This year's enormous Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas continues the convention's penchant for showcasing cutting-edge technologies like 3D televisions that don't require special glasses and numerous tablet devices hoping to take a bite of out Apple's dominance in the market, but there are also hundreds of electronics devices that serve a more business-minded client. With small business owners looking forward to a more stable business year, IT department spending levels are likely to rise to their pre-recession levels for the first time, according to IT research firm IDC. With cloud computing and mobile device applications gaining popularity with the SMB market, wireless connectivity and portability are among the top draws for communications and productivity devices. After the immediate success of the iPad, tablets will also feature prominently in 2011, including the Cisco Systems Cius. A rocky economic recovery has encouraged small business owners to spend wisely on business essentials, with a focus on value for money. Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and others have responded to this need with notebooks and desktops offering unified communications (UC) features and productivity applications, many for less than $1,000. What follows is a look at what small businesses can take advantage of at this year's CES.
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Lenovo, HP, Cisco Hit CES Floor with Low-Cost Tech for Small Businesses
by Nathan Eddy
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E220s ($889)
This Lenovo notebook comes equipped with the PC maker's enhanced video conferencing technologies, including a high-definition Web camera, noise-canceling keyboard software, and upgraded microphones and speakers.
Cisco Cius Tablet (Price TBA)
This business tablet features collaboration applications such as Cisco Quad and Presence, while the virtual desktop client enables highly secure access to cloud-based business applications.
HP Compaq 8200 Elite ($679)
This desktop offers customers the HP ProtectTools network and data security software suite, Global Series models, and a three-year business PC limited warranty.
This 3M 22-inch display offers 20-finger multitouch input for accurate touch response across the entire screen and a high-definition, wide-viewing-angle LCD display.
Iomega Home Media Network Hard Drive Cloud Edition ($160)
Iomega is offering a new free service called Personal Cloud, which provides access to all data stored on the drive through the Web. Personal Cloud enables users to access their files through a browser, share it with other folks or sync it among other Personal Cloud-connected storage drives.
Motion Computing CL900 Tablet ($1,000)
This lightweight and rugged design from Motion Computing offers the protection of the MIL-STD-810G specification (4-foot drop test) and a tough exterior to protect against dust, moisture and other elements.
Western Digital Scorpio SATA Drive ($149)
Now available in capacities up to 750GB, this 2.5-inch SATA hard drive from Western Digital combines 7,200-rpm spin speed and 16MB cache and also incorporate a variety of data-protection features.
Samsung SH100 ($199.99)
This WiFi-enabled digital camera from Samsung automatically backs up shots to a PC by only pushing two buttons, or by using DLNA to wirelessly connect to an HDTV. The SH100 can also record HD video and upload it to YouTube.
ClickFree Wireless 500GB ($179)
The company's Backuplink technology allows the device to be plugged into a computer and perform an initial backup, when all settings will be found and configured, and backups are then done automatically. A 1TB version is also available for $249.
Toshiba Mini N305 ($379.99)
Sporting an Intel Atom N550 dual-core processor, this netbook also features a 250GB hard drive supported by Toshiba's Hard Drive Impact Sensor and includes a USB 2.0 port that enables users to charge devices when the unit is off or in sleep mode.
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This year's enormous Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas continues the convention's penchant for showcasing cutting-edge technologies like 3D televisions that don't require special glasses and numerous tablet devices hoping to take a bite of out Apple's dominance in the market, but there are also hundreds of electronics devices that serve a more business-minded client. With small business owners looking forward to a more stable business year, IT department spending levels are likely to rise to their pre-recession levels for the first time, according to IT research firm IDC. With cloud computing and mobile device applications gaining popularity with the SMB market, wireless connectivity and portability are among the top draws for communications and productivity devices. After the immediate success of the iPad, tablets will also feature prominently in 2011, including the Cisco Systems Cius. A rocky economic recovery has encouraged small business owners to spend wisely on business essentials, with a focus on value for money. Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and others have responded to this need with notebooks and desktops offering unified communications (UC) features and productivity applications, many for less than $1,000. What follows is a look at what small businesses can take advantage of at this year's CES.