The Intel Atom Thread

[Arachnotronic]

Given that Windows 8.1 tablets are around 300$, I have to question why Windows RT still exists, and why MS is releasing a Surface RT 2. That's just going to be a complete disaster. Nobody wanted to buy RT last year, and now they have even LESS reason to do so since Windows 8.1 tablets are the same price.

Windows RT is DOA.

 

[podspi]

Wow, is that transformer really going to go for 310 (plus probably 100 for the dock)? I don't think I've been this excited for a cpu release since... Bobcat!

 

[Sweepr]

Clover Trail kinda...erm, really...sucked, which kept anybody from really doing anything good, but BYT performs quite well and enables a lot of really neat designs. Is

My thoughts too. Bay Trail will bring a wave of very interesting ~$250-350 devices. Just look at this ASUS, an inexpensive x86 convertible with Windows 8.1 + Office and a quad-core processor that puts Clover Trail to shame. ASUS describes Bay Trail-T as the perfect balance between performance and energy efficiency.

@ podspi: $349 with the dock.

Microsoft better price the next Surface RT at $399 or lower.

 

[Imouto]

OS doesn't matter? Windows is great? WTH?

There are three words to describe the app store in Windows:

- Lacky
- Dead
- Cheap-jack

 

[blackened23]

The heck are you talking about? Are you talking about Windows RT or real windows? Windows does not need an application store because everything is on Windows. x86 has more software than iOS or Android combined. Are you just joking or what? Are you actually serious?

Seriously who the hell uses an APP STORE for windows? If you want something for windows you just get it. Jesus christ. Please tell me you THOUGHT we were talking about Windows RT. Then your comment MIGHT make sense. We are talking about Windows 7/8/8.1, real windows.

This is aside from the fact that capability wise, Android is a joke compared to Windows. I mean you won't see anything like 3ds MAX, photoshop, and actual real and working productivity tools on android. Android can't even properly multitask last I checked.

 

[Arachnotronic]

OS doesn't matter? Windows is great? WTH?

There are three words to describe the app store in Windows:

- Lacky
- Dead
- Cheap-jack

First of all, you've got all of the legacy X86 stuff that you can use with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Want touch enabled stuff? It's coming and coming quickly. You really think that with both Microsoft and Intel pushing developers to really take advantage of Windows 8.1 that it will not eventually succeed?

 

[blackened23]

Like I said, no vision. First of all, you've got aaaallll of the legacy X86 stuff that you can use with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Want touch enabled stuff? It's coming and coming quickly. You really think that with both Microsoft and Intel pushing developers to really take advantage of Windows 8.1 that it will not eventually succeed?

If someone doesn't see the clear differentiation between Windows and Android/iOS in terms of capability, it's not even worth explaining. Some things shouldn't be explained. Android at best is only good for rudimentary web and media consumption functions. The "productivity" applications are a joke and are tied to the inherent limitations of Android.

I get it. I like my iPad. It's great for the minimalist stuff that I do on it. But if I had an option for Windows at the same price point and same quality (eg battery life, screen resolution, etc)? I would switch over in a heartbeat just because Windows is far more capable.

The only thing that may be improved is the licensing cost, but it appears that MS is lowering 8.1 licensing prices for tablet form factors. What that actual cost is, I have no idea.

 

[Arachnotronic]

The only thing that may be improved is the licensing cost, but it appears that MS is lowering 8.1 licensing prices for tablet form factors. What that actual cost is, I have no idea.

I'm sure it's not much. Microsoft will make their money on this in due time from its cut in the apps store. Right now, it's time to just build the ecosystem.

 

[blackened23]

I dunno. I'm pretty confident the app store would get zero use from me on a Windows 8.1 tablet. I don't need it. x86 doesn't need it. I can just basically get anything and everything I want outside of the app store. I guess, the app store would be a great way of hand-holding someone new to computing. So I suppose I can see the appeal there, even if it isn't needed overall.

