Ultrabooks: 7 Ways They’re Revolutionizing Mobile Computing - oliveirahileboseek

At CES 2012, the ultrabook is the new tablet. Of course, in that respect are plenty of sunrise tablets being offered up as easily, only 2012 is constructive adequate to be the year of the ultrabook.

So, are ultrabooks the Second Coming of the laptop, or just a heroic, futile attempt to stand off the tablet rotation and maintain close to relevance in the mobile commercialise for more than traditional PCs? Or, are ultrabooks simply a "me to a fault" clone of the MacBook Tune because it seems to work for Orchard apple tree?

The ultrabook takes the portability of a netbook, and merges it with the capabilities of a orotund-sized notebook to enable mobile users to be more productive on the go. Here are seven ways that ultrabooks are revolutionizing fluid computing.

1. Thinner, Lighter

Ultrabooks are – by their same nature – diluent and lighter than former laptops of comparable with might. Intel has defined the specifications for ultrabooks with a maximum thickness of 0.8 inches, and a maximum weight of 3.1 pounds. Flatbottom on the high end of satisfactory ultrabook eyeglasses, it is about half the thickness and angle of an median notebook computer, fashioning it easier to be mobile without requiring a hindermost brace.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga ultrabook contorts from laptop to tablet.

2. Endurance

Another aspect of the ultrabook specification from Intel requires that they wealthy person assault and battery life of at least five hours — preferably eight or to a greater extent. When it comes to computing on the go, battery life is probably unmatchable of the biggest stumbling blocks for some laptops. An ultrabook that can run eight hours means you can get through an entire figure out day on a single charge, and you don't need to carry the power adapter or a accompaniment battery on for the drive.

Every bit energy cost-effective as the current stable of ultrabooks are, when the Intel Ivy Bridge processors hit the street later this year, things volition get even better. Ivy Bridgework processors are lower voltage, and draw more efficiently, which volition allow ultrabooks to extend battery life well on the far side viii hours.

3. Tablet / Laptop Convertibles

On that point are advantages to having a time-honoured desktop OS, and the full power of a laptop, but tablets as wel have many benefits. You could carry a tablet along with an ultrabook, but vendors are as wel introducing products that span the railway line and give up some experiences in one device.

Acer unveiled a convertible tablet that blurs the line with ultrabooks. IT looks suchlike an ultrabook, but the display can be detached to become a standalone tablet. More intriguing options, though, are ultrabooks that tush act as tablets without having to be physically separated, like the Acer model with the swivel screen, or the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga.

4. Touchscreen

PC purists wish probably fight this to the death, but for most routine computer tasks touchscreens will supervene upon the traditional mouse and keyboard. The Metro interface of Windows 8 is configured to be an interactive, touchscreen receive, and ultrabooks equipped with touchscreen displays will enable users to take vantage of the benefits of swiping and tapping a gesture-based interface, while still having a traditional desktop OS and keyboard / trackpad to retire on.

5. Voice Recognition

While touchscreen interfaces are revolutionizing computing, the subsequent is voice recognition. Vocalize commands have been around for a long clip, but Apple raised the bar with Siri on the iPhone 4S, and at CES 2012 gadgets of all shapes and sizes are beingness introduced that can be managed and controlled with your voice. Intel disclosed that future ultrabooks will incorporate voice recognition to bring that "Siri-like" see to the mobile PC as well.

HP brings a little something extra with NFC capabilities on the Enviousness 14 Spectre ultrabook.

6. Embedded Security

Intel is also striving to provide a more stormproof mobile computing experience. It spent a good chunk of money to acquire McAfee so it would have the security expertness to integrate protection into its computer architecture. Intel offers Intel Opposed-Theft Engineering science (AT), and Intel Identity Protection Technology (Intel IPT) arsenic options for its ultrabook ironware.

Intel-AT lets you disenable admittance to your data from anywhere in the world in the event that your ultrabook is lost operating room stolen. If and when it is healed, it behind be reactivated with no impact to the data. Intel-IPT helps protect your identity and personal information.

7. NFC

Some ultrabooks, like the HP Invidia 14 Spectre unveiled at CES 2012, also fall prepared with NFC technology. NFC — or Near Field Communications — is a short-range tune communications protocol secondhand in smartphone like the Samsung Extragalactic nebula Nexus to help making payments. The HP Begrudge 14 Spectre might be capable of transacting payments as well, but the NFC in the HP ultrabook is designed to enable wireless information unselfish between NFC-capable devices.

The ultrabook is everything mobile business users trust on with their traditional notebooks, combined with nearly of the benefits and advantages of netbooks or tablets, with some extra tricks thrown in. It is a powerful combination that has the potential to revolutionise mobile computing.

Only clock testament secernate if the ultrabook is a brilliant organic evolution of the laptop computer PC, or a dire comprehend aside Intel to redefine the category and maintain some relevance in a mobile world that threatens to leave it behind.

What do you think? Does the ultrabook sound like a victor? Is there a particular vendor or ultrabook model you have along your wish leaning?

For many blogs, stories, photos, and video recording from the res publica's largest consumer electronics show, see to it out PCWorld's complete insurance coverage of CES 2012.