Toughbook goes Ivy Bridge with 10-inch magnesium CF-19

 One thing we haven't seen too much of from the ongoing Ivy Bridge onslaught, is rugged notebooks. Sure, there was that Durabook from last week, but not much else - and we all know the big name in indestructible laptops, is Panasonic's Toughbook line. Luckily, for those of you with jobs or hobbies that tend to involve dust storms and precipitous drops, the CF-19 is on the way with a 3.3GHz Core i5 under its 10.1-inch hood. The €2,950 (roughly, $3,727), convertible notebook has an optional touchscreen, 500GB hard drive, SSD options for the drop prone, as well as lone USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports. If you're a truly mobile warrior, there's even an HSPA+ upgrade available for the wireless card. Basically its the Toughbook 19 we've all grown to know and love, but with some nice Intel upgrades on the inside. The updated rugged lappy should start shipping in Europe this July, but we're still waiting on availability info for the US.

The Ultrabooks of Computex 2012

It was last year that Intel chose Computex, a computer tradeshow in Taiwan, to introduce its Ultrabook concept to the world. Twelve months later, 110-plus models are in the pipeline, which meant the Taipei Convention Center was overrun by skinny, lightweight laptops. Make that skinny, touch-enabled laptops. Between those new Ivy Bridge chips and Microsoft putting the finishing touches on Windows 8, this week's show was nothing if not a five-day-long wedding between two tech giants: almost every device on display here was a vehicle for showing off Microsoft's glossy new OS. At every turn, a celebration of touchscreen notebooks. With more than 30 hands-on posts this week, we can see where one Core i5 laptop might look like the next, or how you might have failed to keep up with Jonney Shih's rapid-fire product announcements. Now that we're wrapping up here in Taiwan, though, we're ready to take a step back and think about what it is we just saw. Whether you felt overwhelmed by our wall-to-wall coverage or just need to catch up, we suggest you meet us past the break for a quick recap of all the new Ultrabooks. Oh, and if you're in the market for a new laptop, you can check your trigger-happy finger at the door. With few exceptions, we're not expecting these to go on sale until the fall, when Windows 8 is expected to start shipping. Acer Aspire S7 Acer was the first company to ship an Ultrabook, which means it's now showing off its third generation at a time when other companies are just getting around to announcing their first. Still, the Aspire S7 series marks a departure for Acer: these are the outfit's first touchscreen Ultrabooks, for one, and they also happen to be the company's sexiest. Plastic? Try unibody metal. A 1366 x 768 screen? How about a 1080p display that folds back 180 degrees? And while you won't find this on the 11-inch model, the 13-inch version has a slick glass lid, similar to the HP Envy 14 Spectre. For now, Acer isn't ready to reveal pricing or even specs like processors and storage options. In the meantime, we'll say we were impressed with those high-res touchscreens, though we wish Acer reconsidered its shallow keyboard design. Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M5 Need a little less touch and a little more graphics oomph? Acer's got you covered there, too. The M5 series joins the similar M3 Ultrabook we reviewed earlier this year, and features the same Kepler-based NVIDIA GeForce GT640M graphics. The difference? The M5s (there are two of them) have a polished, brushed-metal design, along with narrower bezels. Otherwise, the specs are near-identical to what you'll get in the M3, which is to say they offer 1366 x 768 screens, Core i5 / i7 processors and a mix of HDD and solid-state storage options. Interestingly, although the 14- and 15-inch M5 differ in weight, both measure about 20mm (0.8 inches) thick. If you're in the UK you can buy one this month, but our US readers will have to wait a little longer for pricing and availability details. ASUS TAICHI Easily the most inventive design we saw this week, the TAICHI convertible laptop has dual screens: one facing the keyboard, just like on a normal notebook, and one on the lid. In laptop mode, you can view the 11- or 13-inch screen while using a backlit keyboard. Shut the lid, though, and you've got yourself a big-screen tablet, complete with pen support. Whichever way you use it, ASUS went decidedly all-out on the specs: the TAICHI makes use of a Core i7 processor, solid-state storage and a Super IPS+ display with an optional 1080p resolution. The best part, potentially: ASUS says the final version will be about as thin as the rest of its Ultrabooks, despite the fact that these have twice the screens built in. ASUS Transformer Books Think of it as the love child between an ASUS Transformer tablet and a Zenbook Ultrabook. At first glance, ASUS' Transformer Books are merely a group of 11-, 13- and 14-inch laptops with touchscreens. In fact, though, the displays can be lifted away from their keyboards, leaving you with an oversized slate. What's especially neat about this concept is that even after you detach the screen you've got a full-blown x86-based tablet, not some lower-powered ARM device. At the same time, the display has some of the amenities you'd expect in a regular Transformer - namely, front- and rear-facing cameras. Touchscreen ASUS Zenbook Prime It was only two weeks ago that ASUS announced a completely refreshed line of Ultrabooks, and yet they already seem outdated. Here at Computex, the company showed off the 11-inch UX21A with a touchscreen, making it easier to interact with Windows 8. (We'll let you decide if that's worth getting fingerprints all over that gorgeous 1080p, IPS display.) With the exception of the screen, the design and internal specs haven't changed, though an ASUS rep confirmed that the touch models will naturally cost more. No word on pricing just yet, but we're told this will eventually go on sale in the US, and it will be available in a 13-inch version too. Dell Inspiron 14z and 13z With a starting weight of 4.1 pounds and a fairly plain interior, the 14z was hardly