Intel’s low-power Atom processor was once a netbook darling, but it appears that the computer industry will be banking on it once again to sell Windows 8 slates. Today, Intel CEO Paul Otellini announced that there are 20 Windows 8 tablets based on the “Clover Trail” Atom SOC during an investor call. In addition to discussing the $13.5 billion in revenue and $2.8 billion in profit the company raked in last quarter, the CEO also mentioned how popular the ultrabook has become with OEMs. Intel’s now expecting 140 different Ivy Bridge ultrabook designs, up from the 110 designs the company confirmed in May, including 40 “touch-enabled” computers, and a dozen convertible machines. If those dozen convertibles count as tablets, too, it sounds like you’ll have a definite choice between power and battery life when you purchase a Windows 8 slate. Curious what kinds of form factors you might see? Here’s a look at some of the more exotic machines we saw this year at Computex Taipei.
Intel: 20 Atom-based Windows 8 tablets in the pipeline, and 140 ultrabook designs
Intel CEO Paul Otellini announced that there are 20 Windows 8 tablets based on the “Clover Trail” Atom system-on-chip (SOC) during an investor call.
Intel CEO Paul Otellini announced that there are 20 Windows 8 tablets based on the “Clover Trail” Atom system-on-chip (SOC) during an investor call.
Otellini also said the industry appears to be on track to sell $699 ultrabooks this fall, but it’s not quite clear what that means. For one thing, the word “ultrabook” only stands for a small number of variables at this point, not including width, build quality, or weight. For another you can technically already find ultrabooks on sale for cheaper than $699, with Acer’s Aspire S3 available at the likes of Walmart for under $650.
Here’s Otellini’s full quote:
Ultrabooks continue to build momentum, and achieved our volume goals in the first half. We are very pleased with the level of innovation and invention being brought into this category, and are now tracking over 140 Ivy Bridge-based designs in the pipeline. Of those, more than 40 will be touch-enabled, and a dozen will be convertibles. With visibility into this many designs, we are confident that we’ll see $699 systems at retail this fall. We are also tracking more than 20 Windows 8 tablet designs based on our low-power and low-cost Clover Trail Atom SOC, in addition to a number of Core-based tablets.
