The future of laptops leveled up a notch higher when Qualcomm announced a big news yesterday in Maui, Hawaii at Qualcomm Snapdragon Tech Summit. The silicon giant that makes the chips and radios inside like half of the phones around the world, introduced a new feature referred to as “Always Connected PCs” — a computer with LTE connection and a super battery life.
Qualcomm will be using its Snapdragon 835 processor, a chip usually used to power smartphones, in a new line of Windows PC that can turn on instantly, offer built-in LTE connectivity, and feature battery life measured not in hours but in days.
Partners Asus and HP announced the first Windows 10 devices powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets: the Asus NovaGo and the HP ENVY x2. Lenovo is also working on its own Always Connected PC, but the company has yet to disclose the details. Both the Asus and HP devices claim standby time of 700 hours or more.
Microsoft and Qualcomm share some of the features on its newest devices:
- The screen turns on “instantly” whenever you hold the device. Unlike other Windows 10 PCs, you never have to
wait for it to wake up. - Built-in LTE means you are online everywhere when you have cellular data service. Anywhere your phone has data,
your PC is also connected. - Battery life that lasts days means you can charge your PC as little as once a week, and not have to carry around
power cords and chargers.
“It’s like pushing the boundary of a Windows PC. These are truly Windows 10 computers that have everything you would expect: Start Menu, Windows Hello, File Explorer, Paint 3D, Office, Minecraft, and so on” from Matt Barlow, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of Windows and devices.
Qualcomm thinks this might lead to a fundamental shift in how everyone connects to the internet. With LTE, laptops may begin to appear in places where they typically aren’t of much use — pubs, trains, or even under the tree on your vacation leave. Indeed, change is constant and Qualcomm made it possible.
