I’m a dad who loves gadgets. That’s part of the reason why I have this site is so that I can share this love and hopefully provide insights and understanding into the complex world of consumer electronics. While I normally go by the nom de plume of “HighTechDad”, I have a new name that I’m going to assign to myself – “UltrabookDad“. Over the next couple of weeks, Jeff Sass and I, are going to be diving into the world of Ultrabooks.

What Are Ultrabooks?

What are Ultrabooks you ask? They are this new, hot slice of portable computers that sort of comes in between a netbook and a full-fledged laptop. While the price point of an Ultrabook is more than a netbook and frequently more than lower-end laptops, they are typically faster, more energy efficient and more light weight than other portable computers in the market. The term “Ultrabook” is something that Intel is driving and they have an educational site on Ultrabooks that provides information about this new type of computer that I believe will be extremely popular in the coming years. Ultrabooks generally have SSD (Solid State Drives), full powered Processors (like the Intel i5 or i7) and usually do not have a DVD or CD drive or Ethernet port. They typically have USB ports,  and micro VGA (or other display adapter capabilities) but usually do not have much more than that. They are typically very light-weight and ultra-thin as well.

When I think of Ultrabooks, in addition to the ones listed above, the following characteristics come to mind:

• Lightweight
• High Performance
• Form factor
• Instant On
• Elegant Design
• Long Battery Life
• Ultra-Thin
• Portable
• Full-featured
• Sleek

I got my hands on my first Ultrabook last week, thanks to Intel. It is an ASUS Zenbook UX31E. I’m not going to go into much more than that because in the coming weeks, we (Jeff and I) will be not only giving one away via Twitter, but also filming a couple of video reviews of this Ultrabook.

ASUS Zenbook Unboxing

But, just to tease you a bit, I thought that I would share a few pictures from the Unboxing of the ASUS Zenbook UX31E. The full unboxing can be found on this Flickr set.

For your viewing pleasure, here is a slideshow of the unboxing:

Ultrabook Giveaway

In order to prepare for the Ultrabook giveaway, be sure to follow @HighTechDad (that’s me) and @Sass so that you are reading to receive more information about how you might be able to win one of these fantastic Ultrabooks for the holidays. And, be sure that you use the hashtag #UltrabookDads if you have questions about the giveaway or Ultrabooks in general or around this specific ASUS model.

Disclosure

Both Jeff and I have done a lot of work with Intel in the past with a couple Upgrade Your Life events as well as being an Intel Advisor this year. You can find all of my Intel-related posts here. We are both excited to participate directly with Intel in this Ultrabook program but so as to be fully compliant, please find full disclosures below:

Disclosure: In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that Intel Corporation is a client and I am being compensated for the content that is being created. My opinions about Intel, ASUS, and Ultrabooks and my writing are entirely my own and not those of Intel, nor subject to their editorial approval. Additionally, I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. More information can be found in my About page as well as here.

HTD says: Are you ready to learn more about Ultrabooks and even potentially win one? Be sure to stay tuned!