‘Always Connected’ Windows 10 PCs Promise Gigabit LTE & All-Day Battery
Microsoft and Qualcomm show off the first Windows 10 ‘Always Connected’ PCs, claiming they will change world of IT just as cloud did
Microsoft claims the arrival of LTE-enabled ‘Always Connected PCs’, powered by ARM-based Qualcomm chips and Windows 10, will change the world of work in the same way the public cloud has.
The new range of devices, built by the likes of Asus, HP, Lenovo and Samsung, promise constant connectivity, battery life measured in weeks rather than hours, slim fanless designs, and superfast speeds.
‘Always Connected’ PCs will run full Windows 10 and be compatible with all of its potential inputs, including Hello biometric security, touch, pen and Ink.
Windows 10 Always Connected PC
In short, Microsoft and its partners believe the category can be a perfect marriage of the smartphone and desktop experience.
Throughout the history of personal computing, a steady wave of progress has changed how we interact with technology in both our work and personal lives,” said Terry Myerson, head of Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group.
“We are again at the beginning of another major technology shift: the ability to be connected anytime, anywhere with Always Connected PCs that are instantly on, always connected with incredible battery life.
The HP Envy X2 and the Asus NovaGo were the first two PCs to be shown off at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Technology Summit in Hawaii, which was also attended by mobile operators who will sense an opportunity.
It is claimed the use of cellular networks will be more secure as users will no longer have to rely on public Wi-Fi hotspots to work on the go and will be more cost-effective as customers can spend less on local networking equipment such as antennas and repeaters.
However going cellular-only would only be possible if an office was located in an area with strong LTE reception and good indoor coverage, possible through the deployment of low-range spectrum.
“Just like IT is now leveraging the massive investments in cloud compute and storage in data centers like Microsoft Azure, moving networking to the cloud will lower IT costs,” added Myerson.
“Today’s global mobile operators are professionally maintaining, managing and updating their networks with massive investments in speed and security. Always Connected PCs are key for IT leaders to unlock the benefits of this global networking and provide employees with a modern workplace they want at a lower cost.”
