14 DAY TRIAL // Ultrabooks may not have turned out to be very ultra, sales-wise, but that doesn't mean they can't start to be, especially with how many companies are going to keep promoting them, with or without the upcoming CES 2012 trade show.
The 2012 edition of the consumer electronics show will prove just how determined PC companies are to go forward with the Ultrabook initiative.
Even though initial sales were disappointing, Intel and its partners still hold out hope that all will turn around as prices get more accessible.
On that note, PC Pro reports that, from what Shawn DuBravac from the CEA disclosed, more than a few models will be showcased at CES 2012.
To be specific, the Consumer Electronics Show will host the launch of between 30 and 50 new ultrabooks.
This is no small number by any count, more so knowing the lingering economic regress.
Then again, consumers were found to have already decided on buying tech gifts (75%).
“Even though these are tough economic times, consumer electronics is more than holding its own,” said the president and CEO of the CEA, Gary Shapiro.
“We'll see global retail revenue of $960 billion this year, and we'll go over the trillion mark in 2012.”
For thirty Ultrabooks to make their debut, it would take all the existing laptop makers to launch new varieties, many based on the Ivy Bridge platform (22nm CPUs).
No word on how affordable they will be, though, and with 5mm HDDs still just in concept stage, dropping SSD storage in favor of HDDs is not an option, knowing the necessary thinness.
Nevertheless, Intel did say it wanted touch-based, affordable ultrabooks as fast as possible, so CES may very well become the first instance where progress towards that goal becomes apparent.
Tablets will also come out in droves at CES (over 100 is the projection, on par with what CES 2011 brought).