Intel's Sean Maloney, an Executive VP, described 'three key phases in the company's strategy to accelerate this vision, which begins to unfold today with the company's latest 2nd Generation Intel Core processors'.
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Asus' Chairman Jonney Shih came on stage to join Maloney in showcasing Asus' 'new ultra-thin laptop based on the latest 2nd Generation Intel Core processor.'
Mr Shih stated that: 'At Asus, we are very much aligned with Intel's vision of Ultrabook. Our customers are demanding an uncompromised computing experience in a lightweight, highly portable design that responds to their needs quickly. Transforming the PC into an ultra thin, ultra responsive device will change the way people interact with their PC.'
Then there's the follow-up to the current Sandy-Bridge, 2nd-gen Core technology called 'Ivy Bridge', which will be available to buy in the first half of 2012, and which will be using 22nm manufacturing technology and Intel's new '3D transistor'.
We'll also see USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports in these systems.
After Ivy Bridge comes the 2013 range, currently codenamed 'Haswell', which is 'the third step toward achieving the Ultrabook' and 'reinventing the capabilities of the laptop in ultra thin and light, responsive and more secure designs'.
Intel says Haswell will 'change the mainstream laptop thermal design point by reducing the microprocessor power to half of today's design point'.
So, while it will take until 2013 to see the Intel's true Ultrabook vision realised, Apple, Google and other tablet makers, along with ARM itself, won't sit still.
It means fiercer tablet competition than ever, and perhaps even keener pricing form Apple next year when it releases the iPad 3, although Apple's moves can certainly be hard to predict.
I guess we'll be hearing a heck of a lot more about the Ultrabook from now onwards, with the netbook soon to be but a memory.
More information on all of Intel's Computex announcements can be found here.


















