Every CES has its unofficial theme – we’ve seen netbooks and ereaders flood the booths in previous years – and 2011 was the turn of tablets. As predicted before the show, the rise of the iPad, the imminent release of Android 3.0 Honeycomb and the promise of a new, lucrative segment has worked like catnip to manufacturers large and small. Check out the SlashGear CES 2011 tablet roundup after the cut.
We’ve been tracking Notion Ink since late 2009, and this year had the chance to see what’s so exciting about the company’s Adam tablet. The one Android-based slate on show that didn’t have to apologize for running something earlier than Honeycomb, Adam’s key strength is its awesome Eden UI and multitasking system. Our hands-on videos show it best, but considering this tiny start-up has managed to do what has pretty much escaped Microsoft for the past decade, it’s very promising.
Motorola’s XOOM is another slate with great promise, and its debut on Verizon this quarter – along with a 4G model in Q2 – is already getting people excited. Like Adam, the XOOM runs NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 chipset – you can find more about what that means in our Super Phone hub – and while it will be one of the first tablets to give us an official glimpse of Honeycomb, it also packs a few copy-worthy features. For instance, Motorola has designed the XOOM’s modem as modular, so that the 3G version it will launch with can be easily upgraded to a 3G/4G version later on; that will hopefully make international 3G/4G launches more straightforward as well.
T-Mobile has a 4G tablet of its own, in the shape of the HSPA+ capable G-Slate by LG. The most mysterious of the carrier-provided options, there’s not much known about the G-Slate beyond its Android 3.0 OS and 10-inch display. T-Mobile preferred to spend its time talking about the new Dell Streak 7, the long-rumored 7-inch sibling to the original Streak. Unfortunately it won’t be able to take advantage of the full speeds on offer as T-Mobile doubles its HSPA+ network to support up to 42Mbps, being limited to 21Mbps instead, but with Dell’s heft behind it we wouldn’t count it out.
Perhaps our biggest surprise of the show was how strong an option RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook is shaping up to be. A step away from the Android crowds, the PlayBook’s QNX-based OS and dual-core TI OMAP4430 chipset single it out as a very capable contender, with a UI that bridges the larger screen size and the traditional BlackBerry interface well, and lashings of processing grunt on tap. It too will have a 4G option, courtesy of a launch on Sprint’s WiMAX network. Perhaps it was RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis’ enthusiasm rubbing off as he personally demo’d the slate to us, but the PlayBook looks like it could end up part of the iPad’s strongest competition.
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook demo:
While the slate form-factor has been the most common, ASUS and Samsung took a risk and opted for sliders in their tablet ranges. The ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Samsung Sliding PC 7 don’t show much imagination in their names but have enough to differentiate themselves in their hardware, each packing a full QWERTY keyboard for those who want the finger-friendliness of a touchscreen but also want to do some serious text entry. Beyond that similarity, though, the prospects are very different. Samsung opted for an Intel Oak Trail processor and Windows 7, promising full desktop functionality for those who care about it, but running the risk of underwhelming mobile battery life and having to reskin the OS with its own Touch Launcher UI. ASUS, meanwhile, opted for Android 3.0 Honeycomb running on Tegra 2, a far more mobility-friendly decision but potentially lacking the “grown up” software flexibility of the Samsung.
Though hardware has been brimming over with Tegra 2 and other dual-core chipsets, the software side of things has suffered. We asked for intelligent ecosystems, tablets that fit into a more comprehensive system of media, hardware and connectivity, and few delivered. Vizio’s VIA Tablet and Phone look to have come the closest, coupling integration with the company’s smart TVs and cross-device access to things like streaming media and OnLive gaming, but it’s something the big names have failed to deliver on. That’s going to make positioning their devices in the market all the more difficult; Apple gets a lot of criticism for its relatively closed-garden approach, but it also does a very good job at putting the iPad into context with the rest of the iTunes ecosystem. Rivals are going to have to learn to do more than produce lengthy spec sheets if they want mainstream buyers to slot another mobile device into their lives.
There have been a few notable absences at this year’s show, too. HTC continues to get name-checked in the Honeycomb tablet rumors, but failed to show anything more than smartphones at CES 2011. Worse still, the company was overshadowed by Motorola’s ATRIX 4G, with its clever laptop-style docking station. We’ll be looking to MWC 2011 in February to see if HTC can redeem itself there.
