Las Vegas – Intel at International CES today gave a glimpse
into how it plans to improve its Ultrabook concept by adding touch and gesture
controls and improving security.
The company also discussed the marketing campaign it will
kick off in April to raise consumer awareness of the Ultrabook.
Mooly Eden, Intel’s
VP and GM of the PC Client Group, said touchscreens are on the near horizon for
Ultrabooks. Intel research found consumers are not put off by using a
touchscreen on a laptop design.
“We were told the keyboard is for work and touch is for fun,”
he said to a media gathering at CES.
Intel is also adding a sensor to the Ultrabook so users can
tilt and maneuver it with the actions being reflected on the screen.
Gesture control similar to the xBox Kinect is also in the
works, Eden said, along with larger screen sizes of 1- and 15-inches,
“We found more consumers will move to an Ultrabook with a
bigger screen,” Eden said.
On the marketing front, Kevin Sellers, Intel’s VP of
advertising and digital marketing, said the company is about to kick off a
massive campaign that will rival any branding effort Intel has attempted in the
past.
“We want to bring the same marking force to the Ultrabook
that we did with Centrino in 2003,” Sellers said.
Intel will use some of the $300 million the company earmarked
last to bolster the nascent category, he said.
The campaign will include its vendor partners and retail
point of sale material. Including an in-store kiosk that lets shoppers learn
about the Ultrabook using gesture controls.
