GPU maker NVIDIA anticipates 2010 being a big year for smartbooks and tablet devices, with the company further promoting its Tegra 2 chip.
The new year "is going to be the beginning of the tablet revolution," said Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA CEO, during the company's press conference at CES.
Specifically, NVIDIA is aiming for products that have screen sizes from 5- to 10-inches, touchscreen only, with the devices themselves very thin. Using its new Tegra 2 technology, NVIDIA will offer tablets faster high-definition Web streaming, with additional benefits in Flash Adobe acceleration and other graphic-intensive operations.
Even though Tegra 2 hasn't been released yet, manufacturers have already requested the chips from NVIDIA, and the company anticipates an official release sometime in 2010. Huang said there are now at least 50 new tablet devices powered by Tegra in the works from South Korean, Japanese and American manufacturers.
Apple has kept the rumor mill in overdrive regarding a possible tablet -- which should be announced later this month -- but NVIDIA will not have a part in production, as Apple purchased PA Semi. The company has already teamed up with Dell Alienware to provide the GT335M GPU in the M11X ultraportable gaming notebook.
I've enjoyed watching the tablet market quickly evolve, especially the touchscreen virtual keyboards. Expect the hardware and features of tablets in 2010 to drastically increase, while the prices begin to fall.
Do you have an interest in tablet devices, or will you stick by netbooks and notebooks in 2010?