Motorola ATRIX 4G demo:
HP and the promised webOS slate was also conspicuous by its absence, and the surprise reveal we’d half-hoped for in the run up to CES failed to materialize. We’re yet to see an attention-grabber like Palm’s Pre debut a few years back, and interest in the company’s smartphone line-up continues to wane. Hopefully something suitably groundbreaking will show up at the HP webOS event on February 9. Microsoft, too, was tipped to be putting greater software emphasis on touch computing, but instead gave the Windows-faithful – both among users and manufacturers – little to smile about. The rumoured Windows 8 preview never transpired, and Windows-on-ARM got more keynote attention by CEO Steve Ballmer. That might have seemed the ideal opportunity to talk UI, but Microsoft didn’t cash in.
The absent spectre looming over all the tablets at CES 2011 was the second-gen iPad. Rivals have had a year to ready their alternatives, but Apple hasn’t been standing still in the meantime; the iPad 2 is rumored to be unveiled as early as this month, and while it may not have the all-singing, all-dancing tech specs of some hardware we’ve seen in the past week, it will have a solid user-base, well-stocked App Store and gobfuls of brand appeal to build upon. Factor in that many of the big-name slates are waiting on Honeycomb, against Apple’s ability to announce a new device and then ship very soon after, and the iPad 2 could well be repeating its predecessor’s sales success imminently. 2011 is most definitely the year of the tablet, but that’s the only certainty in what’s turning out to be a volatile segment.
Novatel Wireless just keeps pumping out the MiFis, and this year’s CES offerings didn’t disappoint with both a WiMAX and an LTE version on offer. So first up is the Sprint WiMAX version of the MiFi that replaces the previous MiFi 2200 with a tenfold increase in speed — of course there is an asterisk next to that figure — an external electronic ink display for signal strength, battery, and number of connected devices, and the balance of the features pretty much jibe with what we’ve already seen in the past. Verizon’s 4510L LTE MiFi — the faster and larger of the two — packs the same e-ink display tech, LTE download speeds between 5 and 12 Mbps, and upload rates from 2 to 5 Mbps. No mention of battery life on either of these capable little toys, but if we had to guess we’d recommend you drag along a charger wherever your roaming may take you.
Clearwire’s talking more about some of the glorious numbers it’s seeing as it drives around the greater Phoenix area testing its trial LTE network, and we think one specific quote pretty much sums it up: “this isn’t your grandfather’s LTE.” That statement was made in comparing Clearwire’s results — bumping up against 90Mbps in some configurations — to the 5 to 12Mbps that Verizon is quoting for its first-gen commercial LTE network, though they’re quick to note in the same breath that Clear’s test is on an unloaded network without a deluge of users all trying to stream professional sports games in HD at the same time. What does that all mean for Clear’s existing WiMAX deployment? The company’s as noncommittal on the subject as ever, saying only that WiMAX continues to be “best for the customer” today but that “potentially in the future that could be WiMAX and LTE.” Needless to say, though, they’re taking the LTE option pretty seriously if they’re dumping serious cash into testing it out and publishing the results. Follow the break for Clear’s teaser footage — wouldn’t you like access to this action?
Do you own an EVO 4G? Do you like CyanogenMod? Do you want to live on the bleeding edge? Well, it’s your lucky day. After weeks of hard work, those crazy hackers over at #TeamWin have just served up the first public release of the CyanogenMod WiMAX Alpha, bringing the sweet nectar of Sprint 4G to the custom ROM universe. Of course, the usual caveats apply: it’s an alpha, there are some bugs, and controlling the 4G radio still requires some magic incantations — but it might be a small price to pay to enjoy tasty custom ROM goodness on your EVO.
CES isn’t even over yet, but Samsung’s already looking forward to its next big event: Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. That show gets started on February 14th, but Sammy plans to get things going early with an announcement of dual-core smartphones and new tablets on February 13th. Such is the word straight from the company’s mobile biz president, JK Shin, who says Samsung is “in a position to supply 4G smartphones and tablets to all the carriers in the US.” Naturally, this 4G strategy will include both LTE and WiMAX, while another major prong of the company’s future roadmap is to curtail its featurephone offering in favor of low-cost smartphone devices. Interesting times certainly lie ahead.
