Rumor: Expect to see a flood of Intel powered Android tablet/laptop hybrids land in Q3

BY Stefan Constantinescu

Published 19 Apr 2013

If the following rumor is true, expect Microsoft to be furious: According to DigiTimes, Intel is pretty upset with Windows 8’s performance, so they’re trying to convince computer makers to make Android tablet/laptop hybrids.

You’ve probably heard of the ASUS Transformer, and you’ve likely seen several Windows 8 machines where the screen detaches from the keyboard. That’s what I’m talking about. Apparently Lenovo will show off an Android version of their Yoga notebook in May, and then in the third quarter of this year we’ll see similar products from HP, Toshiba, Acer, and ASUS.

These notebooks are expected to cost $500, which is frankly a bit absurd, but people will see them next to a similarly priced iPad and might be swayed by the physical QWERTY keyboard. I doubt it, but I’m not your typical consumer.

The key point I want to highlight in this story is that it’s Intel who is doing the pushing. They’re actively telling their customers to try something new, to forget about Microsoft, and that’s the most poisonous thing the desktop and office software giant can hear right now.