Ultrabooks will make a strong showing at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), to be held in Las Vegas Jan. 10-13, with Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) and several computer vendor partners demoing products.
"The new category is already gaining momentum, with many Ultrabooks powered by second-generation Intel Core processors in the market today, and more than 60 designs already underway for 2012," Intel spokesperson Becky Emmett told TechNewsWorld.
"[Ultrabooks] are an attractive product and very portable," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "The intention is to push them [into the] mainstream."
"The shipment of Windows 8 ... will put tablet features into Ultrabook-like products, and tablets may become redundant," Enderle suggested.
People "don't want to carry multiple large devices," and Ultrabooks will gain tablet-like features such as touch, Enderle explained.
What's an Ultrabook?
Intel announced the Ultrabook category at Computex in Taipei in May, and it has trademarked the term.
Ultrabooks are intended to be less than 0.8 inches (21 mm) thin and are priced at levels Intel describes as "mainstream."
The first Ultrabooks, based on second-generation Intel Core processors, nicknamed "Sandy Bridge," hit the market in 2011. Many Ultrabooks to be announced at CES 2012 will be powered by the third-generation Intel Core processor, nicknamed "Ivy Bridge." They will be availability in systems in Spring, Intel's Emmett said.
These will be followed in 2013 by Ultrabooks powered by the fourth-generation Intel Core processor, nicknamed "Haswell," Emmett stated.
