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The fundamental Boogie Board technology has been around for 20 years under the name Kent Displays, but for the last two years the company has concentrated on producing touch slates which replace the need for paper notebooks.

The cholesteric liquid crystal display (ChLCD) screen was developed out of the company's R&D, and the slates remind me of a darker Kindle screen.

English: The Taj Mahal, complete with ripples in the reflection (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The basic slate requires no power to generate or retain an image, and only a small amount to erase (supplied by a small watch battery, which will execute over 50,000 erase cycles).

The next stage Boogie Board (£80) connects to a computer via a micro USB, and as you write on the slate it can be seen replicated on the computer screen, alternatively it can be written away from the computer, connected and saved before erasing. I also played around with a prototype of the next generation device, which will be launched in Q4 2013, giving the Boogie Board wireless connectivity via Bluetooth. 

It's not particularly glam, or sleek like a tablet, but I can definitely see the appeal in utilities, call centres and in health care.

A tablet for the business environment is the holy grail for hardware manufacturers at the moment. Trying to provide a sturdy piece of hardware, with performance specs which can include security features to satisfy IT departments, while still be sexy enough to throw around the boardroom, at a price point that can reflect kitting out an entire workforce? That's a tall order that I can't list outloud in one breath.... and therefore usually something has to give.

A third-party study conducted by Principled Technologies found that the Latitude 10 tablets are up to 17 times faster and 94%less expensive to deploy than iPads in large scale enterprise implementations. It seems that Dell is taking Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) seriously, but is it at the expense of key specs?

Overall I feel that the Latitude 10 almost passes the tests. Light enough to carry around at a mere 725g; the 10.1-inch screen gleams at me through its Gorilla Glass protection, while its capacitive 10 finger touch is nice and sensitive. The device is held within a robust rubber frame. Usually, plastic-like casings don't do it for me, but this remained smooth and sultry, proving that durability can sometimes come along without sacrificing on style. The tablet is sleek and lightweight, meaning I was more than happy to be using it on a day-to-day basis.

Found it much easier to operate while using a sturdy stylus than my finger. Then I remembered that the device came with its own pen and the game changed. The pen has very smooth doodling capabilities, however you still have to revert back to your finger when scrolling through pages as the pen is too specific. I'm still amazed by devices where you can rest your whole hand on the screen and write, as if you were naturally writing on a piece of paper, and this doesn't fail to impress me.

The device runs Windows Pro and I found it very responsive. The joy of Windows 8 is the tablet experience, which is where it shines, making scrolling through news articles and apps so seamless and attractive.

The device houses an Intel Atom (SoC) chip, while including 2GB of internal memory and a storage option of up to 128GB. When it comes to a business computer, it wouldn't quite hit the mark for many businesses thanks to these specs. And it doesn't seem to be  pushing the boundaries of performance on Windows,  but will run office productivity tools. 

Docking system

At the end of the day, you are working with a screen of10.1-inches. Any bigger and you'd be complaining it wouldn't be portable enough, but 10.1-inches is painfully small to work with at a desk office environment. This is where the docking system comes into its own. The docking system allows the device to convert into a PC for the office; being able to attach keyboards, and a monitor if you so wish via the dock's own connectivity.

When you pop the tablet onto the dock, it has to be pushed down very hard to make its connection, this isn't a problem, but just ruins the illusion of a seamless experience a little bit for me, however it does make a chirpy noise and a little light illuminates to tell you when it is connected.

If you do wish to use the device without a monitor, using the touch element becomes very tiresome for your elbows and back as you lean across your desk in an unnatural fashion to touch the screen. However, the dock does provide four USB ports so you can easily attach both a keyboard and mouse in order to continuing working as normal in your office environment. 

Added extras

The tablet has the option to replace the battery, which itself is so slim and lightweight, I wouldn't begrudge carrying around a spare with me on a long business trip. Dell gives you the option to choose from 2-cell (30 WHr) or 4-cell (60 WHr) Lithium Ion swappable batteries.

