back to article Intel CEO: 'Ultrabooks' will be 'holistic' success

Intel CEO Paul Otellini says that the failed CULV (consumer ultra-low voltage) laptops of a few years back were merely a "trial run" for the Next Big Thing™ – ultrabooks. Perhaps you remember those svelte, lightweight laptops based on Intel's CULV platform? They were poised to conquer the world from spring 2009 until spring …

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  1. tmh66

    Try holding on to it

    That looks very nice and is an engineering masterpiece but the ergonomics are horrible.

    Lighter, thinner, more powerful seems to be the goal these days but we already have palmtops, netbooks and tablets that are too thin to hold effectively while being used.

    I have an ipad which is good for viewing but poor to hold due to weight and lack of thought given to where you hold it.

    Lighter and more powerful by all means but please think about how can hold onto it. Digital cameras have done well in finding ways to improve grip and handling without adding bulk why can't ultrabook designers.

    1. moylan
      Alien

      handles?

      one of the reasons i love my olpc so much is the handle. the first laptops i used had handles but somewhere along the way they were eliminated.

      these mobile devices are going to me moved around a lot. a handle wouldn't go amiss on some of these. even just a generic connection slot for people to add one might win a few sales.

    2. nyelvmark
      Facepalm

      an engineering masterpiece but the ergonomics are horrible

      The operation was successful, but the patient died.

  2. Charlie Clark Silver badge
    Coat

    wholistic?

    Sorry, can't resist this. Are the new machines signed by Daltrey, Townsend and Moon? Do they all the Union Flag on them and prefer scooters?

    Mine's the green fish tail, ta.

    1. Steve Knox
      Trollface

      No.

      They come in a blue box, and with annoying peripherals.

      1. N13L5
        Facepalm

        soo thin!

        I put it in my bag, and when I got to the office, it was broken in half...

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Devil

    He is actually right

    El reg is wrong to slag him here.

    He is actually right - this is the alternative to tablets on which Intel _CAN_ deliver.

    It works even when crippled by a sub-par UI, works non-touchscreen or occasional touchscreen, weights only marginally more than a tablet, takes place same as tablet and most likely will be usable like a tablet from time to time. It is also something which Intel can deliver. It now has a passable graphics chiipset. The first wave of ULV was crippled by GMA which had to run in power saving mode most of the time crippling it even further. Some water has passed under the bridge and now Intel has Sandy Bridge and Co.

    I can see this actually working now and I can also see why Intel sees it as its main anti-tablet play. There is also a chance that it will deliver on it.The prerequisites for that are in place.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Unhappy

      But...

      "He is actually right - this is the alternative to tablets on which Intel _CAN_ deliver."

      I agree with you with one proviso - Intel could make this succeed if they are prepared to price it as an alternative to other form factors rather than a premium product.

      In my opinion, there were some very nice CULV products, but it was hard to justify the huge price mark ups over devices with similar performance.

      1. Gordon 10

        As a culv buyer

        I agree. But it was very much a techie desire item rather than one that made financial good sense.

        If I had been buying this year it would have probably been an eeepad transformer for half the price.

    2. Giles Jones Gold badge

      'ARMless tactic

      It just seems like another attempt by Intel to stay relevant for the future while everyone else starts to shift to ARM.

  4. Mr Larrington
    Angel

    Hmmm

    The Boss of Intel UK was bigging thi sup on the telly this morning. Apparently it's like a fondleslab but better.

    I remain unconvinced, terrible reactionary Luddite that I am.

  5. Whitter
    Go

    Hardware vs. software

    If the can just stop the OS and application software from bloating so that they can take advantage of the reduction in component size, rather than just level pegging...

    1. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge

      Quite right

      In the words of Niklaus Wirth:

      "Software is getting slower faster than hardware is getting faster"

  6. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Meh

    So battery life of about 30 mins then.

    Still no doubt the lowest power code museum Intel are prepared to make for the price they will charge.

  7. Lamont Cranston
    Go

    Sooo...

    It's the long awaited convergance between tablet and netbook, that everyone has been waiting for? Get on with it!

  8. nyelvmark
    Black Helicopters

    the machine is always aware of the networks around it

    So, like an Android phone, but you can't even turn it off?

    Not for me, thanks.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Megaphone

    Thin is great...but

    You end up having to buy a nice leather (or rubber) folder to put it in to stop it snapping in half, and protect it from wear and tear. All of a sudden it ain't so thin. My mate has an iPad (d'oh) and with it's protective case it is thicker than my netbook - (which doesn't need one) ha!

    Looks neat though.

    PS. I endorse the 'but how do you hold it' comment above - ergonomics apparently are second to 'looks cool'

  10. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Headmaster

    I hate to correct the Intel CEO

    But it's "Holistic" as in hologram.

    Although it's usually applied to "Alternative" therapies.

    Holistic is the new synergy?

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