The countdown to?CES 2010, the biggest electronics trade show on the planet, has begun, but what can we expect from the show, and what should we start to get excited about? Here are six areas that are going to dominate the news come January.

Don't forget, Pocket-lint will be bringing you all the news, reviews, comment, photos and video as it happens in the run up to CES and live from Las Vegas for the duration of the show.

You can bookmark our CES coverage at pocket-lint.com/CES2010

Digital Living

Technology has gone mainstream supposedly, so that means the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center will be filled with technology launches that embrace all of us rather than just a select few. In real terms that means everything from gadgets for kids, gadgets for mums and dads that look after kids, and gadgets for the silver surfer. Expect new toys for health, parenting and higher education.

Apple

Don't get too excited,?Apple isn't attending CES, regardless of how many rumours you hear, but that doesn't mean companies that work in the Apple eco-system aren't going to be in Vegas launching new gadgets. With a whole area dedicated to the iPod,?iPhone?and Macs, expect a fair share of iPod speakers, cables to connect to something else in your life and the usual array of cases to protect it all.

eBook readers

If you're planning on getting an ebook reader for Christmas you might want to think again. The ebook market has exploded in the US with Amazon,?Barnes & Noble?and?Sony?all fighting over each other to offer you the digital reader you supposedly need. Plastic Logic has already confirmed that it will be launching a new ebook at CES and there is bound to be other manufacturers like?Spring Design?and iRex offering new models.

3D

Riding on the wave of euphoria that Avatar will no doubt give the industry, consumer electronics manufacturers like?Sony, Toshiba, LG?and?Samsung?will be likely to be pushing?3D TV?hard at CES 2010. IFA 2009 already showed us the concepts, CES will show us the reality. Expect new televisions, announcements from the Blu-ray Disc Association, television makers, graphics card companies like Nvidia and movie companies all trying to get in on the action.

Netbooks

While most people have surely moved on from the popularity of netbooks, CES organisers CEA believe netbooks are going to still be big news at CES 2010. What that means is a barrage of computers that don't do much but let you surf the Web and write the odd document. Of course manufacturers will be trying to tell us otherwise with improved graphics courtesy of Nvidia and ATI. You should also probably expect a barrage of tablet devices with touchscreens allowing you to surf the Web around the home.

Green

With the economy making a comeback, manufacturers can once again turn their eyes to saving the planet. Although the idea of being green for green's sake is still very niche, generally manufacturers will be trying to tell you to ignore the thousands they are spending on lighting their booths and the sheer carbon emissions the show creates, by concentrating instead on how they've made advancements in the glass they use or the boxes your favourite gadgets go into. At least you can sleep at night knowing that we haven't had to chop down any trees to let you read this.

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Tags: Audio Car And GPS Dad Gadgets Gaming Hardware Home And Kitchen Home Cinema Phones Cameras Software Sports Fitness CES2010 ebooks Televisions Netbooks Sony LG Samsung Toshiba Apple iPod iPhone 3DTV Laptops Eco Amazon Barnes and Noble Spring Design

CES 2010: What new gadgets will be announced? originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

In 3 year's time the 3DTV market will see shipments of up to 46 million 3D-capable flatscreen televisions, suggests market research from US-based GigaOM Pro, stating that despite the market being in its infancy today, by 2013 the technology will be widespread in consumer's homes.

"While the initial shipments of flat-panel 3DTVs will be small in 2010 due to premium pricing strategies by the large TV manufacturers, volumes are likely to grow quickly in just a few short years as manufacturers begin to implement 3D as a standard feature across their HD flat-panel product lines", said Alfred Poor, author of the report.

The report suggests content owners and broadcasters will soon "convert large portions of their back-catalogues of content to 3D", in order to satisfy consumers hungry for three dimensional content.

"Just as many consumers are voting with their wallets today for the 3D version of their favourite movies in the theatre, we expect over time that many will choose 3D for their favourite shows and movies at home as well", said Poor.

Interestingly, Sony is highlighted as a company working hard to push 3D. "The company will provide a complete user experience with full HD Bravia in 3D taking center stage. In addition to television, Sony will enable more devices, such as Blu-ray, Vaio and PlayStation 3, to be 3D compatible", says the GigaOM Pro report.

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Tags: Home Cinema 3DTV Statistics Sony 3D PS3 Televisions

3DTV shipments to reach 46 million in 3 years originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:59:10 +0000

While here at Pocket-lint we had our very own 3D week a little way back, Channel 4's 3D week is fast approaching on 16 November and the broadcaster's promotional partner Sainsbury's is now in full swing distributing the required glasses.

The supermarket chain is going to be giving away 10 million pairs of 3D glasses for free to UK consumers so they can enjoy the full effects of Channel 4's ColorCode 3-D programming, thanks to the glasses' special amber and blue filters.?

The highlight of the week's coverage - for patriotic Brits anyway - will be previously unseen 3D footage of the Queen during her coronation year. In addition "Derren Brown's 3D Magic Spectacular" and - typical for Channel 4 - "The Greatest Ever 3D Moments" will also be shown.

The week will also include "several" 3D movies, details of which will be revealed soon - we will keep you posted.

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Read

Tags: Home Cinema 3D 3DTV Sainsburys Channel 4

Sainsbury's now offering free glasses for Channel 4's 3D week originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:25:24 +0000

Today, Acer has launched their new 3D experience on laptops, which we first heard of back in June 2009.

Acer haven't taken a hardware tack – like the Nvidia 3D Vision GPU – and instead relies on using a software solution called Acer 3D CineReal and a special 3D coating on the screen, with polarizing glasses.

You'll also get the TriDef suite of software containing the TriDef Media Player which will play your movies back in 3D, whilst TriDef Ignition enables 2D to 3D conversion in games and applications supporting DirectX 9 and above.

You'll be able to throw yourself into the Acer 3D experience on the Aspire 5738DG, which will feature an Intel Centrino2 processor.

No word on UK pricing yet or detailed specs, but at NZ$1999, it looks like it will be around ?950.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Acer Acer Aspire 5738DG 3DTV

Acer Aspire 5738DG 3D notebook launched originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:55:21 +0100