iPad 2
Apple could simply morph the current iPad into a different size and it will still break all sales records. But here’s hoping the company listened to the criticism of the original iPad and worked in some of the suggestions. Early leaks seem to indicate that it will at least have a camera, which only makes sense with Apple’s recent Facetime virtual product strategy. A lower price would be nice as well even if it means a smaller screen size.
BlackBerry PlayBook
RIM knows a thing or two about what the enterprise market wants in mobile — maybe even more so than Microsoft or Apple. That’s where the PlayBook will make the biggest impression. Corporations will likely snap up the PlayBook instead of the iPad as long as it integrates with their IT infrastructure without issue. The PlayBook might not be as a big of a hit with the direct consumer market — it will likely steal Samsung Galaxy Tab sales rather than iPad sales — but RIM will be just fine as long as companies and government agents buy them for execs.
Motorola Droid Tablet
Motorola knows how to make Android handsets. The hardware is top-notch. So is the marketing. Motorola and Google have been said to be working closely on the tablet so it should correct many of the downsides of the current Android tablets. Hopefully both companies follow Apple’s lead by creating a product centered around the user experience, not hardware specs — but having a Tegra 2 in there will be nice.
PalmPad
WebOS provides a fantastic user experience and just feels like it could be even better on a larger screen. The PalmPad’s philosophy will likely be a lot like the iPad’s where hardware takes second chair to the software. Then with the power of HP’s market-leading manufacturing and distribution channels, the PalmPad is set to be a hit.
Sony PSP phone
Apple pretty much has the mobile gaming field to themselves right now. There are only a handful of Android games worth talking about. But there are a plethora of PSP games. If Sony can combine the mobile power of Android with the gaming library of the PSP, it would instantly capture a significant chunk of the tasty Android marketshare pie. Well, as long as it launches on the right carrier at a competitive price.
Notion Ink Adam
The price is right and the hardware seems adequate. The software demos released by the company show a smooth and fluid interface. The young company made some marketing blunders primarily by over-promising and under-delivering, but if the Adam actually starts to ship worldwide on time and lives up to the hype, it could be a great tablet for many users.
Chevy Volt 2.0
The next Voltec vehicle is said to bring the technology downmarket a bit. This was of course the plan all along as automakers develop platforms that are shared by many vehicles, but a lower-priced Volt should act as a counter to many of the arguments against the high price. This cheaper Volt will likely have a more pedestrian styling and lack some of the techno-wiz gadgets on the inside of the Volt. It’s the price that matters. The goal should be to bring the price closer to the $30k mark before government tax credits kick in.
The Old Republic
The Old Republic should be a very important game in 2011, but that’s assuming EA Louse’s accusations weren’t truthful. The Louse shook the industry to its very core a few weeks ago when he (it?) accused BioWare of being a bunch of bumbling fools who have no idea what they’re doing, burning through cash like they’re in a Rick Ross video. (Does he burn cash in videos? It seems like something he’d do.) But considering the game has literally years of hype going for it, I can’t see it being anything but a big hit—at least for the first month
