Article: Intel throws weight behind light laptops

[dnuggett]

Here's an article released today if you've got some time...

"Notebook weight is a big issue to Anand Chandrasekher, vice president and general manager of the Mobile Platforms Group at Intel."

Link to the story

 

[manko]

Next year, with Centrino and Banias Celeron, we think retail notebooks will change. You will see these thinner, lighter models. Interestingly, if you go to Asia, Europe or Japan, you already see the thin-and-lights in retail. You go to the United States, you see the fat (models). There's not that much of a cost factor with thin-and-light. If you are trying to do a 1-inch (thick notebook) there is, but not if you are trying to do a 1.3-inch. Between a 1.8-inch and a 1.3-inch, the cost delta is fairly small.

If you guys get a chance to go to Japan, walk through Akihabara. You think "why the heck aren't these in U.S. retail?"

I've been thinking that for years. 😀

 

[dexvx]

Originally posted by: manko

Next year, with Centrino and Banias Celeron, we think retail notebooks will change. You will see these thinner, lighter models. Interestingly, if you go to Asia, Europe or Japan, you already see the thin-and-lights in retail. You go to the United States, you see the fat (models). There's not that much of a cost factor with thin-and-light. If you are trying to do a 1-inch (thick notebook) there is, but not if you are trying to do a 1.3-inch. Between a 1.8-inch and a 1.3-inch, the cost delta is fairly small.

If you guys get a chance to go to Japan, walk through Akihabara. You think "why the heck aren't these in U.S. retail?"

I've been thinking that for years. 😀

Because maybe I want a high-res widescreen TFT with a uber long battery life, and enough power to play modern games? Its not like I'm too weak to carry a 7lbs notebook. I use it as a mobile desktop replacement, with the fact that its fairly mobile being a big plus.

If I really wanted to be mobile, I'd consider getting one of those super small ones, but some people dont live on the road.

 

[manko]

There is a full range of sizes in Japan, including the big fat ones and medium ones too (from Toshiba, Sony, NEC, Dell, etc.).

It's just that the range of ultra-portable and thin-and-light machines is much more developed over there, so consumers have had more features and designs to choose from in those categories. A lot of people in the US have been paying a premium to importers like Dynamism to find machines that suit their needs, but recently things are changing for the better as more and more of those machines are being sold in the US. In the article, Intel's Anand says even more of this class of machines will be available to US consumers next year. This doesn't mean the current classes of machines will be going away, it means we'll have more to choose from.

 

[VTboy]

You can still get great battery, Fast speed, and great video card in a light and thinh laptop. The T41p has a Pentium M 1.7GHZ, it has long battery Life, and it has an M10. Also its a little of 5 LB and only 1 inch thick.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Originally posted by: VTboy
You can still get great battery, Fast speed, and great video card in a light and thinh laptop. The T41p has a Pentium M 1.7GHZ, it has long battery Life, and it has an M10. Also its a little of 5 LB and only 1 inch thick.

and only costs $3000+ 😉