As we have said (more than once really) it is not the ARM based version of Windows 8 that both Google and Apple are worried about, it is the x86/64 version. These devices will have low power/high performance CPUs from both AMD and Intel. We have already heard that Intel is working on new versions of their Atom CPUs to drop into x86 tablets, while the ULV (Ultra Low Voltage) flavors of Ivy Bridge will also be found. AMD has Trinity to head into these designs which will feature some pretty stellar graphics performance even if they cannot match Intel in terms of raw computing power.

When you combine this with several manufacturers like Asus, Lenovo, Toshiba, HP, Dell and more than are interested in this space (look at the popularity of the EEE Slate EP and BP121) you know that we will see a large number of these products at launch time. The current estimate is about 12, but we are guessing this will increase as more companies join the party.

If these designs are in the 10-13 inch range with resolutions of at least 1366x768 you will even get the full Windows 8 experience. This little nit of news is sure to have made more than a few people at Google and Apple concerned. As we have said Microsoft stands a good chance of penetrating deep into the tablet market; perhaps not with Windows RT, but certainly with Windows 8 on desktops, laptops, ultrabooks, and tablets. Now if they can just pull their head out long enough to put in the services and functions that users are STILL asking for there will be no doubt that Windows 8 will be a hit. If not, well there is always that handy little downgrade license that we are sure many people will use.

Look for more tablet announcements to hit between now and the release date of Windows 8; which is currently set for November of 2012.

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