Another month, another tech megashow to tease down. This time. it’s CeBit, a German gadget fest that traditionally gets hardcore tech fans frothing over the very latest bleeding edge products. And you can guarantee there’ll be non-stop news from the show floor at this year’s gathering, which officially flings open its doors tomorrow.
But what is CeBit? And what kind of killer kit can you expect to see unleashed into the wild? Get tucked into our ultimate guide and we’ll reveal all.
What is CeBit?
An annual tech hoedown held in Hanover, CeBit is the largest computer-focused tech trade show going. Bigger than Taiwan’s epic Computex, it’s where the best PC purveyors gather to vie it out away from the TV and PMP distractions of January’s CES.
Why should you care?
CeBit has slimmed down in recent years, but it still has a well-earned reputation for rolling out some era defining new gear. Last year saw the debut of the ace Asus Eee PC 1008HA, the Seashell. It laid the gauntlet for a new line of stunning netbooks that weren’t just about keeping costs lower than at your local Asda. Asus also touted a dual panel laptop concept that could well come over all official this year.
Why is CeBit different to other shows?
While CES is all about headline grabbing gear from across the gadget spectrum, CeBit is focused solely on computing, with a few converged extras touted on the fringe. Just as Mobile World Congress lets cellular connoisseurs enjoy a week in the sun, CeBit allows computing fanatics to do the same.
Hottest CeBit prospects
As we’ve said, the Asus dual screen lappie, known also as the Eee Pad, could well make an appearance. Slate PCs are likely to be a big talking point too, with PC-making Apple haters queueing up to unfurl their iPad-baiters. The question is, will they pack in Google Chrome OS or Windows 7? Or could MeeGo make a surprise appearance.
Latest CeBit rumours
Archos is slap bang at the centre of today’s hottest CeBit rumours, with leaked information about its Archos Home Slate smeared all over the web. Spotted on CeBit’s exhibitor guide this Family Digital Assistant (FDA) purports to be a whole new kind of gadget. Sadly, no pics of accompanied the marketing flimflam, but let’s hope Archos isn’t just big on PR talk and can do the business too. Elsewhere, HP has unveiled some spanking new ProBooks packing the new Intel Core chipsets and Mio is showing off the awesome, HDMI-packing Moov V780 satnav.
We’ll be covering CeBit all this week, so stay tuned for the very latest news on the hottest products.