Windows RT definitely needs an app store, because you can't get applications for RT outside of it. Unfortunately Windows RT is highly unattractive.

 

[Imouto]

Dude. Apps for touchscreens? In Windows? Now? While Bay Trail is on sale? I can't believe you can't understand that tablets are mainly used with... wait for it...

FINGERS!

Excusemoi if a bunch of highly technical guys want these tablets to plug a mouse and a keyboard and use them as a laptop wannabe to crunch Cinebench and other sick stuff. Regular ppl want them to play, the high volume is in people that wants them to play and they don't give a rat's ass about Windows programs.

That's why the laptop and desktop market is declining at a 10% per quarter and the mobile one exponentially. Because they want to put their greasy fingers all over the screen.

But you just can't understand that. This makes everything clearer about hardware sites and all, you're like totally out of reality.

 

[Arachnotronic]

I dunno. I'm pretty confident the app store would get zero use from me on a Windows 8.1 tablet. I don't need it. x86 doesn't need it. I can just basically get anything and everything I want outside of the app store. I guess, the app store would be a great way of hand-holding someone new to computing. So I suppose I can see the appeal there, even if it isn't needed overall.

Windows RT needs it, unfortunately Windows RT is highly unattractive.

For us enthusiasts, of course. But for your regular Joe, the Windows app store is going to be the way to go while in more touch-oriented uses.

 

[Arachnotronic]

Dude. Apps for touchscreens? In Windows? Now? While Bay Trail is on sale? I can't believe you can't understand that tablets are mainly used with... wait for it...

FINGERS!

Excusemoi if a bunch of highly technical guys want these tablets to plug a mouse and a keyboard and use them as a laptop wannabe to crunch Cinebench and other sick stuff. Regular ppl want them to play, the high volume is in people that wants them to play and they don't give a rat's ass about Windows programs.

That's why the laptop and desktop market is declining at a 10% per quarter and the mobile one exponentially. Because they want to put their greasy fingers all over the screen.

But you just can't understand that. This makes everything clearer about hardware sites and all, you're like totally out of reality.

Yeah, so if you wanna use this stuff with your fingers, the option is there. If you want to connect a wireless keyboard + mouse to it and project it to a larger screen/attach it to a monitor, you can do it, too.

The point is that the future of computing will be these converged devices. Why do you think the mobile OSes are becoming more feature rich?

 

[USER8000]

Details of the Bay Trail NUCs:

http://hexus.net/tech/news/systems/60085-exclusive-intel-launch-139-bay-trail-nucs-q1-2014/

It seems they are being introduced early next year,and the non tablet parts seems to need active cooling.

 

[Sweepr]

Details of the Bay Trail NUCs:

http://hexus.net/tech/news/systems/60085-exclusive-intel-launch-139-bay-trail-nucs-q1-2014/

It seems they are being introduced early next year,and the non tablet parts seems to need active cooling.

Nice price, $139.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Details of the Bay Trail NUCs:

http://hexus.net/tech/news/systems/60085-exclusive-intel-launch-139-bay-trail-nucs-q1-2014/

It seems they are being introduced early next year,and the non tablet parts seems to need active cooling.

Intel will be trying their darndest to keep BT out from traditional PCs and its not hard to see BT is more than fast enough for the average user even without 64-bit or fancy instruction extensions. Replacing ~$50 Celerons/Pentiums that aren't exactly selling well in this climate with probably ~$10 chips is gonna kill their bottom line. It is a product they would rather choose not to exist.

 

[blackened23]

They're trying so hard to keep BT out of traditional PCs that they created a specific version of BT just for desktops. (Bay Trail-D) Yeah.

 

[StrangerGuy]

They're trying so hard to keep BT out of traditional PCs that they created a specific version of BT just for desktops. (Bay Trail-D) Yeah. /rolleyes

D for desperate.

 

[USER8000]

I thought all the Bay Trail chips were the same dies,AFAIK,just with different levels of binning and functionality enabled.

 

[Roland00Address]

I thought all the Bay Trail chips were the same dies,AFAIK,just with different levels of binning and functionality enabled.

