Intel Will Promote Ultrabooks Some More in October

It seems that even positive reports involving Ultrabooks aren't enough to prompt laptop makers to embrace the new device type, which means Intel has to put some more effort into their promotion.

When looking at all the media coverage for ultrabooks, the overall impression is more or less mixed.

On the one hand, they new laptop type is expected to perform well, grabbing a large part of the overall notebook segment in 2012.

On the other hand, downstream suppliers aren't overly enthused by the new laptops, despite Intel's apparent enthusiasm.

One reason might be the fact that, though thin and light, Ultrabooks won't really outmatch Apple MacBok Air in price/performance ratio and brand popularity.

Then again, they are intended as rivals to tablets, not the Air, though it is more or less inevitable that a competition of sorts will emerge on the front as well.

Now, Digitimes offers another report, one that says downstream partners still don't feel like taking too big a chance.

As such, Intel will have to go through another round of Ultrabook promotion in October, in anticipation of the announcements set to happen in the fourth quarter (Q4, 2011).

The fact Intel continues to refuse to drop CPU prices is, once again, invoked as a reason for partners' reservations.

The report also says that, despite all the attempts to raise the hype, Ultrabooks won't become mainstream until the Ivy Bridge platform is released.

Since this won't happen until April 2012, it is quite easy to understand why people aren't too enthused about yet another product type appearing, even if it is just a sub-set of the mobile PC industry.

Then again, waiting too long is the same as inviting Apple and other tablet makers to release an even thinner and lighter slate, especially with how new ARM platforms are approaching as well.