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miguelguzman
If Intel would adopt a Mirasol display, it would definitely be not only ...
US Made
Intel Ultrabooks speak, tap and offer $1M prize
Rick Merritt
9/11/2012 3:30 PM EDT
SAN FRANCISCO--Trying to catch up and even surpass Apple’s Siri and Google’s Wallet, Intel Corp. showed efforts with Nuance and Mastercard--and offered a $1 million prize--for creating novel user interfaces for its Ultrabooks. The initiatives were announced at the Intel Developer Forum where much of the initial day focused on the ultrathin notebooks that have yet to gain big market success.
Intel announced just last week that sales for its current quarter would be about $1 billion below expectations, triggering one analyst here to ask if its Ultrabooks will be the hero product Intel hoped.
"We are not taking our foot of the gas--we are pushing harder and innovating more around the [Ultrabook] category," said Dadi Perlmutter, general manager of the Intel Architecture Group, in a Q&A following a keynote address.
Intel showed new processors, novel user interfaces and new form factors to help drive Ultrabooks forward. The Ultrabook “will be a hero product with refreshed form factors,” Permutter said.
In his keynote, Perlmutter showed Ultrabooks from AsusTek, Compal and Sony that could flip, slide or detach their displays to become tablets.
An Intel employee demos a Sony Ultrabook that slides into a tablet.
In an effort to pump up excitement for Ultrabooks, Intel also announced a $1 million prize for the best user interface innovations using the company’s new perceptual computing developers kit.
For its own user interface efforts, Intel is working with Nuance to optimize its Dragon voice recognition on Ultrabooks using x86 processors. Production versions of the software will ship in the first quarter. "We are working with them on future capabilities we have not announced today," Perlmutter said.
Separately, he demoed an Ultrabook using near-field communication (NFC) and new Intel security technology for multi-factor authentication. The system automated the process of an online purchase with a touch of a Mastercard PayPass card with NFC.
As for processors, Perlmutter showed working versions of Intel's next-generation Core CPU, Haswell. The new 22-nm architetcure will deliver twice the graphics performance and use half the power of current Sandy Bridge chips, he said.
Perlmutter said Haswell-based PCs will start shipping by April.
Related stories:
- Intel launches embedded middleware push
- AMD fabric takes first step to broader market
- Intel’s Haswell shines, but Atom remains cloudy
- Intel preps interconnect for server CPUs
- Intel-based development kit for intelligent signage
- Intel Q3 revenue hit by weak demand
- Intel's 22-nm process gives MOSFET switch a facelift
- Intel forum is next front in x86 vs. ARM war
- Intel's developer forum - what to expect
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dylan.mcgrath
9/11/2012 4:50 PM EDT
Intel continues to push ultrabooks hard. I think the analyst asks a great question: will ultrabook be a hero for Intel? Perlmutter's response shows Intel has no intention of doing an about face.
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resistion
9/11/2012 9:42 PM EDT
Ultrabook feels like Intel's last stand. But they still look too much like tablets stuck to keyboards.
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eewiz
9/11/2012 11:31 PM EDT
I like the Apple Air Clone(read ultrabook) formfactor. But dont like its performance. Hope haswell improves things
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resistion
9/12/2012 5:32 AM EDT
There is a tradeoff ultrabooks will have to face: bigger display (like 14") vs. longer battery life.
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any1
9/12/2012 10:13 AM EDT
I agree, we need to get as much innovation in display technology as we have gotten in CPU technology to improve battery life.
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miguelguzman
9/13/2012 1:42 PM EDT
If Intel would adopt a Mirasol display, it would definitely be not only innovative and attractive to consumers, but the battery life wouldn't be aproblem anymore. :)
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US Made
9/12/2012 8:56 PM EDT
Sandy Bridge 2 IVY Bridge 2 Haswell
faster, better, cooler, same old IDF story. Every onehas the same story. wait for ARM conference. No wonder Iphone 5 gets better coverage.....
Once you are trained to think certain way you get to be best, and stop innovating..
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