Lenovo has started shipping the IdeaPad Yoga 11S in the United States. The convertible ultrabook is a smaller version of the IdeaPad Yoga 13, opting for an 11.6-inch, 1366x768 touchscreen display instead of the 13-inch version of its larger stablemate, and provides full Windows 8 instead of the Windows RT installed on the Yoga 11.
A video clip on YouTube claimed to be leaked from training videos for the Dixons Store Group in the UK appears to show an unannounced larger version of the Sony Vaio Duo 11. Using the same "Surf Slider" hinge found on the 11-inch version, the mystery Ultrabook is shown in the clip to have a 13-inch Full HD Triluminos touchscreen that lines up with the top of the keyboard when propped up.
Asus is shipping a larger version of its dual-screen ultrabook. Following on from the 11.6-inch Taichi 21, the Taichi 31 has two 13.3-inch Full HD touchscreens with optional stylus input, with one on either side of the lid, allowing its to be used as a tablet when closed or as a standard notebook with an extra external display for presentations or for multiple users.
Ultrabooks abound. Just about every major manufacturer makes them, and too many look like the MacBook Air. The 2011 Intel spec for ultrabooks is very detailed, and gives guidelines for performance, enhancements, and even battery life. As defined by Intel, ultrabooks are designed for reduced bulk without a corresponding hit on performance and battery life. Nearly all of them are "inspired" by Apple's ultralight notebook, and feature solid-state drives and specific engineering to keep the laptop strong and durable. Does the new 11.6-inch Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook live up to the lofty goals set forth by Intel? Check out Electronista's review to find out.
Lenovo has added the ThinkPad T431 to its lineup touting 26 major revisions over the model that it replaces. In developing the T431, Lenovo researchers observed ThinkPad and other users over a nine-month period in order to shape the design of the new model. The aim, according to Lenovo, was to create a notebook that would have maxium appeal for business users in a ‘bring your own notebook’ office place.
Today's deal of the day from TigerDirect.com is on the 13.3-inch Sony VAIO Ultrabook which carries a list price of $920, but has been cut by $250 to $670 with free US shipping. That is $100 less than the lowest price we have seen offered anywhere else. The Sony VAIO Ultrabook features a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB of RAM and a 500GB combo drive with 24GB SSD. A one-year warranty on parts and labor is included from Sony.
It turns out that we're not quite in the "post-PC" world just yet. While the cheap, poorly-performing netbook trend has died -- some would say thankfully -- the burgeoning market in the industry besides tablets is ultrabooks. As defined by Intel, ultrabooks are designed for reduced bulk without a corresponding hit on performance and battery life. Nearly all of them are "inspired" by the MacBook Air, and feature solid-state drives and specific engineering to keep the laptop strong and durable. Does the new 11.6-inch Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook live up to the lofty goals set forth by Intel?
LG has introduced the U560 15.6-inch Windows 8 ultrabook. The device centers on 1080p IPS display for wide viewing angles and better color accuracy. It appears to be positioned as a Windows alternative to the 15.4-inch Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display, coming in slightly lighter than the 4.46 pounds MacBook.
Earlier this week Sony announced the evolution of its VAIO T lineup with the addition of an updated 14-inch model and a brand new 15-inch model. Sony was stringent in providing any actually specs or pricing for the new models and have only given "spring 2013" as a vague release date. However, both the T14 and T15 were present on the show floor so Electronista stopped by the booth to take a look.
Intel has demonstrated its fourth generation of Core processors at the company's CES press event. The demonstration also gave the chip maker a chance to demonstrate a new quad-core 22nm Atom System-on-Chip processor it calls "Bay Trail," as well as low-powered versions of existing architectures and processors aimed towards developing nations.
Samsung has revealed its new Series 7 Ultra ahead of its official unveiling at CES 2013. The latest Ultrabook from Samsung utilizes aluminum throughout its construction and is being positioned by the Korean company as an ultraportable with multimedia prowess. Underscoring this, the Series 7 Ultra centers on a 13-inch 1080p PLS 10-point multi-touch display with a 1920x1080 resolution and 350nits of brightness.
A new Windows 8 tablet from Lenovo might be making its way to North American shores, as the ThinkPad Helix convertible tablet has shown up in documents from the FCC. The ThinkPad Helix is an 11.6-inch tablet that plugs into a keyboard dock to enable easy switching between tablet use and Ultrabook function. The version spotted most recently will be compatible with AT&T's LTE bands, meaning the device may appear in a subsidized or carrier-exclusive model when it debuts.
