The short answer is, "No". If you're in a hurry, you're welcome. If you have a few minutes, though, read on. I'll explain why I believe Windows 8 ultrabooks aren't a wise purchase right now.

In a few short weeks the Windows 8 era will begin, but right now the anticipation of the next-generation flagship OS from Microsoft seems tepid at best. There's a confluence of factors that could impact the initial success of Windows 8--Windows 7 is very popular and still gaining market share, Windows 8 seems uniquely suited to touchscreen hardware, and ultrabooks don't seem to be delivering the bang for the buck necessary to deliver what users are looking for.

Let's look at each of those factors a little more closely:

It took a while for Windows 7 to knock Windows XP off the pedestal to assume its rightful place as the number one desktop operating system, but it finally did so a few months ago. Windows 7 is very popular, and both businesses and consumers are still making the to Windows 7 in droves.