Ultrabooks Gain Ground Against the MacBook Air

     Brooke Crothers, editor at CNET News, has reported that sales of the expensive ultrabooks are on the rise at retailers. This is a sign that Apple's popular MacBook line may finally be facing competition as the company has held a monopoly in the high-end laptop market since they launched the MacBook back in May 2006. Intel took steps to enter the market when they announced a fund to support the development of new technologies in line with the company's concept for next generation notebooks. It's been a year since Intel committed $300 million to the fund; which was projected to last for three to four years in related ultrabook developments. Let's take a look at what Intel has accomplished with the introduction of the ultrabook and discuss what's next for the high-end laptops.

Apple Announcing iPad 'Mini' this Fall?

     According to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, Apple is developing an iPad Mini to combat the newly-released Nexus 7 and the upcoming Kindle Fire 2. The smaller iPad is rumoured to be priced within the same range as its competitors (both the Kindle Fire 2 and the Nexus 7 will sell for $199) in order to capitalize on the more price-conscious market that the current iPad eludes. Speculation regarding new Apple products has always been high and the rumours surrounding the iPad Mini should be read with caution. However, tech sites across the internet seem to be increasingly convinced that the new product is in development and will be coming to consumers this holiday season. The question now is whether Amazon or Google have any chance of making an impact on the tablet market, especially considering it's a market that was created by Apple.

Windows 8 Upgrades Will Cost $39.99

     According to Microsoft, consumers looking to upgrade to Windows 8 (working title) will have the opportunity to do so at the reduced rate of $39.99 from Windows.com once it launches to the public. The discounted price is for PC users who have a computer running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 and will be available until January 31 2012. Those looking to purchase a computer between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013 will be able to upgrade for $14.99, a cost that Microsoft has traditionally waived in the past for consumers purchasing a PC so close to the release of a new OS. The price of upgrading has been reduced drastically from previous updates such as Windows 7 which cost $119 for the Home Premium version or $199 for Windows 7 Professional. But is Microsoft's new pricing strategy enough to bring their PC users over to the radically different interface?