Christmas might be a year away, but for technology addicts the holiday season begins after New Year’s Day. Technology companies issue their best new products every January, and this year’s crop offers a combination of glitz with computing power.
Tablets seem to be on the minds of most tech geeks these days. Whether it is the now familiar iPad or a device that runs on the Android operating system, 2011 looks like another year for tablets to dominate. One laptop that stands strong against the influx of tablets is the Dell XPS 17. Loaded with Intel’s latest processors (i3/i5/i7), graphic technology from Nvidia’s Optimus and a 1,920×1,080 pixel screen, the XPS17 enjoys the type of power that serious gamers demand. To add a cherry on top of these options is a 3D screen option that includes high-performance active-shutter 3D glasses. The computer can also stream 3D content to the latest 3DTVs through a built-in transmitter and Nvidia’s 3DTV play. This power package satisfies a market that would barely consider trading in their laptops for a tablet.
The XPS 17 might be too much power for the average consumer, but there are devices loaded with features that will change the consumer market in the near future. The Sony DSC-TX 100V camera is the most feature-laden compact camera in history. It has high-resolution motion blur, high-quality 1080p/60fps video capture and a high performance CPU that improves image quality. The 100V is not just a camera either it is also a GPS and a digital compass. The camera now retails for about $400, but the features offered here seem less like an end point and more like a beginning. Features that enable HD video and 3D images appear to be the future of the compact camera market.
Consumer electronic enthusiasts look forward to January as a sneak peak into a future that turns more science fiction into science reality every year.