infoTECH Feature

January 14, 2011

CES: More than Just Tablets

Though it seemed like tablets were the major devices on tap at last week’s CES, there were a few other products and technologies here and there that piqued my interest and probably the interest of some of the IT pros and tech gurus at the show. Beyond tablets, here’s a quick look at two items that caught my eye in Vegas: Intel's (News - Alert) Sandy Bridge and 4G.

Intel’s Sandy Bridge

As the chipmaker’s next-generation processor, Sandy Bridge offers solid performance enhancements over its predecessors. I stopped by Intel’s booth at CES (News - Alert) where I had an opportunity to speak to a rep about the new chip and watch a demo of it in action. Available in both dual-core and quad-core configurations, Sandy Bridge continues Intel’s familiar naming convention of the i3, i5, and i7 chips but takes off from there with a whole new design and architecture. Integrating the graphics processor right onto the main CPU, Sandy Bridge promises faster video performance with an eye toward HD video, 3D graphics, and gaming.

To prove the point, the Intel rep showed me a demo of a video conversion. Two PCs—one with Sandy Bridge and one without—converted a large video file from one format to another. Starting at the same time, the Sandy Bridge-equipped PC finished the conversion while the non-Sandy Bridge PC was still only around 25 percent done. Beyond the integrated video, the new processor offers a host of other improvements to boost performance. Laptops and desktops outfitted with Sandy Bridge, or the second generation Intel Core Processor (News - Alert) Family, as Intel is officially dubbing it, are rolling out early this year.

4G

Another topic in high gear at CES was 4G. Wireless carriers and device manufacturers alike touted the potential of 4G, which promises to deliver wireless broadband speeds comparable to what we currently enjoy through our wired connections. Verizon (News - Alert) took the opportunity to announce several 4G phones that can run on its developing LTE network. Made by Motorola, the Droid Bionic is a 4G phone set to ship sometime in the second quarter. The folks at Samsung (News - Alert) also were demoing their own Verizon 4G phone. Beyond just smartphones, however, the Motorola Xoom tablet was one of the hits of the show, offering the capability to upgrade to 4G later this year. Frustrated by the sluggish performance of 3G, we’re all looking forward to the speed that 4G offers as it starts to roll out.

For those of you who attended CES, what were some of the products and technologies that caught your interest? Feel free to comment below.

To be held Feb. 2-4 in Miami and collocated with ITEXPO East 2011, the 4GWE Conference -- including the Regulatory 2.0 Workshop -- will focus on the realities of deploying 4G technologies and delivering broadband wireless applications to a growing community of wireless broadband consumers. Don’t wait. Register now.


Lance Whitney is a journalist, IT consultant, and Web Developer with almost 20 years of experience in the IT world. To read more of Lance's articles, please visit his columnist page

Edited by Jaclyn Allard
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