RIM and Sprint have announced that the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will be launching on the carrier’s 4G WiMAX network in summer 2011. Described as “the first” PlayBook to launch using WWAN, suggesting other 3G/4G models will debut later in the year, the Sprint PlayBook 4G won’t get priced until closer to launch.
However, it will have the same specifications that we’ve already seen for the PlayBook, including a 7-inch touchscreen, dual-core 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and QNX-based BlackBerry Tablet OS. Sprint reckons WiMAX is good for 10x the speed of regular 3G, assuming you have coverage.
Press Release:
BlackBerry 4G PlayBook Coming to the Sprint 4G Network
New 4G Tablet to Deliver Unmatched Power and Web Performance – Available Exclusively from Sprint this Summer
Las Vegas, NV – CES 2011 – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) and Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced plans to launch a new BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet model featuring connectivity to the blazingly fast Sprint 4G network. The BlackBerry 4G PlayBook™ will be the first BlackBerry PlayBook model to include wide area wireless connectivity, featuring Sprint 4G to give customers download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G1. This new 4G model is expected to be available from Sprint in the summer.
The BlackBerry 4G PlayBook is a professional-grade tablet that’s set to redefine the possibilities of mobile computing, giving users an ultra-portable design with industry leading performance, uncompromised web browsing, true multitasking and HD multimedia, as well as advanced security features and out-of-the-box enterprise support. Together, the BlackBerry 4G PlayBook and the Sprint 4G network will provide a high performance platform that will enable a mobile services revolution for both application developers and customers.
“RIM believes a significant portion of the tablet market will want a higher performing, multitasking, professional-grade tablet and that is why we chose to design the BlackBerry PlayBook for premium performance with a powerful dual-core processor and multitasking OS. Together with Sprint, we are now building on that performance advantage with 4G and providing an unparalleled mobile experience for users,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion.
”We are excited to bring this powerful new product to our business customers and consumers who rely on Sprint for industry-leading devices as well as one of the best values in wireless,” said Steve Elfman, president of network operations and wholesale for Sprint. “This tablet is a great example of Sprint’s strong partnership with RIM in continuing to bring customers powerful devices to enhance their mobility. We are confident the BlackBerry 4G PlayBook from Sprint will be one of the most anticipated tablets in 2011.”
In addition to Wi-Fi® support, the BlackBerry 4G PlayBook features a 1 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM and the new BlackBerry® Tablet OS. The ultra portable, ultra thin tablet will offer an uncompromised, high-fidelity web experience with support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, Adobe® Mobile AIR® and HTML-5 enabling customers to enjoy all of the sites, games, media and richness of the full Internet, delivered at 4G speeds. Additional details and pricing will be released closer to launch.
Sprint 4G is currently available in 71 markets2 across the country, including Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York City. Sprint first launched 4G in Baltimore in September 2008 and continues to build its 4G service for consumers and business users across the country. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/4G.
For more information about the BlackBerry 4G PlayBook, visit www.blackberry.com/playbook or www.sprint.com/4Gplaybook.
We sat down for a few moments of quiet introspection today with Sprint’s recently-announced 3G / 4G MiFi, and while it’s definitely a touch thicker and heavier than the 3G-only model it replaces, we’re pretty sure the more luxurious look makes up for it. Okay, correction — the appearance of a device that you don’t ever look at or interact with other than to turn it on is kind of irrelevant, but regardless, it’s a surprisingly nice-looking little device. We especially liked the E Ink status indicators above the power button (what can we say, we’re always suckers for a creative E Ink application) and the front-loading microSD slot is a new feature — GSM versions of the original MiFi always had this, but it’s new on the CDMA side.
On a related note, we’ve learned that the Overdrive — Sprint’s first 3G / 4G mobile hotspot — has been discontinued, so the MiFi will be your only option by the time it launches next month. Considering the Overdrive was plagued from the start by high run temperatures and long boot times, we’d say that’s a good thing: when we turned the MiFi on, it finished booting within about 15 seconds and stayed cool to the touch, though we’d need to punish it for a few hours before making a call on whether it’ll actually burn our pockets with regular use. Stay tuned for a full review as soon as we can score a unit!
Sprint’s push into 4G is very apparent for the 2011 calendar year. Their ultra-fast network is being utilized by devices such as the EVO and in 2011 we will see not only the EVO Shift 4G but also the new 3G/4G MiFi by Novatel Wireless.
