Craig Barrett, Intel chief executive, sang a duet with Aerosmith lead singer Steve Tyler at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week - in what music lovers pray will turn out to be a farewell performance.

The glitzy rendition of "Walk This Way" by Mr Barrett, 65, who steps down as head of the world's biggest semiconductor company in May, was part of a software demonstration showing that Intel was still pursuing its own path and championing the PC as the centre of the new digital home.