Posted: 1/8/2012 11:19:53 AM EDT
|
I am in Vegas for the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, starting on Tuesday. This is an open offer to my SFfriends... does anyone need me to look at any particular product for you, or get information on a product? Whatever you need, I will try to fit it in for you. I will be leaving Vegas on Thursday. Just thought I'd ask...
Next year, I am going to try to do CES and the SHOT Show together, as they are always on consecutive weeks here. Note: I find that following Leo Laporte on TWIT.tv is second best to actually being here. He broadcasts live from the show. Available as a webcast on the TWIT.tv website. PCWorld Preview: At this year's CES, tablets will get cheaper, laptops will get thinner, and cameras will become more like phones. Apps will be everywhere, including in cars. And Microsoft's phone-inspired Windows 8 will edge closer to release.
Beneath all of the specifics, though, mobile technology will be driving many of the trends on display at CES 2012 in Las Vegas next week. Phones, tablets, and mobile software are soaking up most of the energy and attention in technology today. We'll see lots of new mobile products and technologies at CES, but we'll also see older products––laptops, cameras, and even desktop PC OSs––trying to remain relevant by adopting features of mobile devices. Here's a summary of what PCWorld's product experts expect at CES 2012 (click the subject link to go to a longer discussion of the topic): Tablets: We're looking for a flood of tablets, including some with budget prices. We also expect to hear some buzz about Windows 8 for tablets. HDTVs: The HDTV industry will focus on improving the TV-watching experience, with less emphasis on improving the TVs themselves. Laptops: We anticipate announcements of thin-and-light Ultrabook laptops equipped with Intel's upcoming line of CPUs (code-named "Ivy Bridge") that promise improved graphics capabilities. Smartphones: Perhaps we'll see the first LTE Windows Phone for AT&T, or maybe a Sony Ericsson phone equipped with a 13-megapixel camera. Cameras: Look for Wi-Fi-enabled imaging devices as camera manufacturers try to beat the competitive heat from smartphones. We also expect to see a lot of very small cameras with big optical-zoom ranges. Desktop PCs: The biggest desktop PC news likely to come out of CES will involve the inclusion of Ivy Bridge CPUs, and the emergence of thinner, lighter all-in-one PCs. Networking: We're looking forward to demos of a new wireless standard that will mark the next step up from 802.11n. Apps: Expect a deluge of apps, including some that will be available in new cars from Ford. I heard that there will finally be some OLED TVs, with LG's 55" version only 4mm thick! |