Acer, Asus and Samsung showcased convertible tablets that are thought to be the keystone product for Windows 8. With attachable keyboards they can convert from laptop to small notebook. In tablet mode they are similar to the iPad in size and performance and with the keyboard they are in line with an ultra-light notebook. This form factor has the broadest utility but also the sharpest screen size limitation in this class. Of the vendors in this group I like Samsung's Windows 8 line best because it spans all product types from phones to PCs and best anticipates the message that Windows 8 will likely drive, of "getter together" and creating a family approach that showcases why this company scares Apple.

HP showcased a high-end version of this concept, more robust, with what appears to be more money spent on both making the product look richer and providing a stronger touchpad. This will likely sell at a premium over Acer and Asus's offerings and closed it looks close to a MacBook. They are clearly targeting the traditional Apple class of buyer seeking products that convey status.

Lenovo and Dell showcased their business-focused tablets. These are sturdier, use a larger screen and tend to being more robust. They trade off price for these features and typically use wireless keyboards like the iPad does for greater functionality. These emphasize security and productivity. While I think that a millennial will initially be drawn to the more attractive first class, the more experienced buyer will likely favor this class because it should provide a substantially better expedience for folks that need to work off these things thanks to its tighter focus on productivity.

The ZTE Wild Card

From China came the ZTE Wild card. Unlike the other presenters, ZTE argued that its leading go-to-market feature wasn't the hardware, which extended down into Intel-powered phones, but was services. Strangely enough I think they actually understood the millennial target audience best because this audience is likely less about the hardware and more about the need to be constantly connected.