Same dies different packages. For example the tablet version you are forced to use emmc, you can't use sata.

With the desktop and mobile version you get sata and pci express (but in theory higher prices from intel)

----------------------

From the ASUS Transformer 100 presentation

With 11 hours of battery life...you'll never have to stop working.

The 64 GB model of the Transformer 100 is $399 (I didn't see the prices of the 64 GB model from other sources.)

 

[Arachnotronic]

D for desperate.

Yeah, anything remotely positive about Intel and you're here to rain on the parade, eh?

 

[bullzz]

@StrangerGuy - I look at it differently. Intel with its might can charge $40 for low end laptops making much higher ASP than big core celeron/pentiums. this is exactly why are they branding higher TDP atom as celeron/pentium. Im guessing haswell pentiums/celerons exist so they can sell faulty Core chips

 

[386DX]

Details of the Bay Trail NUCs:

http://hexus.net/tech/news/systems/60085-exclusive-intel-launch-139-bay-trail-nucs-q1-2014/

It seems they are being introduced early next year,and the non tablet parts seems to need active cooling.

Noticed in the specs built in IR receiver. This is going to be very popular for the HTPC/XBMC crowd or Android crowd who's tired of underpowered Android sticks.

 

[JDG1980]

Details of the Bay Trail NUCs:

http://hexus.net/tech/news/systems/60085-exclusive-intel-launch-139-bay-trail-nucs-q1-2014/

It seems they are being introduced early next year,and the non tablet parts seems to need active cooling.

The price is good, but active cooling on a 7.5W TDP? Seriously? A decent heatsink design (perhaps integrated into the case) could easily handle that passively.

 

[sequoia464]

Quote: Originally Posted by Intel17 Clover Trail kinda...erm, really...sucked, which kept anybody from really doing anything good, but BYT performs quite well and enables a lot of really neat designs. Is My thoughts too. Bay Trail will bring a wave of very interesting ~$250-350 devices.

No argument that Bay Trail looks much better than Clover Trail - I buy my own Christmas presents these days and this year I'm thinking I need new Bay Trail tablet. That 8" Dell looks interesting to me also.

But .. I also currently have a Clover Trail HP Elitepad, - it does have some lags occasionally when opening a x86 program but all in all I'm not really disappointed in it. Prefer it to my android tablets and my lady's ipad.

 

[ams23]

As has been previously said, the CPU perf. and CPU perf. per watt is very impressive with this Baytrail SoC. Obviously the GPU perf. is not stellar, but it is what it is. The main issue is some instability in Android, which means that Baytrail Android tablets will not be available for purchase until early 2014.

Is ARM in trouble now that Intel is seriously addressing ultra low power computing? If ARM was competing by itself, then the answer would be yes. Fortunately for ARM, there is Apple, Samsung, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, etc. to carry the torch with fully custom ARM processors in the future.

Now, with respect to Windows on ARM, fundamentally this is a great idea. After all, it hardly makes sense to exclude the ARM ecosystem and all the great SoC's coming up from the likes of Qualcomm and NVIDIA and others. And Android accomodates both ARM and x86 processors, so it hardly makes sense for Microsoft to exclusively support x86 processors with their Windows operating system (even more so since Windows phone uses primarily ARM processors). So what Microsoft needed to do was to either clearly differentiate between ARM and x86 Windows OS's (by using one Windows OS for ARM powered phones/tablets, and another for x86 processors), or to unify features between ARM and x86 Windows OS's (by having the fully featured version of MS Office on Windows on ARM). Windows RT did neither of these things, and therefore created confusion in the marketplace. And FWIW, I believe that the vast majority of consumers don't care about legacy x86 support in a tablet (and in fact, most consumers will not bother to hook up a mouse to a tablet nor hook up an external DVD/CD drive either). If Microsoft wants to encourage hardware and software innovation on the Windows platform, they will need to support both ARM and x86 processors to the fullest extent possible.