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News & Opinion
HP: Tablets Have Their Place, but Your College Kid
Still Needs a PC
Forbes' Brian Caulfield asks whether you would want to write all
your term papers on a tablet, noting that at the third-generation iPad launch, Apple's Chief
Executive Tim Cook revealed that 76% of Apple's revenues now come from
post-PC devices; that iPad sales now surpass PC sales for HP, Lenovo,
Dell, and Acer; and that Apple's iPad has become the poster child of a
post-PC world.
Caulfield cites HP's personal computer global business unit's
general manager, James Mouton, parrying that while tablets are great at
the limited range of tasks they do well, personal computers are still
indispensable and remain key tools for everything from video editing,
music mixing, and spreadsheet crunching to thoughtful writing,
contending that when you're sending your child off to college, the
first computing product needed for homework is a PC, and that when the
task requires is content creation, business productivity, or immersive
gaming - among many other things - a PC is the fundamental and
indispensable tool needed.
Editor's note: I agree. I would be delighted if my iPad could do
everything I require of a production platform, but it can't by a very
long shot, and the Retina display, better camera, LTE availability, and
other tweaks added with the iPad refresh don't change that reality one
iota. Apple did essentially nothing to address iPad's work platform
deficiencies with either its new hardware announcements or with the iOS
5.1 update.
Publisher's note: I guess HP's Mouton wasn't paying attention this
week. The version of iPhoto for the iPad is a big step forward, and
Garage Band (for music mixing) has also made great strides. Still, give
me a big screen, a nice keyboard, and a good desk, and I'm ready to
work. Most productivity is still easier on PCs, especially ones running
Mac OS X. dk
Link: HP Responds to
Apple: Your College Kid Still Needs a PC
Acer Says Ultrabooks Are Unprofitable, Yet Aims for
Lower Prices
The Verge's Vlad Savov quotes Acer Global President Jianren Weng
speaking at the CeBIT trade show in Hannover, Germany predicting that
PC Ultrabooks will drop to $499 in 2013 and consequently be able to
compete directly against Apple's iPad. However he reports that
Christoph Pohlmann of Acer's laptop team told him even the current $799
/ $699 price for the Aspire S3 is too low for Acer to generate any
profit from it, with the company merely breaking even on the
entry-level Ultrabook model and that component and manufacturing costs
are prohibitive for any price point approaching a sub-$500
ultrabook.
However, Savov thinks Jianren Weng and Acer's leadership team may
well feel that they need a counter-punch to Apple's tablet hegemony by
selling ultrathin laptops even at a loss.
Link: Acer: $799
Ultrabooks Make No Profit, Aiming for $499 Price Nonetheless
More New ULV Ivy Bridge Processors Unveiled
VR-Zone's L.G. Nilsson notes that we'd already seen details of
Intel's upcoming Core i7-3667U and Core i5-3427U ULV Ivy Bridge
processors back in December, details of three more ULV models have
materialized, along with details about the programmable TDP of all five
ULV models, observing that Intel has clearly allowed for a lot of
flexibility for its partners.
Focusing on the programmable TDP of the two previously revealed
models, Nilsson notes that the Core i5-3427U at its stock 17W TDP will
operate at 1.8 GHz, but it can go down to 14W or all the way up to 25W,
further observing that all Ivy Bridge models can go down in terms of
TDP, but not all can go up. The Core i5-3427U's lowest speed is 800
MHz, although at 25W TDP it can operate as high as 2.3 GHz without
going into turbo mode. The Core i7-3667U will be able to operate at
speeds of 2.5 GHz at a 25W TDP, up from 2 GHz at 17W TDP.
Additionally the Core i3-3217U will be the first Core i3 Ivy Bridge
ULV model - a 1.8 GHz CPU with no option to increase the TDP for higher
speeds, but that can be lowered to 14W TDP and speeds of as low as 800
MHz.
The Core i5-3317U has a default 1.7 GHz clock speed with no option
to increase the TDP, but the same low TDP options as the Core i3-3217U,
while the third and final new model is the Core i7-3517U 1.9 GHz chip
that supports the higher 25W TDP and increased clock speeds up to 2.4
GHz, plus turbo mode it will range up to 2.8 GHz for two cores and 3
GHz on a single core. So there are several new Ultrabook (and MacBook
Pro/Air) processors coming, but Nilsson thinks Intel's Ivy Bridge
rollout "delay" means we won't be seeing them in retail products until
June or possibly even a little later in the year.
Link: Exclusive:
Additional ULV Ivy Bridge Processor Unveiled
Intel to Release Ivy Bridge Processors at the End
of April
DigiTimes' Monica Chen and Joseph Tsai report that Intel is expected
to officially announce its latest Ivy Bridge processors at the end of
April, and that first-tier notebook brand vendors have been
aggressively competing for available capacity from Intel, according to
insider sources.
Chen and Tsai note that mass shipments of Ivy Bridge processors were
originally reported to be delayed by eight weeks, but Intel has
recently clarified that it will only postpone the launch by a few weeks
and that production is on schedule according to its existing plans, but
the unnamed industry moles are telling them that Intel has adjusted its
Ivy Bridge processor capacity deployment to increase the proportions
for ultrabook and smartphone platforms, while for traditional desktop
and notebook segments, Intel will mainly supply high-end processors
initially.