The device also has great connectivity. Out of ports and slots, it has a full USB 2.0, and SD card reader. As well as a headphone jack, micro-USB charging port and a mini-HDMI port. It has an option for a micro SIM for mobile broadband as well as WiFi and Bluetooth.

Enhanced Security

The device comes with Intel Platform Trust Technology, an optional fingerprint reader or smart card reader, as well a optional Dell Data Protection Encryption (DDPE).

During a meeting last month about the Dells new encryption solution (DDPE), Neil Hand, Dell global vice president, personal computing product group told me that due to the ubiquitous nature of data, security problems are rife in the data protection space. A lost laptop can cost tens of thousands of dollars, rather than just a couple of hundred to replace the device, due to the data security laws that are in place.

"And cloud makes the issue even more problematic," he said. "It's only going to get worse, not better. We need to encrypt and lock down the data."

Dell launch of a key management solution: Dell Data Protection Encryption (DDPE), works in the cloud. Prices will range dependent on a fleet and licensing models.

Pricing and availability

The Latitude 10 essentials 64GB configuration is available starting at £430. The Latitude 10 essentials 32GB configuration is available for £391- this is where the tablet hits the sweet spot, why would you buy Windows RT or Android tablets, when you can run Windows Pro at a very reasonable price? Additionally, at a price point this low, you don't feel short changed when you still have to use your desktop computer when you are sat at your desk.

Fully fledge high performance computer replacement it is not, top of the range tablet device which you can use part-time as a desktop it is. 

The HP ElitePad 900 tablet has started shipping this month and last night I got my hands on a device and its range of accessories.

The tablet is a Windows 8 Pro device weighing around 700g, 9.2mm thin with a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 pixel gorilla glass screen. The device has an Intel Atom processor with 2GB of memory, while the tablet comes with either 32GB or 64GB of storage, with an option to expand with a micro SD card slot. The device also comes with the option to have mobile connectivity (3G).

The tablet has what seems like a silver frame and feels rather light without its expansion jacket. It's nice to hold, and its casing is made out of aluminium which, while stylish, may not be the best choice for the enterprise where it could experience unsightly scratches.

However it is the tablet's accessories which piqued my interest. You can purchase an Expansion jacket for around £80 which adds USB and HDMI ports, while even providing longer battery life when combined with the Jacket battery (for another additional £80).

When the device is sat securely in its Expansion jacket it is quite weighty and much larger, this seems a bit strange as it's surely expanding its technical specs not its size? I also found that the plastic material leaves finger prints which cheapens the overall effect. This wouldn't be so bad if it was a robust protective case, but it hasn't been dubbed as shock-proof.

The dock (available for around £100) is very heavy and stable, kind of reminding me of a door stop. Just place it on your desk, wire up a monitor and a keyboard and you will be able to drop your tablet onto your desk when you get to work in order to seamlessly move from on-the-go working to the office environment.

So if you wanted to kit your workforce out with one of these devices as well as the accessories. It would cost nearly £900 per person, and that's not even including another added extra in the form of Productivity jack, which includes a keyboard, connectivity ports, SD card reader and adjustable viewing angles.

Quite a pricey sum of kit, and would only surely be feasible as a complete laptop replacement, which with the processor makes it a decent basic laptop replacement giving it similar specs as a netbook. 

Pop the piece of plastic on the end of your finger tip and make sure you practise for a little while. It's a bit tricky to get the angle right in order to make a connection with the screen, but these Tech Tips from a US start-up company try to compensate for sloppy handwriting and difficulties when clicking on tiny webpage links while using your smart device.

This fairly good idea, if not quite implemented as well as I would have liked, trying the tips out on my iPhone with a screen protector, proved a little sluggish (see video). My colleague tried them on a Samsung Galaxy S3, which worked considerably better, however the hard keys at the bottom of the device - which still require sensitivity to work - didn't work as well as your actual finger when being used with the Tech Tips.

The tip of your finger gets a bit sweaty from the plastic and it is not that precise when writing - so my handwriting wasn't great, but it was better than when using your finger tip.

However, it is great when you're on a website which has not been optimised for mobile use and the hyperlinks are really tricky to select with the pad of your finger.

