If the killer feature is always on-computing, Intel's hardware platform could deliver the tools to slaughter Apple's dominating iPad.
Intel is preparing the new platform, which promises hybrid notebook/tablet devices with more than nine hours of battery life, about 30 days of standby, a weight of less than 1.5 pounds and form factors that are less than 9 mm thin. Since a combination of notebook and tablet, and a combination of so-called lean-forward and lean-back devices (which refers to the usage model), is the strategy of traditional computer makers to take on and evolve the success of Apple's iPad, Clover Trail is shaping up as a compelling product that is described in this InformationWeek article as the rope that will strangle the iPad as well as current cloud systems such as Google's Chromebook. The key advantage is that Clover Trail systems do not have to be powered down, but can simply remain in standby mode and are, as a result, as close to an instant-on computing experience than your average cell phone.
The prediction that Clover Trail alone will trump the iPad may be a bit bold at this time as we have learned that tablets have transformed our expectations in hardware and heavily rely on a platform experience to be able to sell. Clover Trail looks good on paper, but will have to translate to convincing and attractive systems to live up to its promise and challenge Apple's dominant horse.
