Lenovo bends over backwards in bid to claim top PC spot with ‘Yoga’

MANILA, Philippines — Lenovo is proving to be a strong contender willing to do everything to gain the coveted top spot in the PC market as it headlines its efforts with the local release of the IdeaPad Yoga, a 13-inch ultrabook that bends over backwards – literally — to become a tablet.

Lenovo Philippines Country Manager Vicky Agorrilla said the IdeaPad Yoga will be the company’s ticket to finally and officially claiming the number one spot in global PC sales, stealing the throne from erstwhile market leader Hewlett-Packard.

“Our claim to being number one is marked by 12 consecutive quarters of growth in an industry that has, for the last quarter, fallen by about 8 percent,” Agorrilla told the local technology press during the launch of the IdeaPad Yoga in the Philippines.

In October, research firm Gartner already declared China’s Lenovo as the number one vendor of PCs in the world with 15.7 percent market share from shipping an estimated 13.77 million units globally during the third quarter of the year, beating, HP’s 15.5 percent share.

Rival research house IDC has yet to award the top spot to Lenovo, but in the same quarter noted that the company is just 0.2 percentage points away from the US’s HP.

Agorrilla admitted that the overall PC industry outlook has been quite dim in the past year, overshadowed by newer devices such as smartphones and tablets as exasperated consumers quit holding off for the coming of Windows 8.

“We all know there’s a temporary slowdown in the market, but we also know that the PC is revolutionizing, and it is turning into many different things,” she said.




Chief of these transformations is the introduction of “transformable” PCs, or notebooks that can be used both as a PC and a tablet, thanks to the update to Microsoft’s operating system that allows for better touch input during usage.

In this front, Lenovo is pitting the 13-incher IdeaPad Yoga against similarly positioned notebooks by other vendors, including the XPS 12 from Dell and the Taichi from Asus, as it jockeys for the top PC crown.

Unique about the IdeaPad Yoga is its “revolutionary hinge,” which allows the display to move up to 360 degrees, turning the whole unit into a handy tablet computer.

Powered by Intel’s Core i5 processor, the IdeaPad Yoga runs the latest version of Windows 8 in a slim 16.9-millimeter frame and a battery life that lasts for as much as eight hours.

“With the launch of Windows 8 and Intel’s ultrabook technology, now is the right time for the convertible form factor to take off,” Agorrilla said. “Our convertibles are the perfect ‘do’ machines that users can seamlessly integrate into every aspect of their lifestyle.”

The IdeaPad Yoga will be available locally by the end of December and will retail for P60,995 in stores, while a high-end version running Intel’s Core i7 chip is due for release next year.

source: interaksyon.com

Dell refreshes business notebook lineup, but no new ultrabooks in sight

MANILA, Philippines — While every other PC manufacturer in the world is unveiling their fresh takes on Intel’s ultrabook, technology company Dell decided to update its arsenal of laptops with the chipmaker’s latest Ivy Bridge processors.

Yet, despite the fresh processor bump for most of its notebooks in the Latitude and Vostro lines, Dell didn’t bring in an updated version of its ultrabook, the XPS 13, which was launched locally in April.

Dell Philippines Country Manager Christopher Papa told reporters at the sidelines of the launch that updating the XPS 13 is in their roadmap, although more focus is being given on their commercial business for now.

Nonetheless, Papa said they were not expecting the strong demand for their consumer-grade XPS 13 ultrabook, a 13-inch device squeezed into an 11-inch chassis that retails from P59,000 to P79,000 depending on the internal specifications.

Without mentioning figures, the Dell head honcho said they had to ramp up production of the sought-after notebook after initial shipments to various markets around the world failed to meet consumer demand.

But gaining market share in the consumer PC segment is far from Dell’s objectives moving forward, as declared by Papa in an earlier interview saying the company is focusing on high-margin segments of the business, particularly the enterprise market.

It is for this reason that majority of the products launched by Dell on Thursday are geared toward SMBs and large enterprises, two segments that are high-growth areas for the Round Rock, Texas-based company.

“Today’s launch is a testament to our commitment to end-user computing, and we have differentiated ourselves by adding more value to our products,” said Richard Teo, president at Dell Philippines.

“We have added a lot of technologies that surround manageability, security and system management to allow users to have full control of their units,” he added.

Durable, business-class notebooks

Bannering the new notebook offerings are the redesigned and re-engineered laptops in the Latitude line, targeted at enterprise-class customers, which feature the same look and feel as their predecessors but come fitted with Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors.

Johny Dermawan, senior brand manager at Dell South Asia, said the new Latitude laptops are “designed to be durable” considering the mobile needs of most workers today.

By tearing down one Latitude unit in front of the press, Dermawan demonstrated how the internal portions of the notebook was designed, starting with the magnesium alloy bottom cover that acts as the doorway to all of the unit’s components.

The new Latitude laptop’s internal parts and LCD screen are protected by a tri-metal chassis that keeps them in place and absorbs unintentional external pressure, which Dermawan said is a common occurrence with users fitting their laptops along with other things inside their bags.

The specific models unveiled by Dell on Thursday include: The redesigned 14-inch Latitude E640; the E6230, E630, E6430 and E6530 notebooks measuring 12.5 to 15.6 inches; the E5430 and E5530 which are budget-friendly options for professionals; and the ruggedized E640 ATG notebook that can withstand extreme conditions.