The device features a 10x35mm eInk display that will show status indicators for battery, signal and the number of connected devices. The MiFi also boasts a a GPS chip for location-based services.
The device automatically switches between 3G and 4G and will push out a connection to up to 5 users. 4G data speeds on Sprint’s WiMax network will average 3-6 Mbps with a peak around 10 Mbps.
The expected release date for the MiFi 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot for Sprint is this February and pricing has yet to be determined.
Sprint has just given us the highly publicized HTC EVO Shift 4G. The device is known to the internet as the cousin to the popular HTC EVO and will come in with a full keyboard, smaller screen and full 4G for Sprint’s WiMax network.
Being touted as “not the next generation of EVO, but a 4G evolution for the masses,” HTC originally planned the Shift for users who wanted a middle ground and loved the whole EVO following.
The device will ship with a 3.6-inch screen and sports a full QWERTY keyboard. With the keyboard being a main feature of the Shift, it definitely is one of the best mid-ground consumer keyboards we have seen. It’s perfectly spaced and there is adequate spacing from the top row of the keyboard to the sliding front-half of the device. From our time with the device we found that the performance was very impressive with its new 800MHz processor, and provides EVO-like speeds on the smaller device.
The device is running Froyo and they currently have no comment on exactly when we will be seeing Gingerbread as the process to get a new OS on a phone is an extensive one. 3G to 4G transition on the device is still done via a software flip, but with Sprint’s aggressive 4G expansion this will be less and less of a problem over the next year or so.
The HTC EVO Shift 4G will retail for $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and 2-year activation, which makes it the lowest cost at launch device for any current 4G phone.
Viliv has outed its range of three new tablets at CES 2011 this week, as promised, the Viliv X7 Android Tablet, Viliv X10 Android Tablet, and the Viliv X70 Windows 7 Slate. Each Android tablet is powered by a 1GHz Samsung Cortex-A8 processor with Power VR SGX 540 GPU and 512MB of memory, the X7 having a 7-inch, 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen while the X10 has a 10.2-inch 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen. Meanwhile, the X70 Windows 7 slate runs an unspecified “next-gen” Intel CPU with a 7-inch 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen.
Both Android models have WiFi b/g/n, optional 3G HSPA or WiMAX or EVDO wireless conenctivity, Bluetooth and GPS, along with a rear 3-megapixel camera and a front 1.3-megapixel camera for video calls. There’s also HDMI, microUSB and a microSD card slot to augment the 8GB, 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage. Sensors include an accelerometer, ambient light, and digital compass. The X7 has a 5,600 mAh battery, good Viliv says for up to 9.5hrs runtime, while the X10 has an 8,300 mAh battery, good for over 10hrs
As for the Windows 7 based Viliv X70, that has 1GB or 2GB of RAM, a choice of 32GB or 64GB SSD and either the Starter or Home Premium versions of Microsoft’s OS. There’s WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth, optional HSPA/WiMAX/EVDO and GPS, together with the same cameras as the Android slates. Ports include HDMI, microUSB and microSD, and the 5,600 mAh battery is good for up to 6.5hrs. Impressively, it weighs a mere 420g and is just 14.3mm thick.
The Viliv X7 Android tablet and Viliv X10 Android tablet will go on sale in March and April 2011 respectively. No word on availability for the Viliv X70 Windows 7 Slate, nor pricing for any of the three. Viliv say the Android version is also undecided, and could be either 2.2 Froyo or Honeycomb; however, if rumors of Honeycomb being restricted to dual-core processors are true, that could force Viliv’s hand in the wrong direction.
“viliv X7 Android Tablet”, “viliv X10 Android Tablet” and “viliv X70 Windows 7 Slate” Introduced at CES
Substantializing the Leadership of Anywhere Internet Connectivity Longest battery life among existing Android devices.
Las Vegas, US, January 6th, 2011 – A leading Tablet PC manufacturer, viliv (Yukyung Technologies Corporation) today announced two new lineups, the Android Tablet X7 and X10. The tablets are powered by Android 2.2 / 3.0(TBD), with a Cortex A8 1GHz CPU and Power VR SGX 540 GPU chipset. The X7 and X10 are expected to be launched worldwide in March 2011 and April 2011 respectively.