the sleekest laptop on Intel's Ultrabook Wall of Fame. Still, a starting price of $700 makes it easily one of the most affordable. For now, the base model comes with a Sandy Bridge Core i3 CPU, unfortunately, but pay a little more and you'll get third-generation Core i5 and i7 processors, as you'd expect on any other Ultrabook. Really, the biggest tradeoff is likely to be storage: the 14z starts with a 320GB hard drive, and tops out with a 500GB HDD, meaning you'll have to step up to the XPS 13 if you want a solid-state drive. The good news: folks who need an Ultrabook before October can scoop one up June 19th. If the 14z's relative heft turns you off, there's also a 13-inch model, which weighs 3.8 pounds. Gigabyte X11 A hint to all the marketing types reading this: tech writers are suckers for superlatives. That explains our fascination with the X11, whose carbon fiber build makes this the "world's lightest" Ultrabook, at 2.15 pounds - or so says Gigabyte, anyway. After seeing it in person at the show, we can say this 11-inch ultraportable does indeed feel light in hand, though that carbon fiber weave isn't immune to greasy fingerprint smudges. What's more, we found the keyboard cramped, especially compared to the more spacious one on the 11-inch ASUS Zenbook Prime UX21A. We'll reserve judgment until we can test its performance and five-hour battery, but for now it's safe to say the X11 faces some formidable competition from similarly priced 11-inch Ultrabooks. LG X Note Z350 Need proof that Ultrabooks are the new netbooks? Just watch as every company on the face of the planet trots out a super-slim ultraportable with Ivy Bridge inside. LG, not especially well-known for its PCs, announced two X Note Ultrabooks, and we happened to catch the 13-inch Z350 hanging around Intel's booth at CES. Though its internals are fairly standard (Core i7, Wireless Display and an SSD), the port selection is pretty robust for an Ultrabook: not one, not two, but three USB 3.0 sockets. It's just too bad about the design: thanks to that faux-brushed-metal chassis, it doesn't look quite as nice up close as it does in photos. MSI Slider S20 Rewind a few years to the netbook era and MSI was a huge mover-and-shaker at Computex, with lots of pint-size laptops to choose from. Since then, the company has been largely dormant as far as mobile products are concerned, focusing more on nine-pound gaming rigs. That doesn't mean MSI is willing to sit out the Ultrabook fad, though: the company took the opportunity to show off the Slider S20, an 11-inch ultraportable with a touchscreen that slides back and up - yes, exactly like that Slider. In our brief hands-on, the sliding mechanism felt smooth, but the cramped, malleable keyboard brought us back to the netbook era, and not in a good way. Samsung Series 5 Ultra Touch and Convertible What do you do if you're Samsung and you've just refreshed your current Ultrabooks with Ivy Bridge? You trot out brand new models with touchscreens, naturally. Not one to miss out on a trend, the Korean electronics giant spent the week showing off not one, but two touch-enabled versions of its Series 5 Ultrabooks. This included a traditional clamshell laptop, as well as a convertible model whose screen folds all the way back, kind of like the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga. After a brief hands-on, we came away skeptical about the convertible, since using it in tablet mode means resting your fingers against an exposed keyboard on the backside. We'd also love to see Sammy improve the screen quality: as is, these panels are supremely reflective. Sony VAIO T13 Better late than never, right? After teasing its first Ultrabook at CES and then announcing it for the European market, Sony said it's bringing the VAIO T series to the US as well. And here's a surprise: if you privately thought Sony has been resting too much on its brand cache, the T13 starts at $800 - about as low as Ultrabook prices get. For the money, the base specs are pretty typical: a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive, paired with a 32GB SSD for faster boot-ups. As with other budget Ultrabooks, though, you'll find yourself making a compromise between weight and convenience. On the one hand, it weighs 3.5 pounds, which is on the heavy side for a 13-inch Ultrabook. On the other, that 0.7-inch-thick chassis makes room for some valuable ports, including USB 3.0 and 2.0, HDMI, Ethernet, an SD slot and even a VGA socket. For students on the hunt for a new laptop, this is worth considering. Toshiba Satellite U845W Despite the fact that there are just so many gosh-darn Ultrabooks hitting the market, you shouldn't have a problem remembering the U845W. Its display measures an unusual 14.4 inches (with 1792 x 768 resolution), making it the world's first laptop with a 21:9 screen. Toshiba claims that extra real estate is ideal for multitasking and watching movies, and is even including some software that helps you divide the screen into zones (kind of like Snap in Win7, but with more windows). All told, the Harman Kardon speakers, aluminum chassis, soft-touch accents and backlit keyboard make it feel more premium than the Satellite U845, the other Ultrabook Toshiba announced this week. We're told it will go on sale in the US sometime in the next few months, starting at $999. Hopefully before then we can take a closer look, and weigh in on whether those viewing angles are any good. Toshiba concept devices running Windows 8 Okay, so these weren't on display at Computex, but we'll throw them in the ring anyway, since Toshiba chose this particular week to announce them. The company recently let us get hands-on with a trio of mock-up concept devices built with Windows 8 in mind: a touchscreen laptop, a Transformer-style tablet and a notebook with a sliding touchscreen. Had these been shown at Computex, they would have been in good company: we saw variations on each of these form factors throughout the week. Still, we can't help but be intrigued, especially since Toshiba hasn't said a word about specs and hasn't even shown these devices powered on. Maybe this just means we have something to look forward to at our next big tradeshow, IFA in August.

