Intel money men create $300m Ultrabook fund

CHIPMAKER Intel has created a $300m Ultrabook fund to encourage investment in mobile computing and improve user experiences, extend battery life and reduce component size.

The cash, which comes from Intel Capital, might or might not be designed to raise awareness of the work that Intel does in this area, but the announcement is littered with mentions of what it does and how great that is.

"Ultrabook systems will marry the performance and capabilities of today's laptops with tablet-like features. Ultrabook devices will deliver a highly responsive and secure experience in a thin, light and elegant design at mainstream prices," it said.

Intel Capital said that it will invest the money into companies over the next three to four years and that it hopes to create a cottage industry around its wares.

"Ultrabook devices are poised to be an important area for innovation in the $261 billion global computer industry," said Arvind Sodhani, president of Intel Capital and Intel EVP.

"The Intel Capital Ultrabook fund will focus on investing in companies building technologies that will help revolutionize the computing experience and morph today's mobile computers into the next 'must have' device."

"Celebrating 30 years of innovation, the PC is the ultimate Darwinian device and Intel is striving to again reinvent mobile computing," said Mooly Eden, VP and general manager of Intel's PC Client Group as he butted in to the celebratory announcement.

"Our announcement today is about Intel mobilizing significant investments to achieve the next historic shift in computing."

Intel's efforts in this area include the launch of its second generation Core line of processors, its Ivy Bridge chip releases and project Haswell, which is slated for release in 2013. µ