14 DAY TRIAL // After the release of the newest iPad from Apple, some may have expected laptop sales to drop again, but this does not appear to have happened at all.
We aren't really surprised to see that this is the case, but we suppose there might be enough reason for some bemusement, looking back.
After all, tablets really did shake things up a bit on the mobile PC and consumer electronics market over the past couple of years.
Anyway, Apple launched a new iPad in March, but makers of notebooks didn't see any drop in product sales because of it.
One reason may be that ultrathin designs have been getting more affordable, just like Intel and its Ultrabook partners promised.
As a testament to that, Acer proved to be among the brand vendors with the best performance.
Truth be told, if this company hadn't managed to get back on its feet by now, it would have been in quite a bit of trouble.
Fortunately, all the strategy adjustments of the prior year are paying off, to the point where the company might become one of the world's top 3 PC makers again.
All in all, Digitimes says that laptop shipments have benefited from the relentless promotion efforts on Intel's part, and that of its OEMs.
Not only that, but Intel has also decided to push forward the so-called thin Basic project, for notebooks that aren't actually ultrabooks, but possess similar size and weight advantages.
Meanwhile, the Santa Clara, California-based company, as well as the multitude of computer makers around the world, are going forward with their plan of bringing the number of ultrabook models to 75.
By the end of 2012, there should be thin notebooks for everyone, which means that the price range will be of $600 to $1,000. That's 450 Euro to 750 Euro, according to exchange rates.