back to article If Ultrabooks lasted longer, would YOU open your wallet?

Unfruity Ultrabook users will be able to keep it up for longer with LSI's specially enhanced SandForce controllers. The SF-2100 and -2200 Flash Storage Processors as they are called handle flash so sensitively that Ultrabook users may get an extra hour of battery life compared to other, non-specified controllers. It's all to …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Not a PC

    Much of the Macbook's advantage is due to it not being a PC and thus not encumbered with legacy junk hardware such as an ISA bus bridge and a wonky interrupt controller. An OS designed solely for that hardware with emphasis on battery life doesn't hurt either.

    Any tricks that make a PC battery last longer can just as easily be applied by Apple to continue to outstrip the competition I imagine.

    1. Arctic fox
      Trollface

      Re: "Not a PC" What? You are not suggesting that Apple will *copy* this are you?

      And there I was thinking that they were purely innovative and revolutionary.

      1. Big_Ted

        Re: "Not a PC" What? You are not suggesting that Apple will *copy* this are you?

        Well ther you go, you are mistaken.

        Apple NEVER copy anything, they strip it down, study it, then reverse engineer the same thing but with a new logo on it.

        That is innovative and revolutionary, just not evolutionary. Mind you it is "magic" to get so many, including hardnosed hacks, to buy into the me want one hype.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: "Not a PC" What? You are not suggesting that Apple will *copy* this are you?

          Yes, ok, but in this instance all Apple need do is switch their flash controllers in the next batch of laptops to LSI. LSI are hardly likely to turn around and say 'go away you're note building an Ultrabook', they'll say 'certainty sir, how many hundreds of reels was that? and what sort of discount can I offer you gents?'

        2. Lord Zedd
          Stop

          Re: "Not a PC" What? You are not suggesting that Apple will *copy* this are you?

          Please sir, point out exactly what computer the Macbook Air is "reverse engineered" from.

          A netbook? Even those things were twice as thick as the first Air and none looked or functioned even remotely like it.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: "Not a PC" What? You are not suggesting that Apple will *copy* this are you?

            "...functioned even remotely like it."

            It's not a million miles away though is it?!?... maybe you think having an Apple logo on is the primary function...

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: "Not a PC" What? You are not suggesting that Apple will *copy* this are you?

              Zedd's usage of the word "function" should of been "perform". Netbooks in PC form sucked balls. I had numerous secondary school students in my last job appearing in our IT office because they'd run for 2 minutes and then stop because of the bloatware installed on them. That bloatware ran the small CPU into the ground giving nothing left to Windows to utilise.

              Anything Apple churns out is optimised as best possible with the tech available creating a balanced product. That's why their MacBook Air's perform very well for normal usage. Intel will always have problems getting their Ultrabooks to perform on the same level. They'd have to arse-rape Windows to custom-tailor the OS to the CPU requirements within the physical dimensions posed on the market they're trying to create/imitate.

            2. Gil Grissum
              FAIL

              Re: "Not a PC" What? You are not suggesting that Apple will *copy* this are you?

              Yes, it is a million miles away. Net books run Arm processors. Macbook Air's run Intel Core processors. Different architecture. Different speed. Different technology.. So then Macbook Air's were certainly not reverse engineered from Netbooks and since Ultra books are little more than copies of Macbook Air's, it's more accurate to say that Ultrabooks are reverse engineered Macbook Air's.

          2. Bodhi

            Re: "Not a PC" What? You are not suggesting that Apple will *copy* this are you?

            "Please sir, point out exactly what computer the Macbook Air is "reverse engineered" from"

            Believe it or not, the MBA was far from the first thin and light notebook out on the market, Samsung and Sony had been putting together such models since 2004. The main difference was the Sonys sctualy had some power to go with the lightweight build as well, and weren't quite so crippled. They weren't quite so cheap

    2. HMB

      Re: Not a PC

      "not being a PC" - Apple computer's don't have Intel x84/x64 processors, neither do they have RAM chips, PCI express bridges and USB host devices. They simply run on magic, fairy dust and the excited 'squees' of trendy people with goatees using them in coffee shops and airy loft converted design studios.

      My PC doesn't have an ISA bridge and it's 5 years old. Do you think the presence of a serial port honestly effects battery life and performance?

      1. . 3

        Re: Not a PC

        "My PC doesn't have an ISA bridge and it's 5 years old. Do you think the presence of a serial port honestly effects battery life and performance?"

        Yes it does. Boot into a Linux kernel and you will be able to see what's hanging off it, including the PIC. Of course it's all embedded into one of the jungle chips on the motherboard, but it is still there ticking away consuming power. Intel based Apple products of course will have it too, but it will be switched off.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Not a PC

      Exactly, an Ultrabook is not a full fat PC, it's a PC on a diet.

      It's a Sunday lunch without gravy

      It's a burger without a bun

      Is a bacon sandwich without the sauce.

      It's anorexic

      A PC should be full fat and do anything that is thrown at it, just like an ugly girlfriend.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    What year was this written?

    Apple already uses Sandforce controllers in the latest MacBook Air

    See review at Anandtech: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6063/macbook-air-13inch-mid-2012-review/4

    1. Gil Grissum
      Pint

      Re: What year was this written?

      So then the Ultrabooks using Sandforce will simply be emulating the Macbook Air, yet again? LOL!!!!

  3. Lord Zedd
    FAIL

    Ultrabook sales are forecast to grow 92 per cent compounded through to 2017.

    For ultrabook sales to "compound", there must first be ultrabooks to buy.

