The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is one of the largest showcases of new technology in the world.
Hosted by the Consumer Electronics Association in Las Vegas, CES 2013 will open to press and exhibitors from every facet of the electronics industry, and TechRadar will be there.
We've descended upon the gambling capital of the world for four days to bask in the glow of the latest computers, televisions, cameras, phones and more.
The curtain lifts...
In fact, LG confirmed during a press conference on Jan. 7 that they will release a range of "tier one" handsets to market in 2013.
This follows earlier rumors that LG is looking to wedge itself in the 5-inch smartphone market that which was launched by the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
Haier's 'TV of the future'
CES always brings out the cool, innovative toys and Haier's "TV of the future" is no exception.
Haier announced a TV that uses your eyes as the remote. Yes, that's right. Your eyes.
Using technology developed by NeuroSky, you can use your eyes(well, actually your brain) to change the channel.
Voice controls are also offered, but who wants to waste time with that when you can let your eyes do the talking.
HP monitors get Beats
HP has not been shy in using its Beats license on any product it can wave at a trade show, and this has continued through its monitor range - the Envy 27 also bringing a slim profile, edge-to-edge glass and a $499 price tag.
For a blast from the past, check out our coverage of the best products from CES 2012.
First, the show floor opened on Jan. 9, a week later than usual. LG and Sony unveiled 55in Ultra High-Definition TVs, then the largest in the world. Intel gave us a glimpse of the touch enabled Ultrabooks we've been seeing everywhere lately.
Last and most notably, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gave the company's last CES keynote, introducing the world to Windows 8's Metro interface, and announcing Xbox 360 apps for Fox, IGN and more.
To follow that, CES 2013 will be a mix of keynote razzle dazzle, sneak peeks at the latest tech, and introductions to products that will go from patently unaffordable to a given in every living room, a lot faster than you'd believe.
Before TechRadar hits the CES 2013 show floor from Jan. 8-11, we thought we'd put together a preview of the gadget glory you can expect from our on the ground coverage.
Read more: 10 best gadgets and tech at CES 2012
Wireless AV connectivity
Samsung rang in CES by announcing a quartet of new AV products, namely the HW-F750, a valve amplified soundbar that has two world firsts - wireless connectivity to a TV and an integrated amplifier.
The South Korean firm also pushed out a wireless Bluetooth speaker, home theatre system complete with multi-directional speaker, 4K Processor and Blu-ray component, plus a new Blu-ray player.
We don't have many details on pricing, availability or how well these puppies run just yet, but we'll know in a matter of hours as CES prepares to kick off.
- Read more about Samsung's new AV prospects
It's a TV! It's a tablet! It's both!
TV tablets
Unfortunately this development is only U.S.-bound for now, but RCA's just-announced DMT580D tablet combines the cool of an Android slate with the boob tube fun of a TV.
The slate comes with a dual TV tuner that picks up DTV signals and is compatible with mobile TV provider Dyle.
Though it sounds like you have to stay in one spot while watching episodes of Dr. Who, RCA has come up with a neat way to give users all the functionality of a tablet while giving them the option to tune into their favorite shows when they're not at home.
- Read more about RCA's TV tablet
Google TV devices galore from new partners
Thought Google TV was going to lie low in 2013? Think again.
Mountain View announced that Asus, Hisense and TCL will all reveal Google TV devices during the Vegas show while existing partners like Vizio and Sony are set to demo the recently revamped service on each companies respective devices.
What "Google TV devices" mean exactly we don't yet know, but we're thinking anything from integrated screens to set-top boxes to IPTV boxes.
- Read more about the new Google TV devices at CES
10-inch tablet from Asus
Asus appears ready to rev up its tablet game with leaks coming nearly every week pointing to new slate ambitions.
One of particular interest points to an Android tablet called (for now) the ME301T Memo Pad 10. The device is said to have a 10.1-inch display, Jelly Bean 4.1 and a Tegra 3 processor.
While there's no for sure until we get the official word at the show, this slate looks promising, especially for the business crowd.
- Read more about the ME301T Memo Pad 10
Gorilla Glass 3 rumbles through the CES jungle
Corning is going bananas with ultra durable glass, announcing ahead of the Vegas show we'll see the third generation of its Gorilla Glass system at CES.
Promising three times more scratch resistance than previous versions, Gorilla Glass 3 is built to last with nary a knick.