LG has revealed its lineup of PCs it will put on display at CES next month, all of which have Windows 8 pre-installed and take advantage of LG's IPS display technology. The collection includes a pair of hybrid notebook-tablets, an ultrabook with an eight-second booting time, and an all-in-one desktop computer with a touchscreen display.
NEC is preparing to release a notebook that updates its thin line of ultrabooks in Japan with a new size of display, among other upgrades. The LaVie X has a 15.6-inch full HD IPS display, bigger than the LaVie Z's 13.3-inch display shown back in May, while keeping a slender profile that measures 12.8mm (half an inch) thick at its thinnest point.
Asus is putting off US shipments of its dual-screen ultrabook-slate hybrid until December. The Taichi ultrabook, with its main selling point of a screen on both sides of the notebook's lid, was debuted at Computex in June and expected to be shipped in November, but delays have pushed the release date further back in the calendar, and possibly into 2013.
ABI Research released its newest Ultrabook Competitive Assessment today, with Apple snagging the top spot in ABI's assessment, well ahead of Lenovo and Samsung, which placed second and third respectively. The Assessment gauges innovation and implementation in the ultraportable segment, and Apple scored an 84.7 out of a possible 100 by ABI's measure. Lenovo and Samsung had respective scores of 77.5 and 74.4.
Fujitsu has listed a number of devices for the Windows 8 launch. A water-resistant tablet, a tablet that transforms into a notebook, two standard notebooks and a touch-screen PC join the already-announced Floral Kiss Ultrabook line for the October 26th Microsoft operating system launch in Japan.
Fujitsu is launching a range of female-oriented Ultrabooks in Japan. Called Floral Kiss, the range hopes to "bring elegance to PCs", and was planned and developed primarily by female Fujitsu employees. The Windows 8 notebooks will be made available in three colors: Elegant White, Feminine Pink and Luxury Brown.
Today, Acer unveiled what it dubs "the world's thinnest touch ultrabooks," the Aspire S7 series. The two new ultrabooks feature high-definition touchscreens, and the 13.3-inch model features a design allowing its screen to be laid back flat for sharing and collaboration. Depending on the model, the new series weighs as little as 2.29 pounds and can be as thin as 0.47 inches. Both models of the Aspire S7 series will ship running Windows 8.
IHS iSuppli has revised down its prediction for ultrabook shipments for this year, and the analyst firm now believes PC manufacturers will ship 53 percent fewer units than it had previously estimated. ZDnet cites a new report from IHS that saw the firm's previous estimate reduced from 22 million ultrabooks shipped for 2012 to just 10.3 million. The revised estimate is said to be due in part to the continuing popularity of smartphones and tablets.
Acer has announced the newest Ultrabook off of its production lines, the Timeline Ultra M5 series. The 0.81-inch aluminum alloy laptop comes with an optical drive, a choice of Intel Core-series processors, in a 14- or 15.6-inch display form factor.
Computer and electronics manufacturer Acer has announced the availability of the Aspire S5 ultrabook in the US. It measures 0.44 inches at its thinnest point, 0.59 inches at its thickest, and weighs 2.65 lbs. The new line has been bolstered with the Ivy Bridge line of Intel processors. In addition, the Aspire S3 has been refreshed with a faster processor and a champagne case finish as well.
Toshiba has taken the covers off its latest ultrabook, the U840W. The notebook distinguishes itself with a super widescreen 14.4-inch display that uses a unique 21:9 (7:3) ratio with a 1792x768 resolution. Toshiba says that the ratio matches the anamorphic image format used in many widescreen films meaning that it can display these without any black bars above or below the images.
Lenovo has announced that its IdeaPad U310 and U410 ultrabooks are now shipping in most markets. The previously announced notebooks are available in a range of configurations, including a choice of Core i7 Ivy Bridge processors that take advantage of Lenovo's RapidBoot technology and Ultra Smart social network updates in sleep mode.
The Sony Vaio T13, is set to arrive in North America this month starting from $770. Although Sony claims that its Vaio Z series has ‘long exceeded ultrabook specifications,’ the T13 is the first Sony notebook to officially carry the ultrabook tag. Despite suggestions that they T13 would arrive with older 2nd-generation Core series processors, Sony has confirmed that they will instead be packing Intel’s latest 3rd-generation Core series ‘Ivy Bridge’ chips.
