By Ed Lieber
Among the new tablet PCs on view at CES are a new Dell Streak, now in a larger 7-inch form, and an NEC prototype.
Dell introduced on Thursday the Streak 7, its first 4G tablet on T-Mobile’s 4G network. The Streak 7 with Android 2.2 is described as the “ultimate social-networking and entertainment hub for families” because it puts “music and movies front and center.”
Small enough to carry, the Streak 7 enables immediate and instant access to movies, television shows, home videos and more.
It has a Tegra dual-core procesor, a multi-touch screen with Corning Gorilla Glass and it supports Flash. It also has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth and front- and rear-facing cameras for face-to-face chatting with friends over 3G, 4G3 or Wi-Fi connections. Ship date and pricing not available yet.
NEC’s dual-screen tablet — dubbed Android Cloud Communicator — is an Android tablet, available now as a prototype. NEC plans ship the unit in Japan first, sometime this spring; and a U.S. version sometime after that. The unit runs a 1 GHz ARM Cortex processor. The screens are 7 inch, 800×600, resistive touch LCDs, and the first units will be WiFi and Bluetooth only, but NEC says it’s left space for 3G or 4G modules inside. There is a rear-facing 3 megapixel camera (capable of 720p capture), two USB ports, and an SD card slot; there’s no video out. NEC says the target battery life is five hours.
The unit has plenty of buttons, for menus, for turning book pages, and adjusting the screen’s brightness. In addition to supporting the normal touch gestures, it comes with a stylus.
According to InformationWeek, obviously a folding two-screen device serves well as a book reader. It added that NEC hasn’t been a major factor in consumer devices, at least in the U.S., and that will cause some major hesitation unless there’s a specific application that simply demands a dual-screen tablet.
MSI unveiled a new line of tablets: two new generation WindPad tablets, one on the Windows platform and the other on the Android platform. Both tablets have such functions as G-Sensor gravity detection, which protects the internal hardware in case the unit is dropped, an ALS light sensor which adjusts screen brightness according to the surrounding light source, and Wi-Fi.
The lean WindPad 100A 10.1-inch multi-touch machine – based on the Android OS and weighing in at 1.6 pounds – is powered by an ARM processor, and offers features such as a digital compass, a GPS locator, and Wi-Fi with a 3G option available. The new tablet is approximately half an inch thick at its thinnest point, and can run for eight to ten hours on a single battery charge. The offers a complete array of I/O ports, with USB and HDMI slots for expanding and connecting.
The 100W tablet, weighing in at just 1.76 pounds, features the Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium operating system and a 10.1-inch screen that supports multi-touch control. In addition to the features of the WindPad 100A, it is equipped with the Intel Menlow Z530 processor and a 32GB solid state hard drive.
The MSI tablets are shipping now at prices starting from $499.
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Toshiba’s Digital Products Division previewed its first Android-powered tablet for the U.S. market. Featuring a 10.1-inch diagonal widescreen HD display, the tablet is equipped with smart technologies that adapt to the way the user wants to use it. The Toshiba tablet is slated to ship in the first half of 2011 with the Android Honeycomb operating system, the next version of Android designed for tablet devices.
The Toshiba tablet has a high-resolution 10.1-inch diagonal widescreen multi-touch display for viewing full websites. The display’s high definition 1280×800 resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio also creates a cinematic experience for movie viewing and gaming. It supports Adobe Flash-enabled content.
Other features include Toshiba Adaptive Display technology ensures that users get the best visual experience, automatically adjusting the display’s brightness and color to the lighting environment. The tablet also features a built-in motion sensor that enables full screen rotation and includes a rotation-lock switch to set the display in position when the user chooses. In addition, the tablet includes an on-screen keyboard.
Also included is Toshiba’s EasyGrip rubberized finish and will be available in multiple colors. The Toshiba tablet will be available in the first half of 2011 through major retailers, e-tailers and direct from Toshiba at ToshibaDirect.com as well as select Toshiba Preferred Partner Program resellers.
IDEAL LIFE, the largest “telehealth” company, introduced the IDEAL LIFE Health Tablet, the first tablet that automatically syncs data between healthcare provider information systems and patients’ health records when using the company’s remote health monitoring devices.
The Health Tablet automatically receives data from any IDEAL LIFE device, then wirelessly transmits it to the IDEAL LIFE secured “cloud” for distribution to the patient’s caregivers. The IDEAL LIFE Health Tablet will work on any cellular network, connecting health consumers with information appropriate to their care, connect them with providers and communicate health information remotely.
Enspert, a leading media convergence solution and device provider, is introducing its 2011 IDENTITY product line featuring a series of affordable Android-based multimedia tablets optimized for education and entertainment. Delivering color LCD e-book reader capabilities along with HD-quality video playback and Web browsing, the unit also is Wi-Fi enabled and scheduled to be available at a leading consumer electronics retailer in the U.S. in early 2011. The E301 with Wi-Fi and 3G will likely be available shortly after.
Varying IDENTITY E300 series models, including the IDENTITY E301 with Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, which will be available through a leading U.S. wireless carrier in time for the 2011 back-to-school season.
The E300 series of tablets are based on the Android Gingerbread platform.
Motion, a leading global provider of tablet PCs and supporting mobility solutions, debuted its first small form factor, rugged tablet PC designed for productivity and business integration. The Motion CL900 is a robust tablet with a flexible feature set that enables access to and utilization of data while mobile. The CL900 is expected to be available early in the second quarter of 2011.
The Motion CL900 is built based on customer demand for a mobile and integrated device that offers the capabilities to support mobile workflows. Architected for future expansion, the CL900 will feature a peripheral module that will enable simple device expansion.
It offers up to eight hours of battery life and has an optional integrated Gobi 3000 mobile broadband with GPS, 802.11 a/b/g/n WLAN, Bluetooth 3.0, and a wireless SIM port for advanced communications
The display features a Corning Gorilla Glass display, runs on Microsoft Windows 7 and is powered by the upcoming Intel Atom processor currently codenamed “Oak Trail.”
It features front and rear-facing cameras, a full complement of ports, including USB, SD Card, audio and video and a countertop docking station.
It will retail for less than $1000 and will be available to ship early in the second quarter of 2011 while the optional peripheral module will be available later in the first half of the year.
Sourc: Dell, InformationWeek, MSI, IdealLife, Toshiba, Enspert, Motion
