Rise of ultrabooks on the horizon

When the tablet first rose to prominence last year, it inspired many to wonder what the new device would mean for the tech industry. Some predicted the tablet would flop within a few years, while others asserted that it would spell the end of the netbook.

As of yet, neither scenario has come true. But, as one industry observer notes, the tablet has changed the game for the computing world.

Writing for North Carolina-based news provider the News & Observer, Paul Gilster suggests that the tablet will have a significant impact on the way manufacturers approach netbooks. Gilster predicts that rather than make netbooks obsolete, tablets will prompt a shift toward newer, lighter devices that can complement their capabilities.

Dubbed "ultrabooks," Gilster suggests that the new devices will be incredibly thin and lightweight compared to today's netbooks. Furthermore, like tablets, ultrabooks are likely to be offered in a range of sizes and may even include touchscreens.

The first crop of ultrabooks is expected to arrive this fall. While those in the tech industry will have to wait and see how consumers respond to the new class of computer, chipmaker Intel has high hopes for the device. In a statement released earlier this year, Intel predicted ultrabooks would account for 40 percent of the consumer laptop market next year.