Intel, the Intel logo and Ultrabook are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries.
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Then it unveiled so-called Sleekbooks, which basically hold the same promise as Ultrabooks, except that for whatever reason (AMD processors, a too-thick chassis) they don't meet Intel's official Ultrabook requirements.
Given that we're just days away from seeing what's apt to be a flood of these things at CES, Intel's new Ultrabook portal (and linked "Ultra Excited For Ultrabooks" preview paper) is priming the masses for what to expect.
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It was at Computex that Intel first talked about the ultrabook concept, which emerged from in-depth consumer research it conducted in 2009 and 2010.
Along with the Windows 8 launch, we feel that the upcoming innovative designs and a lower price point could help steer Ultrabook demand for Intel in the future.
Also, over time, Intel expects to provide the premius Ultrabook experience at mainstream prices.
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The new Ultrabook crop runs on Intel-manufactured Haswell processors, which deliver images sharper than the Ivy Bridge architecture currently in use.
And mind you, we're using the word "ultraportables" very deliberately here: in addition to Ultrabooks, HP is selling so-called Sleekbooks -- lightweight machines that, for whatever reason (thickness, AMD processors), don't fit Intel's definition of an Ultrabook.
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Since mid-2011, Intel has led the industry in enabling Ultrabook devices aimed at providing new, richer mobile computing experiences in thin, elegant and increasingly convertible and detachable designs.
Aiming to combine the productivity of a PC with the convenience of a tablet, Intel intends to launch about a dozen convertible Ultrabook designs.
"The 4th generation Core processors are the first Intel chips built from the ground up with the Ultrabook in mind, " Skaugen said.
As the line between PCs and tablets is blurring, Intel intends to focus on developing more convertibles and detachable ultrabook designs in the future.
"Working closely with service providers like Comcast allows us to bring exciting new entertainment experiences to tablets, phones, all-in-one PCs and Ultrabook devices, " said Alan Crouch, Intel vice president and general manager, PCCG Service Provider Division.
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Love 'em or hate 'em, there's no question that tablets aren't capable of handling the same rigors (with the same efficiency levels) as a full-on laptop, and Intel's using that very point to promote the Ultrabook category as a whole.
ENGADGET: Intel's Ultrabook portal jabs at limited functionality of tablets
In fact, Surface Pro will basically be a touch-screen version of an Ultrabook computer, the lightweight laptop form factor that Intel has been touting for the past year as a Macbook Air competitor.
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To demonstrate the impact of the 4th generation Intel Core processor family, Skaugen showed a new form factor Ultrabook detachable reference design (codenamed "North Cape") that converts into a 10mm tablet and can run on battery for up to 13 hours while docked.
In an official Intel technology blog written by Becky Emmett, the company defines Ultrabook specs and characteristics, which are quite precise in some cases and generously vague in others (to encourage innovation on the part of hardware OEMs like Dell and Hewlett-Packard that will bring this class of machine to market).
Schmoock also commented on Ultrabook sales, stating that he didn't think Intel would meet its lofty saturation goals: 40 percent of the market by the end of 2012.
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Moving forward, Intel will instead focus its efforts on creating form factor reference designs for the Ultrabook, tablet and desktop markets.
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Although both Microsoft and Intel have marketed more to consumers than to business in the early stages of the Ultrabook launch, Echevarria said the business advantages of the new hardware are impressive.
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Powered by the new 3rd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 or i7 processor, all three LIFEBOOK notebooks feature optional SSD cache or SSD drives with Intel(R) Rapid Start Technology for powering up with the speed of an Ultrabook(TM) device.
This week Intel accelerated its promotion of what it is touting as a new category of computer: the Ultrabook.
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