Atom Z2760 Clover Trail

Intel is betting that the new Atom SoC and Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 8 operating system will enable it to gain a solid foothold in the tablet market. Designed specifically for Windows-based tablets, the Atom Z2760 will offer greater performance and energy efficiency than current Atom chips, and will enable OEMs to build very thin and very light tablets.

Clover Trail is a 32-nanometer, dual-core chip that supports Intel’s Hyper Threading technology, enabling it to run up to four instruction threads in parallel simultaneously. The Atom Z2760 runs at a speed of 1.8GHz and supports up to 2GB of memory.

HP unveiled the Envy x2 device earlier in September. The hybrid system can be used as either a tablet or a very thin PC, with a detachable screen that can be separated from its keyboard through a magnetic latch.

The new Dell tablet, first announced in September, offers a 10-inch screen. Dell officials have touted the business capabilities of the tablet, including its support for existing Microsoft productivity applications, compatibility with existing IT management consoles and robust security options for encrypting all data.

Lenovo’s 10.1-inch tablet offers such features as embedded 3G support—and the option of 4G—a mini-HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and a stylus. It measures in at just over a pound and 9.88mm in thickness.

Acer’s device is another hybrid, which comes with a detachable keyboard. With the keyboard, the Iconia W510 can be used as a traditional notebook; without it, the device is a tablet.

Acer’s device actually can be configured in three modes. The first is as a traditional laptop running Windows 8, or with the keyboard detached and used as a tablet. In addition, the screen—while still docked—can be flipped around and used as a display or presentation device.

Intel officials have boasted about the range of system designs that will be coming out with Clover Trail and Windows 8, with convertibles being key among them. Like HP and Acer, Samsung with its Smart PC is another vendor looking to give users the option of using the device as a laptop or tablet.

Asus’ device is another hybrid system, with a detachable keyboard. Like the Acer device, it also includes a stylus.

ZTE’s v98 is a 10.1-inch tablet with an aluminum chassis that has a beveled edge. ZTE reportedly is targeting the device for release in early 2013.