Intel Ultrabook™

The personal computing experience is undergoing yet another fundamental transformation. The notion of ‘one-size-fits-all’ computing is out of place in today’s increasingly fast-paced world, and consumers are demanding more functionality packaged in sleek devices. Ultrabook™ is a new line of mainstream mobile computers powered by Intel® Core™ processors that combine best in class performance, responsiveness and built-in security in thin, elegant form factors. The Ultrabook is a leap forward in the laptop experience.

The initial Ultrabooks will have clamshell designs. Over time, as the industry innovates and experiments with new designs, the physical look of the devices may change—however, the value proposition and experience, no matter what the final design is—will remain. Ultrabooks are designed to give people the power to create and consume in a sleek, light, secure and elegant device that offers an immersive and responsive experience without compromising performance, all at mainstream price points.

Ultrabook Features:
Intel has a strong track record of delivering innovation and growth in computing by employing the core assets of architecture, engineering, and manufacturing leadership. Intel is continuing its long legacy of innovation with the company’s vision for Ultrabooks. Ultrabook devices are defined by the following criteria: Super slim designs, fast system responsiveness, and extensive battery life.
• Super Slim Designs: The height of an Ultrabook is measured at the thickest part of the system. For devices coming into the market in 2011 and 2012 with a screen size of more than 14 inches, the height should be less than 21.0 mm thick; and for screens less than 14 inches, no more than 18.0 mm.
• System Responsiveness: Ultrabooks will feature technologies that allow the device to wake up in a flash. oIn addition to supporting third-party solutions, Intel is developing and bringing to market capabilities that improve the appeal of Ultrabook designs. For example, Intel® Rapid Start Technology gets your system up and running faster from even the deepest sleep, saving time and battery life. The system wakes up almost instantly and gives users quick access to their data and applications.
• Long Battery Life: Ultrabooks will have a baseline minimum of 5 hours of battery, though 8 hours is highly encouraged An Ultrabook is also enabled with features that help protect itself and its user. Ultrabook bios/firmware is enabled to expose hardware features for Intel® Anti-Theft Technology and Intel® Identity Protection Technology.
• The Intel® Anti-Theft Technology helps PCs powered by the new Intel Core processor family to disable themselves if they get lost or stolen. When the laptop is recovered, it can be easily reactivated and return to normal operation. •The Intel Identity Protection Technology is a powerful, additional layer of security that links your PC to the online account, VPN or application that you select, decreasing the ability of thieves to access account information from nonassociated computers. It does this with two-factor authentication embedded directly into the chipsets that work with select 2nd generation Intel Core processors.

As it has done for decades in the traditional PC space, Intel will apply the world’s most advanced silicon technology to new mobile segments to deliver cost-competitive products with lowest power and highest performance.

The future of Ultrabook: The Ultrabook vision is a multi-year, industrywide effort that will roll out in three phases. As of today, phase one is in process and has been realized with the introduction of the first Ultrabook devices from manufactures such as Asus, Acer, Toshiba, HP and Lenovo, while phase two will begin with the launch of Intel’s 3rd generation Core processors, codenamed “Ivy Bridge,” in the first half of 2012. Laptops based on Ivy Bridge will bring improved power efficiency, smart visual performance, increased responsiveness and enhanced security. In 2013, Intel will introduce its next-generation, 22nm “Haswell” processor, which initially inspired the Ultrabook concept, signaling phase three of the transition to Ultrabook devices. Devices powered by the future chip will ultimately transform the personal computing experience as a result of the new levels of power savings in the processor that will help provide more than 10 days of connected standby battery life and reduce power consumption to half of the “thermal design point” for today’s microprocessors.

JUDGE’S REMARKS

Well, well, well. Finally, it looks as though the promise of truly mobile computing will be coming to the Windows-loving masses. Never mind the underpowered stop-gap of netbooks; that’s so last decade. Intel’s Ultrabook platform shows a vision to make this a reality, with processors that are optimized to strike a balance between battery life and performance, at a price that won’t break your wallet. To count as an Ultrabook, Intel has added some design requirements, too, so that Ultrabooks must conform to specific weight and thickness parameters. That’s a welcome change, and one that’s pushing laptop makers to come up with a variety of appealing designs that have the potential to reshape the ultraportable computer into something that appeals to everyone, not just corporate road warriors.

Melissa Perenson