Lenovo's sudden interest in Chromebooks is based on demand.

Microsoft is trying hard to sell the masses on Windows 8, and there are no shortage of new systems built around the touch-friendly operating system. However, Windows 8 isn't the only game in town. In fact, Lenovo is reportedly building a line of Chromebooks and Chromeboxes, venturing into territory that so far has been the shared domain of Acer and Samsung.

Lenovo shares with us its varied Windows 8 product lineup.

What a year it's been for Lenovo, the world's largest or second largest PC maker, depending on which market research firm is tallying up the numbers. Either way, Lenovo's been able to not only weather the global storm of a downed economy and slumping PC sales, but thrive it in, earning the CEO a $3 million performance bonus (which he carved up and handed out to employees). The introduction of Windows 8 allows Lenovo to start thinking outside of the box of traditional PC design, and several of those products were on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Let's take a look.

Lenovo has quietly posted a new webpage teasing visitors with a product shot of its upcoming ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch Ultrabook. Optimized for Windows 8, the touch-friendly Ultrabook will be available to purchase next month, though Lenovo didn't offer up an exact release date or any pricing information. There isn't much of a spec sheet to go on either, though we suspect it will sport the same or similar guts as the non-touch version.