14 DAY TRIAL // Hybrid devices definitely seem to be the trend nowadays, not just on the storage industry but also on the overall PC market, especially now that Intel has announced its new plans in regards to laptops.
Pretty much everyone knows what a laptop is nowadays, but it looks like Intel decided it was time to have the project evolve into something else.
More specifically, the Santa Clara, California-based company put together plans to begin developing what it has dubbed Ultrabooks.
Being a new breed of laptops, they are expected to have the full feature and performance set of today's notebooks but also features found in tablets, like high responsiveness, thin and light design, etc.
As far as hardware goes, the second generation of Intel Core processors will be the starting point, with Ivy Bridge to take up the task once it gets unleashed in 2012.
Ultimately, Ultrabooks should be able to stick to a thickness of under 20mm (0.8 inches) and have “beautiful designs” that some PC makers are already looking forward to.
“At ASUS, we are very much aligned with Intel’s vision of Ultrabook,” said ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih.
“Our customers are demanding an uncompromised computing experience in a lightweight, highly portable design that responds to their needs quickly. Transforming the PC into an ultra thin, ultra responsive device will change the way people interact with their PC.”
The first Ultrabook systems should be ready to rumble even before the ongoing year (2011) is out, probably in time for the winter holidays.
Among other things, the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface will be supported, as will Intel's own Thunderbolt (probably).
Still, the concept likely won't achieve its full potential until the Ivy Bridge series of processors comes out in 2012.
Either way, once the Ultrabooks do arrive, they should end up selling for under $1000, much like mainstream notebooks of today.