With CTIA 2012 in the rear-view mirror TechRadar bids a fond farewell to New Orleans. While we were disappointed that some of the major cell phone manufacturers and carriers opted out, we were really pleased to see some awesome handsets like the Droid Incredible 4G LTE and online editor Nic Vargus won’t stop talking about how awesome his brand new HTC Evo 4G LTE is (look for his full review of the device in the next couple of days).

While shows like CES (Consumer Electronics Show) and MWC (Mobile World Conference) also highlight what’s up and coming in the world of mobile technology, CTIA Wireless has a decidedly U.S.-focus.

• CTIA 2012: TechRadar’s complete coverage of the show

An all new mobile OS?

We were pleased to get some hands on time with a device running Boot to Gecko, Mozilla’s web-based mobile platform and Unnecto impressed us with their Android-based dual-sim Quattro.

• Read our hands on Boot to Gekco review
• Read our hands on Unnecto Quattro review

Handset manufacturer ZTE sets its sights on the US market

While many in the States have yet to hear about ZTE, the Asian manufacturer is making a major push to move into the US market. At CTIA 2012, the company made several significant announcements, including new partnership deals and a company executive even singing the praises of the Windows Mobile platform.

• Read our hands on ZTE Nova 4 V8000 review
• Read our hands on ZTE V96 tablet review

Amazon beware, is the new Nook a Kindle killer?

In addition to phones and tablets, Barnes & Noble was present at CTIA 2012 showing off what they hope could be a Kindle Killer: Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight.

• Read our hands review of the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight

Unveiling Verizon’s Droid Incredible at CTIA 2012

Verizon fired the first major shots of CTIA 2012 by giving us a hands on demonstration of this…incredible… handset.

The LTE capable phone will come with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 4-inch qHD Super LCD display, a 960×540 resolution, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, an 8MP camera, Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC Sense 4.0.

• Read our hands Droid Incredible 4G LTE review

HTC goes all in at CTIA 2012

Not to be outdone, HTC had a huge presence at CTIA 2012. While their enormous booth on the show floor highlighted such non-technology-related acts like modern dancers and a guy doing tricks with bubbles, the good folks at HTC gave TechRadar a long and extensive hands on demo of their awesome new HTC Evo 4G LTE.

• Read TechRadar’s hands on HTC Evo 4G LTE review

Samsung basks in the glory of the Galaxy S3

Fresh off the heals of the wildly successful launch of the Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung was on hand giving folks in the U.S. their first look at this promising new device.

Of course, since our brothers across the pond back in the U.K. already did a hands on review of the Samsung Galaxy S3 last week, those of us here in New Orleans could focus on the company’s other offerings.

The Samsung handset that we were most excited to see was the Samsung Focus S2. With nearly all of the bells and whistles as the Nokia Lumia 900. The Samsung Focus S2 is nearly half the price.

• Read our hands on Samsung Focus S2 review

No shows at CTIA 2012? Sony absent; BlackBerry, Motorola low-key

While we expected to see handsets from all of the major manufacturers, there have been some rather conspicuous omissions: Sony, BlackBerry and Motorola informed TechRadar before the start of CTIA 2012 that they will not have a presence at the show.

While that proved to be true for Sony, Motorola it seems was content to let their partners show off their latest devices. Like the Droid Incredible 4G LTE.

We had hoped to get a hands on look at the upcoming BlackBerry 10. When TechRadar spotted a BlackBerry rep they informed us that they didn’t have any devices here in New Orleans, but rather that the devices are currently in the hands of app developers. Oh well, hope it does seem, springs eternal.

Additionally, Sprint also informed TechRadar that they too wil not have a presence on the show floor.

Accessories galore!

While the major handset manufacturers garner the lion’s share of the show’s attention, CTIA 2012 is awash with accessories for each and every mobile device you can think of. Of course, while Apple never attends CTIA, that doesn’t mean that the company’s overwhelming dominance in the mobile space (especially with its iPad) goes ignored.

Aftermarket companies are everywhere here at CTIA 2012 showing off everything from cases for your mobile devices, to headsets and mobile speaker systems.

• Hands on: Monster ClarityHD Micro review
• Hands on: Kingston Wi-Drive 64GB review
• Hands on: The OtterBox Defender for the new iPad and Samsung Galaxy Note review
• Hands on: iWow-U review
• Hands on: Golla Bags review

TechRadar is in New Orleans throughout the week of May 8 to bring you updated news, hands-on reviews and more. So check back to enjoy all of the shiny new goodness that is CTIA 2012.

Apple has yet to introduce a single new MacBook Pro in 2012, so it’s not much of a stretch to assume that updated models are on the way, particularly with OS X Mountain Lion already scheduled for this summer.

Thanks to sources in Apple’s supply chain, we may have some idea of what to expect.

Numerous reports are circulating about a forthcoming 15-inch model that’s not only thinner but also borrows a Retina Display screen from its iOS cousins, with USB 3.0 as the icing on the cake.

Although recent rumors point to an ultra-thin MacBook Pro that could match Apple’s wildly successful MacBook Air for size, sources close to the company’s supply chain now claim a prototype of the next 15-inch MacBook Pro will indeed be thinner, but not nearly as much as one might hope.

Gone is the optical disc drive, which few portable users need in the age of cloud storage services, with the power button being relocated to the keyboard, taking the place of the unnecessary eject key of previous models.

