ASUS ultrabook, tablet hybrid seen with Windows 8 in Sept.
updated 10:35 am EST, Fri December 9, 2011
ASUS to bring out Ivy Bridge Windows 8 ultrabook
ASUS plans to release a mobile PC that combines the features of a notebook with those of an ultrabook, industry sources told Digitimes. It will reportedly be powered by Windows 8 and sport an Intel chip, along with a swiveling screen. The screen will turn the notebook into a tablet PC, thanks also in part to Windows 8 native touch interface.
The computer would be shown off at the 2012 Computex Taipei show, the same sources indicated. The PC will likely be powered by Intel's Ivy Bridge processors, which should begin appearing in the first consumer products in the first half of next year. It's the first 22nm chip and should bring increased efficiencies compared to today's 32nm chips.
Convertible tablets aren't new and were the primary choice of format for the pre-iPad era Windows tablet PC. Because they were usually based on either conventional notebook designs or earlier ultraportables, though, they were usually too heavy, too thick, and too expensive to be viable for competition against either regular notebooks or the iPad. Microsoft's reluctance to add a true touch-native interface also gave little motivation to use one for anybody but niche buyers.