    Apple's Macbook Air is not an ultrabook, everyone else is just trying their best to copy it without directly saying so. Just like the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad.

    1. Big_Ted

      Re: Ultrabook sales are forecast to grow 92 per cent compounded through to 2017.

      Wrong here, others are not trying to "COPY" anything, they are just following the trend like Apple did with the Macbook Air, Apple saw that small screens (netbooks) were becoming very popular running XP so designed the Air as their small screen device. It just happens that for the extra hundreds of pounds you paid for the Air you also got a faster system with great battery life, better ability to run almost any program you could want, in a very desirable and light case.

      When released its no wonder that the Apple take on the netbook had such a wow factor. Now Intel are trying to create the netbook replacement in pc's and are following the trend started by Apple.

      Its the same with romours on the new iPhone having a larger screen, it will only get that as the Samsung S3 and Note plus HTC one's are doing so well with larger screens.

      1. OhFFS
        WTF?

        Re: Ultrabook sales are forecast to grow 92 per cent compounded through to 2017.

        "When released its no wonder that the Apple take on the netbook had such a wow factor. Now Intel are trying to create the netbook replacement in pc's and are following the trend started by Apple."

        You do know the MBA was created from an Intel reference design, right?

  4. Tony Paulazzo
    Trollface

    I would (maybe) buy an Ultrabook if it were a damn sight cheaper. With 10 hours battery life...

    Nah, fuckit, I want the Surface with Intel chip, and I'll probably pay a stupid price for it too. With crappy battery and overheating back.

    Ultrabooks are just stupid notebooks - but more expensive.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    mmm

    for a minute there I thought they'd invented a new sort of hinge, one that didn't start failing after a few years of careful use.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: mmm

      Yes that would be great, all my Asus have broken hinges!

      1. Peter Gathercole Silver badge

        Re: mmm

        OK, not an Ultrabook but my early 4GB EeePC 701 is still going strong after 6 or 7 years of light use of ~5 hours a week (it used to be a lot more before I got my Android Tablet). No cracked hinges or anything else. Only problem is the battery life is pretty dire now at less than an hour, but I'm sure I could fix that with a new battery.

        The problem I have is that current Ubuntu releases are now too big and unwieldy (and graphics heavy!) to squeeze onto it's rather small internal flash. Must try Mint.

    2. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

      Standards

      I too looked at the title, and hoped for the impossible - standard laptop components like we have for desktops. Parts of my desktop are ancient because I can keep using them when I upgrade other bits. You could do with some standard laptop case sizes so you can transfer your good components. I would like to upgrade my CPU/chipset to something quieter, but lack of standards mean I would have to replace the LCD, keyboard, touch pad and case at the same time.

      If Intel want a faster upgrade cycle, they will have to sort out some standards - over the dead bodies of the current laptop and LCD manufacturers.

  6. Filippo Silver badge

    ew, sandforce

    I've had bad experiences with SandForce controllers, as have lots of others. Have they stopped dying randomly?

  7. Ant Evans
    Thumb Up

    Fwiw, the drive that OCZ replaced (instantly) when my controller died, hasn't died yet.

    Who cares if it dies, if during its tragically short life, it goes like the clap? Real storage is magnetic. My data live on. QED.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    innovation?

    I cant remember the last time I bought anything based on its innovative credentials.

    This sought of slander was thrown at German manufacturers in the the early 20th century, and it was true. So what? They consistently sold better product than the competition, as per the mandate of their share holders and customers.

    Grow up.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The answer is "NO"

    There is NO good reason for buying an Ultrabook for 99.9% of the world as it's an underpowered, over-priced toy compared to a real laptop or Ultrathin with an AMD Trinity APU. It doesn't matter what SSD it has or doesn't, it's still not a realistic or good value for most consumers. If you need a useless toy an Ultrbook is for you.

  10. Steve Knox
    Facepalm

    Thanks for the press release.

    The SF-2100 and -2200 Flash Storage Processors as they are called handle flash so sensitively that Ultrabook users may get an extra hour of battery life compared to other, non-specified controllers.

    Well, anyone can play that game. I should know -- I'm more of an expert on lingual sophistry when compared to other, non-specified trolls.

  11. This post has been deleted by its author

  12. Ant Evans
    Windows

    Accessorize

    The problem facing Ultrabooks is that unlike Macbook Air owners, PC owners are more likely to have real jobs that don't involve, or that even actively discourage, sitting around in Starbucks looking coolly wired. The rest follows naturally.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Accessorize

      No doubt folks with real jobs ain't hanging at 'Bucks all day, just the unemployed.

  13. Alan Denman

    Ultrabooks are prt of the junk trend.

    As the PC market contracts it means these things are becoming disposable merchandise in order to force you to buy new rather than upgrade or repair anything inside.

    These expensive items are not the quality of old!

  14. Eduard Coli
    Paris Hilton

    Wot?

    They can reverbiate it anyway they want but Ultrabook == Netbook.

    They have the same limited memory, low power, low performance processor and video, fast but small storage and limited upgrade paths.

    About the only thing the Ultrabook doesn't have that a Netbook does is an inexpensive price.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It is not battery life...

    that is holding back ultrabooks. It is that you can buy a Windows laptop for $400 with nearly an identical user experience, so why pay more for more or less the same thing in a few mm thinner form. SSD is not a major issue. Most of the data people access is on a server via the internet anyway. Unless you are doing video editing or something or the sort (in which case capacity on the ultrabooks would be an issue anyway), most people don't mind waiting an extra second for their Word file to appear.

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