Replies to post #120720 on Intel Corp (INTC)

[DavidA2]

While the exact article might have errors in them, I believe the general premise to be true. Lack of expected demand.

It faces multiple hurdles, like being a sidegrade compared to
IVB, pressures with abundant computing options, economic worries, an maybe the biggest of all: no one really needs to change their computer anymore.

They probably had to sacrifice some of peak transistor perf and architecture on Haswell generation and 22nm, to get better in low power segments. The only problem is, those segments aren't in their best shape right now.

Last year had what, 8 million Ultrabooks sold? That's a pitiful number considering significant number were likely replacement PC sales, while they lost greater volume in the overall market. They expect >50% growth this year, meaning maybe we'll see 16-18 million, if we are being optimistic.

You've got pretty attractive options in the Haswell Ultrabook category, but the price has rose correspondingly. Replacement models like the Vaio Duo costs $300 more than the last generation, when the last gen was >$1000 already!

Now the PC industry is hedging their bets on Windows 8.1, which pushes the ever so undesirable Metro interface, which will create delays in purchases and the same excuse as last year "8.1 will increase sales".

[wbmw]

ZTE Geek smartphone launches in China, ZTE Grand X2 In to launch in Europe

http://www.notebookcheck.net/ZTE-Geek-smartphone-launches-in-China-ZTE-Grand-X2-In-to-launch-in-Europe.97417.0.html

2 new Clovertrail+ phones have launched. Leadership or not, Intel is still getting a foothold with some nice mid-range designs. Don't lose sight that this is a marathon, not a sprint.

ZTE is one of the first smartphone manufacturers to move away from ARM based processors in favor of Intel Atom chips. The ZTE Geek was first announced at IDF in Beijing last April and is finally making its way to stores.

The new gadget runs Android Jelly Bean on it's Intel Z2580 Atom Clover Trail+ processor. It also features a 5-inch 1080 x 720 display, an 8 MP rear-facing camera, a 1 MP front facing camera, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory, 802.11a/b/g/n wifi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a 2300 mAh battery.

The ZTE Geek will be available in China on July 25th. Prices start at ¥1888 (US$307).

For those who are interested in an Intel powered smartphone and don't live in China, ZTE have also announced their new flagship -the ZTE Grand X2 In.

The Grand is a very similar product to the Geek both in terms of design and internals. It features the same Intel Z2580 processor, cameras, RAM, and internal memory; but pairs them up with a smaller, higher definition screen (4.5-inch 1280 x 720), a slightly smaller battery (2000 mAh), and adds a MicroSD slot (up to 32 GB cards).

The Grand X2 In is expected to launch across Europe in Q3 of this year. Prices have not yet been announced.