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CES 2010 wrap-up: Computers and hardware

This will go down as one of the best years for computers, and laptops specifically, at the CES show. We saw new and improved Netbooks, new CPUs from Intel, and a somewhat surprising number of slate and tablet PCs.

Dan Ackerman Editorial Director / Computers and Gaming
Dan Ackerman leads CNET's coverage of computers and gaming hardware. A New York native and former radio DJ, he's also a regular TV talking head and the author of "The Tetris Effect" (Hachette/PublicAffairs), a non-fiction gaming and business history book that has earned rave reviews from the New York Times, Fortune, LA Review of Books, and many other publications. "Upends the standard Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs/Mark Zuckerberg technology-creation myth... the story shines." -- The New York Times
Expertise I've been testing and reviewing computer and gaming hardware for over 20 years, covering every console launch since the Dreamcast and every MacBook...ever. Credentials
  • Author of the award-winning, NY Times-reviewed nonfiction book The Tetris Effect; Longtime consumer technology expert for CBS Mornings
Dan Ackerman
2 min read

The new Asus 1008P Netbook. Asus

LAS VEGAS--This may go down as one of the best years for computers, and laptops specifically, at the annual CES trade show. We saw new and improved Netbooks, new CPUs from Intel, and a somewhat surprising number of slate and tablet PCs.

Slates and tablets
Following Lenovo's U1 Hybrid, which combined a detachable slate PC with a full Windows 7 laptop (and was many people's favorite show item), we saw glimpses of tablets from HP, Dell, and others--although most were prototypes only, and clearly intended to stake out some slate real estate before the rumored Apple tablet arrives.

These slate devices are essentially handheld screens that do some or most of what your laptop does, but with touch controls and, often, 3G data access.

Intel WiDi
We were fond, in theory, of Intel's Wireless Displaytechnology that will allow new laptop owners to wirelessly beam their desktops to a nearby HD display.

During our on-stage demo session, we couldn't actually get a connection to fully go through, thanks to the overwhelming number of wireless signals permeating the convention center. However, we've seen it work before, and the idea was enticing enough that CNET readers voted it their choice for the Best of CES People's Voice award.

Look for a handful of supported laptops from Toshiba, Dell, and Sony in the near-future, as well as a receiver (which plugs into your display) from Netgear, called Push2TV.

Green computing
The "green" thing was also top of mind for a few PC makers--although perhaps to a lesser extent than we expected. Sony's Vaio W, made of recycled CDs and DVDs, was a highlight, as were new energy efficient routers from TrendNetand a tiny "plug computer" from Marvell.

Intel (and others) inside
Intel let its new Atom N450 chips loose a few weeks early, although they were still featured in nearly every Netbook at the show. Mainstream systems got the new Core i3 and Core i5 CPUs, which join the high-end Core i7 as the new default for non-Netbook laptops. Qualcomm was a surprisingly strong presence in the PC space at this year's CES, as its CPUs powered the slate half of the Lenovo U1, as well as several smartbook systems--which are essentially halfway points between smartphones and Netbooks.

We also saw more Netbook-size systems with decidedly non-Netbook components, highlighted by the Alienware M11x, an 11.6-inch mini-laptop with some serious Nvidia gaming power and an Intel ULV processor.

If you're interested in diving deeper into any of these topics, you'll find more details, photos, and video in the links below.

See all CES 2010 PC and peripherals posts