ASUS, MSI and ECS to reveal tablets at CES

Many new tablets will be revealed at next month's CES in Las Vegas and DigiTimes received some details about the devices that ASUS, MSI and ECS will reveal at the expo.

ECS will present a Marvell-based 9.7" eBook reader as well as other 6", 8" and 9.7" eBook readers with capacitive touchscreens and support for Android and Linux operating systems. These eReaders will have WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity. The firm will show off a couple of Windows 7 and Android based tablets, some will feature an Intel Atom processor and 10.1" multitouch screen, while other systems will use Marvell or Samsung chips to allow eight hours of battery life.

ECS will also display 7" tablets as well as a couple of energy efficient business laptops with 14" or 15" LED-backlit panels, and features such as USB 3.0 and the company's Super POSH power saving software.

MSI is expected to showcase a 10" Wintel tablet as well as prototypes of its ARM-based Google Android tablet. Additionally, MSI is also working on a tablet with NVIDIA's Tegra 2 platform, this model will arrive in April or May after Google rolls out Android 3.0 in March.

ASUS on the other hand will have products in three different lineups: Eee Reader, Eee Note and Eee Pad. For the consumer market ASUS will launch two 10" Eee Pads, one version with Intel's Oak Trail platform and Windows 7, and another one with NVIDIA Tegra 2 and Google Android. You can expect these tablets by March 2011 at the earliest for about $499-$599.

A 7" Android model based on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 or a solution from Qualcomm is expected in March or April 2011, this tablet will also be available with 3.5G support to allow phone functionality. The largest new tablet in ASUS' lineup will be a 12" Windows 7-based Eee Pad, but this model will be geared towards the enterprise market.