The coming year will be full of news for Ultrabook that, a few months after birth, was already preparing to enter the second generation. Many of the innovations that will affect them, first of all the arrival of the new hardware platform that evolve around waiting family processors Ivy Bridge, whose numerous innovations we reported several times and the corresponding reports which we refer for further study. But Intel will not only hardware aspect.
The new Ultrabook, which may already be over-represented at CES in Las Vegas next January, will also screen Full HD and a new docking station. In fact, Acer and ASUS are working with the producers of video panels AU Optronics (AUO) and Chimei Innolux (CMI) to develop a new generation of full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels, with which to equip their versions of the notebook. Please remember that currently ZenBook UX21 Asus 11-inch stands at 1366 x 768 pixels, as well as ACER Aspire S3, while the ASUS UX31 reaches 13-inch 1600 x 900 pixels.
The docking station will instead be a challenge more difficult, because Intel would like to see us on many different ports, such as mini DisplayPort, HDMI via DP + +, a connector D-Sub USB, one internal USB controller to manage the USB ports and audio and connections eSATA PCI Express. Intel on the latter, particularly would like to pass almost all the data, because as external connector for the docking station it would seem that the Santa Clara company prefers the faster connection Thunderbolt , which is also the one with more promising future potential developments , the USB 3.0, less expensive and easier to implement, but with fewer prospects. Some preparatory drawings circulated on the Internet that would show possible different connectors, which use both the door that the Thunderbolt miniDisplayPort to connect the docking station, even if you advance doubts about the functionality of such a solution, maybe a little 'difficult to use for users consumer, not always an expert on technology.
The California’s company and especially the producers of this category of ultraportable will have to solve a tricky problem regarding the production of the chassis , which we know to date were all alloy aluminum unibody-type structure, such as for laptops Apple. In fact, manufacturers can produce these particular shells are very few and numerical control machines also employ an average of three hours for each chassis and this means a production of no more than eight shells at time for each machine.
Thus the production volumes of Apple becomes obvious to understand that almost the entire production is monopolized by the demands of the company's Cupertino , which would ready creating problem to other companies. And 'therefore likely that, for the second generation, have to run for cover, and also in viewing the fact that Intel expects a substantial reduction in prices for basic versions of the Ultrabook, indicating a shift from the current $ 999 to a range of between 699 to $ 799.
Since production costs already high and the companies were in for little in the profit margin, to further lower the costs will be forced to cut somewhere, they might decide to depart from its own chassis. A solution to lower the costs and at the same time solve the problems of availability it may go in new shells made of fiberglass , high-density, or optimaly for the aluminum alloy , but it includes the interior plastic. In this way the cost of production would drop from the current 40-80 dollars to 20-30 dollars.
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