If last week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is any indication, "ultrabooks" are poised to be the hottest laptop category this year.

An "ultrabook" is a new category of incredibly thin and lightweight laptops – "ultraportable," if you will -- that also benefit from a powerful processor.

In other words, there's no trade-off between size and performance as there was just a couple of years ago with small but underpowered netbooks.

A term coined by Intel, "ultrabooks" not only have a fast processor to handle demanding tasks – such as video editing and smooth multitasking – but they also enjoy long battery life, too (once the Achilles' heel of laptops).

At CES, Intel announced more than 75 ultrabooks were it he works for 2012, most of which will house a Core i5 processor, capable of sipping rather than gulping electricity. Most offer at least 8 hours on a single charge.

Ultrabooks also benefit from Intel Rapid Start, a proprietary technology that uses flash memory embedded in the Intel chipset to improve boot-up times considerably.

Some believe the increasingly popularity of tablets had a direct influence on the creation of ultrabooks, as consumers wanted something thinner and lighter to tote around, with a high-powered but low-voltage processor. It would also be remiss not to draw comparisons to Apple's successful line of MacBook Air computers – ultrabooks might be considered a Windows-based version, but many PC makers are adding their own unique spin to the form factor.

At CES, HP unveiled the gorgeous glass-covered Envy 14 Spectre ultrabook with multiple wireless radios under the hood (launching next month), while Lenovo debuted its IdeaPad Yoga, a flexible ultrabook that can swivel into a tablet 9due out later in the year).

I mentioned there were no trade-offs between size and performance but be aware there might be something you're giving up with ultrabooks – and it might be an important consideration for businesses. Most ultrabooks use SSD (flash) memory instead of a HDD (hard drive), which means less storage for all your programs and files. But with "cloud computing" becoming a big trend, it may mean less locally-stored files anyway.

Therefore, if you enjoy carrying around many thousands of documents, presentations or media (photos, videos, etc.) you might opt for a laptop with a hard drive instead.

Lightweight SSD-based computers also contribute to the fast boot-up times and zippy performance, not to mention the lack of rotating magnetic disks means it also helps extend battery life and makes the PC more durable, too.

Also be aware most ultrabooks do not have an optical drive, so you can't run software on a CD-ROM or burn a DVD – unless you opt for an external optical drive that plugs into the ultrabook's USB port. Personally, I haven't used my DVD burner in my laptop in nearly three years, so I wouldn't miss it.

As you might expect, prices for ultrabooks are higher than standard laptops –something budget-conscious businesses must keep in mind, especially if they're handing them to multiple employees -- but prices will inevitably come down over time.

Today is the 3rd post in the "Work Shift, Work Styles, Work Anywhere – Flexible Work across Canada" summer blog series.

Telecommuting takes on a whole new meaning, thanks to my Mobile Internet Stick and my iPhone.

A quick trip west of Calgary and you immediately escape into one of Canada's havens of creativity and relaxation.  Who would have thought that deep inside this Alberta Provincial Park would you find one of the best spots to set up a mobile office.  Taking the quick trip to Kananaskis Country is the perfect escape from the rat race of city life and recharge the creative batteries. Some people come to the mountains for hiking, mountain biking, rafting and other outdoor activities.  My perfect escape is chilling in the lounge of my favourite mountain park hotels and coffee shops.  It doesn't matter what you enjoy, just the thought I escaping is perfect on an August summer day in Alberta. Some folks ideas of a mountain getaway includes their RV, Camping equipment or hiking boots. My Mountain escape equipment includes my hotel rewards card, MacBook and iPhone.  Having the freedom and the flexibility to escape the city is something I cherish as a Calgary Social Media Consultant and Search Engine Optimization professional.  Whenever the opportunity presents itself I pack up my MacBook, iPhone, Creative Juices and my mobile Internet and off to the Mountain Parks or Alberta badlands I go.

The mountain air is the perfect seed for creativity. Having the tools to escape and remain connected provides this opportunity to get out of the city for the day.  I can enjoy time in the Mountains to plan and really strategize about the direction of our business and at the same time, keep in touch with my clients and continue to serve their needs when the need arises without them even knowing where I am.

What does it take to escape from the office on the perfect Canadian summer day?

Be open to an endless flow of ideas - Getting away from the rat race provides the perfect opportunity for you to escape the distractions of office life.  Leaving you completely free to focus on whatever you need to work on.  Need to tighten up your business plan, review last quarter's sales figures or complete a project...getting away from the office facilitates the flow of great ideas and provides clarity.

Stop every once in while - Just stop and look out the window.  Be observant of everything going on around you.  Listen to the tourists speaking, the music playing in the background or the sounds of kids enjoying their family vacation.  You never know where your next great idea will come from.  Some times you need to get up and find a new spot or even just go for a walk.

Pack your own Internet and Power - This is a must because you never know where you are going to set up camp.  Without your Internet  and your own power you may struggle to enjoy true freedom of working wherever you decide.  My mobile Internet stick and vehicle AC adapter provides the freedom to work from a picnic table, coffee shop or even the lobby of the hotel.  Whatever fits into your lifestyle. Don't forget your power adapter and a spare battery as well. What do I enjoy the most by having the ability to escape - FREEDOM! Where is you freedom?

About the Author: Stuart Crawford, ULISTIC Inc. Senior Advisor/Partner and Guest Contributor

Stuart Crawford joins the Ulistic team as our senior advisor and partner bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience as it relates to IT and how business today can use the Internet is safe, secure manner to grow their overall business. Since retiring from active service in the Canadian military in 1997, Stuart has served the Calgary business community by providing information technology consulting services as part of the Microsoft, DELL and SonicWALL partner . In 2001, Stuart founded IT Matters, a Microsoft award winning computer and technology partner he served as the Vice President of Business Development for 8 years.  In 2009, Stuart played a vital role in the merger of Bulletproof InfoTech and CompuConsult.com and helped this new upstart IT firm can a competitive edge in the Alberta small business community.Over the years, Stuart has worked with leading junior Oil and Gas firms, Accounting and Legal offices and regular small businesses all across Alberta, throughout Canada and across the globe.