We have conflicting reports from Cnet and DigiTimes regarding the
release of Ivy Bridge Mobile CPUs, especially the dual-core ones
expected in the next generation MacBook Air. Cnet says
the new mobile chips will be delayed until June, while DigiTimes
expects Ivy Bridge Ultrabooks to begin shipping in
May. Either way, buyers are holding off purchases
until Ivy Bridge models are available.
General Apple and Mac desktop news is covered in Mac News Review. iPad, iPod, iPhone, and
Apple TV news is covered in iOS News
Review. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
Ivy Bridge News
News & Opinion
Tech Trends
Ivy Bridge News
Ivy Bridge Mobile CPUs Push New MacBook Air and
Ultrabooks Back to June
Cnet's Brooke Crothers reports that MacBook and PC Ultrabook fans
Jonesing for new hardware powered by Intel's latest-generation Ivy
Bridge CPU silicon will have to wait for a second-wave chip release,
based on comments by Intel CEO Paul Otellini during the company's
first-quarter earnings conference call Wednesday.
While the first wave of Ivy Bridge chips are expected to launch on
Monday, they will be quad-core units for desktop machines, with the
dual-core variants for "mainstream notebooks" held back for a "second
wave" release, likely in June.
Link: MacBook Air,
Ultrabook Chips Coming as Second Intel Launch
Intel Expected to Bring Ivy Bridge Launch
Forward
DigiTimes' Monica Chen and Joseph Tsai report that Intel, which had
originally planned to announce its new Ivy Bridge processors on April
29, is expected to bring the announcement forward to April 23,
apparently to accommodate Asustek computer, Acer, Lenovo, and
Hewlett-Packard (HP), which, according to insider sources at the
various notebook players, are all ready to release second-generation
Ivy Bridge ultrabooks starting in May
Chen and Tsai also cite Intel's PC Client Group vice president and
general manager Kirk Skaugen predicting at an Intel Developer Forum in
Beijing that ultrabook prices in the next few months will drop rapidly
to $699 from a more typical $999 currently as the economies of scale
kick in with higher shipment volumes.
They also note that at the show, in addition to showcasing upcoming
second-generation ultrabooks, Intel also revealed some innovative
design concepts for ultrabooks and several concept devices for Windows
8 as well.
Link: Intel Expected to
Bring Ivy Bridge Launch Forward, Ultrabook Prices to Drop 30% in Next
Few Months (subscription required)
Notebook Makers Hurting as Consumers Wait Out Ivy
Bridge Release
DigiTimes' Aaron Lee and Joseph Tsai report that Taiwanese ODM
subcontract producers of notebooks for vendors like Acer, Dell, HP,
Lenovo, and Apple, notably Wistron, Compal, and Quanta, are looking at
shipments falling 10-20% in April as consumers sit on their wallets and
wait until systems powered by Intel's highly anticipated Ivy Bridge
Core i CPUs become available.
Lee and Tsai note that while the first examples of Intel's
next-generation Ivy Bridge processors are expected to launch this
month, initially released models will mainly target the high-end PC
market, with mass shipments of mainstream CPUs not expected to occur
until the end of the second quarter.
Meanwhile, they report that longtime Apple subcontractor Quanta
(which also produces notebooks for several major PC laptop vendor
firms) shipped 4.9 million notebooks in March, but is expected to
suffer an on-month shipment drop of 16% to only a volume of 4.1 million
units in April.
However, order volumes are expected to start picking up in May,
growing rapidly in June, and continue to climb in the third quarter,
according to unnamed insider sources.
Link: Notebook Makers
Hurting as Consumers Wait Out Ivy Bridge Release (subscription
required)
News & Opinion
Are Laptops Crap?
The Register's Alistair Dabbs tells us why he thinks laptop
computers are crap. The talking points:
- The screen isn't big enough for real work
- There's no numeric keypad
- The ports are too close to each other
- Not enough storage space
- The display viewing angle is acute
- Trackpads are rubbish
- Battery life is pants
Followed by the kicker: Ignore the previous seven points.
Dabbs explains that these complaints about portable computers hark
back to the days when they really were crap, acknowledging an
unrelenting shift of manufacturer emphasis from "lard-arsed desktop
behemoths to nimble mobile devices," and resigning himself to the
reality that ultimately, we're all being moved to laptops whether we
like them or not, but he no longer feels aggrieved, because he actually
likes the new wave of notebooks - and especially Ultrabooks.
