The new windows 8 operating system (OS) from Microsoft Corp. launched on Oct. 26, and there will be a plethora of new machines to run it on. In particular, an interesting category is the convertible ultrabook, a device that works as both a tablet and a PC.
One of the biggest changes to Windows 8 is “touch” computing. When you boot up the OS, you’ll face an unfamiliar interface consisting of tiles that represent individual applications. Only by deliberately pressing a button on the screen can you take yourself back into traditional desktop mode.
This touch interface, which for a while was code-named Metro, shows a serious realignment at Microsoft that extends all the way from software into hardware. Get ready for the “post-PC generation,” in which traditional computer interfaces and formats evolve beyond what we’re used to.
Convertible ultrabooks are ultra-thin, lightweight laptop computers that double as tablet devices. Most major computing manufacturers released ultra-convertible devices at the end of October, when Windows 8 officially began to be shipped. These devices fall into two broad categories: hybrids and slates.
Hybrids feature screens that swivel or rotate to face the outside of the machine, so that users can interact with them without using the keyboard. Slate devices have screens that become detached altogether, to be used on their own.
There are several models available from competing vendors, each with something different to offer:
– lenovo group ltd.
Lenovo is preparing the IdeaPad Yoga 13, which houses either an Intel Core i5 processor or the more powerful i7. The device’s 1,600 x 900 resolution, 13-inch display is respectable if not stunning. But the real innovation lies in the way this device converts into a tablet. The screen swivels all the way around, locking to the underside of the device so that the keyboard ends up as the back of the machine. This flexibility also enables the device to rest in several other modes, including a cinema-style display, in which it props itself up on your desk in an A-shape – useful for watching videos while you cook, for example.
A separate 11-inch Yoga device sports a 1,366 x 768 resolution with a slower processor that runs a scaled-down version of Windows 8 called RT. This version of Windows is designed to run tablet-style Metro apps rather than full-blown desktop software.
If you are an independent financial advisor, you may be more enticed by Lenovo’s more business-focused ThinkPad Edge Twist, which uses a single, pivoting hinge to flip the 12.5-inch screen around so it sits back atop the keyboard, facing outward.
– toshiba corp.
Toshiba’s U940T sports an innovative conversion mechanism as well. The screen folds back by 180° and then slides down into the keyboard, turning the device into a tablet. The 12.5-inch unit sports an Intel Core i5 processor and a 128-gigabyte (GB) solid-state disk drive (SSD). Also look for both front-facing and rear-facing cameras.
– sony corp.
Another radical design choice, Sony’s Vaio Duo 11 features an 11.6-inch touch screen and a fold-out keyboard on a sliding hinge called the Surf Slider. This device has a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel, 11.6-inch screen, which should be incredibly crisp at that size. It also packs up to 256 GB SSD and an Intel Core i7 processor. This device packs a lot of power into a very small size.
– dell inc.
Dell’s convertible ultrabook, called the XPS 12, features a screen that swivels within a frame and locks into place facing the other way. This device is an update of the short-lived laptop called the Duo. Dell was not giving much away at the time of writing about the specs for this machine; hopefully, it will be faster than the original Duo, which was maligned for poor performance.
– acer inc.
Acer offers two convertible devices: the Iconia W510 and W700. Both of these units are tablet units with dockable keyboards. The W700’s 11.6-inch screen sits in front of 4 GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD, all of which is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor. The W510 runs on a lower-powered Atom processor with just 2 GB of RAM with a 1,366 x 768-pixel, 10.1-inch screen.
With relatively low-end storage, it might be difficult using either of these devices as a replacement for your desktop.
– asustek computer inc.
The Asus Transformer Book will definitely be viable as your desktop’s replacement. Shipping in 11-, 13-, and 14-inch screen versions, the Transformer features a detachable keyboard that houses some of the unit’s memory. The device combines SSD and hard-disk storage for plenty of data, comes with 4 GB of RAM and its performance is likely to pack a powerful punch.
Asus also is preparing one of the most intriguing machines yet: the Taichi, which has a double-sided, LED backlit display with a separate touch screen on the back of the lid. These screens are independent of each other but can be used together so that children could watch a movie while a parent works, for example. The Taichi will be available in both 11.6- and 13.3-inch screens.
– microsoft corp.
Microsoft broke new ground when it announced its own hardware offering: a tablet computer called the Surface, with its separate keyboard measuring just five millimetres thick.
This device will ship in two versions: one running Windows 8 Pro; the other, Windows RT. Both versions will feature 10.6-inch screens, and the Pro version will offer an SSD with up to 128 GB of storage. The Surface also will include a stylus for those who prefer this input method.
If these devices deliver in practice what they have been promising for months – a smooth, easy transition between tablet and PC – plenty of advisors will find them appealing.
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