. Or, really, it is just like an old tablet PC with a new operating system. The 12.5-inch screen swivels around and locks over the keyboard to turn it into a tablet.

Aimed at business users, it will be available with Intel's Core processors, solid-state hard drives, and optional 3G. It will start at $849 and be available at Staples and other retailers.

Link:
Lenovo Flips Out With New Yoga Windows 8 Laptop

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13

Able to swivel its screen a full 360 degrees, the IdeaPad Yoga 13 leads Lenovo's "convertibles" line of Windows 8 devices. It'll be available Oct. 26 starting at $1,099.

Click here to view this gallery.

[More from Mashable: HSN Jumped the Gun on Sales of Windows 8 PCs]

Lenovo got a lot of kudos when it first unveiled the Yoga, a "convertible" laptop whose screen can fold all the way over -- a full 360 degrees -- to become a tablet. Today the nimble notebook gets real with a price and release date, and it's bringing a few friends.

The Yoga will lead Lenovo's new line of convertible Windows 8 PCs. It includes two versions of the Yoga, with 13- and 11-inch models, as well as the IdeaTab Lynx tablet (powered by Windows RT) and a folding laptop called the ThinkPad Twist, aimed at businesses and schools.

[More from Mashable: Microsoft Sends Invitations to Windows 8 Launch Event]

The headliner is definitely the Yoga, though, with its swiveling hinge. The big-size model sports a 13.3-inch screen 1,600 x 900 resolution. When you swing the display past 180 degrees, the keyboard automatically disables itself, ensuring no errant keystrokes when you're using it as a tablet.

And that's one powerful tablet -- the Yoga 13 packs either an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of solid-state storage. It's not the thinnest Ultrabook we've ever seen, but at 3.4 pounds and 0.67 of an inch thick, it's no hulk either.

The starting price is decent at $1,099, but that'll climb fast if you want decent RAM or a bigger drive. It comes in silver and "clementine orange" finishes.

Original post:
Lenovo Yoga Transforming Laptop Arrives, With Friends

By Katie Arnold//High Performance Consultant

In March I wrote an article about incorporating certain types of dryland training to improve fitness and athleticism. After that article was posted, I received a lot of feedback and questions from both athletes and coaches. The most common of these questions was, What about yoga?

I dont know why I left yoga off the original list. As a swimmer in college, yoga was always part of my training, and even now I still do yoga 4-5 days per week. While the physical benefits of yoga have always attracted me to the practice, I have found that it is the mental benefits that I gain the most from.

It is no secret that swimming, and swimming fast, requires a number of different skills and attributes. Flexibility, core strength and focus are vital to optimal performance as a swimmer, and all three of these areas are addressed and improved through yoga.

Flexibility: The various postures and stretches practiced in yoga use a persons own body weight to strengthen and lengthen key muscle groups. Of note to swimmers is the added benefit of strengthening the muscles of the shoulders and back to counteract the common front-side imbalance seen in most swimmers. Additionally, many of the standing postures help improve ankle flexibility, which can be translated into improved kicking.

Core Strength: Most yoga postures require some sort of balance to achieve the desired position. This balance almost always comes from the core, and like swimming, yoga utilizes the entire core throughout the practice. The balance in the use of the front, side and back of the core helps with swimming connected through the body.

Visit link:
The Benefits of Yoga for Swimmers

WITH yoga increasing in popularity over the last decade, clothing and accessories have enjoyed a retail boom. The Internet carries a myriad addresses where you can buy your outfits. Even Victoria's Secret (www.victoriassecret.com) has a good collection of trendy yoga tops and bottoms for women. Super model Christy Turlington started her clothing label Nuala, which is carried on various websites.

Independent, public-listed brand Lululemon is one of the most coveted labels at the moment. The brand du jour has been seen on the likes of Sandra Bullock, Michelle Obama, Hillary Duff, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. Lululemon was set up in 1998 and, today, it has stores across Canada, the US and Australia, and franchises all over the world. Even fashion houses such as Gucci have entered the fray with yoga mats and mat cases that have been seen carried by stars such as Jada Pinkett-Smith. Unfortunately, it is not sold locally.

In Singapore, most leading sports shops carry a line of yoga clothing as well as mats and bags. For more variety, it would be better to try the various yoga studios that carry a wide selection of brands. Colin Grant, CEO of the Pure Group, has confirmed that the company is on the verge of launching its very own line of yoga apparel. He says, "I have already seen the second round of samples. It will be a collection based on what our members like."

Apart from the clothes, the various yoga studios also carry yoga props and other accessories such as mats, straps, blocks and bolsters to help improve your practice. The Edge Singapore

This story appeared in The Edge Singapore on Aug 13, 2012.

