Rumblings of a PC rebound?

The PC market has floundered in recent years, as it has struggled to capture consumer interest in the midst of the mobile uprising. However, 2012 may be the year the ship turns itself around, as several interesting developments are working to return people's attention to desktop and laptop computers.

The first development is the emergence of the Ultrabook™ computer. Introduced in 2011 by chipmaker Intel®, the Ultrabook is the PC industry’s answer to the demand for mobility. Sleek and thin, the device captures the portability of the tablet computer in a laptop design.

The Ultrabook won't stop there, however. Intel and several manufacturers are already working to introduce cutting-edge Ultrabook designs -- including fold-overs and detachable monitors -- that appeal to today's on-the-go user.

The other development is Windows® 8, the next installment of Microsoft's popular operating system. Scheduled to be released in the latter half of 2012, Windows 8 will run on tablet computers, Ultrabooks and traditional PCs. Many see the combination of Ultrabooks and Windows 8, in particular, as being crucial to righting the direction of the PC market.