The new, thinner design will likely have another casualty as well, with rumblings that the notebook will be too narrow for a traditional Ethernet port.

New technologies

On a more positive note, Apple is expected to bring its amazing Retina Display to this same 15-inch MacBook Pro, making the leap from the iPhone 4S and this year’s iPad, which is said to feature a “jaw-dropping” high resolution.

Last but not least, Apple could slip USB 3.0 onto this year’s Macs, finally bringing the SuperSpeed USB port natively to Mac OS X thanks to Intel’s newest Ivy Bridge processors.

There’s no word on exactly when a new MacBook Pro might see the light of day, but with OS X Mountain Lion expected this summer, it looks to be sooner than later.

Intel CEO Paul Otellini says the company is hell-bent on creating new mobile processors, so good that Apple will not be able to resist putting them in the iPhone and iPad.

The chip maker will make its first forays into the smartphone and tablet world this year with devices like the Lenovo K800 and others from Motorola that will run a mobile version of the Atom chip.

Next stop, says Otellini, is convincing the big guns to jump on board, which means making better, more efficient processors than ARM, Samsung, Qualcomm and the rest.

“Our job is to ensure our silicon is so compelling, in terms off running the Mac better or being a better iPad device, that as they make those decisions they can’t ignore us,” he told Forbes.

Gunning for each other’s territory

Although Intel has been planning a mobile assault for years, the ccharge is driven partly through rival manufacturer ARM’s decision to move in the other direction.

Intel will, for the first time in years, face competition in the PC sector, where the i-Series processors boast almost complete dominance.

However, the first Windows tablets to arrive toting ARM processors, will arrive this year and Microsoft has developed a specific version of Windows 8 – Windows RT for that eventuality.

Although their are fears that ARM may seek to encroach further on Intel’s turf, Otellini is confident however the his company can also put a dent in the mobile world.

“A year ago there was no one who was not an Intel employee who thought Intel stood a chance in this business,” he added: “And now you’re asking what our market share goals are.”

Unquestionably there would be no bigger goal to achieve than taking up residence in the iPhone or iPad.

A new Android tablet contender will enter the ring, with Matsunichi’s MarquisPad MP977 arriving later this month.

The MarquisPad boasts a 9.7-inch display at 1024×768 resolution and Android’s Ice Cream Sandwish OS.

And with that combination, the tablet sounds like a steal with a retail price set for $249.

What’s more, even though the rest of the MarquisPad’s specs aren’t exactly set to impress, the device has some redeeming qualities.

It’s equipped with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, which won’t break any speed records but should make it slightly zippier than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 series.

A front-facing VGA camera will be its sole source of picture taking, with no rear-facing camera on the device.

It will also support Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, with a 4000mAh battery said to last five hours.

Another drawback includes the mere 2GB of internal memory, but MarquisPad owners will have the ability to expand that memory by up to 32GB through a microSD card slot.

A 2GB microSD card will be included with the device, bringing the total out-of-the-box memory up to 4GB.

Price is right

The MarquisPad MP977 launches in the U.S. this month, with its price and size making it and intriguing option even with some middling tech behind it.

Matsunichi isn’t done though, with a more robust MP1010 expected sometime between June and August.

The 10.1-inch tablet will upgrade to a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, backed up by 10GB of internal memory, the addition of wireless-N support, and a beefier battery.

A new 9.7-inch tablet, dubbed the MP979, is then expected with similar specs sometime in the August to September range.

There are no price details yet on the MP1010 or MP979 tablets, but here’s hoping that Matsunichi will continue with similarly aggressive pricing to the MP977 as it tries to break into the increasingly flooded Android tablet market.

A published report claims that the first range of Windows 8 tablets will hit store shelves in November.

The tablets will come in at least a dozen varieties, claims the source, with more than half of those being hybrids or convertibles that combine elements of laptops and tablets, often including physical keyboards.

But all the Windows 8 tablets will have two things in common: they’ll run on a version of Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system, and they’ll be powered by Intel’s upcoming Clover Trail dual-core processor.

If this Windows 8 tablet rumor proves accurate then Windows 8 will be released either before or alongside the new devices in November.

That time frame is in line with current rumors regarding Windows 8′s release, which state that Microsoft’s new OS will be released commercially in the second half of this year.

“The schedule is tight,” said CNET’s source.

We got a peek at Windows 8 released in March, and TechRadar deemed it an improvement over the previous Developer Preview but there’s still work to be done on the OS.

Intel-powered Windows 8 tablets packed with features

Previous reports point to the many features Intel’s new line of Windows 8 tablets will pack, including 4G, NFC technology, lightweight designs and great battery life.

Other rumors claim that Microsoft will release as many as 30 Windows 8 tablets by the end of the year in an attempt to whittle down the iPad‘s lion’s share of the tablet market.

The Windows 8 tablets will be powered by Intel’s upcoming Clover Trail Atom chip, their first dual-core Atom processor based on 32-nanometer technology.

Additionally, Intel’s follow-up to the Clover Trail will be called “Bay Trail” and will be built on superior 22-nanometer tech, according to the published report.

Intel confirmed to TechRadar in an email that Bay Trail is indeed the successor to Clover Trail and is slated to arrive in 2013.

TechRadar is currently awaiting comment from Microsoft, so check back for updates.