If 2011 was the year of the tablet, then 2012 could well be the year of the Ultrabook. It’s the latest device category, combining the best of the tablet with the best of the laptop computer in a thin, light and elegant design. The combination of high performance graphics and processing, touch controls, and mobility opens up new opportunities for developers to create new computing experiences, and I’m interested to see what coders will dream up to take advantage of the new platform. We’ve already seen some devices being launched, and the line-up of manufacturers who are supporting the concept is impressive, including Acer, Asus, Toshiba, Samsung, LG and Lenovo.
The Ultrabook is ideal for HTML5 apps, which means it’s easy to create apps for this device and port them to other devices, such as smartphones. You can sell Ultrabook apps through the Intel AppUp developer program, but there are several other ways you can win prizes or secure investment by being among the first to create an Ultrabook app:
- Race for Apps is a competition taking place now to create apps to help Olympics visitors. Intel is sponsoring a £10,000 prize fund for HTML5 Ultrabook apps. To be in with a chance of winning, you just need to submit your app idea by 26th January. Over the following months, you’ll receive support as you develop your app, with the prizes being awarded in April and all apps ready in good time for the Olympics.
- The Intel Capital AppUp Developer Fund has $100 million to invest in companies that are producing innovative applications and digital content for connected devices. They are supporting both early and mid-to-late stage equity deals and cross-platform technologies such as HTML5 are an investment priority, as are experiences designed for Ultrabooks.
- Intel has also created a $300 million Ultrabook fund to invest in companies building hardware and software that enhances the Ultrabook experience, including those that achieve longer battery life, enable innovative physical designs and improve storage capacity.
When I saw an Ultrabook, I was pretty impressed with the design and portability of it. If that seems a bit superficial, I didn’t get to use it long enough to properly test its function, but it’s easy to see how having a powerful computer in such a convenient shell could transform the way we work and play. Have you seen one? What opportunities do you think it will create for developers?
Filed under: Programming Tagged: | Intel AppUp developer program, ultrabook