Another problem is, how do you measure your finger tips to know what size to ask for, small, medium or large?

Capacitive touchscreens do not actually detect touch, but instead detect the presence of an electrically conductive object. Tech Tips have included this technology into small pieces of plastic to produce an electrical conductor that smart devices will recognise.

The company is looking to have discussions with UK distributors in the coming weeks, and Tech Tips will also be available on Amazon within the months.

At this point the individual retail cost for a single Tech Tip stylus is $3.49n (£2.17) and $9.99 (£6.21) for a multi-pack of four.

The company has also demonstrated Nano Nails - fake nails which include this technology. I don't wear fake nails myself, but I can see these as a really great idea that could take off as my friends tell me how difficult it is to use their phones when wearing ludicrously long pieces of plastic.

Image: Tech Tips Nano Nails

Still in beta mode, the Nano Nail doesn't have official pricing as yet, however, they are expected to be around $10-12 (around £7) for 4-5 pack of nails. The company is currently still in the process of testing out the technology, for instance a set of nails which were worn for a week needed touching up with the nail polish, and Tech Tips is currently looking to see how the technology withstands to nail polish remover.

What other objects conduct the electrical impulses needed to work a touchscreen device? 

At CES in Las Vegas this week, Panasonic unveiled a tablet to be added to CES's growing category of super-size screens.

Sitting more in the "table PC" category, than "tablet", this technology demonstration will hopefully be out later this year with a few tweaks here and there. But the 20-inch tablet impressed me more than Lenovo's Horizon 27-inch Table PC, also launched at the show this week. At only 2.4kg, it's still very weighty, but compare it to its rivals - the Sony Vaio Tap 20 is 5kg and Lenovo's Horizon is a whopping 8kg but only 7-inches bigger. I found the device easier to pick up, but I'm always quite delicate when I pick up devices of this size. When doing so I found the aluminium backing very elegant, but also very warm, a kink that Panasonic will most definitely sort out before mass production.

Panasonic claim that the device has the thinnest body with a screen of this size. It has 2 hours of battery life and at the moment the company is thinking of marketing it to photographers, architects and designers who will appreciate the large screen super high resolution screen from an artistic point of view.

The Windows 8 Pro device set up in CES also came with a special handwriting digital pen which I had a go at using, it was very responsive and was able to create hair-thin lines to chunky paint brush type strokes. The device had a Intel i5 Core processor, 128GB SSD as well as 16GB of memory.

Kyp Walls, director of product management, said that the device was set up to use Bluebeam software for architects using blueprints, it enabled users to collaborate together while working remotely. The device is still portable, he said, "because architects are used to carrying around big flat folders of designs anyway."

This week at CES in Las Vegas, Panasonic added to its line of rugged Toughpad tablets with the Windows 8 Pro 10.1-inch FZ-G1 and the Android 7-inch JT-BI.

Since 1996 Panasonic has been producing mobile computers for the mobile workforce who need to rely on a more study product that will resist dust, water, shocks when in use in the field. The two tablets join a 10.1-inch Android tablet which was broadly available last year.

Toughpads are designed for mobile workers in sectors such as military, government, construction, healthcare, public safety, utilities, retail, and maintenance to name a few.

The devices come with optional added extras such as heighten security features, electronic scanners and card readers. The new tablets are also splash proof and feature screens that are viewable in the sunlight, as well as being robust enough to survive drops and dust.

The Windows 8 Pro FZ-G1

•             Operating System: Windows 8 Pro

•             Processor: 3rd Generation Intel Core i5-3437U vPro™ 1.9GHz up to 2.9GHz with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology

•             Memory: 128-256GB SSD, 4-8GB RAM, optional micro SDXC

•             Rugged: MIL-STD-810G, 4' drop, IP65, 14° to 122°F (operational temp range)

•             Display: 10.1", sunlight viewable, touch screen and active digitizer, 800nit, WUXGA (1920x1200)

•             Battery: 8.0 hours (user-replaceable)

•             Dimensions: 10.6" x 7.4" x 0.75"

•             Weight: 1.1kg

•             Wireless: Bluetooth V4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional embedded 4G LTE or 3G

•             I/O: Full size USB 3.0, HDMI, optional micro SDXC, Full size USB 2.0, wired LAN, true serial port or dedicated GPS.