Meanwhile, Dell’s Vostro line of PCs, which is targeted at small and medium businesses, received the following updates: the Vostro 3360 (13 inch), Vostro 3460 (14 inch) and Vostro 3560 (15 inch), which are designed to be thin and portable.

Dell’s new Latitude laptops are now available and will start retailing from P55,100, while the Vostro notebooks can be bought beginning next week although no price points have been detailed thus far.

article source: interaksyon.com

Uncompromised Beauty – Dell XPS 13

MANILA, Philippines — As the Ultrabook wars kicked-off earlier this year, it is either you are first or you are last. If you belong in the latter, it better be good.

Save the best for last

At its recent launch at The Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global City, the Dell XPS 13 did not disappoint. The Dell XPS 13 delivers superb craftsmanship, durability and performance. It is the perfect combination of fashion and function.

Fashion and Function

As part of the launch, a runway show by Filipino fashion designer, Pablo Cabahug was showcased. The whole runway show can be described in one word- perfection. The clothes came in the same shades as the ultra-savvy gadget: silver, black and white. The creations even fitted the models to a tee. Guests were amazed by Cabahug’s fashion genius.

Thoughtful design and exceptional durability

Its thoughtful design goes beyond beauty. The 13.3-inch high definition display with slim bezel fits in a body size similar to the form factor of an 11-inch product. The carbon fiber composite base extends the design process, offering a premium visual appeal, and is lighter and cooler to the touch than aluminum.

The Dell XPS 13 also features bonded Corning Gorilla Glass for exceptional durability.

The Dell XPS 13 feels good as it looks good because of a comfort-designed keyboard and a sleek, gesture-enabled glass touchpad. It also weighs less than 3 pounds making it comfortable to carry around.

Powerful performance

With 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, this Ultrabook delivers the speed and performance expected from the XPS family.

Always up to date

With the Intel Smart Connect Technology, it keeps your email, contacts, calendar and social networks up to date, even when your XPS 13 Ultrabook is in sleep mode. Also, the unit turns on instantly and boots in as little as 8 seconds; resuming from sleep mode in just 1 second (4 seconds from deep sleep). A solid-state drive and Intel Rapid Start Technology makes this possible.

For all customers

The Dell XPS 13 creates appeal for all customers providing them superior user experience. With up to eight hours, fifty-three minutes of battery life, users can really do more. The XPS 13 is a powerful technology into a small, portable package making it the ultimate mobile device. Whether for work or play, the XPS 13 helps users be more productive and connected in every way possible.

Everything and more

Gone are the days when customers have to choose between beauty and practicality. With the XPS 13, Dell has provided customers an Ultrabook not only visually appealing but also addressing the critical needs of a user. Truly, the Dell XPS 13 delivers everything and more.

Availability

The Dell XPS 13 is now available at selected retailers nationwide. You can also join Dell’s latest promotion, “Upgrade Your Drive with Dell.”

source: mb.com.ph

Asus ‘surprised’ by high Ultrabook demand in price-sensitive PH market

MANILA, Philippines — Taiwanese PC vendor Asus said it did not expect the high demand for its Ultrabook line from Filipino consumers considering the steep price slapped on initial units, a local executive said recently.

Despite the quick depletion of stocks, Asus Philippines System Technical PR Eason de Guzman admitted that they are still cautious about the Ultrabook market in the Philippines, which is largely known as a price-sensitive market.

In fact, De Guzman said they only brought in about 200 for the initial batch of Asus Zenbook Ultrabooks to be sold locally, which have quickly been lapped up by consumers in about a month’s time.

Launched in November, the 13-inch Asus Zenbook UX31 retailed for P59,995, while the lower-end 11-inch UX21 model was sold for P53,995.

Despite the expensive price tag, De Guzman said consumers still went for the Ultrabook models. “The demand for the Ultrabook was really unprecedented in the Philippines,” he said. “We were a little bit hesitant of [launching] the Zenbook here, because we’re a price-sensitive market. That is why we were really shocked.”

The ASUS executive said they have plans of bringing in a fresh batch by the second week of April — around the same volume of units–along with the limited edition hot pink model.

Still, De Guzman said they have observed that consumers who are capable of buying a P40,000 computer would still opt for a high-performance one instead of the portability offered by Ultrabooks.

“They would still prefer the high-end performance notebook, even if still a little bit bulky,” he said. “People who buy Ultrabook buy it for the portability and the design.”

While Ultrabooks constitute just a minute part of the computer company’s overall sales, the executive said they are seeing big potential for the new segment “because Intel is really pushing for Ultrabooks.”

The plan, according to him, is to have Ultrabooks the standard form factor for notebooks in three years’ time. Intel had earlier announced they are seeing as much as 40 percent Ultrabook penetration by the end of 2012.

He further disclosed that they are looking to do a refresh of their Zenbook line this year, especially after the launch of Intel’s new processors. ”

“During the upgrade of Intel processors in April 29, look forward to announcement from Asus as well,” he added.

Just recently, Asus launched a hot pink version of its Zenbook UX31 Ultrabook, which brandishes a neon pink color on the lid while the inner body is coated in black. The unit’s keyboard prints are also printed in pink to make the unit stand out from its counterparts.

The hot pink Zenbook still boasts of incredible speed with 2 seconds Instant On, incredible performance with 2nd Gen Intel Core processors and incredible beauty with a 3mm
height in front and 9mm height at the back.

It will retail for P59,995 and will become available by the first week of April.

source: interaksyon.com