UPDATED 11:03 EDT / DECEMBER 31 2010

Tablet Takeover: CES 2011 Rumors

ces-2011-tabletsWith tablets being introduced as the expected bridge between palm-sized smartphones and clunky laptops they have exploded in popularity and afforded themselves a niche that puts powerful computing and communication within mobile reach. With CES 2011 right around the corner the predictions are already stacking like cordwood and we have been picking through them for the best and most interesting.

Looking for tablet news, we started by pouring over the catches that Digital Trends picked up in their net,

Motorola XOOM, earlier this month we noticed Motorola had trademarked the name “XOOM” which people have speculated means that the silicon industry company will be going with an Android tablet. As the company has very little experience with any tablets and they seem to have an extremely broad showing at CES, we expect that whatever this product is will probably debut.

Microsoft tablet predictions include the possibility of the final revelation of a Windows OS tablet. With their recent move away from Intel to ARM we might just be seeing the beginning maneuvers for them to enter into the market. Expectations surround a device called the Samsung Gloria, a 10-inch tablet with a slide out keyboard (not exactly expected in the touch-screen tablet market). The software giant has had a somewhat troubled history with tablets, so we’re uncertain any sort of announcements at CES will be about their forays into their manufacture.

We also noticed that Mobile Burn picked up on a potential ViewSonic Android tablet. Best known in the United States for computer monitors and LCD screens, this would be an interesting addition to their current line up of various devices. “Viewsonic is preparing to launch a 4-inch Android tablet during the Consumer Electronics Show next week. ViewSonic’s tablet is reportedly run on a 4G network and will also be able to place phone calls. Verizon Wireless recently launched its 4G LTE network, Sprint offers a 4G WiMAX network, and T-Mobile also markets its HSPA+ 4G network. It’s unclear which carrier the device will launch on.”

Also in the news, Gizmo Crave reports that there may be an HTC tablet on our horizon after noticing that the Tiwanese company has filed a trademark for the “HTC Scribe.” From the article, “They have described the proposed product to be a handheld wireless device, namely a tablet computer. But we don’t have any kind of further information about the device, its specs, price or the launch dates.” If they’re looking for headlines on such a product, CES will be the place to do it.

Not to be left behind, PCMag reports on a possible Sharp tablet announced at CES as well. It would be a variation on the Android-based Galapagos tablet currently available only in Japan. "The 5.5-inch LCD and 10.8-inch HD LCD tablets will be retooled for the U.S. market to include 3G capability," writes PCMag. "Apart from that, the Japanese version of the tablet comes with the usual sides like Wi-Fi, a Web browser, MicroSD support and Flash support. All at the slender weight of 765 grams (about 1.67 pounds) for the bigger model; in comparison, the Apple iPad weighs in at 800 grams (1.76 pounds).” The device appears to have taken advantage of the great increase in e-publishing trends in Japan and will probably show a similar angle when released in the United States.


A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:

Your vote of support is important to us and it helps us keep the content FREE.

One click below supports our mission to provide free, deep, and relevant content.  

Join our community on YouTube

Join the community that includes more than 15,000 #CubeAlumni experts, including Amazon.com CEO Andy Jassy, Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, and many more luminaries and experts.

“TheCUBE is an important partner to the industry. You guys really are a part of our events and we really appreciate you coming and I know people appreciate the content you create as well” – Andy Jassy

THANK YOU