The viliv X7 and X10 allow users to experience true anywhere connectivity with options for 3G HSPA, EVDO, or WIMAX. The new X7 and X10 lineup also feature a best in class battery life, the highest of any current or soon to be released Android devices, continuing to demonstrate viliv’s dedication to creating powerful mobile devices that are truly connected and allow for a full day of productivity.
With support for full HD playback, the viliv X Series Tablets brings consumers a realistic multimedia experience when watching movies, playing games or viewing pictures. Storage can be expanded via the integrated micro-SD card slot (supports SDHC up to 32GB) to provide even more space to store your media. The integrated HDMI-out port even allows you to share them all with friends and family when connected to an HDTV.
With a lightweight design to allow for ease of use, the X Series Tablets includes a number of supportive features such as 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, stand-alone GPS, a rear 3MP camera and front 1.3MP camera enable users to communicate with substantial quality. The front camera provides for easy video conferencing, while the rear 3MP camera catches images and produces video with clarity that can be shared and edited.
“We face new information technology everyday and viliv tablets can be a solution provider to make our life easy and simple. This fast-changing environment creates demand and we are able to meet customer’s expectation with our decades-old experience in mobile technology.” said Dr. Seung-Jin Yoo, COO/Executive Vice President, viliv by Yukyung Technologies. “Thanks to our understanding of mobile environments, viliv is able to see the opportunities in the field and its tablets take a unique position in the market. IT environments have been changing so fast and people’s expectations are higher than ever. viliv’s brand-new tablets can satisfy all these high expectations.”
In addition to the X Series Android tablets, viliv also unveiled the X70 Windows 7 Slate, proud that it is the slimmest and lightest Windows 7 based tablet in the world. The X70 Slate is the second version of viliv’s existing model, the X70EX. It features upgraded functionality such as Intel next generation mobile CPU, 2GB memory and a smooth capacitive multi-touch LCD. Its 14.3mm ultra- slim design and 420g (0.926lb) weight enhance its portability.
viliv X7 Android Tablet
Longest battery life powered 7 inch Android
Samsung Cortex A8 1 GHz CPU with Power VR SGX 540
512MB Memory
Android 2.2 / 3.0 (TBD)
7 inch (1024×600) Clear Type LCD, 16M color
Capacitive Multi-Touch
1080p Video Playback
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
3G HSPA or WIMAX or EVDO
Bluetooth
Stand-alone GPS
Rear 3MP Camera / Front 1.3MP Webcam
HDMI l Micro USB l Micro SD/SDHC supporting 32GB
Storage: 8GB (16GB/32GB available)
Accelerometer/Ambient Sensor/Compass
5600 mA/h, 21W, 9.5 hours Operation
398g / 0.877lb,
14.3mm / 0.56inch Depth Design
viliv X70 Windows 7 Slate
Slimmest and Lightest Windows 7 based Tablet in the world
Next-generation Intel CPU
1GB / 2GB Memory
Windows 7 Starter / Home Premium
7 inch 1024 x 600 Clear Type LCD, 16M color
Capacitive Multi-Touch
1080p Video Playback
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
3G HSPA or WIMAX or EVDO
HDMI l Micro USB l Micro SD/SDHC supporting 32GB
Stand-alone GPS
Storage : Fast 32GB SATA SSD (64GB available)
Read/Write : 100M/70Mbps
Rear 3MP Camera / Front 1.3MP Webcam
Accelerometer/Ambient Sensor
5600 mA/h, 21W, 6.5 hours Operation
420g / 0.926lb
14.3mm / 0.56inch Ultra Slim Design
viliv X10 Android Tablet
Longest battery life powered 10.2 inch Android
Samsung Cortex A8 1 GHz CPU with Power VR SGX 540
512M Memory
Android 2.2 / 3.0 (TBD)
10.2 inch (1024×600), 16M Color, 400 nits, Wide Angle
Capacitive Multi-Touch
1080p Video Playback
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
3G HSPA or WIMAX or EVDO
Bluetooth
Stand-alone GPS
HDMI l Micro USB l Micro SD/SDHC supporting 32GB
Storage: 8GB (16GB/32GB available)
Rear 3MP Camera / Front 1.3MP Webcam
Accelerometer/Ambient Sensor/Compass
8300 mA/h, 31W, +10 hours Operation
680g / 1.50lb
