One step ahead
Before any of us understood how much our professional lives would soon wholeheartedly depend on capabilities like video conferencing and remote collaboration, Intel was already one step ahead. Five to ten years ahead, to be more precise, thanks to its extraordinary ethnographic research engine. This insight has allowed it to fine tune its innovation, so its deeply embedded in what laptop users want and need – even before they know it. And with the onslaught of the global Covid-19 pandemic, the creation of the Intel® Evo™ vPro® platform - that integrates the latest PC technologies in one business laptop solution – was bang on track.
Firing on all cylinders
“We were carrying out research on our most demanding mobile customers – higher-ed students and freelance professionals,” explains Joshua Newman, Vice President of Intel Corporation and General Manager of Mobile Innovation. “This showed us that predominantly people use their phones. But they go to their laptop for the important stuff, when deep focus is essential to get something done well. So, a PC laptop must be always ready; mobile phones have set that precedence. You need to be able to flip the lid, and not be hunting for a charger – and go. We were also already investigating how to make collaboration better; having great camera and audio quality, while 50 browser tabs are open, unplugged with no noisy fans clicking on – while your main task still firing on all cylinders.”
Customer demands meet IT needs
With 40% of employees saying they spend two to three hours a week trying to fix information technology issues related to productivity applications and one-third spending the same amount of time troubleshooting video conferencing, it seems the Intel Evo vPro platform has arrived on our desks at precisely the right time. For Joshua Newman – who’s seen it all during his 28 years and counting at Intel - the excitement of fulfilling both customer experience and IT needs in one fell swoop is palpable:
Zero compromise
“Intel Evo is all about the experience customers want, and vPro delivers what IT needs. This is not a compromise. It brings mobile experience together with business-class performance, hardware-based security features, remote manageability, and PC fleet stability.”
And when it comes to workforce stability in our new flexible working world, IT choices such as PC investments have been propelled to the top of the priority list. As the technology needs of businesses keep transforming at extraordinary speeds, always-ready laptops have fast become the ultimate hybrid working solution – strategically pivotal and the lifeblood of any agile organisation. As PwC explains: ‘As the office itself evolves, so do the demands on everyday work technology and ultimately on CIOs to simplify the tech environment.’ It’s not just CIOs, but all business professionals, who require agility – with 77% of employees saying their PCs are critical to engagement and daily work, according to recent Intel research.
Snappy performance anywhere
“The Intel Evo vPro platform is the future of work,” says Josh Newman. “It’s for the mobile go-getter; people who use laptops for work and life, while projecting style and confidence. And it’s for both mature and newer enterprises. It’s about supporting IT infrastructure, but it’s also about adopting the latest collaboration experiences. It’s about snappy performance anywhere – plugged in or on the go. It’s about long-lasting and fast-charging – always ready for you with an instant wake. And, of course, it’s about connectivity – without wires cluttering up your desk.”
Joshua Newman’s day job could also be redefined as ‘Chief PC Future Gazer’. He handles not only his own hybrid team, but also constantly liaises with a wider network of partners such as PC Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), display panel vendors, operating system vendors (like Google and Microsoft) and even the tech influencer community. This collaboration has created a giant ecosystem that comes together to drive forward the future PC experiences people and businesses deserve.
Trailblazing tech innovation
And the proof is already in the pudding, with public accolades such as: ‘What is Intel Evo? A recipe for the most portable, longest-lasting laptops’ and ‘2020’s insatiable demand for new work-from-home (and play) tools has been answered by a few key players like Intel, that has stepped-up its mobile CPU offering competitively’.
And as Intel keeps blazing a trail when it comes to PC technology innovation, laptop users will no doubt be kept on their toes with exciting new capabilities – all powered at the core. Background blur on or background noise off – or both…?
Find out more about the Intel Evo vPro platform here.