Technology News Roundup - Intel and Ziba Design Super Thin Laptop
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Whatever kind of laptops those needy Philadelphia residents get, you can almost guarantee they won’t be this year’s prototype from Intel working with Ziba Design. Business Week ran the story. Code-named Intel mobile Metro, it’s designed to change the way people look at laptops.
To start with, it’s Razr thin. Intel wanted something as thin as Motorola’s phone, and Ziba just about delivered; the Metro is less than 0.7 inches thick. The Metro is also 2.25 pounds; I think my purse weighs more than that, and I use a fanny pack! Also, the Metro will come in a variety of colors; the prototype features gold-colored accents.
Why all this focus on style? Well, as it turns out the consumer side of the laptop market is growing far faster than the corporate side. This means that if Intel hopes to sell more chips, it needs to get those chips into products that will appeal to consumers. And consumers appreciate form at least as much as function.
This doesn’t mean that Intel and Ziba have forgotten about the importance of cutting-edge technology. It features always-on Internet connectivity thanks to various wireless technologies. Small array microphones from Fortemedia help cancel out background noise, which should please those who use VoIP technologies. For the security conscious, the Metro features not only a fingerprint reader, but a way to kill a hard drive via remote control (pretty handy in case of theft, depending on how it’s set up).
I’m intrigued by the “diary-like folder” accessory that comes with the computer. Attaching to the computer with magnets (man I hope someone thought that through!), it can charge the Metro wirelessly. It features a screen composed of material created by E Ink, and can display a picture, a calendar, or a user’s schedule for the day. This folder sounds like it could be very handy. I hope Intel extends its uses to cover PDA-like functions.
The design allows for a shoulder strap to attach to the laptop, which turns it into a purse of sorts. Indeed, the Metro is supposed to appeal to women, but really anyone who has to do computing on the go can appreciate it. Business Week uses the example of real estate agents, but I know some freelance writers and reporters who would love to get their hands on something like this.
They just might get that chance. Business Week cited “people familiar with the matter” as saying that a PC maker will announce its plans to start building the Metro later this year. Given that Intel is looking to reach the consumer price point, it might not have all the goodies of the prototype. But I’m looking forward to seeing the final version in any case.
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