Intel has completed a deal with DeviceScape to use its connection management technology, a partnership that will see future Intel Ultrabooks and tablets with access to a global Wi-Fi network. According to GigaOm, Intel's partners will have the option to ship their Intel-based computers with a public wireless connection already active.
At a HP press event in Shanghai, four new models of laptops were demonstrated today. With "performance, responsiveness and a secure computing experience in a thin, elegant form factor" according to HP Vice President and General Manager Kirk Skaugen, the new additions to the product line are the HP Envy Spectre XT, Envy Sleekbooks, HP Envy Ultrabooks, and the EliteBook Folio 9470m.
Sony has officially released the ultrabook concepts that it first revealed at CES 2012 in January as a prototypes. Now known as the Sony Vaio T11 and T13, the 11-inch and 13-inch (1366x768) ultrabooks will initially arrive powered by Intel’s 2nd-gen Core processors as Intel’s ultra-low voltage 3rd-gen Ivy Bridge processors are not scheduled to arrive until later in the spring. Both models arrive with in a slim magnesium and aluminum chassis with the option of a hybrid 320GB hard drive/32GB SSD combination or full SSD.
Acer in discussing its latest results at an investor's conference was hopeful that this was a sign of a widescale resurgence in PCs for the industry. Its climb from 10.1 percent share in the fall to 10.9 percent this winter was a sign the company's "competitiveness is coming back," according to chairman JT Wang, and that Acer would climb back to third place while Dell sank. Demand for the spring would be typical in light of world economic troubles, but it would grow in earnest in 2012 and expand to more than 10 percent in 2013.
Leaked HP internal documents show that HP is prepping the release of two new ultrabooks that are set to join its HP Envy 14 Spectre, although likely at the lower end of the price range. The HP Envy 6 (15.6-inch) ultrabook has had its key specifications spilled in the leak, while the details of smaller Envy 4 (14-inch) ultrabook can only currently be speculated at.
Apple CEO Tim Cook during his company's fiscal Q2 results call slammed the idea of merging touchscreens and ultrabooks. When asked by Sanford Bernstein's Toni Sacconaghi why Apple wouldn't merge the iPad and MacBook Air like Intel and Microsoft wanted Windows 8 and ultrabooks to unite, he described it as a matter of inherent tradeoffs. Trying to appeal to everyone ended up pleasing no one, Cook said, saying that just having the option of converging doesn't mean it should be forced.
AMD offered its answer to NVIDIA on Tuesday through the Radeon HD 7000M. The 7700M, 7800M, and 7900M are the first parts to use Enduro, a live graphics switching technology like NVIDIA's Optimus. The implementation can flip between the Radeon and integrated graphics without having to reload or specify apps, and unlike NVIDIA's approach, can work with both AMD processors as well as Intel's.
Intel has set ambitious targets for the number of ultrabooks it hopes will sell this year, part suppliers understood late Wednesday. Supposed internal roadmap details passed on to Digitimes had between 20 million to 30 million ultrabooks shipping in 2012. That number would double or triple in 2013, according to the claims, as the supply chain would be truly ready for mainstream adoption, such as reinforced plastic to emulate the rigidity of metal without some of the cost.
Intel is refining its ultrabooks, having shown off a new reference design at the IDF 2012 show in Beijing last week. Building upon its 13.3-inch touchscreen ultrabook, the so-called Cove Point also doubles as a tablet. The demo unit sported a 12.5-inch touchscreen, two USB 3.0 ports, and an HDMI output.
Intel PC Client general manager Kirk Skaugen used a keynote at the Beijing edition of the Intel Developer Forum to predict a heavy saturation of the ultrabook market. He saw ultrabook prices reaching down to $699 by the back-to-school period at the end of the summer, or down from the $899 and up more common today. About 75 models were in development for all of 2012, including some touchscreen models mostly intended for Windows 8.
Dell has released several updated drivers for its XPS 13 ultrabook, addressing hardware issues that have affected the new device. A touchpad driver is designed for improved multi-touch functionality, including scrolling performance and palm recognition to avoid accidental input.
IDC painted an optimistic picture of traditional PCs in a Tuesday long-term estimate of their shipments. Researchers expected PC shipments to grow just five percent year-on-year in 2012, but pinned most of this sluggishness on the first half, as the iPad and other tablets were a "powerful distraction," IDC VP Bob O'Donnell said. However, a mix of the Windows 8 launch and ultrabooks was assumed to be creating "excitement" that would see a bounce back.
