6 Tablets to Consider for Windows 8′s October Launch

The release timing for Windows 8  has been somewhat of an open secret, but now it’s official.

Microsoft says the final version of Windows 8 will be available by the end of October, along with the first PCs running Windows 8 and Windows RT. The company will release Windows 8 to hardware makers (RTM, as they say) in the first week of August, and will let app developers start charging for their wares at the same time.

In the past, new versions of Windows meant new laptops and desktops. But to go along with Windows 8′s touch-friendly interface, PC makers will be launching tablets, touchscreen laptops and hybrid devices as well. Here’s a rundown of the most interesting Windows 8 PCs we’ve heard about so far:

Microsoft Surface

Microsoft stunned the tech world last month with plans to build its own Windows 8 tablets, collectively known as “Surface.” We’re still waiting on all the details, but the design looks promising, with a built-in stand and a slim screen cover that doubles as a keyboard (as pictured above). The Windows RT version, which runs on the same type of processor as the iPad and other tablets, will launch around the same time as Windows 8 (so, presumably in October). A thicker and heavier version running Windows 8 Pro, with support for legacy Windows software, is coming 90 days later. No word on pricing yet.

ACER

Acer Iconia W510

Acer’s Iconia W510 is a Windows 8 tablet that connects to a rather interesting laptop dock. When the dock’s keyboard and trackpad are facing up, the W510 acts like a laptop, but flip it over, and the tablet swivels around into a presentation stand, with the screen facing out from the front. The W510 has a 10.1-inch, 1920-by-1080 resolution display, and will run an Intel processor with support for legacy Windows software. Acer hasn’t announced a price or release date yet.

Asus Transformer AiO

If today’s tablets are too small for you, consider the Asus Transformer AiO, an all-in-one PC with a detachable 18.4-inch touch screen. When separated from the base, the gigantic tablet runs a standalone version of Android, but it can also use a remote desktop connection to access Windows 8 over a local network. Asus isn’t talking price or release date now, but my guess is “quite a lot” and “not for a while,” respectively.

HP “Slate 8″

HP has been quiet about its Windows 8 tablet plans so far, but a report by Neowin suggests a slick first effort. While most Intel-based Windows 8 tablets will be a bit chunky, the so-called Slate 8 will measure just 0.36 inches thick–a hair thinner than Apple’s new iPad–and weigh about 1.5 pounds, according to a leaked product rendering. And despite the slim figure, the Slate 8 will reportedly get between 8 and 10 hours of battery life. Now all we need is an official announcement to make this thing real.

ASUS

Asus Tablet 600

One of the few Windows RT computers announced so far, the Asus Tablet 600 is essentially a Windows version of the company’s popular Transformer Android tablet series. The tablet has a 10.1-inch, 1366-by-768 resolution display and an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor; it turns into a laptop with a keyboard and trackpad dock, an extra USB port and an extended battery. You know the drill: No price or release date just yet. (Asus is also working on Intel-based versions of the same concept. The Tablet 810 will have an Atom processor and an 11.6-inch display, and the Transformer Book will have Intel Core processors, discrete graphics and screen sizes of 11.6 inches, 13 inches and 14 inches.)

Nokia Mystery Tablet

Okay, so Nokia hasn’t announced a Windows 8 tablet, but there have been rumors, and former chairman Jorma Ollila has promised that  the company is planning to launch a range of tablets. Nokia’s Lumia 800 is one of the best-looking Windows Phones yet, and I’m interested to see the company carry those design chops over to larger touch screens.

Looking Forward to 2012: Credible iPad Threats

The iPad is a great tablet, but you know what’s even better? Competition. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of that in 2011, as Apple’s rivals rushed out clunky, expensive tablets based on Android Honeycomb, which itself was buggy and short on proper tablet apps. Next year will be better — I hope.

The Amazon Factor

Android tablet makers had three big problems in 2011: their hardware wasn’t cheap enough, the software wasn’t polished enough, and there weren’t enough apps compared with the iPad. Amazon tried to fix these flaws with the Kindle Fire, a 7-in. (18 cm) tablet that costs $199 and runs a heavily modified version of Android. The interface is easy to understand, and because of the small screen size, Amazon could get away with offering Android smart-phone apps slightly blown up to fit the larger display.

