Enterprise Mobility: Toshiba Android Tablets, Cloud Plans at CEATEC

Toshiba helped open the CEATEC conference outside Tokyo with a broad-based demonstration of its new and upcoming products, including two tablets, an ultra-thin PC, a home server and a super-high-resolution television. The company plans on integrating its hardware with specialized cloud services such as video, books and the like-in essence, the same strategy pursued by a number of competitors in the space, including Apple and Samsung. Despite worldwide softness in PC sales and an exceptionally aggressive tablet market that's eaten several Android-based products alive, Toshiba also reaffirmed its commitment to both PCs and Android-based tablets. In the latter case, company executives showed off the Regza AT700, a 10.1-inch tablet running Android 3.2. Toshiba's strategy in hardware seems to be focusing on thin and light products, in keeping with general trends in the mobility sector right now. Glasses-free 3D is a continuing focus of the company as well, with a new television-the Regza 55X3-that pairs the technology with an ultra-high 3840x2160 resolution. Outside the realm of consumer tech, Toshiba is working on cloud technologies for verticals ranging from city infrastructure to health care-everything from real-time patient monitoring to traffic control. Toshiba has acquired Landis+Gyr, a company specializing in smart-meter technology, as part of its infrastructure effort.