Tablet, laptop evolution could pave way for third option

As laptops and tablet computers continue to compete for the same space, the distinctions between the two technologies are likely to fade and may eventually result in the emergence of a new type of hybrid device.

Though both tablets and laptops have their advantages in different areas, many users are currently choosing to buy one or the other. Tablets, being lighter and thinner, tend be to favored by users looking for portability. Meanwhile, others seek laptops for productivity.

Electronics manufacturers are still adjusting to tablets, and the devices have by no means reached their peak. At the same time, manufacturers are also re-exploring laptop designs to keep them relevant in a post-PC age.

As both of these trends unfold, a third option is becoming more attractive. According to Intel® vice president Mooly Eden, this option will likely be a lightweight laptop-type device with a physical but hidden keyboard.

"There are all kinds of things that will be both tablets and a notebook," Eden tells the Wall Street Journal. "I believe we will see all three."

Intel is already making headway on this front with the Ultrabook™, a new super slim take on the notebook that stresses portability and productivity. The first Ultrabooks are expected to be released in late 2011.