Even in tablet era, Ultrabook demonstrates value

Despite the hype that surrounded the tablet computer in 2010 and 2011, this year will see significant attention paid to the Ultrabook™, the next-generation computer that marries the portability of the tablet with the functionality of a notebook.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch Radio, technology writer Gregg Stebben asserts that while many consumers and business users are embracing the tablet, the Ultrabook and other lightweight, slim notebooks have definite value.

"I type really fast, and I use the keyboard as if it's an extension of my hands," Stebben tells MarketWatch's Adrienne Mitchell. "So the minute you put me in front of a tablet, I'm frustrated and I can't do things as quickly as I'm accustomed to doing. And I think there's a lot of people like me who have really grown to adapt to the keyboard."

One innovation that Stebben says has potential is the hybrid tablet-Ultrabook device, which would allow users to remove the screen of the clamshell notebook and use it like a tablet.

The Ultrabook is still getting its feet wet in an increasingly mobile market. Though the technology will have to compete in this space with the tablet, both devices have their advantages and are likely to find their respective audiences.