Intel to unveil Ultrabooks in Kenya

COMPUTING

By Carole Kimutai, Nairobi, Kenya

Intel will in a few weeks time officially unveil “A New Era in Computing” into the East Africa market – with the launch of a new product called the Ultrabook.

Intel East Africa General Manager, Danie Steyn says Intel’s vision for the Ultrabook is to deliver a no-compromise, complete, satisfying and securer computing experience in one device.  “I believe when you see them, first you will say ‘Wow!’ and then you will say, ‘I want one.’”

Billed as the thinnest and lightest gadgetry in the PC stable, the new models will be shipped in a few weeks with mainstream price points well under $1,000 (Kshs.85,000). “The Ultrabook is a tablet when you want it to be and a notebook when you need it,” says Steyn.

A few Ultrabook models debuted last year, but more than 75 Ultrabook designs are in the pipeline for 2012 and will come in a variety of screen sizes, shapes and styles. Nearly every major manufacturer will be introducing one or more models this year,” says Steyn.

Intel says that it would later fuse together a compact laptop with a tablet to make it a thin, lightweight laptop, with some models featuring a detachable screen that can be used as a tablet. He added that security was increasingly becoming more important to consumers who want to protect their data and personal assets.

“As the Ultrabook continues to evolve, so too will the way people interact with them, as touch-based experiences are added. In a recently completed Intel research study on the use of touch-enabled applications on an Ultrabook, users found the use of touch on a clamshell design, and the seamless transition between the use of touch applications and the keyboard to be compelling and natural”.

Components from display panels, battery technology and storage solutions to motherboard and cooling technologies all had to be redesigned to fit into the new slim designs.  The Ultrabook family will transform your computer experience with the introduction of a number of new features, specifically design to address your most important needs.

An Ultrabook will get you from zero to go, in seconds with Intel Rapid Start Technology. This new ultra-responsive capability gives your device the power to resume in a flash when you’re ready, and ultra-low power consumption allowing some models to have up to 8 or 9 hours of battery life.

The second aspect that will transform your experience is enabled with Intel Smart Connect technology - your email, favorite apps, and social networks are continually and automatically updated even when the system is asleep. Ultrabooks will also allow you to lock down your lost laptop with Intel Anti-Theft Technology.