One of the biggest problems associated with the new class of thin ultrabooks and smartphones is ports. The size of the port often limits just how thin the device can be made, and the resulting cable-which you have to carry and, let's be honest, often forget-greatly contributes to problems associated with ease of use.

Rattner showcased , which allows a device to generate a wireless gigabit stream that's subsequently received by a projector, monitor(s) or TV. Not only does this eliminate of a socket and cable, but it's a massive improvement in terms of being able to connect these devices in the home and at your desk. While Intel isn't alone here-this is a standard effort-it does suggest that VGA, HDMI and DVID cables and sockets could be made obsolete within the next two years.

Meanwhile, we have been arguing that passwords are not secure enough since the 1970s, yet there's no widely deployed alternative. Fingerprint readers come closest, but they've proven to be unreliable and difficult to use, and, while they can log you in, they don't track when you leave.

This week, Intel showcased a that can read your hand from a distance and reportedly connect more quickly and more securely than most fingerprint readers. Coupled with a second sensor such as an accelerometer in a tablet, you get quick and easy security and a product that locks up whenever the user walks away.