8:00 AM Bet on tablets, not tables, in Vegas this year
8:00 AM -- LAS VEGAS -- 2012 International CES -- As much as Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC) wants ultrabooks to steal the scene at this year's consumer gadget show, tablets will continue to be the more exciting light-weight computer to keep track of -- at least for us mobile-minded folks.
Last year, I outlined my tablet-feature wish list, but this year it's time to get real. The market is growing beyond just Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL), and 2012 will be the year the iPad sees real competition.
Tablet makers have learned from high-profile failures, like the HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) TouchPad and BlackBerry PlayBook, that high-priced, under-performing tablets aren't going to gain traction. I'd expect to see lower prices on all but the highest-end devices. (See 2011 Top Ten: Tablet Triumphs & Tragedies.)
In terms of features and performance, here's what else I'd bet on:
The first Windows 8 tablets: my guess is Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer will show off a crop of tablets to go with its newest OS in what will be his last time on stage at CES
Quad-core: Dual-core was so 2011. Tablets not sporting quad-core chipsets will be behind the times
Long Term Evolution (LTE): Wireless connectivity will by no means be a requirement in tablets yet, but if it's got a network, it had better be 4G now that Verizon Wireless , AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and soon Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S) have networks to show off
Tablets will be tasty at CES, with Ice Cream Sandwich as the operating system du jour, separating the overachieving Android tablets from the pack
Tablet apps: OK, it's not a developer show, but I just got an iPad, and I want more tablet-optimized apps! Perhaps AT&T's developer conference before the show will help me out
Enterprising tablets: RIM didn't play it's cards right when it launched the PlayBook, but I expect a least a few manufacturers to tackle the enterprise market with new form factors optimized for professionals
CES is always good for a few surprises, too. Let us know what you're looking forward to (or dreading) in Vegas in the comments section.
— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile
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