Ultrabook Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Apple receives patent on MacBook Air wedge design

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jun 8th, 2012)

Apple's MacBook Air has a characteristic slim design that's immediately recognizable by both Apple fans and Windows users. According to The Verge, Apple now owns a design patent that covers this distinctive tapered design. In their analysis, The Verge points out that the patent's drawings ...

Ultrabook manufacturers look to plastic as Apple commandeers supplies

by Chris Rawson (Nov 21st, 2011)

Intel's new "Ultrabook" initiative designed to help PC manufacturers churn out MacBook Air clones has hit a snag. According to Digitimes, Apple has gobbled up almost all of the available capacity for producing unibody aluminum parts, which it uses to build the chassis for its notebooks. ...

Apple PC competitors request price drop from Intel

by Kelly Hodgkins (Sep 20th, 2011)

Intel is facing increasing pressure from its retail partners to lower the price of its upcoming line of Ultrabook notebooks, according to a report from Digitimes. Manufacturers like Acer are now asking Intel to reduce the cost of the CPU to help lower the final price of the device. Recently, ...

Popularity of the MacBook Air to limit early Ultrabook production

by Kelly Hodgkins (Sep 6th, 2011)

Intel and its manufacturing partners are gearing up to launch its line of Ultrabooks, a thin notebook that'll compete with the MacBook Pro. Instead of a blow-out launch, a report from Digitimes suggests companies like Lenovo, Asus and Acer are taking a more conservative approach. Ultrabook ...

Acer's creator Stan Shih calls iPad, MacBook Air "short-term phenomena"

by Steven Sande (Aug 5th, 2011)

The founder of Taiwan-based PC manufacturing firm Acer, Stan Shih, seems to be doing some wishful thinking out loud these days. He recently commented that the "fads" for ultrabooks and tablets are "short-term phenomena," urging notebook component suppliers to innovate and make more value-added ...

Apple's hold on metal chassis supply chain hinders competition

by Steven Sande (Aug 4th, 2011)

Apple's wild success with unibody construction for all models of the MacBook appears to be having a negative effect on the competition in more than just reduced sales -- the other vendors can't get their hands on the CNC (computer numerical control) lathes that are required to make ultra thin ...

Intel Ultrabooks must compete with MacBook Air on price, parts suppliers say

by Michael Grothaus (Aug 3rd, 2011)

Apple is used to setting the standard in the laptop industry. Before Apple eschewed 4:3 screen for 16:9 ones, widescreen laptops were virtually unheard of. The 17" laptop market only exploded after Apple unveiled their first 17" PowerBook G4. And now that Apple's MacBook Airs have become a huge ...

Apple's flash-buying clout seen as huge advantage

by Kelly Hodgkins (Jul 27th, 2011)

Apple is not only winning the tablet wars, it's already poised to beat out Intel's new Ultrabook line of tablet-inspired notebooks that are expected to arrive later this year. The Ultrabook is Intel's attempt to merge the instant-on features of a tablet with the power of a notebook. These ...