Panasonic claims it will survive a 4 foot drop and it wouldn't surprise me as this device, despite its rugged and therefore very clunky look, is surprisingly light at just over a kilogram, easy enough to carry about.

The FZ-G1 comes with a barcode scanner and the option of adding on e-card readers and other types of bespoke enterprise technology. Its battery is also replaceable if you run out of the included 8 hours.

The Android 4.0 JT-B1

•             Operating System: Android 4.0

•             Processor: TI OMAP4460 1.5GHz Dual core

•             Memory: 16GB ROM, 1GB RAM, micro SDHC

•             Rugged: MIL-STD-810G, 5' drop, IP65, 14° to 122°F (operational temp range)

•             Display: 7", daylight viewable, 500nit, WSVGA (1024 x 600)

•             Camera: Front: 1.3Mp fixed focus, Rear: 13.0Mp auto focus w/ LED light

•             Battery: 8.0 hours - Large 5,720mAh battery (user-replaceable)

•             Dimensions: 8.7"x 5.1" x 0.7"

•             Weight: 0.54kg

•             Wireless: Bluetooth V4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional embedded 4G LTE + 3G

•             I/O: Micro USB

This device is a much smaller form factor, running Android's operating system, the device itself doesn't have the capacity to run Windows 8, so it's aim at those out in the field not needing quite as much power under the hood.

This device is easily portable at half a kilogram, pop it straight into a laptop bag without noticing. It also is available with additional extras including different types of handles to grip securely to the device.

The FZ-G1 will be available from March, starting at $2,899, and the JT-B1, will ship February, starting at $1,199. At these prices they are definitely aimed at large scale operations, as smaller businesses would be unlikely to kit out the entire workforce at pushing two grand per device for Windows.

Speaking to Kyp Walls, director of product management, at CES, I asked him how he thought the Windows 8 Pro version would fair in the enterprise space which is generally not looking to adopt the new operating system straight away.

He said, "Even though it has been built for Windows 8, a fair number of our customers will buy it with a Windows 7 downgrade."

Panasonic have a Windows 7 Toughbook on the market at the moment, but the convenience of buying the new FZ-G1 is that it is around a third lighter.  

Sony has unveiled its new flagship smartphone handset at CES in Las Vegas, the Xperia Z. The smartphone comes with a full HD screen, Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor and it comes ready for 4G use.

It is also waterproof, so no need to worry about sending text messages from the confines of the tub. Sony claims the device will survive in up to one metre of water for 30 minutes, which would come in handy when you want to clean your phone - just rinse it in the sink.

The device screen is 5-inches, which borders on the phablet territory of the Samsung Galaxy Note, which stands at 5.5-inches. This is a screen increase of 0.4-inches from its predecessor, again being another screen in CES to be increasing in size rather than shrinking.

Despite its larger size, the device is nice and slim and feels great held in the hand. Its predecessor, the James Bond 007 device, aka the Xperia T, had a scalloped back panel and a matte finish. The scalloped back is now gone and the Z also goes back to preferring shine and fingerprints - I think this makes it classier and more modern looking.

This picture shows the Xperia T on the left and the Xperia Z on the right 

The device also features NFC, opening up possibilities of the mobile wallet (once banks get their acts together to enable a service). While you wait for that to happen, you can use the device to eliminate wires while enjoying music, one tap and you can connect to headphones or your home entertainment system.

Sony has included a few overlays to the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system that it runs on, such as hold the homescreen button to skip straight to Google, and quick start buttons for apps of your choice, such as notes. 

Additionally, Sony has included a nice feature for quickly browsing images from your gallery while still on the homescreen - Timescape allows you to flick through images to easily access the one you need quickly.

This version of Android's operating system comes with Office Suite and I found the keyboard of the Z comfortable to type with.

Sony is hoping to regain some traction in the market, but will this device take attention away from Samsung and Apple? From my short-lived hands on experience, it's nice enough, but I don't think it has as many selling points as the flagship devices of its competitors to make a noise in the market.

