LAS VEGAS — The International Consumer Electronics Show is shaping up to be every bit the tablet jamboree everyone expected.
Big and small names alike are cranking out their variations on the theme in the hopes of sating the consumer cravings triggered by Apple’s breakthrough iPad, while also beating the Cupertino, Calif., tech giant at its own game.
About 80 tablets are expected to be unveiled during the four-day show.
The biggest news so far was the unveiling of the Motorola Xoom, set to be the first slate in the marketplace running the highly anticipated new version of Google’s Android operating system.
Motorola Mobility announced the device will become available by the end of March, a quicker timetable than many had anticipated.
Google’s not-yet-finished software, dubbed Honeycomb, is the first version of the mobile software optimized for tablets.
“It’s built with the very best technology available today,” said Sanjay Jha, chief executive of Motorola Mobility. “It’s the first Android tablet that not only comes with software designed for a tablet but is designed for a tablet that can be upgraded, and the experience can continue to grow.”
Related
Microsoft confirms OS-processor rumor
Microsoft confirmed rumors that the next version of its flagship Windows operating system will work on the processors commonly used in smartphones and tablets, based on the battery-friendly technology from ARM.
Still, the operating system isn’t expected to be available for months or years, depending on whom you ask, giving Apple and Google considerable time to cement their leads in the tablet world.
Tablets with Windows 7 highlighted
Microsoft highlighted several tablets running Windows 7 during chief executive Steve Ballmer’s opening keynote for CES. They included Samsung’s Series 7, a netbook-tablet hybrid with a full slide-out keyboard.
AT&T to launch a pair
AT&T said it will launch two tablets by midsummer, including one that will run on its forthcoming ultra-fast LTE network.
Dish optimizing “TV everywhere”
Douglas County-based Dish Network announced that its “TV everywhere” offering — which allows subscribers to watch live and recorded video content on any Web-connected device — is optimized for larger screens in the newly unveiled Android- based tablets.
T-Mobile unveils Dell device
T-Mobile followed up its G-Slate announcement by unveiling the Dell Streak 7. It will be a 7-inch device running an older version of Android, 2.2, but will be the first tablet available for what it calls its 4G network, though technically it’s a fast third-generation network.
Denver Post news services
