The immediate worry about the $99-$129 entry-level Windows tablets is around the issue of quality. Low-cost Chinese ODM tablets won’t be the best tablets around but at least the performance won’t go down. You’ll still get Windows 8 on a Baytrail-T processor and because of that, the mid-range tablets at $200-$350 will have to get better. In this article we look at what could happen and the likely specifications. The good news for everyone is that the Microsoft license cost for Windows has gone which means the $25-$50 charge (that […]

As we followed IDF yesterday we heard about a $99 tablet price target. We assumed it was for Android tablets but no, Intel are targeting their low-end Baytrail solution for Windows tablets at that price point. Intel are also increasing marketing and promising some new and improved features that could include Realsense 3D sensors for high-end Windows tablets. Hermann Eul, corporate VP and GM of the Mobile and Communications Group at Intel explained in his keynote yesterday that by lining up low-cost SKUs (processor models) up with the removal of […]

Although Intel are updating the current Baytrail D/M range, we’re looking forward to a 14m version and an all-round update for Windows tablets and mobile PCs. That update was previously thought to be CherryTrail but it turns out that Braswell is in the mix too. At IDF in Shenzen Intel announced Braswell for ‘Entry Systems.’ Given that the presentation was given by Intel’s PC Client Group this means that it’s likely be the replacement for Baytrail-M and D that we see in low-cost PCs and tablets today. E.g. the Medion […]

The Intel Developer Forum in Shenzen has just come to a close and I’m trawling through some interesting slides that were presented in the sessions. There’s a few articles queued-up but here’s one related to Android that is stimulating my thoughts about the future and battling with a very positive attitude I have about Windows following day 1 of BUILD. Intel have set up a new Android-on-Intel site at 01.org and the latest AOSP build, 4.4 KitKat, is available for download. First, here’s the relevant part of the IDF day […]

It was a long opening keynote at BUILD today but totally worth watching all the way from start to finish. There were exciting announcements across-the-board and when I say across-the-board I mean announcements that affect cross-Windows compatibility. The unified Store took a huge step forward today. Windows 8.1 Update is detailed as is Windows Phone 8.1 which is coming in new devices from may and then rolling out after that to other devices. You’ll also hear the superb news that the Windows 8 license free will be dropped for all […]

Intel’s developer forum for China kicked of today in Shenzen. We weren’t able to attend but we’ve been following it closely. Much of the news related to mobile and tablet PCs is to be found in the forum session PDFs and we’ve already seen how Intel are launching a back-to-school initiative based around new Celeron and Pentium Baytrail-M CPUs and have published details of USB3.1. Most of the 35 minutes keynote is focused around the ecosystem in China but it includes info on the 40 million tablet target, news about […]

Just live on YouTube is a 3.5 minute overview of the Windows 8.1 Update. The free update is coming to all Windows 8.1 users on April 8th and includes many changes for keyboard and mouse users, changes to taskbars and the ability to run the new Universal Apps in the desktop window. There’s a new Start menu too.  

Microsoft have announced that Windows devices with screens less than 9-inches will now have zero license cost.