However, he summarizes that what he really wants is a laptop that
weighs nothing, incorporates a cinematic display, provides a
five-octave keyboard, and fits into his back pocket. Too much to
ask?
Seagate: SSDs Can't Completely Replace Hard
Drives
In a wide-ranging interview with Forbes' Eric Savitz, Seagate CEO
Steve Luczo expresses his view that SSDs will never be able to replace
spinning-platter hard drives, asserting that numbers of people willing
to pay $1,000 for a PC with 128 GB of storage is limited, and that the
future of laptop storage drives going forward is more likely to be
hybrid drives than pure SSDs. Luczo also notes that SSD production
capacity is relatively small, noting that currently global flash memory
production is about 100 exabytes, while Seagate alone has a production
capacity four times that in hard drives. He sees a bright future ahead
for hard drive makers as annual data storage consumption soars into the
zettabytes.
Luczo also comments on last year's catastrophic flooding in
Thailand, consolidation of the hard drive industry to just a few
players, and opportunities for Seagate in the Cloud.
Link: Seagate CEO
Luczo on Drives, Zettabytes, Flash and His Tattoo
Link: Laptop Computers
Are Crap
Could Tablets Spell Doom for Laptops?
WallstreetCheatSheet's Patricia Lee reports that a Barclays survey
found of 100 CIOs in the US and Europe found that 76 of them said
they've already issued tablets to employees or are testing them at
their companies - and a blow to the PC industry: 40% said tablets they
purchased would replace laptops.
A whopping 93% of the CIOs responding expressed some level of
interest in tablet computers, and Apple's iPad was the most popular
tablet mentioned, with over 80% of CIOs saying they would support it,
while Android-based tablets garnered just above 40% of interest, and
there was also some interest in Microsoft tablets.
Link: This Could Spell
Doom for Laptops
Tech Trends
Intel Predicts Retina Laptop and Desktop Displays
for 2013
Liliputing.com notes that Apple offers ultrahigh resolution Retina
displays on its iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, and Android tablet makers are expected to
step up their game soon, with Acer, Asus, and Lenovo bringing 10.1"
tablets to market with 1920 x 1200 pixel displays.
Laptop screens are another story, with 1366 x 768 pixel displays
having only just become more common than 1024 x 768 pixel screens.
However, the report notes that Intel envisions a day when laptop
displays will offer the same retina-style pixel densities as phone and
tablets and that day could arrive as soon as next year.
Link: Intel: Retina
Laptop, Desktop Displays Coming in 2013
Ultrabooks to Sell Better in 2012, but Pricing Is
Still a Challenge
IDG News' Michael Kan reports that Ultrabooks are expected to sell
better this year, due to a larger selection of models slated to arrive
on the market. But pricing and competition from tablets will continue
to temper consumer interest in ultrabooks, according to analysts.
Kan notes that on Wednesday Intel said consumers can expect
ultrabook prices starting at $699 within several months during the
back-to-school period, and the lower price along with improved
ultrabook features are expected help drive more consumers to buy the
devices. However, he also cites Canalys research firm analyst Pin-Chen
Tang saying that even at $699, Ultrabooks will still be too costly for
many mainstream consumers, and that Intel and its ultrabook vendor
partners will need to bring the starting price down to US$300 or $400.
Kan also notes that on Wednesday, Intel revealed that it's working with
10 global and Chinese vendors to build tablets running Windows 8.
Link: Ultrabooks to Sell
Better This Year, but Price Still a Challenge, Analysts Say
Pressure on Ultrabook Costs to Boost Hybrid Drive
Demand
The Register's Chris Mellor reports that hybrid disk drives are on
their way to becoming a fixture in computing, according to financial
analyst Aaron Rakers of Stifel Nicolaus, who says Ultrabook pricing is
driving the trend, noting that to get Intel's MacBook Air knockoffs
into the $650 to $750 range (from their current $999 price point) will
require cheaper components.
However, by adding a smallish flash memory cache to traditional
spinning platter drives, such as in Seagate's 2-platter Momentus XT,
and you get near-flash read speed and hard drive capacity for a price
much less than an all-flash drive.
Link: Ultrabook Price
Vice Prised Open by Flash-disk Half-breeds
Intel Pushing for 5mm Thin Hard Drives in
Ultrabooks
VR-Zone's LG Nilsson says if you thought Western Digital's new 7mm
slim, 500 GB Scorpio Blue laptop hard drive (see last week's 'Book Review) was an
impressive achievement, it's only the start of what's to come. Nilsson
notes that at the recent Beijing Intel Developer Forum, Intel was
pushing for an even slimmer mobile hard drive standard: 5mm, which is
28% slimmer.
