Despite all the hoopla at IDF about Intel-based smartphones, tablets and other devices, Intel still views the PC as the center of the user's digital world.

That's the implicit message heard at Paul Otellini's keynote speech. While the relationship between Intel and Microsoft has been strained lately, given Microsoft's announcement that would work with ARM-based devices, Intel still talked up the PC. Paul Otellini and various Intel demo folk showed several apps that attempt to seamlessly integrate tablets and phones based on Google's Android OS with Windows-based PCs.

The PC love extended to Otellini talking up Intel's Ultrabook initiative. Recent Ultrabook announcements reinforce Otellini's point, as does Intel's $300 million investment in helping OEMs and ODMs deliver Ultrabook class systems to the market.

Still, it was easy to find evidence of the ongoing tension between Redmond and Santa Clara. While Otellini mentioned Windows 8 (without mentioning the parallel Windows Build conference hosted by Microsoft down in Anaheim), he brought Andy Rubin of Google on stage to announce a new development relationship between Intel and Google. While Windows may be for PCs, Intel seems to see Android as the basis for all those devices, like tablets and smartphones, that would be connected 24/7 to the PC. Not a single Windows Phone 7 device was in sight.