CES 2011 – rumour round-up

It’s that time of year where Stuff sends out its gadget spies to see what shiny new kit and technology is rumoured to be showcased at CES in January.  And this year, its seems the Vegas strip will be going tablet crazy. Microsoft readies Windows 8 for tablets?If CES 2010 was swamped with everything 3D, then this year’s show will be all about tablets. We guarantee you won’t be able to move for slates of all flavours and sizes, ready to take on the iPad. And the loudest whisper involves Apple’s arch nemesis Microsoft. Rumour has it the Redmond gang will be showing off its new Windows 8 OS, tailored for touchscreen operation. This of course means a new tablet may be unwrapped by Microsoft big cheese Steve Ballmer at his keynote speech. Here’s hoping.Continues... HP primes webOS powered tabletLike we said, CES 2011 is all abut the tablets and it seems HP wants even more of the action after rolling out its Windows 7 run Slate late this year. We already know that HP is working on a webOS fuelled tablet since it gobbled up Palm and took on its intuitive, multi-tasking mobile OS. Its been dubbed the PalmPad in geeky circles and we reckon its odds on to make an appearance in Las Vegas.Continues... Google TV on hold?The gong police at CES has already handed Sony with an innovation award for its Google TV powered NSX-GTI HD television and Blu-ray player but the Vegas grapevine is telling us that Google has put the brakes on a major CES launch after technical teething problems with its first wave of products. Apparently, along with Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, LG and Sharp are all poised to roll out new internet-meets-on demand TV kit. We still expect a Google TV presence at CES but may behind the scenes rather than centre stage.Continues... Motorola teases with Honeycomb tabletWe warned you CES 2011 was tablet central and Motorola will be the latest to unveil its debut slate in Las Vegas. The U.S. mobile phone manufacturer has already announced its new tablet will definitely make an appearance with a teaser video. On the way to poking fun at the Apple iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab, it all but confirms, with the help of a flying bumblebee, that the new Moto tray will run Android 3.0 Honeycomb, the next Google OS instalment built to run on tablets.Continues...Dual-core mobiles all the rageMost mobile manufacturers’ traditionally wait until Mobile World Congress in February to unveil their star handsets but such is the excitement surrounding dual-core processor-powered smartphones this year that we might get an early glimpse at CES. We’re already guessing the world’s first dual-core phone, the LG Optimus 2X, will get a run out in Vegas but we’re also expecting Samsung to launch a rival Nvidia Tegra 2 chipped Galaxy handset. Where either Korean manufacturer treads the other is odds- on to follow - and fast.Continues...Toshiba sizes up autostereoscopic TVWe all know the downside to watching 3DTV is having to wear those rep damaging specs but Tosh has already remedied this annoyance by releasing autostereoscopic TVs back in October. The 12 and 20-inch GL1 sets were for Japanese eyes only but Tosh will be, finger’s crossed, showing of its ‘no glasses’ tech on larger TV in Vegas. Whether or not these will land in the UK is anyone’s guess but it’s looking unlikely at his point in autostereoscopic’s evolution.Continues... Tablet frenzy continuesSick of tablets yet? No? Good, because along with Microsoft, HP and Motorola, we’ve got wind of a few others manufacturers readying slates. First up, LG’s Android running Optimus Pad is rumoured to sport a 3D camera for capturing stereoscopic photos and videos. We’ve already given you the heads up here, but Toshiba is also busy priming three new slate’s powered by Windows, Android, and although it might be too early for Vegas, Google’s Chrome OS. Plus of course lets not forget the Blackberry Playbook should ruffle a few feathers as well. Continues... More from Stuff.tv- CES 2011 - 10 of the best innovations- Introducing the 2011 CES Hot Stuff Awards