UPDATED 13:28 EDT / JANUARY 07 2013

Breaking Analysis: Does Microsoft Need Lenovo to Boost Win8 Sales?

The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) officially kicks off tomorrow at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, and with it comes word of new device announcements from Lenovo and 3M. The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix is a touch pad that separates from the keyboard, but when combined with the keyboard, the system becomes much more powerful. SiliconANGLE Contributing Editor John Casaretto described it as a convertible tablet, calling it an evolutionary device with leading edge components and features, including a core i7 processor, NFC technology and 4G LTE support.

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He reviewed the device specs in detail, focusing on the keyboard docking feature, which allows for better cooling and increases the power of the device overall. He complimented the ThinkPad Helix by saying, “Having that core i7 processor in place and . . . the cooling overclock feature is just a phenomenal high-performance device that really stands alone at this point.”  The tablet will be available in February for $1499.

With both of Lenovo’s new devices, the ThinkPad Helix and the IdeaCentre Horizon running on Windows 8, Casaretto addressed Microsoft’s potential partner strategy. He speculated that Microsoft will continue playing the high-end of the market by allowing its partners, such as Lenovo, to tell the Windows 8 story with their own innovations, give Windows 8 more visibility, capture the imaginations of both the consumer and the enterprise, and ultimately boost Windows 8 sales. However, Casaretto believes Microsoft is not standing idly by, waiting for its partners to rescue Windows 8. He said, “I think we’re going to see more innovation from Microsoft . . . in terms of processor, capabilities, and performance.”

3M unveiled its 84″ multi-touch table device at CES, as a follow-up to its 46″ display from last year. It supports up to 40 simultaneous touches, and by the time it’s released in 3Q of this year, it should have the capability to support more than 100 concurrent touches. Casaretto indicated that the device is being aimed towards educational environments, such as classrooms and museums, but said that in reality it could be used anywhere a person’s imagination could take them, thus making the possibilities unlimited. See the entire segment with Kristin Feledy and John Casaretto on the Morning NewsDesk Show.


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