The device is also available in as the Xperia ZL with a lower screen resolution and a matte finish on the backing. This is also not water resistant. 

The connected home is one of the big themes at CES in Las Vegas this year. The idea of connecting all your devices to the internet and seamlessly to each other has popped up a few times at the pre-CES press events already. 

Expect to soon see many uneventful pieces of technology suddenly being connected to the internet, like a fridge.

And Samsung have done just that. The T9000 LCD Refrigerator was unveiled at the company's press conference this afternoon, its unique selling point was that users can to adjust the freezer and fridge space based on need. However, the fridge also features an LCD screen which is connected to the internet, so you can use apps such as Evernote to track your shopping list and connect your phone to your fridge to use it as a baby monitor.

So it seems that the fridge magnet supporting that simple scrap piece of note paper will soon be obsolete. What will the tourist boards across the world think of this travesty?

Moving on slightly from intelligent fridges, another company at CES this afternoon touched on the idea of the "smartest home in the neighbourhood", the networking equipment maker, Netgear.

"Every device in the house powered by electricity should be connected to the internet.," said CEO, Patrick Lo.

In three years, the smart home market will have increased from $1.2bn today, to $3.6bn in 2015, he said.

Other than smart TVs and games consoles, we will soon be filling our homes with cameras and sensors on door handles to detect our presence.

Netgear announced updates to various pieces of its technology portfolio including a nightvision version of its award winning VueZone surveillance camera. VueZone is a highly portable, wirefree camera for small businesses and home owners who can access live video feeds on their mobile devices.

However, a smart home is useless without ubiquitous connectivity. Netgear pointed out that the top "dead zones" for wireless connectivity in the house were the back garden, garage and the bedroom. While unveiling a dual-band wall plug range extender, the company also showed off a product which invoked the phrase "beam me up Scotty." Netgear took this opportunity to introduce its beamforming technology, which allows a router to detect wireless devices in the home and beam a wireless signal in its direction to ensure complete connectivity.

Keep an eye on the blog for more news about the connected home and connected devices as I swan around Sin City trying to inspect all the latest gadgets and gizmos in town. 

Lenovo have been busy, along with the launch of a 27-inch multiuser table PC, the Horizon, the company also had a few more tricks up its sleeve at the CES Unveiled event in Las Vegas.

Lenovo ThinkPad Helix

Weighing less than a kilogram, this ThinkPad Helix is Lenovo's latest offering of a hybrid detachable tablet. Where the ThinkPad Twist, just well, twisted, the Helix is completely removable from its keyboard.

While completely removable, it is also reversable. The tablet can connect to the keyboard dock either in the traditional clam shell way, or appearing face up, so that the product can be used as a slate when the tablet is close onto the dock.

Available with a i3, i5 or i7 intel core processor, and up to 10 hours battery life (six in the tablet and four in the keyboard dock), this could become a great offering to the workplace. 

Less than a kilogram as a tablet, and 1.7kg as a full ultrabook device, the hybrid also claims to have Lenovo's best screen at full HD resolution and 11.6-inches.

Lenovo LT1423p Mobile Touch Monitor

Lenovo has launched a mobile touch external monitor which will work with any Windows 8 device. There are two models, a wireless and a non-wireless monitor.

The non-wireless device weighs 1.6kg, whereas the wireless device weighs 2.4 kg and has 4 hours of battery life.

Both monitors feature a 1600 x 900 13.3-inch resolution display, protected with Gorilla Glass.  

The monitor mirrors whatever computing device it is connected to, which enables 10 finger touchscreen capabilities to non-touchscreen devices. 

The products will cost $449 for the wireless option (available in June) and $349 for the wired (available now), both will come with a snap on case which allow converts into a stand. 

Small updates, big difference

Lenovo has also updated its U and Z series ultrabooks to include touch functionalities, while the Yoga 11S is now running an intel core and full Windows 8, rather than the RT version. 

Keep checking Inspect-a-Gadget for hands-on experiences at CES with these devices.