WaterField's Custom Fit SleeveCases for PC Laptops

If you're tired of generic laptop sleeves that don't really fit your laptop, take a look at the new Custom Fit SleeveCases for PC Laptops from WaterField.  Simply enter the dimensions of your laptop, choose whether you'd like a horizontal or vertical orientation, make a couple other style choices, and WaterField will produce a sleeve just for your laptop.  The sleeves are cushioned with neoprene, and they have a tough ballistic nylon exterior.  The SleeveCases are TSA Checkpoint friendly, to make your trip through airport security a bit faster.  You can also add a shoulder strap and a piggyback pouch to the bag.  The Custom Fit SleeveCase for PC Laptops starts at $49.

OS X malware used to spy on pro-Tibetan charities, reminds us all to keep updated

Pro-Tibetan organizations that use Macs have discovered that their data has been accessed thanks to malware-based siphoning more commonly associated with Windows machines. Security expert Jamie Blasco revealed that two separate backdoor trojans can breach OS X if infected Word documents (yes, we know) or emails are opened. However, those who regularly keep up with security updates shouldn't be too concerned: both holes were patched before the end of last year, although that's scant relief for those whose privacy has already been infringed.[Thanks, Charles]

Qualcomm details Snapdragon S4-loaded Win8 notebooks further, will be lighter than Ultrabooks

Although ARM-based SoCs are generally associated with mobile devices, it's no secret that Qualcomm and NVIDIA want to get Windows 8 computers into the fray. We knew that both companies began seeding developers with prototype SoC-loaded computers back in February, but now more details have arisen about Qualcomm's plans in the area. According to PC World, the company's senior vice president, Rob Chandhok, explained that it's aiming to have a variant of its quad-core Snapdragon S4 chips in notebook PCs by the end of the year. It's said that this'll enable manufacturers to create machines that are immensely lighter and thinner than Intel's Ultrabooks and Apple's MacBook Air lineup, while offering up a unique experience thanks to its built-in 4G compatibility and graphics handling. What's more, the company also has a version of the chip on the table for the 64-bit version of Windows 8, but there's no word on if and when it would come to fruition. We can only imagine how many more options you'll have to run Microsoft's latest OS when it finally hits shelves this October

