Toshiba only unveiled plans to release one new tablet at CES this week, the Excite X10, but it wants everyone to know that, should the need arise, it can release any damn tablet it pleases. Working prototypes for a 13.3-inch tablet, a 7.7-inch AMOLED tablet (See: Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE), a 5.1-inch widescreen tablet that looked quite phoney, and a waterproof version of the original Toshiba Thrive, complete with a wireless power station, allowing it to be powered wirelessly from a few inches away.
Like concept cars in the automotive industry, none of these designs may ever see the shelves of an electronics store. From the way representatives spoke about them, their presence at the show here is to solidify how prepared Toshiba is to enter the tablet market in whatever way is necessary. The use of AMOLED in the 7.7-inch design is also a clear shot at Samsung, which has been bragging about its 7.7-inch AMOLED Galaxy Tab. I’m not sure what it is about 7.7 inches that’s so great for AMOLED, but manufacturers seem to be jumping on the combination.
Do you think Toshiba should release any of these? Would anyone buy a 13.3-inch tablet? It seems a bit large.
