The PC industry shoots 2-in-1 hybrid drives: you buy?

"Today's announcement accelerates a new category of 2-in-1 drives deliver the best of a laptop and a tablet in the amazing new form factors. This year is a perfect time for consumers to update their old Tablet PC or a PC with these new 2-in-1 device. "---Intel PC client group general manager Kirk Skaugen

Skaugens quotes, delivered at Computex, Intel launched its 4th generation Core processors, sheds light on what may turn out to be profitable, the persistence of the PC industry or pure folly. For good measure touted Intel 2-in-1 units as it described its latest Atom chips.

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Let's face it: the first round of PC/Tablet hybrid drives do not turn out so well. If you do not get Windows 8, did battery life. And if the battery life didn't perhaps barrage of 1.0 patterns did. In the end, most hybrid notebook/Tablet designs you mediocrity at best of both worlds.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly said hybrids don't really work. Of course, Cook has been talking Apple's games, but so far he's right.

More: Inside the Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3, an Intel chip | Can the price be Haswells Achilles heel? | Intel is betting on better battery life which feature Core killer next-gen | Intel launches Haswell for 2-in-1 units, fan-less Core-driven convertibles | Dell enhances laptop battery life of two hours with Haswell | Intel aims to start the PC market with Haswell, ultrabooks and two-in-one units

What is remarkable about Intel's take is that it is convinced that the 2-in-1 units will ultimately sell. Battery life is better, Windows 8 will be an improvement and, finally, the aging 140 million laptops, or must be replaced.

These new laptops actually have 9 hours of active use battery life or 10-13 days of standby on a single charge. That improvement is important, but it's table stakes.

Ultimately, the hardware makers figure out how to make these hybrids that are light enough to be a serious pill. These ultrabooks are nice and light for notebook computers and most check-in under 3 pounds. When a Tablet is standalone, but it often feels like the slate that Moses had to lug up the mountain.

In the end, software makers and Intel can do a lot, but the hardware designs must be there. 2-in-1 market is unproven at the very least.