Intel eyeing Ultrabook-tablet hybrids

Rather than create another MacBook Air® knock-off, Intel® has bigger plans for its surging Ultrabook™ computer. According to technology news provider Wired, the chipmaker is setting its sights on introducing a new form factor -- the Ultrabook-tablet hybrid.

Gary Richman, director of marketing for Intel's PC Client Solutions Division, tells the news provider that the super-thin, incredibly lightweight Ultrabook was never meant to be limited to the clamshell design. Instead, the company plans to work with manufacturers to introduce a variety of form factors, including convertibles, fold-overs and more.

Intel demonstrated one Ultrabook-tablet hybrid during the IDF 2012 conference in Beijing in April. Dubbed Cove Point, the device features a touchscreen that slides over a physical keyboard when closed and essentially functions as a touch-friendly tablet computer.

Windows® 8 is at the crux of Intel's Ultrabook-tablet ambitions, as the soon-to-be-released operating system functions on both traditional PCs and tablet computers. This dual functionality may prove to be the key to separating Ultrabooks from other lightweight clamshells and drive its success in a competitive PC market.