Week in Review: Tablet frenzy at CES, VAT hiked to 20 per cent

It's Tablet Time

This week saw the world's biggest technology show kick off in Las Vegas and the major theme seemed to be tablets.

At this year's Consumer Electronic Show (CES) many companies, including Motorola, Research in Motion (RIM), ASUS and LG, have launched their own attempts to take on the world's leading slate, Apple's iPad.

Over 100 tablets are on display at the show and it is hard to think that just a year ago we weren't even been able to buy an iPad. Times have moved on though and it seems 2011 might be the year of the nifty portable devices.

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VAT hike to hit business?

This week also saw the Coalition Government put into effect its plans to raise VAT.

On Tuesday, the rate increased by 2.5 per cent to 20 per cent and set the headlines on fire with debates raging who was for and who was against.

Consumers seem set to be the biggest losers in the move but businesses, including technology companies, are bound to be affected to.

Read our feature on how the business world and technology sector are set to cope with the rise here.

Best of the rest

Dell has continued its recent shopping spree by acquiring security experts SecureWorks. It kept quiet how much it paid out for the firm but let's hope, for its sake, HP doesn't sneak in with a higher offer.

Ofcom ruled the 2G spectrum could be used for 3G connectivity to the joy of UK operators and mobile internet users alike. It doesn't entirely solve the problem of our overcrowded radio waves but it may help stem the flow a little.

Finally, an EMC engineer pleaded guilty for stealing a bunch of kit from his employer and selling it on the internet. His sentence won't be passed until April but he could be facing up to 32 years in jail under US law.