Why we need the Ultrabook

Since the concept of the Ultrabook™ was revealed, many have wondered whether it would be able to fill the space between laptop and tablet computers. With the first entrants to the market arriving this fall, that question may finally be coming close to an answer.

Tablets have taken the PC market by storm. When the tablet arrived in mid-2010, laptop users suddenly realized that their computers were no longer portable enough -- or at least not as portable as they could be. Additionally, tablets made the laptop's battery life seem fleeting by comparison.

However, many people are hesitant to give up their laptops for a device that features no keyboard and minimal on-board memory. While tablets are great for web browsing and playing games, some argue, they lack many of the features needed for productivity.

This separation is where the Ultrabook comes into play. Similar to a tablet, the Ultrabook is lightweight and boasts an impressive battery life. In addition, it features a physical keyboard like the laptop and relies on solid-state storage, vastly improving performance speed.

Where the Ultrabook will land in a market becoming increasingly crowded with new devices is yet to be determined. But given the technology's capacity to traverse the functions of laptops and tablets, it seems destined to meet the demands of many.