Eurocom Panther 4.0 With Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs

Eurocom today introduced the new Panther 4.0 laptop with Intel Sandy Bridge processors. The laptop features a 17.3-inch (1920 x 1080) display with a choice of an GeForce GTX 580M, Quadro 5010M, or Radeon HD 6990M graphics processing unit. The Eurocom Panther 4.0 also offers a 4TB of SATA 3.0 hard disk drive and a 32GB of RAM. Eurocom will launch the Panther 4.0 in March 2012 for $2649 for the basic model. [Engadget]

Ultrabook prices dropping before 2nd-Gen Ivy Bridge launch

Unnamed sources from retail channels claim that recent price drops of ultrabooks provided by the likes of Acer, Lenovo and HP are due to the upcoming launch of Intel's second-generation Ivy Bridge processors. Ultrabooks based on the new platform are expected to arrive shortly after Intel's CPU launch. The reduction in price is obvious: to push the older 1st-genration models off store shelves to make way for the newer, spunkier models. This is nothing unusual, and typically a sign that the next-generation models are getting ready to invade retail shelves. That said, now would be a good time to purchase an ultrabook before the newer, pricier models arrive. As DigiTimes points out, Acer's Aspire S3 HDD-equipped ultrabook was reduced to $799 USD here in the States. Lenovo and HP's ultrabook prices also saw a price cut, costing 25-percent and 21-percent less respectively. HP is reportedly geared up to launch its new ultrabook, the Envy Spectra 14, in Taiwan this week. Acer and Lenovo's new ultrabook offerings are scheduled to arrive in the second quarter of 2012. Retail channel sources add that ultrabooks will probably not achieve Intel's goal of a 40-percent share of the notebook market by the end of 2012. But as more new ultrabooks begin to appear in the retail channel, the average price will quickly dip down into the $699-$799 USD realm in the second quarter. Maybe Intel will grab its 40-percent of the notebook market in 2013 instead? Probably not if AMD has anything to say about it with the imminent release of the “ultrathin” form factor.

Netbooks with built-in Kinect on the way?

The Daily claims to have seen two Windows 8 netbook prototypes with a Kinect sensor mounted in the chassis, built by Asus and sanctioned by Microsoft. Given that the Redmond company officially announced Kinect for Windows earlier this month during CES 2012, the news shouldn't be a surprise. But so far both companies have yet to announce anything backing up the report. According to The Daily, the prototype netbooks featured an array of small sensors stretching across the top of the screen where a webcam typically resides. Mounted along the bottom of the screen was what appeared to be a string of LEDs. The report also noted that an unnamed source at Microsoft confirmed that the two prototypes were indeed official. Unfortunately, the rest of the story is mere speculation, providing little else of the actual hardware details. As reported during CES 2012, Microsoft has released the Kinect for Windows SDK to developers back on February 1. This means the Kinect drivers and APIs is now available for both commercial software developers and the general public. The company said that it's currently working with more than 200 companies to build applications for Windows that take advantage of Kinect's technology. “We are building the Kinect for Windows platform in a way that will allow other companies to integrate Kinect into their offerings and we have invested in an approach that allows them to develop in ways that are dependable and scalable,” said Craig Eisler, General Manager, Kinect for Windows. Suddenly a netbook with a built-in Kinect sensor doesn't seem quite so far-fetched after all. Depending on the price per unit, using a Kinect sensor may be cheaper than installing a touchscreen when building an “interactive” netbook or notebook. Gaming would seem out of the question given the compact nature of the notebook/netbook form factor, but waving through various windows or activating applications via voice would seemingly be ideal. As Microsoft indicated earlier this month, the possibilities are seemingly endless. “We are excited for the new possibilities that Kinect will enable on the Windows platform, and to see how businesses and developers reimagine their processes and their products, and the many different ways each Kinect could enrich lives and make using technology more natural for everyone,” Eisler said.

