At Intel's IDF Show, Convertible PCs Take Center Stage

SAN FRANCISCO—Intel, which has been hurt by the rapid decline in PC sales worldwide over the past couple of years, is pushing hard to get a larger share of the market for chips in tablets and smartphones. However, the vendor also is expecting a revival in interest in PCs, driven by new technologies and new form factors. At this year's Intel Developer Forum, company executives are talking up two-in-one systems that can be used as traditional laptops or tablets, believing that products like their new Atom Z3000 "Bay Trail" chips and Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8.1 will power sales of these devices, which they say gives users the best features of both notebooks (such as productivity and content creation) and tablets (long battery life and touch). Intel officials say that by the end of the year, there will be 60 new two-in-ones on the market powered by Z3000 chips, and 75 designs in early 2014. Also at IDF, Microsoft Executive Vice President Tami Reller said officials at her company "are big fans of the category." Here is a quick look at some of the new systems Intel had on display this week at IDF.