Introducing the Ultrabook

Did you expect the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show to go gaga over tablets? While tablets remain hot, they're old news. Meet the new darling: the ultrabook. What is an ultrabook?

Here's what it's not:

• It's not a fancy eBook reader dressed up like a laptop
• It's not a cheap netbook
• It's not a supercomputer in a smaller chasis

An ultrabook is more like the more affordable, Windows version of Apple's super-thin MacBook Air. Instead of a traditional hard disk and long boot times, ultrabooks feature flash storage and lightning fast load times – 10 seconds or less.

Expected to be priced in the $1,000 range, ultrabooks aren't necessarily going to win the hearts of consumers. Tablet computers have made netbooks virtually obsolete. With netbooks out of the equation, ultrabooks compete primarily with tablets, laptops, and the MacBook Air. Consumers in the market for tablets, aren't likely to be attracted to an ultrabook. Meanwhile, die-hard Apple fans aren't likely to switch back to Windows. That leaves the ultrabook's biggest competitor the humble but reliable laptop. Considering most electronics retailers offer a variety of well-equipped laptops in the $300-$500 range, ultrabooks will need to bring a huge "wow" factor and include enough must-have features to entice consumers to accept the price bump.

Will weight, a thin profile, and fast load times be enough?

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