Acer's $699 15-inch ultrabook could undercut rumored 15-inch MacBook Air

Following the early successes of its of 11-inch and 13-inch ultrabooks, Acer has reportedly decided to build a brand new 15-inch ultrabook that may dramatically undercut the price of Apple's rumored 15-inch MacBook Air. DigiTimes said Wednesday that Acer has already contracted Pegratron to build the new computer, and that the device could be priced as low as $699 - $300 cheaper than the entry-level 11-inch MacBook Air. The latest rumors suggest that Apple could be prepared to deliver its 15-inch MacBook Air to the market as soon as the first quarter next year and that the device is already in the early stages of production. It is unclear when Acer's new ultrabook will launch.

Acer and Asus may shrink down their 2012 notebook and netbook lineup

Consumers will probably see fewer notebooks and netbooks from Acer and Asus in 2012 to make decision-making simpler. Acer and Asus are reportedly taking a cue from Apple and will simplify their notebook and netbook lines for 2012. According to original design manufacturer (ODM) contractors, the two want to trim costs and improve their overall profit by having fewer but clearer models, reducing inventory risks. They are also seeking to raise brand power in 2012 by offering focused products rather than a wide spread.

One of the factors in this decision is the emerging ultrabook market. Contractors claim that Asus already has at least 50 notebook and netbook projects on the table, but these will reportedly be thinned out to squeeze in ultrabook development over the next three years. These ultrabooks will supposedly be crammed within its mid-range notebook projects.

For the beginning of 2012, Asus is expected to reduce the number of Eee PC models down from ten to just a maximum of five. These will be divided by entry-level, mid-range and high-end designs. However the number may be reduced even more in the second half of 2012.

As for Acer, ODM contractors said the company will focus on competitive and profitable products in 2012 rather than launch numerous projects. Like Asus, Acer too wants to reduce its number of notebook projects by 3Q12.

AMD may introduce ultrabook alternative next month

Despite earlier talk about not competing directly with Intel starting 2012, AMD is reportedly going after its rival anyway with the possible introduction of the “Ultrathin,” a super-thin MacBook Air and Ultrabook clone that uses AMD processors instead of ones supplied by Intel. Even more, Brian Slattery from AMD Australia reports that the new form factor just might become available locally next month.

AMD is reportedly taking a different approach than Intel, refraining from commanding specific configurations and aesthetics. There's speculation that AMD will be using the Brazos 2.0 platform sporting an updated Zacate APU and a Radeon HD 7000 series GPU. Slattery said that it was up to the Ultrathin manufacturers to decide how they adopt the platform.

“They can do what they want with them,” Slattery said.

He also added that AMD had conducted talks with a number of manufacturers about ultrathins and one of them was “particularly advanced.” Unfortunately, Slattery didn't go into further detail about AMD's ultrathin form factor, only stating that Apple had previously prepared a version of its MacBook Air running on an AMD processor, but decided to discontinue the project before its release.

Given that AMD's Ultrathin may be introduced in Australia next month, there's a good chance we'll see a few working demo units running at CES 2012 next month. We're also hoping AMD will choose an alternative name to differentiate its own design from rival Intel's ultrabook now appearing on store shelves.

Intel says CPU prices irrelevant in Ultrabooks

An Intel executive recently called for an industry-wide effort to bring the prices of the devices down and indicated that it will not be up to the chipmaker to hit price points that resonate with consumers.

“More work needs to happen in the ecosystem. Even if we're giving the chips away for free, we couldn't hit the price point we want to hit if we don't work with the rest of the industry,” vice president of sales and marketing and general manager for the Asia-Pacific region Navin Shenoy told Reuters in an interview.

That is a bold statement that may not sit too well with some of Intel's best customers, who are scrambling to get ultrabooks out for retail prices of less than $1000, which means that the actual cost to build those devices is somewhere in the $600 to $700 range.

According to Shenoy, about 40 percent of the consumer PC market may be occupied by ultrabooks by the end of next year, but this price-aggressive approach indicates that all Intel may be shooting for is a replacement of an existing market and not the opening of a new market – or a future market that builds on currently evolving trends, such as touch input models. As thin as ultrabooks are, they still follow the same general idea the original notebook, the 1984 Compaq LTE had: a keyboard and an attached screen.

