For the past 10 years, I have attended CES in Las Vegas. I enjoy this show, not only as an opportunity to see what’s new in consumer electronics, but to identify industry trends that could affect how you will be using computing resources in the future. This year was no exception. And while 3-D TV’s and Lady Gaga helping Polaroid re-invent itself may have made the front page of your newspaper, there was plenty of innovation and new technology demonstrated and discussed that will affect how you use computers in your work.

While Apple started the trend in tablet PC’s with their introduction of the iPad last year, this year’s CES confirmed the importance of the tablet in our future. The Yankee Group, a technology research organization, predicts that the total global revenue from tablet devices will increase from $16 billion in 2010 to a whopping $46 billion in 2014. It said the tablet sales curve was rising faster than that of HDTVs, handheld gaming consoles or even MP3 players and predicted that by 2015, the US. tablet market alone will generate more than $7 billion in revenue.

Up until now, all tablets, with the exception of the iPad, have run on Google’s Android operating system. For Microsoft to enter this arena, they would have to make their Windows software run on processors made by companies other than AMD and Intel. And so, on Wednesday evening, Steve Ballmer, President of Microsoft, demonstrated Windows running on the ARM processor, which many tablet manufacturers use. And on Thursday, Boo-Keun Yoon, President of Samsung’s Visual Display unit, demonstrated their sliding tablet PC running Windows 7, which will be available in the 2nd quarter of 2011. If you have used an iPad, you know that to type on it, you must use a keyboard that overlays the screen. And while there is a version of Remote Desktop that is available for remote access to Windows servers, typing still requires this overlay – and there is no Word, no Excel, and none of the other applications you are used to from the PC world. With the Sliding Tablet PC from Samsung, you will have all of the features of the iPad and more, including a 10.1” screen, camera front and back, HDMI output, AND a full keyboard that slides out from under the screen, all running Windows 7. And while no official price was announced, most industry experts expect the device to cost less than $700. And with Windows 7, you will have access to all of the Windows applications you are already familiar with.

This device was truly innovative, and Samsung did its best to demonstrate the product without giving away too many secrets to its competitors. While I was allowed to look at it and ask questions, attendees were not allowed to touch it or hold it. Only five were exhibited behind ropes manned by Samsung employees and security, and the line was long for those of us wanting a closer look. I was impressed by the ease of use, touch screen capability, and overall speed of the device, due mainly to its solid state hard drive technology. I think this device will find a good home in the hands of physicians as they see patients in their office, and by road warrior attorneys who need a portable device to access their desktop computers remotely, as well as being able to listen to music or watch a movie on the plane home after a day of depositions.