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The technology world will gather in Las Vegas this week for the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), one of the largest trade shows in the world. Countless new gadgets will be revealed, and new products will be demoed in front of more than 140,000 attendees and press.
At last year's CES, connected and 3-D TVs, Android devices, tablets and e-book readers were some of the show's big highlights. Since then, a lot has changed: The iPad was a major success, Android's growth skyrocketed, and motion control gaming is red hot.
So what will everybody be buzzing about at CES 2011? We've done our research and compiled a list of five trends we think you should watch for at this year's show. From the continuing surge of Android to the reveal of Windows 8, we think this year's show will be an eventful one.
Here's what you can expect from the show that first introduced us to the camcorder, VCR, DVD and HDTV.
1. The Tablet Revolution
Tablets were big last year, but companies were mostly showing off underdeveloped prototypes.
Thanks to the iPad's success, the tablet market has been validated, and countless companies will attempt to make a splash in this market and become true competitors to Apple's wildly popular device.
The top tablet to watch for this year is Motorola's Android tablet, which will be the first device to run the Android 3.0 OS, called "Honeycomb." It's not the only Android tablet that will make its debut this week either. We expect a 10.1-inch tablet from Toshiba and an 8-inch device from Vizio.
While Android will dominate the tablet market this year, we do expect to see some Windows-based tablets. Finally, while we don't expect it to be present at CES, watch out for discussion surrounding the PalmPad, HP and Palm's unannounced webOS tablet device.
2. Video Games Invade CES
Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will all have a presence at this year's show. Nintendo, which normally skips CES, will be doing private demos of the Nintendo 3DS. We're very excited to play with the device later this week.
Sony and Microsoft on the other hand will be showcasing their motion controllers, the PlayStation Move and the Xbox Kinect. Both devices are selling like hotcakes and we expect to see previews of future games that will utilize their respective motion controls.
As usual, there will be a lot of game accessory manufacturers at the show, launching new peripherals for our favorite gaming devices.
3. Connected Cars, Connected TVs, Connected Everything
"Connected" will be a big buzzword at this year's CES. It starts with the cars: Ford, Toyota, BMW and others will have a big presence at this year's show as they showcase their Internet technologies. FORD Sync, OnStar and other connected solutions will be on full display.
Connected TVs will also be big once again. They've had a year to mature, and thanks to Google TV, Apple TV, Roku and other connected TV solutions, the market for Internet-enabled TVs has never been bigger. While we don't expect many Google TV devices at this year's CES, we do expect almost all the major TV manufacturers to showcase different types of connected TVs and app stores.
Finally, you'll see even more devices displaying "connected" technology. We saw a connected washing machine here or there last year, but we expect many more connected products to be showcased at CES. Your appliances and your bedroom are the Internet's next big frontier.
4. 4G Phones and Networks Debut
LTE (Long Term Evolution), the best-known type of 4G network, will be a big selling point at this year's CES. Verizon will be holding a press conference just to unveil details about its 4G network, but we expect a lot of 4G devices to be unveiled as well, following the success of the HTC Evo 4G.
One such device we're keen on trying is the HTC Thunderbolt, which will have the distinction of being the first LTE phone on the Verizon network. It's a 4.3-inch monster of a phone, but we still don't know all the specs. That will change this week.
Other devices to watch for: The HTC Evo Shift 4G, the LG Optimus 2X and even Motorola's Android Honeycomb tablet, which will also feature 4G connectivity.
5. Android & CES vs. Apple & iOS
Have you spotted an underlying theme for this year's show? People will say CES 2011 is all about tablets, but while they will be prevalent, the real star of this year's show will be Google Android.
Android tablets. Android phones. Android appliances. There will be so many devices running on Android at this year's CES that you're going to need an actual android to help keep track of it all.
Hundreds of companies have latched themselves onto Android, some so much so that their fate will be tied to the operating system's market performance. It's the only credible counterweight to Apple and iOS. The $300+ billion company will be casting a shadow on this year's show thanks to the imminent release of the Verizon iPhone and the iPad 2. It wouldn't surprise us if Apple announced one of its famous press events this week just to take the steam out of this year's show.
Apple is the reason why everyone's going gaga over Android and why everyone is so invested in the Google ecosystem. Without Android, Apple could steamroll over CES. It's a testament to just how powerful Apple has become.
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