Ultra-Thin Laptops To Be Next Intel-AMD Battleground 125
FinalAnkleHealer sends along an IBTimes article proposing that $500 ultra-thin laptops, capable of multitasking and editing multimedia content, could be the next market contested by Intel and AMD. "AMD partnered with Hewlett-Packard Co. in January to launch the Pavilion dv2. Intel launched its rival CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) chip this month and Acer Inc. and Asustek Computer Inc were among those that demonstrated laptops based on the new technology at the Computex trade show in Taipei. ... With more people gravitating toward mobile and wireless technology, consumers want smaller laptops — and most of those people would prefer doing more than surfing the Web, which the no-frills netbooks now excel at. ... Acer, the first company to introduce a cheap Intel-powered CULV laptop, expects revenue from that segment to account for 15 percent of its total sales by the end of 2009. Asustek, which pioneered the netbook in 2007, plans to launch five consumer-priced ultra-thins this year."
Ultra-thin? (Score:5, Interesting)
concentrate on NOT SUCK 1st, then go for THIN (Score:1, Interesting)
seriously, laptops have so many problems, we don't need to add EDIBLE to the list
Re:Just more battery life (Score:3, Interesting)
If you can make a thin laptop, just add on a massive battery and make it as thick as a regular one. I don't care how thin it is, but a laptop that can survive normal use on battery for 8 hours would be an amazing thing.
Depending on what you name "normal use", I think that Eee 1000HE may be enough for you. I have used my for a complete day without needing to plug it to the mains.
I have been using my Eee for a lot more than web-surfing. I can watch video, play games (http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=57479) and even composing/playing music (tuxguitar).
The *only* thing I may recommend is upgrading to 2GB RAM (from 1 GB RAM available out of the box), but so far, I haven't done this and is not a real problem.
How about a cell-phone sized computer? (Score:1, Interesting)
Say, with a project-able display and project-to-any-surface keyboard?
Bonus if it weighed no more than today's smart phones and lasted all day between charges.
I know, I know, "dream on," at least for this decade.
Um, snapdragon? (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm sure Intel would like all of that pie and unfortunately for us, they are willing to do anything to get it. Including strong arming Asus when they showed an Arm based chipset running on Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform (running Android no less). A quick intervention from Intel and Microsoft and Asus was saying that 'the project is on hold' while sharing a stage with a VP from each of Intel and Microsoft.. Story on slashdot a couple days back.
Oh and these arm based devices can run all-day(apparently), nevermind 8 hours.
http://gizmodo.com/5273723/asus-demos-snapdragon+based-eee-pc-with-android [gizmodo.com]
Re:Just more battery life (Score:3, Interesting)
If I were to put the entire base of the laptop full of those batteries, they alone would weigh 2.8kg. The laptop itself weighs, from the tried and tested "hold it up and think of a bag of sugar" method, 2kg without the battery.
I think your idea needs refining a little.
Re:"Consumers want smaller laptops" (Score:1, Interesting)
I just sold my Acer Aspire One and got a HP/Compaq Mini. Same size, similar weight, same specs more or less. The only real difference is the added bluetooth, and a 10" screen instead of a 9". In fact, it's 10.1" instead of 8.9". What a difference that extra 1.2" make. I wouldnt go any bigger, but this screen at this price point (250 euros more or less) is the sweet spot for me. At least until we see 50 euro ARM netbooks.
I used to have a 12" HP, and although you wouldnt think it, and it only seemed a *wee bit* bigger, that extra wee bit made it too big to be easily carrieable without a big bag. The 10" screen fits in my 'man-bag' that I used to carry the acer in. No real appreciable difference in legibility or usability but a big difference in portability and price (the 12" was a 1000 euro super lightweight business notebook).
And, yeah, I know. I never thought I would be extolling the virtues of 10" over 9" either. I sound like my girlfriend ;-)