Intel Launches $300 Million Ultrabook Fund

securityweek.com

21 pointsprivacyguru3 comments

So, Intel is clearly terrified of the growth of ARM based mobile devices and especially tablets cannibalizing notebook sales. Somewhat ironically, Apple's heavy-handed litigation strategy against ipad competitors is probably helpful to Intel, because it delays competition in the tablet market and gives Intel more time to make the "ultrabook" (terrible name) into a real product. I'm not sure Intel will really succeed, the tablet concept seems to have enough appeal and momentum that the decline of conventional laptops seems inevitable, regardless of attempts to rebrand the category and innovate.

The ultrabook concept sounds like it's destined for niche life. If the reports are true, that their reference design leaves no room for PC OEMs to build an ultrabook cheaper than the macbook air while maintaining their already-thin margins, there doesn't seem to be any hope for it in the consumer segment.

And the article's focus on security features as value-adds suggests that Intel knows it. So if we're talking about a military/government/corporate product, how much threat would tablets be posing anyway?

Tablets are starting to hold and access the same (and often sensitive) data that PCs do -- essentially putting it at the same threat level as typical PCs that have access to corporate and government networks.

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