Touch never made sense on mainstream notebooks before and I would express some doubt that touch will suddenly make sense if notebooks are simply as thin as a Macbook Air, which the ultrabook trend aims to replicate.

AMD sees little future in ultrabooks

In speaking with X-bit labs, John Taylor, the director of client product marketing and software at AMD, indicated that Intel's ultrabook initiative won't be an imminent success. Despite its high expectations, the rival company will likely have a hard time competing in a mobile market dominated by Apple's super-slim and super-powerful MacBook series.

“We have to wait and see when the actual thing comes to market and when Windows 8 comes to market and how does the final product [ultrabook hardware and Windows 8 software] look like as a $1000/€1000 type device,” he said. “And how will it compete against already successful Apple MacBook Air. [...] The $1000+/€1000+ PC market is completely dominated by Apple.”

He also pointed out that many of the promised features in the upcoming ultrabook form factor are based on Windows 8. Eventually those seemingly exclusive features will migrate beyond ultrabooks and into mainstream systems.

“Windows 8 brings a number of capabilities that Intel would seem to be collecting under the banner of ultrabook,” he added. “As well, there are a few things that they are doing with higher-end components that they are looking at that enable faster wake and sleep and this type of capabilities [in Windows 8].”

Obviously AMD isn't taking an ultrabook-like route to address the highly-responsive and highly-portable sub-$1000 laptop market. Instead, it's taking the silicon route.

“We have been on the market with our ultra-thin strategy for some time,” he said. “We have always believed there was a sweet spot in the market: the extreme sort of portability with beautiful aesthetic and very thin designs. [...] We have Llano silicon solution today that delivers as good or better battery life than Intel and better all around visual experience. [...] The Brazos platform [for low-cost systems] has been a runaway success for AMD.”

He wouldn't go into any specifics about the upcoming “Trinity” APU, only stating that it's a “step up” in x86 performance, graphics performance and in some areas around video.

“I don't want to get too specific about our 2012 roadmaps, but we have two different types of APUs that we can bring to that ultra-thin market as we move forward to their introduction next year,” he said.

What Is the Ultrabook?

Since May there has been a nearly constant, subcellular buzz on the Internet about something called an Intel Ultrabook. But what, exactly, are we looking at here?

First, let’s understand how Intel “releases” notebooks. Intel makes chips. That, in general, is all they do and all they ever want to do. However, the company often releases reference designs or plans for future products. These reference designs have included embedded systems for machinery (using Intel chips), point-of-sale systems for stores (using Intel chips) and low-power “in-vehicle infotainment systems” (using Intel chips.)

In short, Intel builds something, gives manufacturers the plans (and guidelines), and then sells them a few million chips that will go inside the hardware. That’s why most laptops are, inside, essentially the same: they’re based on a reference design passed along from chipmaker to manufacturer like holy writ.
Every once in a while, though, Intel releases something a bit more impressive than a point-of-sale system. Thus we have the Ultrabook. The Ultrabook is an ultra-slim laptop (think MacBook Air) that maxes out at 0.8 inches thick. Ultrabooks will cost less than $1,000 and they will, obviously, use Intel chips. Other than following those guidelines, however, manufacturers can riff on Ultrabooks like Satchmo on “Cornet Chop Suey.” However, most will depend on one of Intel’s five current reference designs on which to base their manufacturing plans.

The first notebook in the Ultrabook line is the Asus UX21, a .67-inch laptop that is thinner than the Air, includes an 11.6-inch display, one USB 2.0 port and one brand new USB 3.0 port. New processors will join the line-up next year as other manufacturers begin the Ultrabook push.

These laptops are expected to have instant-on features that allows you snap the laptop open and use it immediately. Most will also eschew a mechanical hard drive for one powered by SSDs.

So far the promise of cheap, thin, and light is like a three-legged stool missing a leg: the UX21 and the 13-inch UX31 will cost more than $1,000 when introduced in September and manufacturers are currently struggling to price their hardware below Intel’s requested rate.

This doesn’t mean that Ultrabooks won’t fall below $1,000 in the next year or so. Intel is already cracking down on manufacturers to keep their prices down and, recalling the meteoric drop in netbook prices a few years back, it’s clear that the consumer is hungry for — and expecting — cheaper and cheaper laptops every year.

