Microsoft's next hurrah
Now, for the big elephant in the room. Windows 10 looks to be a long awaited return to form for PC users and Microsoft needs it dearly after losing users to both Apple's free annually OS X updates and the lightweight nature of Chrome OS.
From our time with the technical preview, Windows 10 is a return to the traditional desktop with individual windows, rather than the full screen app experience of Windows 8.1. However, the new OS is just about backpedaling. Microsoft has also made some smart decisions, inserting smart tiles into the new start menu, essentially allowing you to access live data as if you had a Windows Phone 8.1 device taped to your screen.
There are also plenty of new features, including voice assistant called Cortana and revamped web browser known as Spartan – noticing a trend (ahem, Halo)?
Speaking of games, Microsoft's Xbox head Phil Spencer is expected to play a part in the Windows 10 event on January 21. At E3 2014, Spencer explained that, "gaming on Windows is critical to Microsoft's success."
On the business side, Windows will make a bigger splash with improved security and the fact it's been built as one platform for smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. Microsoft is aiming to make Windows 10 a tidal shift for all computer users, whether they're just college students looking for a new computer or a business still holding desperately onto Windows XP.
Chromebooks grow bigger and fancier
Not to be left out, Chromebooks are, quite literally, expanding into new shapes with the Acer Chromebook 15, the very first 15-inch Chromebook. It might not sound like a big deal, but this larger Chromebook steps on the toes of the affordable 14 and 15-inch Windows laptops that students and parents pine for.
While that's the only Chromebook we saw at CES, Google France's François Beaufort has revealed that at least three more Chrome OS devices, powered by Broadwell, are on their way.
In the last year, we've also seen plenty of great machines. The Samsung Chromebook 2 wowed us with what a premium and thin Chromebook could be. Other manufacturers are throwing more powerful Core i3 processors into units, such as the Acer Chromebook C720, without sacrificing battery life. With a new Broadwell-branded Core i3 and a Core M chips on their way, Chromebooks are only going to get better.
Software is king
The big question is whether Google will go any further with Chrome OS, which has recently taken somewhat of a backseat to Android development. However, Google also plans to infuse its laptop interface with deeper Android integration, a mobile integration trend we're seeing across the big three of the OS world.
Windows 10 is homogenizing its operating system across platforms, while Apple folds Continuity (with a capital "C") into OS X Yosemite. Google, Microsoft and Apple are all taking lessons they've learned developing mobile platforms to evolve computers and laptops on the software side.
We've seen some amazing hardware in the first week of 2015, and there's no doubt we'll see more in the future. The software, as much as we've seen, seems promising. It's just a matter whether the world has a hunger for both.
- Here's the best crème de la crème laptops out today
