And now, after worn-out CES 2012 attendees and exhibitors have stumbled off home in a daze, Wireless Watch presents the five themes that stood out at the week-long celebration of consumerism that you ought to know about. 1. Ultrabooks CES would not be complete without a new form factor to address the 'post-PC' age, but this …

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Monday 16th January 2012 12:02 GMT Anonymous Coward

Sorry but that first one...

Ultrabooks are this year's 3D TVs.

A "new paradigm" dreamt up by the marketing departments that will, overall, generate a resounding "meh" from actual consumers.

That's not to say that they'll be a flop, they just aren't going to be the next big thing given their price point.

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1. Monday 16th January 2012 15:44 GMT admiraljkb
  
  Ultrabooks
  
  Yeah, same thing different name. Netbook got a bad rap due to the Atom procs. There is already been essentially Ultra's (ala netbook++ or laptop--) with AMD procs for the last year, so Intel's marketing has i3 equipped "Ultra's" that feature i3's... Whatever. Laptop is a laptop. If I have a need, I'll get it, otherwise not. :)
  
  My current batch of netbook, laptop, fire, and desktops are doing the job. When it comes time for replacement, the netbook will get an 11" screened one, and I don't care what the marketing term is for it. :)
  
  Here's the *my* new laptop "marketing" designations for fun and commonality.
  
  Laptop---- 8.9" netbook
  
  Laptop--- 10.1" netbook
  
  Laptop-- 11.x" ultras
  
  Laptop- 13-14" laptop
  
  Laptop 15.x" laptop
  
  Laptop+ 16" laptop
  
  Laptop++ 17" laptop
  
  Wideload+++ >17" laptop
  
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2. Monday 16th January 2012 16:13 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Ultrabooks
  
  I disagree - I just bought one as I needed something really lightweight (I do a lot of travelling and have to carry a work laptop as well) with a bit of power in it. I think it is great for someone on the move who needs some power in their box (e.g. for personal s/w development, etc). Admittedly, that might be a small market, but I think it will have a bigger impact than 3D TVs.
  
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3. Monday 16th January 2012 21:09 GMT Darryl
  
  Ultrabooks?
  
  Actually, I think "Smart TVs" are this year's 3D TVs... 3D has fizzled and the manufacturers are scrambling for some other way to keep people buying new, unneeded TVs every couple years. Make them "Smart" and some people will just have to have one, while the rest of us will just keep watching that perfectly good LCD/Plasma/CRT/Whatever that we have now until it dies, then look at replacing it.
  
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Monday 16th January 2012 12:09 GMT Harmless

No thanks

Hmmmm, let me see....

Ultrabooks - Don't want, too expensive

Wi-Fi everywhere - Don't want, unless it's free

LTE smartphones - Don't want, still use a dumb phone from 2005

Smart TV - Don't want, only just replaced CRT with LED-lit LCD flattie, don't care about 'smart'

Cloud - Don't want, I keep my own data.

I'm either getting old or there's simply nothing new that's really interesting any more!

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1. Monday 16th January 2012 12:57 GMT Khaptain
  
  Gotta agree with Harmless- almost
  
  Outside of the flying drone, which could be fun in the office for a day or two, nothing seems particularly innovative or interesting.
  
  Move along folks it was just another "none event".
  
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  1. Monday 16th January 2012 23:55 GMT Mark 65
    
    +1 for the drone.
    
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2. Tuesday 17th January 2012 15:00 GMT Frank Bough
  
  Newsflash
  
  If you're not spending money, no-one cares what you don't want.
  
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Monday 16th January 2012 13:33 GMT Anonymous Coward

"Nokia’s attempted US comeback was the highlight"

Does the story end with "and it was all a dream"? It should do.

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Monday 16th January 2012 13:50 GMT Silverburn

Smart TV's

Anyone "smarting" from Samsung's/Panasonic's first gen smart TV's will be laughing at this one.

- Web browser? Only on certain model, for no solid technical reason.

- Skype? As above, but be prepared for hardware lock in for the overpriced camera (both brands), that even then, only works in HD/widescreen between similar sets (panasonic), and needs a 1.2mb uplink, or on PC's with version 4.2 or better. A universal communications platform? Pfft.

- Some apps are restricted, based on TV hardware, even if the underlying processor is the same. The restriction are pure marketing, to differentiate models. They enforce this through UID on the app 'store', so you can't even jailbreak it.

Seriously - the age of slick marketing, spin and the clever hiding of actual specs is with us, well and truly.

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Monday 16th January 2012 13:55 GMT Anonymous Coward

Smart TV or Dumb display?

I suspect the idea of a "Smart TV" won't go far. Everyone already has 'smart' devices capable of driving a larger display, so they will be looking to buy the cheapest display that does the job as simply as possible. A TV trying to be 'smart' on its own will just get in the way. For example, our TV is now driven by almost every device in the house via AppleTV. All it does is act as a large LCD monitor. TV - as a distinct appliance - will merge into all other display types because its raison d'être has disappeared.

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1. Monday 16th January 2012 15:30 GMT admiraljkb
  
  Dumb Displays FTW!
  
  I totally agree with Ralph (except the Apple TV part). :) I use my TVs exactly the same way, except for they're driven by WDLives and a Logi Revue.
  
  Smart TV's are obsolete the first day they are manufactured. (hell, lets face it, they're already obsolete in the design phase...) Better to keep the smarts separated in another device (WDLive, Logi Revue, LG whatever, Sony whatever, Apple TV, etc etc etc) and the consumer can pick and choose as they wish according to their own requirements. TV's are now nothing but giant computer monitors being driven by external devices anyway, why even complicate them with network smarts (or power sucking tuners for that matter)?
  
