News - Are Ultrabooks the ultimate in choice and value?

[HEXUS]

They beat the MacBook Air and iPad, according to Intel - obviously.

Read more.

[crossy]

I'm curious about one aspect of that Leonovo Yogi picture - am I right in thinking that in tablet mode the keyboard is face down on the desk surface? In which case I'm hoping they've got some kind of rim to stop the operation of the tablet inadvertently registering key presses.

Apparently Apple isn't so keen to make such a multimode device that could detract from its own iPad USPs.

Easy to do for them - all they have to do is (like Asus!) design a keyboard dock that plugs into the dock connector of the iPad. Only downside of this arrangement being that - unless you want to have a portrait display, you'd have to put the connector on some kind of arm (since the iPad's dock connector is on the shortest side). However, some kind of "goalpost" type arrangement (which'd also help to reduce the load on the dock connector by providing some support) should be possible.

Eminently do-able imho.

[davesom555]

@crossy They could adapt something like the Kensington powerback for this purpose. As far as I can see, the ipad slides in and the battery doc goes round the side. Wouldnt be too hard to fit it all the way round and attach a keyboard.

[krazy_olie]

I am keen on " flip-over touch screens" of course such devices have been around for a while but slimmer form factors plus a touch friendly OS is a winner in my book.

[Biscuit]

Thing that held me back from ultra books when i was looking at laptops a few months ago was the lack of a discreet GPU. I appreciate that its difficult to achieve in a slim platform but
1. Apple manage it in their 15" platform
2. Intel integrated is just not enough

Screen resolution aswell, 720p isnt enough! I want 1600 x 900 at least.

I ended up going with a tiny 11" and reletively cheap netbook/laptop instead (Lenovo x121e AMD) and its serving me well so far.

[dcwt2010]

If Apple can make a system to power a 2048x1536 resolution and modestly decent graphics then why can't Intel? I'm not a fan of Apple but they sure know how to optimise!

[Funkstar]

I'm curious about one aspect of that Leonovo Yogi picture - am I right in thinking that in tablet mode the keyboard is face down on the desk surface? In which case I'm hoping they've got some kind of rim to stop the operation of the tablet inadvertently registering key presses.

Just switch the keyboard off when it gets past a certain angle on the hinges... Just like you do with the screen when it approaches the keyboard... or like the light in your fridge

I really like the idea of the Yogi, although a part of me would rather it was more like the Transformer Prime with a detachable keyboard.

[Jimbo75]

Intel talking about value cracks me up.

[crossy]

I really like the idea of the Yogi, although a part of me would rather it was more like the Transformer Prime with a detachable keyboard.

Hmm, so you're more in the mind for a "convertable" or "dockable" tablet than a true "Ultrabook"? Based on my experiences with a non-Prime Transformer I'm going to agree 100% - it is a "better" way to do things. Only downside is that - like the Transformers - you can end up with a top-heavy design because there has to be a lot of hardware placed behind that screen.

If Asus (or others perhaps!) do a WinTel version of the Transformer then I'd consider that instead of an Ultrabook.

Intel talking about value cracks me up.

Could be worse than Intel ... could be Apple!

[Funkstar]

Hmm, so you're more in the mind for a "convertable" or "dockable" tablet than a true "Ultrabook"? Based on my experiences with a non-Prime Transformer I'm going to agree 100% - it is a "better" way to do things. Only downside is that - like the Transformers - you can end up with a top-heavy design because there has to be a lot of hardware placed behind that screen.

If Asus (or others perhaps!) do a WinTel version of the Transformer then I'd consider that instead of an Ultrabook.

Could be worse than Intel ... could be Apple!

Yeah pretty much exactly what I would be after. I don't want to spend hundreds and hundreds on a tablet with a mobile OS, I want Windows on there and the option of a proper keyboard. But I'm getting really pissed off at the terrible screens that are still going into laptops considering the resolutions that are going into tablets. I want the best of both really.

I guess a keyboard with an extra battery and ports would help address the weight problem.

[w1ntergr33n]

Ultrabooks have it all apart from the GPU - so rare to see one with any kind of dedicated graphics, which really puts me off. Will be interesting to see if the improved IGP of Ivy Bridge is enough to change that though.

[choco]

they are just way too expensive right now...

[aidanjt]

It's the ultimate buzzword and ultimate pocket emptier.