January 15, 2011
CES 2011 Main Themes : Tablets, 3D, and Connected TVs | Dealhack
Revised January 15, 2011. Copyright
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Tablets
Blackberry's Playbook: This
nice looking, fast tablet features a 7”
1024 X 600 touch screen, dual-core 1GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and front- and
rear-facing cameras. It uses Blackberry Tablet OS (which has its roots
in the embedded OS of their recently acquired QNX). Plus, the best part
is that it weighs less than a pound! Oh, and did we say it was really,
really fast? It will be available on Sprint in the US and will
supposedly cost “under $500.”
Motorola’s Xoom: Crowned the
best CES gadget, and based on Android 3.0
Honeycomb OS, this 16:9 aspect ratio tablet is targeted directly at
iPad. It features a larger 10.1” 1280 X 800 screen in a narrower and
slightly thinner form factor, dual-core 1GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, front &
back cameras, 32GB drive plus SD expansion slot, 3/4G, Wi-Fi, and USB
connectivity. The price has not been set but probably will be around
$800-1000.
Samsung showed a tablet that
converts to a netbook, with a keyboard
sliding from under the screen. PC7
has a multi-touch 10.1” screen and
runs Windows 7. It features Intel Atom Z670 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 32- or
64GB of drive. It offers both 3G and WiMax connectivity. Plus, it
weighs in at just over two pounds.
Dell, on the other hand, showed
an Inspiron Duo netbook that
converts
to a tablet. It features an Intel Atom Dual Core N550 1.5GHz Processor,
Windows 7, 2GB RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. It’s currently available
from Dell for $549.99.
3D TV
Every TV manufacturer was showing some form of 3D TV. Some companies,
including Sony and Panasonic, also had 3D camcorders. The high-end TVs
use active-shutter glasses, which are powered, alternating
full-resolution images between each eye. LG, Toshiba, and Vizio
are among the manufacturers using passive glasses, which are much
cheaper, but the resulting image has half the resolution.
Many manufacturers were also showing glasses-free 3D, though there is
room for improvement.
Overall, we came away unconvinced that 3D is a worthwhile investment
for consumers, at this point.
Connected TV
All of the major manufacturers are supporting apps on new
sets. Some of the app platforms are Android-based, some are
proprietary. The Internet is finally coming to TV, and it seems it’ll
be getting there more and more directly rather than going through
specialized equipment or devices. If you are looking for a new TV,
wired or wireless (depending on your situation) connectivity should be
high on your list.
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