(MORE: Amazon: “Kindle Fire is the most successful product we’ve ever launched.”)

You might argue that Amazon’s Kindle Fire is already providing serious competition to the iPad, but as a smaller tablet at a much lower price, the Fire caters to a different market than the iPad does. Amazon’s tablet is a cheap content-consumption device, whereas the iPad is primarily a way to enjoy big-screen tablet apps. These two tablets can thrive independently.

That’s not to say Amazon won’t go after the iPad in 2012. Rumor has it that Amazon is working on new Kindle Fires with 8.9-in. (22.6 cm) and 10.1-in. (25.7 cm) displays, DigiTimes has reported. If true, these tablets would likely undercut the iPad on pricing and would use the same simple interface as the original Kindle Fire. And because the original Kindle Fire is a hit, a larger Amazon tablet would likely draw interest from developers, who would finally start tailoring their Android apps to bigger screens.

Taking this speculation a bit further, a larger Kindle Fire could have a ripple effect on other tablets. Apps developed for Amazon’s tablets could also be made available through the Android Market, alleviating the app shortages of other Android tablets. But those rival tabletmakers would have to slash prices to compete with Amazon. Apple, meanwhile, may decide to keep selling earlier iPads at lower prices, as it does now with the iPhone. Consumers who have no interest in the Kindle Fire may still benefit from Amazon’s making larger tablets, simply because of how other companies respond.

Windows Strikes Back

After two years of staying out of the tablet wars, Microsoft will roll the dice in 2012 with Windows 8. The operating system will sport some radical changes, including an interface designed for touchscreens and an app store for tablet software.

What makes Windows 8 intriguing is that — depending on what type of processor is inside — it’ll still support the classic Windows desktop and legacy software. And because Windows is at the core, all devices will support external mice and keyboards, complete with helpful shortcuts like copy and paste. This opens the possibility of having a single device that can act like a tablet, a laptop or a desktop as users attach keyboards, mice and external monitors. That’s one way to answer the all-important question: Why should someone buy this instead of an iPad?

The first tablets based on Windows 8 are expected in the second half of next year. Because millions of people will get Windows 8 as they upgrade to new PCs, Microsoft’s mission is simple: slow the iPad’s ascent by selling people on Windows machines with touchscreens.

Despite these threats, the iPad isn’t in any serious trouble next year. It remains the gold standard for tablets, and most competitors won’t have a chance. But at least 2012 will bring products with clear strategies for competing with Apple. That’s enough to make me optimistic.

Intel to help more companies build ultrabooks

Intel will step in to help smaller companies build ultrabooks, as the chipmaker continues its push to make the new supper-skinny laptop category a success, CNET has learned.

With the goal of getting smaller PC makers to supply branded ultrabooks, Intel will hold a meeting Wednesday in Taipei as a "matchmaker" between large device manufacturers--so-called ODMs or original design manufacturers--like Foxconn, Pegatron, Compal, and Quanta and smaller brands, according to an industry source familiar with Intel's plans.

The list of prospective ultrabook brands will include companies like Epson, Onkyo, Viewsonic, Mustek, Motion Computing, WiPro, and Positivo, according to the source. While some brands, like WiPro and Positivo, are not well known, they are big players in regional markets.

Smaller brands don't necessarily have the wherewithal to build ultrabooks, according to the source. The biggest brands, like Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Acer, Asus, and Toshiba, are already supplying or readying ultrabooks and are not the focus in this case.

Those larger companies are now preparing for the next phase of ultrabooks based on Intel's Ivy Bridge chip. Models are due by late spring or early summer 2012.

Intel has become intimately involved in ultrabooks on many levels. It has already established a$300 million Ultrabook Fund for the development of features critical to the laptops such as battery, storage, touch interface, and chassis technologies.

The latter two--chassis materials and touch--are turning out to be areas of intense focus with the goal of lowering costs. For example, more traditional ultraslim designs from Apple, Samsung, and Asus use metal for the chassis but that is proving to be too costly for less-expensive ultrabooks priced under $900. And Intel CEO Paul Otellini said last month that in order to hit $699 and $799 price points, the chipmaker has to accelerate the reduction in the cost of touch.

In these areas, Intel is working directly with the component manufacturers in the supply chain to spur ultrabook momentum in 2012 and beyond, said the source.