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Monday 16th January 2012 14:01 GMT Doug Glass

<yawn>

BFD

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Monday 16th January 2012 14:03 GMT Albert

OK except smart TV

I agree with them all except for "TV becomes just another smart device"

To me this is just a way to increase the churn rate for TVs. CRTs kept for 10+ years, LCD kept for 5+ years. With smart TVs we will have to replace them every 2-3 years as the 'smart' component will be so far behind that it won't be able to support the latest functionality.

This means TV companies make more money and perfectly good TVs get scrapped.

Give me a Roku or Boxee type thing that is (relatively) cheap so I can invest in a great TV that will last while still being able to upgrade the 'smart' component as things get better and better.

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Monday 16th January 2012 14:51 GMT Tom 38

'Knocked for six'

TBH, most of these look more like a drab forward defensive that gets an edge down to third man for a single, rather than hit for six.

I mean, thin laptops, wireless devices, faster mobile broadband, SAAS (oh, I'm sorry, 'clouds') and networked TVs are hardly crazy innovative tech/devices for the year ahead - they are the tech/devices from the last 3 years.

The telling thing is how many of these things are rebranded to make them feel like they are new - 'SAAS' == 'cloud', 'thin laptop' == 'ultrabook'.

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Monday 16th January 2012 15:11 GMT Torben Mogensen

Ho hum

The list is, indeed, not very exciting, and I agree with nearly every objection stated above. For example, TVs with built-in Internet technology sounds to me a lot like TVs with built-in VHS or DVD players. And while ultrabooks look nice, there is nothing much new here.

What I find more exciting in 2011 is the spread of non-Wintel technology to laptop, desktop and servers. We may finally see an end to the de-facto Wintel monopoly.

And the gradual replacement of LCD with newer screen technologies (LED, Mirasol, ...) is also a thing to look for.

Finally, the return of the hobby computer (in the form of Raspberry Pi) might be a more important thread than any of the above -- even if it didn't make CES.

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Monday 16th January 2012 15:14 GMT Is it me?

Yawn

Wake me with something interesting.

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Monday 16th January 2012 16:15 GMT WinHatter

TV becomes just another smart device

for dumber contents.

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Monday 16th January 2012 16:15 GMT FreeTard

I'd love....

....an ARM based laptop with a 12inch display - thinkpad "X-series size" like the one I'm writing on... with >= 4GiB RAM and a fast SSD & wifi.

Oh and cheap of course...

Am I alone?

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Monday 16th January 2012 16:45 GMT Paul 37

Ultrabooks, like tablets fall under Pauls Law

If you can do your job on THAT, you don't have a proper job.

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1. Monday 16th January 2012 18:27 GMT Armando 123
  
  "If you can do your job on THAT, you don't have a proper job."
  
  I'm using my MacBook Air for C++/driver development for scientific/lab/medical instruments. Not a real job, then.
  
  At some level, if you aren't a miner or farmer or in a factory, is it really "real" work?
  
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Monday 16th January 2012 17:12 GMT Anonymous Coward

They should just phase out the idea of the traditional TV with built in tuner etc. and replace with just a display device with basic audio support.

The 'TV' functionality gets provided by whatever smart device you connect to it, from the simplest tuner only (not very smart) to a full blown PC with multiple tuners, gobs of storage, internet access for streaming etc. etc.

It makes no sense to keep bringing out new panels every year with upgraded internals just to add some smart capability. Both parts have different lifetimes.

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1. Tuesday 17th January 2012 21:06 GMT Armando 123
  
  Not sure I entirely agree
  
  We still use over-the-air broadcasts for sporting events, because that's the only thing worth watching on cable/broadcast that isn't on our $3-a-month netflix subscription. And the last I heard, cable/dish subscriptions are slowly dropping, so maybe that's where things are headed.
  
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Monday 16th January 2012 20:25 GMT Hardcastle the ancient

'ang on?

We just got wholly underwhelmed by "Ten... stars of the Consumer Electronics Show" and now suddenly you pull "Five things that knocked CES 2012 for six" and they are 5 things that aren't the ten things.

Make yer bluddy mind up.

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Monday 16th January 2012 20:34 GMT Cucumber C Face

Smart TV=PC?

A desktop PC is smarter than any consumer TV is likely to be.

Am I the only person in the World who doesn't bother with a "TV" per se at all any more? TV cards and DVD playback on PCs has been around since the 90's.

Caveat - small apartment renders massive flatscreen pointless - albeit that doesn't stop most people in our neighborhood squatting 20 inches from their 80 inch status symbols.

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Monday 16th January 2012 20:37 GMT Anonymous Coward

So no new technology then!

All these are technology solutions to address limitations/shortcommings of current technology. In any other word, solutions to problems they created by design.

I'd settle for a box that could identify insects in the house and laser them to death as new technology, but smaller laptops, webbrowsers on large screens and a rebranding of ad-hoc wifi aint anything new. A fridge that uses heat extracted to heat the hot water tank, maybe; But not these.

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Monday 16th January 2012 21:03 GMT Anonymous Coward

Where are the ARM Laptops

I lookup ARM Laptop or "Ubuntu Laptop" on Google news, I get stories going back for at least two years talking about how they will ship "next quarter", yet I still can't seem to buy an ARM laptop at newegg. wtf is taking so long?

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1. Tuesday 17th January 2012 17:52 GMT Anonymous Coward
  
  Re: Arm laptops
  
  Indeed, they are still missing. Doesn't help that the last time Asus said they'd release an arm laptop(ces 2009) they had a joint presentation with Microsoft and Intel the very next day going on about how commited they all are to each other and what not.
  
  I suspect the reason we still cant buy arm laptops is not a technical one.
  
  Please let me give you money in exchange for an arm laptop?
  
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