14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung is one of the many computer manufacturers that haven't yet shown any laptops following Intel's guidelines for Ultrabook devices, but latest reports suggest the Korean company will soon start to manufacture such a notebook which should be released in Q4 2011.
According to sources from upstream suppliers cited by Apple Daily, a Chinese publication, one of the two Ultrabooks Samsung has planned will be fabricated by Quanta Computer, which is the largest notebook manufacturer in the world.
This is the first time that Samsung has placed laptop orders to a Taiwan-based maker, but the second model the Korean giant plans to produce will be manufactured in-house.
Samsung hasn't yet determined the order volumes for the two Ultrabooks, but these aren't expected to be too large.
No information regarding the specifications of these notebooks are available at this time, but according to Intel's definition an Ultrabook is a laptop that combines high performance, excellent responsiveness and security in a slim and elegant chassis.
As a result, such notebooks are designed around Intel ULV Sandy Bridge processors, which provide the optimum balance between performance and battery life.
Samsung has been reluctant to release Ultrabooks so far as its lineup already includes a series of 11.6- and 13.3-inch Series 9 notebooks that deliver an ultra-slim design, strong performance and high build quality, all at an attractive price.
When Samsung's Ultrabooks will arrive in the fourth quarter of the year, they will have to compete with Acer and Asus, as both companies plan to release such products in the coming weeks.
In Europe, both the Acer Aspire S3 and the Asus UX21 will have a base price of 799 Euros (about $1085 US), while the 13.3-inch Asus UX31 is expected to hit retail starting at 1199 Euros ($1610 US). (via DigiTimes)