The Apple iPad may be all the rage at this particular moment in time but that doesn’t mean manufacturers aren’t capable of selling a ton of Ultrabooks. The ultra thin notebooks managed to capture 11 percent of all $700+ Windows notebook sales in the U.S. for the first five months of 2012 according to market research company The NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service.

The overall Windows-based market for notebook PCs sell by 17 percent during the same five month period while the $700+ market fell by just 3 percent thanks in large part because of Ultrabook sales. In the meantime the $900+ Ultrabook market increased by 39 percent versus the previous year.

According to Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at The NPD Group:

“Ultrabooks have helped establish a market for more premium-priced Windows notebooks at retail. The share of sales that the $700+ notebook segment represents jumped from about 12 percent in 2011 to nearly 14 percent in 2012 as a result of the solid market acceptance Ultrabooks have gained. Consumers continue to respond positively to finally being offered stylish, thinner, and more premium device offerings than ever before within the Windows ecosystem.”

The average selling price for a Ultrabook is still high at $927 however the units are getting cheaper with some devices dipping below $900 in May. In comparison the average Windows-based laptop is just $510.

Baker completes his analysis by noting:

“As we head into the crucial back-to-school selling season, lower-cost Ultrabooks, some as low as $699, will be the hot form factor. As we look towards the fourth quarter, the expected launch of Windows 8, a wide variety of Ultrabooks with touch screens, and convertible form factors should continue to make this class of product top of mind with the consumer as well as provide a much-needed revenue boost to the entire PC ecosystem.”

Are you surprised by the surge in Ultrabook sales over the last five months.

Ultrabook Sales In U.S. Don’t Suck, Report Reveals Increased Numbers is a post from: The Inquisitr

When Apple introduced its iPad to the consumer market last year to much anticipation and fanfare (it was often nicknamed the “Jesus Slate” before the device’s name was revealed due to the mass slavering over the device’s potential), people wondered how much the introduction of an iPhone/laptop hybrid would affect the PC and laptop market, or at least the computing habits of those who purchased an iPad.

iPads are not the only tablet on the market, but by far and away they are the most recognizable and influential. And the “magical” devices also seem to have transformed the way people view and consume contact and interact, or at least further trod down the road of desktop abandonment initially paved by smartphones and iPhones. Research firm Nielsen surveyed tablet owners and users recently to measure the foothold gained by the devices in the past year, and the results were pretty interesting.

Desktop abandonment is a bit higher than was expected, with a full 35% of those surveyed saying they used their desktops “less often or not at all” since they got into the tablet-habit. Interestingly, 32% of laptop users answered the same way, which was further illustrated by the reasons for which participants say they abandoned their old devices.

Portability was cited as the top reason for ditching the lappity toppity box or desktop, while ease of use came in second. Third was the faster power on/off capability that in iPads at least is rather more phonelike. The broader “convenience” was cited next, tied with size.

While direct competition with desktops and laptops is a while away, perhaps people are also paring down on the amount of content they consume that’s not suited to a smartphone or tablet. It will be interesting to see how this pans out as far as what news sites and blogs offer up- how often do you bypass a larger post or video because you’re in line at the bank on your phone and just looking to pass a few minutes?

Do you use a tablet on a daily basis? Has it made your other devices obsolete, and/or influenced your browsing habits?

[Nielsen via eWeek , Image]

Tablets chomp more of desktop/laptop market than expected is a post from: The Inquisitr

The original Apple-1, also known as Apple I sold today at Christie’s auction house for 133,250 pounds (approx. $210,000).

The computer came with an authentic certificate of sale from Steve Jobs and included was the systems original packaging.

The Apple I was the first personal computer to be sold with a fully assembled motherboard, allowing customers to purchase just the keyboard, power supply and display separately, a first in the computer world.

The original price? $666.66 (insert mark of the Apple Devil / Steve Jobs joke here). The Apple-1 is a rare system as it was only available for a one year time period.

Just a side note, I had one of these and my mom made me throw it away when I got my next computer, I wanted to keep it as a souvenir for having the first fully developed personal computer. I guess it wouldn’t have been so much of a waste of space after all.

Apple-1 Attracts Nearly $210,000 At Auction is a post from: The Inquisitr