Are we seeing the rise of the corporate tablet?  Earlier this month we spotted a tablet from Avaya on the FCC, and today, Cisco Systems Inc. unveiled an Android tablet called the Cius.  The device features a 7” LCD touch screen (no word on resolution), Intel Atom 1.6 GHz processor, 32 GB of flash memory, SD card slot, and a battery that will last 8 hours.  The device weights in at 1.5 pounds.

According to Cisco, the Cius will support “3G/4G data",” although the company doesn’t mention what carriers will offer service for the device.  The Cius also features 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi.

The Cius has a 5 MP camera and can record 720p video at up to 30 fps.  The device works with Cisco’s TelePresence solution as well, enabling video conferences from anywhere you have an Internet connection.  The device also supports other Cisco collaboration applications, including Cisco Quad, Show and Share, WebEx Connect, WebEx Meeting Center, Presence and Unified Communications Manager.

Interestingly, Cisco will offer a phone dock with the Cius called the HD Soundstation, above left, that will enable the device to function as a video phone.  The HD Soundstation features 10/100/1000 wired Ethernet, support for an external monitor, USB 2.0 ports, Bluetooth 3.0, and HD speakers.

While we’re not blown away by the Cius’ looks, we do like the idea of a 7” Atom-powered tablet with 32 GB of memory.  The 8 hour battery life is decent as well, and the device’s 5MP camera is something that the Apple iPad can’t compete with.

No word on pricing at this point.  Cisco plans to start testing the Cius in Q3 2010, with a general release date scheduled for Q1 2011.

We initially thought that these routers were part of new E and M series networking lines from Cisco, however a tipster has informed us that these new routers are actually just rebranded Linksys routers with slightly different firmware.  According to our source, the most notable improvement on these routers is a simplified hotspot set-up process, suggesting that these routers will be targeted at SMBs, not consumers.

The hardware on the Cisco M and E series products correspond to their Linksys brethren as follows:

Cisco M10 shares the hardware of the Linksys WRT160Nv3
Cisco M20 shares the hardware of the Linksys WRT310Nv2
Cisco E2000 shares the hardware of the Linksys WRT320N
Cisco E3000 shares the hardware of the Linksys WRT610Nv2

Thanks to our tipster who sent this in.

Last week Cisco Linksys passed their M10 wireless-N router through the FCC, and yesterday the company followed up with the M20.  The device offers 802.11 b/g/n connectivity as well as a gigabit switch (no word on how many ports).  Test reports for the device also suggest that the M20 rocks a Broadcom processor under its hood.

We still don’t know much about the M-series networking line from Cisco Linksys.  It appears that this is a consumer-focused line, but we have no idea on pricing or availability.

You have a wireless headset for your mobile phone, so why are you still using a wired headset at work?  The Cisco Unified IP Phone 8961 solves that problem for you with Bluetooth.  This phone can pair with Bluetooth headsets, allowing you to roam around the office sans wires.  It’s a simple solution that makes the traditional office phone a whole lot more usable.

The 8961 also features WLAN connectivity, so you can place the phone anywhere within the range of your wireless network.  And like other Cisco IP phones, this device features a generous color screen that gives you access to your phone book, call management features, and applications.

It appears that the 8961 will be available in either black or white, however we don’t have any info on pricing or release dates at this point.

Cisco Linksys passed the E3000 router, above, through the FCC today.  The E3000 is an 802.11 a/b/g/n router with a gigabit switch.  This is a dual-band Wireless N router, with support for 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands.

Cisco’s FCC filing doesn’t give us much information about the device, although the label pic above suggests that the E3000’s form factor is similar to Cisco’s existing Wireless N routers.  The E3000 model number doesn’t seem to fit within any of Cisco’s existing product lines, however.

Cisco passed their versatile DDR2200 residential gateway through the FCC today.  This device makes the most out of your DSL connection – it provides wired or wireless G Internet connections for your PC, voice calling for a landline, or television services for a cable/IP set-top-box.  With support for HPNA, the device can also network multiple clients, including DVRs, TVs, or game consoles.

That’s a ton of functionality for a single box, and I’m sure it’ll attract a variety of ISPs, cable and telecon providers since it supports such a wide range of services and devices.  Most notably, it provides service providers with an upgrade path to IPTV, a big benefit as this service rolls out to more users.

No word on pricing or availability yet, but I’d expect to see more of this device from service providers soon.

Cisco passed their RV120W and RV150W 802.11 b/g/n routers through the FCC today.  Cisco has been increasing their focus on smaller businesses, and with VPN and QOS controls these routers do a decent job of bridging the gap between consumers and enterprises.

Under the hood, these routers feature an Octeon Plus processor from Cavium Networks and a switch processor from Broadcom.