ASUS' ultrabook refreshes could include some of the first truly discounted, mainstream ultrabooks. New leaks stemming from the same source for The Verge had two 13.3-inch models, the UX32A and UX32Vd, coming in at under $800. Both would still get Intel's low voltage Ivy Bridge Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, but only sometime after they shipped; initial batches would use the outgoing Sandy Bridge generation, insiders said.
(Update: speed changes) ASUS' rumored major ultrabook upgrades were given their first real details through leaks on Monday. The Zenbook UX21A and UX31A models identified by The Verge would be direct replacements for the existing 11.6- and 13.3-inch UX21 and UX31, respectively, but with an option for a 1080p, IPS-based display on either model. Their conventional 1366x768 (UX21) and 1600x900 (UX31) displays would still come standard.
PC sales won't significantly bounce back in 2012, Gartner estimated on Thursday. Analysts saw shipments growing just 4.4 percent this year over last, to 368 million units, as PC builders played "catch-up" to tablets and other mobile hardware in interesting features. Research lead Ranjit Atwal didn't share the optimism of Intel or Microsoft and saw neither MacBook Air-inspired ultrabooks nor Windows 8 as automatic foils to the iPad and the collective Android tablet space.
Intel has been giving hands-on demonstrations at CeBIT of a concept ultrabook with a touch display. At 13.3 inches, it would have one of the largest capacitive touch displays yet. The Verge in its time with the ultraportable got to use an example of Zinio's magazine reader app, which was a "delight" to use with multi-touch input.
Following news that Acer is selling its Aspire S3 ultrabook at a strictly break-even price of $799, a new report suggests that second-tier Taiwanese manufacturers are planning on releasing ultrabook-like notebooks as cheap as $600. The Taiwanese vendors plan on releasing ultra-slim notebooks that look like ultrabooks, but are made of plastic. For notebooks to be able to carry the official Intel Ultrabook tag, they must be made of aluminum and other premium components including SSDs.
Acer's Christoph Pohlmann in remarks Tuesday at CeBIT revealed that the company was selling ultrabooks at extremely thin margins. The base version of the Aspire S3 was being sold at a stricty break-even price at $799, he mentioned to The Verge. It was only viable at all as higher-end models had enough of a premium to make a small profit.
Gigabyte has introduced several new notebooks, including two 14-inch ultrabooks and a 15.6-inch gaming notebook. The ultrabooks include two variants, the U2442N with standard-voltage Core i5 or i7 processors, and the U2442V with ultra-low voltage Core i5 and i7 chips for improved battery life.
Fujitsu took the opportunity at the CeBIT show to introduce its ultrabook under the working name Lifebook Premium. Images, specs, and a video come courtesy of NotebookItalia, with the 14-inch notebook sporting a 'frameless' design and the ability to open 180 degrees. The notebook is just 16mm (0.63 inches) thick and weighs 1.5kg (3.3lbs).
Dell has begun shipping its XPS 13 ultrabook. Dell unveiled the computer at CES in January. The device bears a strong resemblance to the Apple MacBook Air, albeit with a heavier body.
Intel may make up for its Ivy Bridge processor delay by selling at substantially lower prices. New rumors from part suppliers claimed to Digitimes that processor prices would typically be $60 to $70 lower, presumably relative to the current-generation Sandy Bridge-era chips. The move could lead to faster processors at similar prices or, more likely, less expensive systems overall.
Lenovo has finally begun taking pre-orders for its 13.3-inch U300e ultrabook, which was shown earlier this year at CES. The company appears to have increased the notebook's price since it was first introduced, however, jumping from $799 to $959 without any apparent change in the basic specs.
SanDisk in a late Tuesday refresh tackled the very high end of solid-state drives still accessible to the public. The Extreme SSD is meant as much for gamers as for pro users and matches the performance of other fast drives with peak read speeds of 550MB per second and peak writes at 520MB per second. Its edge may be through the input-output rate, which tops at 83,000IOPS for writes and 44,000IOPS for reads.
An investment note from JPMorgan analyst Mike Moskowitz on Tuesday downplaying the likely impact of Windows-based ultrabooks was backed by support from PC resellers. He saw most competitors pursuing the MacBook Air and going for "more of the same" in computers, largely trying to replicate what they'd seen before instead of trying something new. The emulation was ironic for an industry that had initially downplayed the Air, he said, although he saw there being a number of practical competitive issues as well.
