TAIWAN'S struggling PC makers unveiled a new generation of ultra-thin laptops at the world's second-biggest computer show this week, even as they tap into the ever-expanding tablet market to help compensate for declining computer sales.

It won't be an easy transition for them, but the makers hoped the traditional glitz of the five-day Computex Taipei exhibition, that ended yesterday, would give them a good start in hyper-competitive markets.

Earlier this week, Acer Inc and AsusTek Computer Inc, Taiwan's two leading computer vendors, both unveiled a new generation of laptop-tablet hybrid known as the Ultrabook.

The new Ultrabook crop boasts faster and more energy efficient computing than the first generation, which was first launched in late 2011 but has so far failed to make much of a dent in tablet sales. Those have surged on the back of mobile and affordable web-surfing and entertainment displays.

The new Ultrabook crop run on Intel-manufactured Haswell processors, which deliver images sharper than the Ivy Bridge architecture currently in use.

Software is still provided by Microsoft. But the Washington State company hopes its seven-month-old Windows 8 operating system will become more popular as consumers get more familiar with its interface.

At Computex, a total of 65 Windows 8-based tablet and PC devices were exhibited.

Asus also unveiled a mobile device that it described as the world's first three-in-one tablet, laptop and desktop computer.

The Transformer Book Trio, shown off at the Computex Taipei IT trade show, is powered by Intel's new fourth-generation processors and runs both Windows and Android operating systems.

It features an 11.6-inch 1080p screen and a detachable keyboard, allowing the user to operate the device as a tablet or a laptop computer. It can also be plugged into an external monitor and function as a desktop PC, the company said.

When the screen and keyboard are connected, the system operates as a Windows PC, while separating the screen allows it to be used as an Android tablet.

The hybrid is likely to be launched by the end of this year, Asus said.

It did not disclose the price of its latest Transformer model, but analysts expect it to be relatively expensive and fear its complicated design may be a challenge to some users.

"I'm afraid the new gadget may not help drive up Asus's growth too much. It is definitely a good design but it has complicated functions which are not easy to use to many users," said Mars Hsu, an analyst at Grand Cathay Securities.

"Another barrier would be its price. We expect it to sell for at least Tw$40,000 (US$1,345) which is relatively high compared with the current mainstream notebooks."

Asus also unveiled a low-cost seven-inch tablet called the Asus MeMO Pad HD7, priced at US$129 for an 8GB model and US$149 for a 16GB version.

The low-cost tablet was unveiled after Acer launched the industry's first 8.1-inch tablet to run Microsoft's Windows 8 software.

Shipments of Asus notebooks and hybrid computers in the three months to March totalled 4.7 million units, and it expects the number to rise to 4.8 million units in the second quarter.

On Monday Acer group president Jim Wang said the vendor has "reinvented" itself through "progressive design" that aims to not only satisfy users' needs but also allow them to enjoy the devices.

In recent years, Acer has suffered from declining or static sales.

Fold-up keyboard

Wang unveiled the sleek, 8-inch Windows-8 based Iconia W3 tablet that combines both home and office functions. He touted the device for "performing like a desktop" while allowing users to fold up the keyboard and carry the device in one hand.

Powered by Intel's Atom chip, the tablet will be marketed later in June. Acer did not disclose the price.

Acer is fast diversifying its tablet product line. The company has had initial success with two Android-based tablets, which sell for as little as US$149 if the screen is 7 inches and US$169 for the 7.9-inch variant.

Enhanced models of Acer's flagship Aspire series of the tablet-laptop hybrid were also unveiled. They include the widely praised Aspire R7, which features a hinge-attached pad that holds up the touchscreen and allows users to pull the screen closer or flip it over the keyboard, transforming it into a tablet. The onslaught of Apple's iPad and a host of imitators have cut deeply into Acer's revenue, which has slipped from second to fourth place among PC vendors amid stalled sales.

The new models' success will be crucial to Acer and others.

In the first quarter of 2013, global tablet shipments surged 142 percent to 49 million units over the same period last year, according to International Data Corp. The market is dominated by Apple and vendors selling Google's Android devices. Latecomer Microsoft has less than a 4 percent share.

Meanwhile, global desktop and laptop shipments slipped 12.7 percent year-on-year to 78 million units in the first quarter 2013, according to research firm Gartner Inc.

Analyst Vincent Chen of Taipei's Yuanta Securities says that Acer's recent innovations may help reverse the company's decline, but that much more work remains to be done.

In attempting its current restructuring, Acer faces a formidable Asian rival in Chinese mainland's Lenovo Group, which ranks a close second behind Hewlett-Packard Co as the world's biggest PC maker.

"Lenovo has had a more diversified product portfolio, making low-end and high-end PCs, as well as smartphones, and has a deeper pocket to support its immense marketing needs," Chen said.

AsusTek Computer Inc, the world's fifth-largest and Taiwan's second-largest PC vendor, has fared much better than Acer, and analysts attribute its relative success to the company's persistent efforts in product innovation.

Asus' PC shipments fell nearly 9 percent to 5.1 million units in the first quarter, far less than the industry's overall 12.7 percent fall.

Among the products it is showcasing at Computex was a new generation Ultrabook that features a sleek, glossy glass case, as well as a new model of its widely praised Transformer tablet.

The Transformer series feature a detachable keyboard with a two-sided display panel that can be used for work on one side and entertainment on the other.

Asus' Android-based tablets include the popular Nexus 7, which it jointly brands with Google. In the first quarter of 2013, IDC said its total tablet shipments came in at 2.7 million in the first quarter, ranking third behind Apple's 19.5 million and Samsung's 8.8 million.

Computex Taipei also showcased headsets that may see finger fatigue after hours of video gaming become a thing of the past.

These measure users' brainwaves and allow them to interact with apps.

US chip company NeuroSky promoted its new product MindWave Mobile - a brain-computer interface which allows users to interact with apps without lifting a finger.

More than 1,700 exhibitors with 5,000 booths took part in Computex Taipei, drawing an estimated 130,000 visitors, said organizers.