Nilsson notes that his colleagues at VR-Zone Chinese snapped a
picture of what Intel is hoping for during a presentation, and observes
that despite SSDs being popular in Ultrabooks, for many users
128 or 256 GB is simply not enough capacity 
and it's not always
convenient to carry an external hard drive, so the company is proposing
a new hard drive standard with a SATA interface that will be less than
a quarter of the size of today's SATA interface and moved from a fairly
central position on the drive, onto one of the corners. However, he
says that Intel isn't expecting the SATA-IO to be ready until Q4 of
this year at best.
As for drawbacks of going ultra-slim, they will include further
physical and mechanical limitations, and it will be impossible to put
more than a single platter in a 5mm thin drive, but Nilsson says Intel
is expecting that there will be 1 TB 5mm drives in 15mm thin
Ultrabooks by 2015.
Link: Intel Is Pushing
for 5mm Thin Hard Drives, Intended for Ultrabooks
Toshiba Upgrades Mainstream Laptops with Enhanced
Features, Increased Portability
Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba
America Information Systems, Inc., has announced its new fully
equipped, affordable and portable Satellite L800 and Satellite C800
Series laptops. These new laptops pair everyday computing with style
and versatility and are available in a wide range of configurations,
screen sizes and colors.
"Toshiba is committed to providing its customers with the latest
technologies and improved design in each generation of products," says
Carl Pinto, vice president of product development of Toshiba America
Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "Thinner and
lighter than the previous generation, the C800 Series offers essential
computing while the L800 Series delivers affordable performance."
Satellite L800 Series
Combining contemporary styling, functionality and mobility,
Satellite L800 Series laptops are targeted to families, students and
small business owners looking for a solid all-around system at a
reasonable price. The new L-Series laptops are thinner than previous
models, but still maintain structural integrity and screen size.
With
select configurations featuring 3rd Generation Intel Core processors or
the latest multicore Accelerated Processing Units from AMD, Satellite
L800 Series laptops offer lively performance for multitasking,
productivity and light gaming. The Satellite L800 Series features HD
TruBrite displays and are available in three screen sizes: 14", 15.6",
and 17.3".
Designed with Toshiba's Fusion II finish with a new cross line
pattern in a variety of colors, including Mercury Silver, Tuxedo Black,
Pearl White, Corsa Red and Cobalt Blue, Satellite L-Series laptops also
include full-sized raised tile keyboards with 10-key number pads on
15.6" and 17.3" models to improve performance and style. In addition,
the updated Satellite L800 series now include a multitouch control
trackpad that is larger than previous generations and recessed to
maximize usability and minimize incidental contact.
These laptops also come equipped with Toshiba smart technologies,
including PC Health Monitor, eco Utility and USB Sleep & Charge,
which enables users to charge other devices even when the laptop is
powered down. Audio has been greatly enhanced in the latest L-Series
laptops with the integration of SRS Premium Sound HD. Select
configurations of the Satellite L800 Series feature a Blu-ray Disc
player, HD webcam and HDMI port.
Satellite C800 Series
The Satellite C800 Series laptops deliver basic productivity for the
value-minded, budget-conscious consumer. Donning a fingerprint-fighting
Trax Texture finish in Satin Black or Fusion I finish in Mercury
Silver, the laptops feature next-generation processors from Intel and
AMD, up to 500 GB hard drives and a range of connectivity options
including USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, a Media Card Reader and an HDMI
port. These laptops also include a webcam with face recognition
technology, a DVD drive for watching movies and a full-sized keyboard.
Now available with a new 14" diagonal HD TruBrite widescreen display as
well as a 15.6" and 17.3" diagonal display models, the Satellite C800
Series offers a unique design with essential features at an affordable
price.
Pricing and Availability
The Toshiba Satellite L845 Series laptops start at $449.99 MSRP. The
Toshiba Satellite L855 Series laptops start at $499.99 MSRP. The
Toshiba Satellite L875 Series laptops start at $599.99 MSRP. The
Toshiba Satellite C800 Series laptops start at $399.99 MSRP.
The Toshiba Satellite L800 and Satellite C800 Series laptops will be
available for purchase at the beginning of Q3 2012 at major retailers,
e-tailers and direct from Toshiba on ToshibaDirect.com.
Bargain 'Books
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