Ultrabook makers are on a roll, with one estimate pegging its share of total PC shipments at 43% by 2015. The best part is the new devices can swivel, fold and detach!

And now, ultrabooks that convert to tablets

Ultrabook makers are on a roll, with one estimate pegging its share of total PC shipments at 43% by 2015. The best part is the new devices can swivel, fold and detach!

Alice Philipson

Intel will introduce a new type of ultrabook which can be flipped between extra slim laptop format and a tablet. Intel has teamed up with Lenovo, Dell and Toshiba to make three different models of the ultrabook, which will be released in time for Christmas. The convertible designs are based on Intel Core vPro, Intel Core and Intel Atom processors, including the new low-power Atom processor Z2760 — formerly codenamed ‘Clover Trail’. The devices run on Windows 8 Core i5 processor. The ‘ultrabook’ format aims to capitalise on the success of Apple’s Macbook Air, and the term itself has been trademarked by Intel for its slim but powerful laptops that run Windows. The new devices have features which allow them to swivel, fold and detach some of the parts. The tablets have a thickness of 8.5 mm and weigh around 1.5 pounds. The three different models of the Ultrabook are: the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga, the Dell XPS Duo 12 and the Toshiba Satellite U925T/U920T. The dual-core, four-thread SoC provides extensive battery life with more than 3 weeks of connected standby and more than 10 hours of local HD video playback. For example, the Lenovo model is said to have eight hours of battery life and offers 8GB memory. It can flip 360 degrees so that it is usable as a notebook or tablet. The Toshiba device is designed specifically to sync up to televisions and access on-demand online content. In addition, the Intel vPro technology, Intel Core-based processors provide remote system access and management and also offer a set of security features, including Enhanced Intel Anti-Theft Technology, Intel Secure Key, Intel OS Guard, Enhanced Intel Identity Protection Technology, and Intel Trusted Execution Technology. Market research firm IHS iSuppli has claimed that ultrabooks will make up 43% of global PC shipments in 2015, up from 13% in 2012. Intel itself has predicted 40%, caused by a fall in American prices. The pricing of the new ultrabook has not yet been announced, but the Asus Zenbook, an ultrabook model released last year, began retailing at £850. Daily Telegraph, with agency inputs