Source

Intel's Ultrabooks: What You Need To Know

Intel on Tuesday announced a new class of ultraportable laptops called Ultrabooks that promise longer battery life, are less than 0.8-inches thick, and priced under $1000. Intel announced the laptops at Computex 2011 and said Ultrabooks will merge the performance capabilities of modern laptops with "tablet-like features such as instant-on functionality." Intel is making a big bet on the new-ish laptop category and predicts that 40 percent of consumer laptops sold worldwide by the end of 2012 will be Ultrabooks.

Laptops in the refreshed category will start rolling out in time for the 2011 holiday season led by Asus' UX21. The first round of Ultrabooks will be followed by two more waves in 2012 and 2013 sporting new Intel processors. Here's a breakdown of Intel's plans for the kinda-sorta-new laptop category, Ultrabooks.

What's under the hood of an Ultrabook?

Intel has announced three waves of Ultrabooks. The first wave becomes available later in 2011 and will include laptops based on the current crop of Sandy Bridge Core i5 and i7 processors.


3D Transistors, Thunderbolt and USB 3.0

The second wave of Ultrabooks will start hitting in the first half of 2012 and will include Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors based on the Sandy Bridge architecture. The new chips are the first to use Intel's new 22-nanometer (nm) manufacturing technology that can implement 3D transistors on Intel chips. The result is a chip that is 37 percent faster than Intel processors made using the 32-nm manufacturing process, according to the company.

The 3D transistors reportedly consume less than half the power of their 2D counterparts currently used in chip manufacturing. Intel also says chips made with the 22-nm process will be cheaper than current chips. Ivy Bridge chips will also include hardware support for Microsoft ' s DirectX 11 graphics. The company also highlighted USB 3.0 and the new Thunderbolt I/O technology at Computex. It's not clear if the second wave of Ultrabooks will include both peripheral ports, but that's probably a good bet.

Relate: Why Intel's 3D Transistors Matter

The third wave of Ultrabooks will arrive in 2013 rocking third-generation Core processors, code-named Haswell. Intel claims Haswell-powered Ultrabooks will be even thinner with longer battery life and reduced power consumption.

Tell Me About The Asus UX21

So far, the only Ultrabook being touted is Asus' UX21. The new laptop has a unibody design, is just 0.67-inches at its thickest point (the MacBook Air is 0.68 in.), and can support up to a Core i7 processor. The 2.4-pound laptop also has an 11.6-inch display with 1366-by-768 resolution, glass trackpad, mini-HDMI, one USB 2.0 port, and one USB 3.0, according to a number of reports. Asus' demo model at Computex included 4GB of RAM. Asus did not announce pricing.

Has Intel Tried A Similar Strategy Before?

During Computex 2009, Intel was talking up its CULV ( consumer ultra - low voltage ) processors with similar goals. At the time, IDG News said Intel ' s goal with CULV ' s was to power a "new class of ultra-thin laptops that are as light as a netbook but pack bigger screens and stronger computing power."

 Source

Intel having problems getting those Ultrabooks under $1000

At Computex 2011, Intel unveiled a new form factor of notebook it calls the Ultrabook. Essentially, it's an extremely thin and light notebook that's powered by Sandy Bridge-class processors - not unlike the new MacBook Airs from Apple.

While Acer and Asus have signed on to make Ultrabooks, they may not be able to hit that magical under-$1000 mark that Intel wants - despite having the platform already being subsidized by Intel.

Notebook Italia reports that Acer will launch its Ultrabook in Q4 2011, but it will arrive with a price of four digits. Another source told Slashgear that Asus UX31 and UX21 Ultrabooks will be over $1000 as well, unless a sacrifice is made to drop the CPU down to a Core i3. Models with Core i5 and i7, paired with SSDs, will range between $1000 to $2000.

It seems that the MacBook Air line isn't carrying as much of an “Apple tax” this time around.
source: 2DayBlog.com

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source: The Gadgeteer

ARM to challenge Intel's dominance in notebooks

Market research firm IHS believes that Intel's 30-year processor dominance in notebooks may get serious competition from ARM. By 2015, ARM will have captured a notebook share of 23%, IHS predicts.

