Intel sees bright future in Ultrabooks

Even before the first Ultrabook™ computer has hit the market, the technology's pioneer, Intel®, is already mapping out the evolution of the highly anticipated notebooks.

The chipmaker's chief financial officer, Stacy Smith, says Ultrabooks will spark some much-needed life into a notebook market that has been "somewhat stagnant over the last several years."

"You'll have the ability to have flip screen, it'll be touch mode in certain situations [then] you flip it back around and it's a real productivity device," says Smith, according to technology news provider CNET. "Now that's not going to happen in 2011, but in time that's how we're going to evolve this [Ultrabook] platform."

Smith asserts that Ultrabooks, which are lighter and thinner than traditional notebooks, offer the best of both worlds in mobile computing. Like tablets, Ultrabooks will feature a long battery life and touchscreen capabilities, but they will also include a full keyboard and built-in security features.

Smith isn't the only one in the industry with high hopes for the upcoming Ultrabooks -- the first of which should see the light of day in the fourth quarter of 2011. Research firm TrendForce estimates that Ultrabooks will account for 10 percent of notebook sales in 2012.