Intel and 'strategy card' ultrabook

Strategy with the goal of redefining Intel's personal computer (PC) is entering a critical stage. According to the Wall Street Journal, a new portable portable device with a slim and light design was born, competing fiercely with tablet and smartphone devices to attract attention. consumer intentions.

Intel and 'strategy card' ultrabook Picture 1
Many computer makers are pushing for ultrabooks, to put pressure on the tablet market.

The report said at a Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next week, a series of computer makers will showcase their first results in this new product called the ultrabook. Intel is the first company to introduce the concept of ultrabook, part of its efforts to push computer manufacturers to create products that are more attractive.

Among the manufacturers that released ultrabook at CES this time there are names like Dell, Lenovo and Acer. Before these companies, HP, Toshiba and Asustek all introduced ' ultrabook ' labels . Providing smaller and more compact designs for portable devices is not a new idea at all.

With inspiration from Apple's MacBook Air, ultrabook supporters hope to create stylishly designed products at affordable prices. Although ultrabooks usually cost between $ 899 and $ 1,400, hardware companies hope to soon reach the price of about $ 699 or lower.

Compared to Apple's iPad tablet, ultrabook also ' scores' at faster startups, and if compared to regular laptops (laptops), ultrabook has longer battery life. The manufacturers are hoping to bring the touch screen to the future ultrabook, even go to the ultrabook can switch between the two types of panel and form shells.

' Consumers have experienced tablets and the advantages of other types of computers such as quick start-up, light weight and extended battery life. They're looking to experiment with ultrabooks because they already have tablets , 'said Jeff Barney, a Toshiba vice president.

Many companies are seeing the same benefits at the 'ultrabook', but the expectation is more than Intel and Microsoft. The two leading vendors for these PC makers are witnessing the rise of competitors and the growing demand for other mobile devices other than machines. Personal.

For example, according to research firm Gartner, global tablet sales this year may increase by nearly 63% compared to last year, to over 103 million units. Meanwhile, global personal computer sales are forecast to increase by only 4.5% to around 370 million units.

However, Apple is continuing to prove that attractive designs can have a big impact. In the third quarter of 2011, the company's Macintosh personal computer sales increased 26% year-on-year, to a record, mainly due to the outstanding sales growth of the MacBook Air.

Launched in 2008 at a starting price of US $ 1,799, the MacBook Air became more popular after being upgraded at the end of 2010, helping to launch faster and with new data storage features, but with the The initial price is only 999 USD.

' The personal computer industry received a warning bell when Apple launched the MacBook Air. Firms begin to realize that what Apple has is not only a customer attraction but also a real factor that will redefine what consumers expect of laptops , 'said Tim Bajarin. , an analyst with Creative Strategies research firm, told the Wall Street Journal.

Intel has been "responsible" to lead the PC industry's response efforts by launching the latest ultrabook initiative at an exhibition in Taiwan in late May 2011. The company has established a $ 300 million fund to support technology companies involved in ultrabook. In the near future, Intel can also increase support for advertising and promotion for computer manufacturers to boost demand for ultrabook.

The world's largest chip maker hopes the size and attractive features of ultrabook will make a transition for the laptop sector. To achieve this, Intel plans to launch sequential generation chips that improve processing speed and extend the battery life of the product. Although not all ultrabooks are as thin as the MacBook Air, but Intel hopes, the size of the products under this line will quickly drop.

' This is the new way we use personal computers in the future. At that time, personal computers will have much higher mobility than before , 'said Dadi Perlmuter, Intel's executive vice president of architecture.

Intel predicts, ultrabook will account for about 40% of the market for consumer portable personal computers in 2012. Some researchers predict that the transfer will take place at a slower pace. IHS Supplies said that ultrabook will account for 43% of global notebook PC market sales from now until 2015.

Also Intel has ' triggered' the netbook movement a few years ago. This small, simple design laptop that costs from 300 USD created attraction in 2008. However, shortly thereafter, netbook sales fell sharply, partly because this product line did not have High-speed processing capability. Next, the iPad and other tablets emerged as a more attractive alternative for consumers who only need simple needs like surfing the web.

This time, computer manufacturers hope ultrabook will not fall into a sad ending like netbooks. Unlike netbooks, ultrabook uses more powerful processors from Intel and has a faster processing time.

For example, Acer said, the ultrabook Aspire S3 is priced at $ 899, allowing users to return to a previously paused program in less than 2 seconds and connect to the Internet in 2. , 5 seconds. The battery of this Ultrabook is said by Acer to be able to maintain standby for 50 days and use it continuously for 6 hours.

" We really want to create a new life for personal computers, and ultrabook is a tool for that purpose, " said Sumit Agnihotry, Acer's vice president of marketing in the US.

Last November, the world's largest computer maker HP introduced its first ultrabook, the Folio 13. The Folio 13's thickness is only about half the diameter of a US 1 cent coin, with time. battery life is about 9 hours, and the price is about 900 USD.

According to analysts, cheap is an important factor that makes the attraction of ultrabook. However, even though chip prices are getting cheaper, ultrabook uses flash memory instead of hard drives, but flash memory is more expensive.

During the shopping season later this year, Toshiba sold its ultrabook at Best Buy for a promotional price of $ 699, instead of the usual $ 799 price. As a major flash memory manufacturer, Toshiba said that making its own components has helped reduce the price of the ultrabook.

According to Intel, by the end of 2011, there were about 10-11 ultrabook models to be marketed, and in 2012, there will be about 60 more ultrabook models. Slim design is still believed to be attractive to consumers, but putting ultrabook into a separate product line may be an easy task. Consumers may wonder when manufacturers release devices that look similar to laptops but are named ultrabooks.

AMD intends to use the term " ultra-thin notebook" , because ultrabook is a trademark registered by Intel and requires the product to use Intel chips. John Taylor, Intel's global marketing manager, said consumers may be a little skeptical about new products, after what they've just experienced with netbooks.