Consequently, they project that with Ultrabook vendors aggressively
placing orders for Ivy Bridge-based processors, some are expected to be
able to release second-generation ultrabooks as soon as May with prices
dropping to around $799-899, and by year-end 2012, ultrabooks are
expected to account for 15-20% of total consumer notebook shipments
with the proportion to rise to 40% in 2013 and surpass 50% by the end
of 2013, the insider sources predict.
According to the report, new Ivy Bridge-based ultrabook processors
expected to launch at the end of April include:
- Dual-core i7-2677M at 1.8 GHz, $317
- Core i7-2637M at 1.7 GHz, $289
- Core i5-2557M at 1.7 GHz, $250
- Core i7-2657M at 1.6 GHz, $317
- Core i7-2617M at 1.5 GHz, $289
- Core i5-2537M at 1.8 GHz, $259
Link: Intel to Release
Ivy Bridge Processors at the End of April (subscription
required)
Quick Overview of Intel's Ivy Bridge CPU Release
Roadmap
Hardmac's Lionel, citing a Fudzilla report, says that while the
release of Ivy Bridge CPUs is now planned for April 29th, Intel CPU
rollout roadmap looks like:
- April 2012: Ivy-Bridge and 22nm engraving.
- mid 2013: Haswell, revamped CPU design, 22nm engraving.
- mid 2014 Broadwell, first CPU to be engraved at 14nm, with a design
similar to Haswell.
Link: Quick Overview of
Intel's Ivy Bridge CPU Release Roadmap
First Ultrabook with Discrete GPU
From CeBIT 2012, The Register's Caleb Cox reports that Acer has
announced a 15" Ultrabook and a range of slimline notebooks. Acer's
Aspire Timeline Ultra M3 packs a 15" display with the latest Intel Core
processor and a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GT640M graphics chip, making
it the first Ultrabook with a discrete graphics processor unit in
addition to HD Graphics integrated graphics processor, and also the
first to include both an optical drive and a hard drive, with an
SSD-only config optional.
Acer's V3 series, available in 14", 15.6", and 17.3" versions are
powered by the latest Intel Core processors and include an Nvidia
GeForce GT series graphics setup.
Link: Acer Claims First
Discrete Graphics Ultrabooks
Products & Services
Elgato Now Shipping External Thunderbolt SSD
Drives
PR: Elgato has long been a player in advanced TV and
video solutions for the Mac, as well as innovative storage technology.
The vast majority of FireWire drives contained Elgato software, and
even early flash-based products were powered by Elgato.
Over a decade later, with the new Thunderbolt ultra-high-speed
interface now on most Mac models, and more PCs, Elgato decided to go
back to their roots and create what they've always been longing for: a
truly portable, ultra-fast external drive.
Lightning-fast
The Elgato Thunderbolt SSD is claimed to be the fastest single-drive
storage solution for your Mac. Using a Solid State Drive (SSD), it
dramatically outperforms state-of-the-art portable FireWire or USB
drives.
Truly Portable
While you're on the go, less is more. That's why the Elgato
Thunderbolt SSD is engineered to draw power directly through the
Thunderbolt port, without needing a separate power supply. Its
bus-powered operation ensures that your data is always there with you,
even when you're not near a power source.
A Safe Bet
Due
to the lack of moving, mechanical parts, as portable devices Solid
State Drives are far less prone to accidental damage than traditional
hard drives. Even better, the Elgato Thunderbolt SSD uses a solid metal
enclosure, guaranteeing not only good looks, but also added protection
for your valuable data. Quieter Than A Whisper
The Elgato Thunderbolt SSD is designed to work without the need for
a noisy fan. With its advanced enclosure and the inaudible Solid State
Drive, that means you'll never hear a sound, despite its constantly
screaming performance.
The Elgato Portable High-Speed Drive starts shipping today (March
7), and is available in two capacities:
- 120 GB, $429.95
- 240 GB, $699.95
Link: Elgato Thunderbolt
SSD
Sleek and Classy Briefcase for MacBook
Air
PR:
Happy Owl Studio say they set out to design a briefcase that
highlighted the slim form of Apple's MacBook Air, and this beautiful
leather case is what resulted - designed to fit all of your essentials
in a sleek and slim package.
The Briefcase has an easy to access double-closure method (magnet
& leather straps) to ensure your MacBook Air and other belongings
are kept safe and secure. On the inside there is a padded computer
sleeve that protects your MacBook Air from everything daily life can
throw at you.
Features
Thin
profile- Built-in holders for pens and business cards
- Built-in cable loops for easy organization
- Rear flat pocket for papers, folders or an iPad
- Made from top quality genuine leather
- Handcrafted by skilled artisans
- Padded laptop pocket specifically designed to fit Apple's MacBook
Air
- Fully-lined interior
- Silver finish metal hardware
- Includes removable & adjustable shoulder strap
- Top carry handle
- Holds the 11-inch or the 13-inch MacBook Air comfortably
Physical
- Exterior Dimensions: 11" x 14.25" x 2.25"
- Interior Dimensions: 9.75" x 13.5" x 1.75"
- Maximum laptop size: 13-inch MacBook Air (12.8" x 9" x 0.7")
- Weight: 3 lb.
1 year warranty
MSRP: $199.99 plus shipping
Link: MacBook Air
Briefcase
Bargain 'Books
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