"Starting in 1981, when IBM first created its original PC based on Intel's 8088 microprocessor, the X86 architecture has dominated the PC market," said Matthew Wilkins, principal analyst of computer platforms for IHS. "Over the next generation, billions of PCs were shipped based on X86 microprocessors supplied by Intel and assorted rivals – mainly AMD. However, the days of X86's unchallenged domination are coming to an end as Windows 8 opens the door for the use of the ARM processor, which already has achieved enormous popularity in the mobile phone and tablet worlds."

By 2015, ARM notebook shipments will hit 74 million units, up from an estimated 7.6 million in 2012, according to IHS. Windows 8 is predicted to be the major driver of ARM notebook sales. Microsoft announced last January that Windows 8 will also be running on ARM systems. IHS believes that ARM will be most successful in the value notebook space and devices that cost less than $700. ARM chip suppliers will include Nvidia, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments.
source: 2DayBlog.com

Concept notebook wants to recharge battery by swimming

Although we highly doubt there will be a real life application of such a device any time soon as usual, the Plantbook is definitely taking a step outside the box of traditional notebook concepts and designs. Designed by Seunggi Baek & Hyerim Kim, the Plantbook is inspired from the water-soaking abilities of a bamboo plant.

This device itself looks like a bamboo stick in which the ‘screen' can be rolled in and out, splitting into two to become a virtual keyboard and a screen. As if the whole portability factor of the Plantbook wasn't cool enough, it charges itself using water! Much like a real plant, the Plantbook concept utilizes an external water tank and the process of electrolysis to produce electricity to charge the device.

We all know that water and computer hardware aren't exactly the friendliest of combinations, but the Plantbook definitely defies all logic in that regard. It may sound completely ridiculous, but the designers seem to have it all figured out:

"The system uses an external water tank, hence the Plantbook continuously absorbs water when soaking it in water and generates electrolysis using power stored in a solar heat plate installed on the top. In this process, it is operated using hydrogen as energy source and discharges oxygen. If you put it into a water bottle while you don't use the laptop, it automatically charges a battery and discharges oxygen. A leaf-shaped strap hanging on the top is made with silicon. It plays a role of a hand ring and a green LED indicates when the battery is charged. Using this LED, users can check how much spare capacity the batter has."

Unfortunately it is just a concept, so don't expect to be carrying your laptop in a water bottle any time soon
source: 2DayBlog.com

Intel says notebooks and tablets will be eradicated in a decade

In the near future, we won't have tablets, netbooks and notebooks. Well, at least that's what Intel says. But what will we humans be using? Or maybe, Skynet has already taken over the world?

During his keynote address at the SEMICON West conference in San Francisco, vice president of Intel's architecture group Rama Skukla said that the lines between a netbook, laptop and tablet are disappearing faster than today's designers can even realize. That said, it's quite possible that these form factors will be gone within ten years.

“It's going to be very difficult to see where one device goes and the next one takes off,” he told the audience. Even today, the concept of PCs is already outdated. He added that future PCs will probably serve as “personal companions” instead of bulky devices, synchronizing around the owner in an individual cloud of information that users will be able to share with others or keep private.To achieve this oneness with the cloud, Skukla suggested to the captive audience that hardware manufacturers will have to address this cloudy trend by working closely with software developers and distributors so that end-users will have a solid way to manage their identity while also experiencing a seamless, secure computing environment.

Intel is already gearing up for this change, he said. In fact, the industry will see major advances in processor technology within the next five years. Graphics performance on mobile chips alone is expected to rise by a factor of 12 by 2015 - just look at what Intel has achieved with its second generation Sandy Bridge processors.

Unfortunately, Skukla didn't really explain what he envisioned consumers would actually use in ten years. Looking back on the last decade however, desktops still look like desktops, laptops still look like laptops (although they've gotten bigger and thinner), and consoles still look like consoles. The biggest change that's taken place, or so it seems, is in the mobile sector. Tens years ago phones were bulky, ugly and had enough brains to store a few phone numbers; now they can load Flash-based websites, play Angry Birds and stream video content straight to our palm.

So if all of our familiar mobile form factors will be eradicated in the future, what will we use? Smart-watches that can project HD+ imagery on any surface while detecting our finger motions, making mobile keyboards obsolete? Will it connect to Bluetooth glasses that are capable of displaying HD video and audio directly to our eyes and ears? Will the desktop grow wheels, a domed head, and toot electronic beeps while it projects holograms for our entertainment?
source: 2DayBlog.com