Read more here:
Riding the yoga trend

If you're stressed at work, a little yoga on your lunch break might just help.

A new study from the United Kingdom suggests yoga done at work can reduce stress levels and lower back pain.

The study involved 74 British government workers ages 25 to 64 who said they experienced stress and back pain that was somewhat bothersome. Participants were randomly assigned to practice either eight weeks of yoga, or no yoga.

People in the yoga group took part in a 50-minute yoga class once a week, either at lunchtime or after work. They could also practice yoga at home twice a week for 20 minutes using a DVD.

All participants completed questionnaires designed to assess back pain, stress levels and overall well-being.

At the beginning of the study, 10 people in the yoga group and eight in the control group said they had back pain. At the end of the study, just four participants in the yoga group reported back pain, compared to 13 in the control group.

In addition, participants in the yoga group had reported lower levels of stress and less sadness at the study's end, compared with those in the control group.

The findings agree with previous research showing that yoga can reduce stress levels and back pain.

The researchers, from the Bangor University in North Wales, noted that the majority of participants were women, so the findings may not apply to men. Also, the benefits in the yoga group may have been influenced by the placebo effect the idea that a treatment is beneficial simply because patients believe it will work.

Future studies should examine whether yoga at work can reduce the number of sick days workers take, the researchers said.

View post:
Yoga at Work May Relieve Stress & Back Pain

Do you know what the word yoga means? I don't. I'm guessing that other parents (and children) don't know either. Though, like me, they've probably heard many a celebrity rave about yoga's numerous benefits, and have a good enough idea of what goes on in a typical class.

Well, according to educator and yogini Michelle Ressa Aventajado, yoga means to "yoke," and to yoke means to bring together. But how do you make youngsters understand that concept and make them appreciate a yoga class? Aventajado, a U.S. certified YogaKids and Grounded Yoga instructor who's been teaching for almost six years now, relates, "When I explain it to the kids, it goes something like this: We practice yoga to bring our three selves together - our hearts, our minds, and our bodies. The heart in this statement can also mean their emotions. Basically, I just want the little ones to understand that how we feel emotionally can affect how we feel physically. I want them to make the mind-body connection and become more aware of themselves. That way, they can become more aware of others and eventually, become more aware of their environment. So in essence you can [almost] say that I want to facilitate awareness through their practice and play of yoga." Obviously, a yoga class for kids entails a lot more than just breathing in and out, and striking a pose.

Kids on the floor

A fun and sweeping kind of learning blend seamlessly in children's yoga class. "For the younger kids, we sing, dance, run, create, invent, balance, count, color, exercise, meditate, empower, and engage the child in every way. Yoga Kids learn through multiple intelligences. This addresses the whole child and addresses him in every way he learns. It's fun! It's super active. We play yoga games, take turns, and care for the environment. We talk a little, laugh a lot, and play. The bigger concepts of yoga are fed to the kids in smaller bites - little nibbles that they could understand. For instance, we talk to them about caring for the environment and putting "good" food in our bodies," Aventajado shares.

Class time is usually 45 minutes to one hour. Because younger yogis cannot stay still too long, their sessions are fast-paced and on the shorter side. Older students who have a greater understanding of things and don't need as much of a release, however, can last one hour; sometimes even longer if they choose. Nevertheless, all of her kiddie yoga classes stick to the same format: an introduction of the theme first, followed by a time to journal, a warm up, the middle of the class where most of the action occurs, and finally, the cool down or meditation.

To help her students lower their energy level and relax, Aventajado gives them a light massage, walk them through visual imagery, or play classical music. She's had kids as young as two-and-a-half and three years old join her class, and she believes that the earlier a child practices yoga, the better. "If children were given the tools to cope with life in a healthy way, with perspective, and make healthy choices, then they would certainly live a healthier lifestyle overall. With the childhood obesity rates and all the distractions that children are subjected to, introducing the concepts of yoga at an early age can be nothing but beneficial."

Benefits galore

Like yoga for grown-ups, kids' yoga has several advantages such as strengthening muscles and posture, increasing flexibility and balance, and enhancing concentration. Aventajado mentions that practicing yoga can likewise lead to a sense of well being inside and out, can boost self-esteem, and can help children sleep more soundly.

Marsha Wenig, YogaKids video and educational curriculum creator, attests that yoga can help offset the stress and pressure that today's kids face. "When children learn techniques for self-health, relaxation, and inner fulfillment, they can navigate life's challenges with a little more ease," she says.

And isn't that what we all wish for, to have happy, healthy and well-adjusted kids?

Excerpt from:
Yippee for YOGA!