Intel woos Ultrabook developers, takes swipe at tablets

Says tablet screen size, storage and performance don't compare.

Intel has launched a charm offensive to attract developers to its Ultrabook platform, with a sideswipe at the tablet phenomenon.

Ultrabook is an Intel-branded specification for ultra-thin laptops. Devices began to appear on the market last year, but the company is still trying to encourage developers to create applications specifically for the platform.

“With expected sales volumes amounting to 42 percent of notebook shipments, that is a huge opportunity for developers to update applications with new features and build the new applications that will take advantage of some of the Ultrabook features,” said Shirley Chen, a technical marketing engineer with Intel in a company white paper detailing the Ultrabook roadmap.

Citing the company's $US300 million ($A293 million) investment in the platform and the second phase of system architecture expected to arrive in the first half of this year, Chen said developers should sign up to the Intel Software Partner Program to get access to tools and resources for the Ultrabook platform.

Intel – which has not fared well in the ARM-led world of tablets and smartphones – was also keen to play up the ultrabook's versatility, with a swipe at the perceived limitations of tablets such as Apple's iPad.

“Tablets have introduced some great features... with longer battery life and touch capabilities in order to provide a more enriched experience," she said.

"However the screens are still small, local storage is generally miniscule and restrictive, and tablets lack performance compared to that of a traditional PC.”

This article originally appeared at pcpro.co.uk