Top five topics at IDF 2010

Intel's highly anticipated annual conference, IDF 2010, has not let us down.

A plethora of new announcements, both from Intel and its partners, along with a lot of industry insight, has filled the floors of the Moscone Centre in San Francisco with buzzing conversations and interesting debates.

But what were the hot topics the gathered techies were talking about? Take a look at IT PRO's run down of the top five talking points.

Tablets for all

You could not turn a corner, enter a keynote or listen to a panel without the subject of tablets coming up at this IDF.

Whilst the first tablet to be based on the MeeGo operating system was paraded on the main stage, Dell also grabbed headlines by revealing a new 10in tablet device with a revolving bezel.

However, business users were told by Intel's chief executive (CEO) Paul Otellini, tablets just couldn't live up to the needs of the corporate world.

During his keynote, Otellini said: "It is perfect as a content consumption device [for consumers]."

"[However] with its current limitations, I think that it is likely to stay that way."

It didn't stop consumers and business users alike though getting their fill of the tablet devices and most are looking forward to seeing what else the market brings.

The future of WiMAX

Intel has long sung the praises of this wireless technology, but after acquisitions in recent months of LTE assets, the company was forced to address its support.

Otellini claimed there are 800 million people using WiMAX now but also conceded LTE was more successful.

Rather than a full retraction of Intel's vote of confidence for WiMAX though, he just claimed the firm had to take an "agnostic" approach to wireless technologies and have its finger in all the different wireless pies.

It didn't stop the whispers on the floor though and many felt the company had backtracked from a technology it was once fully behind.