More than just hype, Ultrabooks are the future of laptop computing
There’s a good chance that your next laptop will be thinner and lighter than you can possibly imagine.
This week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Intel unveiled its grand plan to make Ultrabooks — its snazzy name for ultraportable MacBook Air-like laptops — the next big thing in computing. This year alone there will be more than 75 Ultrabook models on the market, and Intel has said that it’s gearing up its biggest marketing push since the Centrino lineup for the new machines.
Ultrabooks are poised to replace boring old Windows laptops for good in the next few years, and that’s a good thing.
While Apple’s MacBook Air is the obvious inspiration for Ultrabook PCs, the move towards impossibly thin laptops has been in progress for decades — from ultraportable IBM ThinkPads in the 90s, to netbooks, to the razor-thin Ultrabooks. Initial ultraportables were always too expensive, and netbooks generally weren’t powerful enough to serve as primary computers. It’s just now that the hardware to make Ultrabooks powerful and useful is actually affordable.
So what’s the big deal? Ultrabooks promise to be lighter than typical laptops, weighing in around 3 pounds for the most part, allowing them to practically disappear in your laptop bag. They’ll sport solid-state drives (SSDs), instead of traditional hard drives, which will make them extra-thin and fast. (Expect startup times under 10 seconds and practically instant resume from standby speeds.) And thanks to Intel’s next-generation Core processors, Ultrabooks will be peppy under the hood and even capable of decent 3D graphics performance.
You could get the same benefits from Apple’s most recent MacBook Air model, but as is typical of PCs versus Macs, Ultrabooks promise to be cheaper. (Technically, the MacBook Air is an Ultrabook, though it’s unlikely Apple will make any effort to get it labeled as such by Intel.) Apple’s 11-inch MacBook Air starts at a reasonable $999, but the larger (and preferable for doing work, in this reporter’s opinion) 13-inch model will run you $1,299. Most 13-inch Ultrabooks, on the other hand, are aiming for a price well below $1,000.
Ultimately, the proliferation of cheap ultraportables means consumers will no longer have to decide between buying a boxy laptop and saving money, or aiming for something thin and light. With Ultrabooks, ultraportability will become the new standard consumers who want a new laptop. Boxy laptop designs will stick around on the very low-end, and desktops will become even more endangered among general consumers.
Ultrabooks will be particularly useful for students and professionals — basically, anyone who needs to carry their computer for most of the day. And given that they’re so light, Ultrabooks will completely erase the need for a tablet for many. Intel has also said that PC makers are working on bringing touchscreen capabilities to future models (in addition to voice and motion controls), blurring the line even further between Ultrabooks and tablets.
Having used a MacBook Air for almost a year now, there’s honestly no way I could go back to anything thicker, or anything not running a SSD.
Aside from the extreme portability, what I love most about the MacBook Air is the way it completely gets out of the way to let you be productive. I can turn it on and begin working from a cold boot within 15 seconds. Or, if it’s in standby mode, I can flip open the lid and begin working almost immediately. That’s mostly thanks to the fast SSD and graphics capabilities — and it’s something that Windows-based Ultrabooks will share.
Speed. Simplicity. Portability. I realized fairly quickly that this is how I’ve always wanted my computers to fit into my daily life. With Ultrabooks, soon everyone will learn this is the way computers were meant to be.
With Plymouth Rock just a stone’s throw away, Boston is the place to indulge in a feast fit for the pilgrims. To honor the local history and many local chefs from the area, Lydia Shire is bringing back a menu that was created in 1997 for a Food & Wine magazine cover story. This special tasting menu will feature dishes originally crafted by experts like Susan Regis, Chris Schlesinger, Todd English, and more. "The day I spent with my friends creating this delicious menu is one of my favorite memories,” said Shire. “It makes me so happy to be able to bring it back to life at Scampo this thanksgiving so that all our guests can get a taste of that special day." The Thanksgiving Day menu at Scampo will be served from 12-7 pm, and is available in three- and four-course options. From $52-$68, $21 for children under 12.
The kitchen begins service at noon, a perfect way to cap off the morning’s Thanksgiving Day Parade festivities. From $135-$165, $80 for children under 12.
Jetting toward the west coast, Las Vegas is a welcome destination for any holiday, yet the city of sin spares no expense in giving thanks either. The Palazzo is opening their waterfall atrium gardens for a special holiday dinner on Thanksgiving Day that will bring families together at two large picnic-style benches surrounded by a magnificent décor featuring autumn leaves and bales of hay. The Palazzo’s executive chef has crafted a traditional menu with sumptuous flairs like profiteroles, and the family-style dinner includes a pair of Northern California’s finest varietals to wash it all down. The dinner comes with a champagne pre-party too! From $100-$120, $50 for children 12 and under.
Down in California’s other hotspot of haute cuisine, the resident celebrity chefs of Los Angeles are busy preparing their Thanksgiving menus, notably Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood. The restaurant’s head chef Anthony Keene says that “Families who eat at least one meal a day together tend to live a longer and happier life.” So when you live to be 100, you can look back and thank Gordon Ramsay at The London for all your joyful memories. Keene’s menu finds a happy medium between lavish flavor profiles and tradition, telling JustLuxe that “Thanksgiving is time to experiment with flavors and spices and keeping an eye on tradition. For example, our Turkey is “sous vide” then roasted to make it very moist and flavorful, our Maine Lobster is poached slowly in butter, and how could I forget the pumpkin pie, well you’ll need to taste it…”$95 per person.
Finally, there’s always the option to leave the traveling out of your turkey day festivities, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the type of dinner you would find in a world-class restaurant. Located just beyond New York City, Bedford Post is a quaint upstate inn holding the mark of Relais & Chateaux. Their executive chef, Jeremy McMillan, is making himself available to assist with your holiday planning and preparation. Chef Jeremy and his team will come to you and the comfort of your own home with a variety of culinary offerings. Packages can be arranged to bring hors d’oeuvres, a buffet or seated dinner from Jeremy and his staff. “We’re excited to introduce the new catering service to Bedford Post’s holiday offerings, particularly since it allows our guests to host intimate dinners and spend more time at home with their families, which is what the holidays are all about,” said McMillan. “The customizable options, which have all been curated with the best seasonal and local ingredients, take the stress out of planning a party and offer a variety of choices that suit individual tastes.” Hors d'Ouvres $75/person, Buffet $175/person, Seated Dinner $485/person.
