Introduction of Ultra-Books to the world of computing
The introduction of ultra-books has caused a new twist in the world of computing, putting the long-running net-books on the verge of extinction; For a laptop to be classified as an ultrabook, the device must meet Intel’s set of descriptions which implies a thin and slim design of less than 20 mm (0.8 inches), a feather-light weight of less than 3 .1 pound, long battery life and should be around or under $1000.
In recent months, major players in the industry such as Samsung and Acer have engaged in mass production of Android devices ranging from smartphones to tablets; However, the market is expected to soon see a significant shift towards ultrabook production as demand continues to rise. As of now, several manufacturers have already introduced laptops limited to this category and many show interest in entering the segment soon.
In addition to the physical descriptions of ultrabooks, these laptops must also have a solid-state drive (SSD); Solid state drives are known to offer exceptional solid performance in terms of speed when compared to standard hard drives. In this regard, these drives are ideal for multitasking and booting up extremely faster than conventional drives. Also, Solid State Drives consume less power compared to conventional drives, thus increasing the battery life of your laptop. There are two known types of solid state drives; external hard drives and integrated drives.
While Integrated Solid State Drives are built into the body of the laptop, External Solid State Drives are not, they are usually stand-alone and portable, the most common way to connect these drives into your laptop or PC is via via USB ports. A USB connection cable will be provided to you once you purchase an external drive. It should also be noted that Solid State Drives are more expensive than conventional drives which are considered to be limited in storage capacity.
Some of the recently introduced laptops that belong to the ultrabook genre are Asus UX21 and UX31. Asus was actually the first manufacturer to introduce a laptop limited to Intel’s specifications in June 2011. UX21 measures 17mm thick, 0.3mm less than Intel’s maximum limit. and it also has a solid state drive; In addition, it weighs 2.4 pounds, 0.7 pounds less than the maximum weight specified by Intel.
The emergence of ultrabooks in the computing world is expected to loosen Apple’s dominance in the market segment; Apple has been a major player in the industry with popular devices like the Apple Mac-Book Air dominating electronic stores around the world. As of now, manufacturers are churning out first-generation ultrabooks that cost less than $1,000; however, its anticipated high-end ultrabooks will soon start hitting the market segment at a slightly higher cost than first-gen devices.