We'll also see some Corning fiber optic cables for Thunderbolt hit the Vegas floor, too. Needless to say, we think Corning's offerings will have us jumping for device-saving joy.
- Read more about Gorilla Glass 3
Hold onto your seats
Optimus G2 goes prime time
LG is clearly excited for CES 2013 if a YouTube video posted just days before the event is any indication.
Not only do we get techno music and quick cuts, we also get a glimmer at what very much appears to be a smartphone.
It's not the most revealing video, but it offers the very real possibility of a thin bezeled handset, one that could very well be the Optimus G2. The device should be a 5-in follow up to the Optimus G, packing a 1920 x 1080 resolution with 440 ppi.
- Read about LG's Optimus G2 tease
Eye tracking tech for Windows 8
Sweden's Tobii Technology wants CES attendees (and the world at large) to make contact - eye contact, that is - with its latest eye-tracking peripheral for personal computers running Windows 8.
Tobii Rex is designed to work hand-in-hand with mice, touch and keyboard controls but provide an added option to use the human gaze to zoom, scroll, auto-center and open windows.
We can't wait to get our eyes on Tobii's creation and for 5,000 lucky folks, we think you'll get into the limited edition peripherals Tobii offers in the coming months.
- Read more about Tobii's eye-tracking tech for Windows 8.
The unprecedented awaits
Out-of-the-box TV design from Samsung
Samsung is playing a mean wait-and-see game when it comes to its CES announcements, teasing Dec. 31 that the "true innovation" in TV is coming to Las Vegas sometime between January 8 and January 11.
Promising an unprecedented TV shape and "timeless gallery design," this particular Samsung television offering looks to have a translucent screen, at least according to an eerie promo pic. We could also see a bezel-less, edge-to-edge display if totally translucent isn't in the cards.
Whatever it has planned, we're mystified by Samsung's hints and hope we can wrap our heads around it come CES.
- Read more about Samsung's "unprecedented" TV
LG goes hectic with Hecto projection system
LG and Samsung are in a bit of a battle when it comes to pre-CES announcements as the former announced it will bring out a Hecto 100-inch Laser TV complete with projection unit at the Vegas show.
We're talking 1080p full HD images projected from a mere 22in away. We're talking the ultimate movie watching experience, including 3 HDMI ports, Smart TV and Digital TV functionality and a projection unit with bulbs that can last up to 25,000 hours before replacement.
Hopefully we'll get word on pricing and availability on the Hecto unit come show time, but it'll be fun to watch a flick or two nonetheless.
- Read more about the Hecto and accompanying projection unit
Serious Series 7 offerings by Samsung
Samsung has let it be known far and wide that it has some monitors and new laptops in store for CES 2013, including a first of its kind.
First it revealed it will show two new Series 7 monitors come early January, the SC770 Touch Monitor and the no-touch SC750. The SC770 is the South Korean firm's first multi-touch monitor built around Windows 8.
We'll also see an enhanced Series 7 Chronos at the show plus the first Ultra in the Series 7 family. Both feature Full HD screens though only one (hint: it's not the Chronos) will have more than one processor option.
- Read more about Samsung's new Series 7 monitors and laptops
New Google TV sets by LG
This is more of a "100 per cent sure" than an "expect," but LG is primed to unveil some new Google TV sets come CES.
We're looking at five different sizes of the GA6400 series, ranging from 42 to 60in, while the GA7900 will come in 47 and 55in iterations.
The screens aren't going to be the most awe-inspiring sets at CES, but we're interested to see where LG is taking Google TVs heading into 2013.
- Read more about LG's Google TVs at CES
Credit: PhotoRumors
Android-packing Polaroid with interchangeable lens
Polaroid's president and CEO couldn't have made it any clearer: "There will be an Android powered, interchangeable lens camera introduced by Polaroid at CES 2013."
We saw a "smart" snapper at CES 2012, and can't wait to shoot around with this interchangeable lens version. From a leaked marketing photo, the snapper - possibly called the IM1836 - resembles Nikon's J1/J2 and features a whole host of goodies.
- Read more about Polaroid's Android camera plans
Samsung Display's bendable screens
One of the more playful products we expect to see at the show are flexible screens from Samsung Display.
Company reps confirmed to CNET that there will be a 5.5in bendy display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 HD and a pixel count of 267 ppi. Samsung's LCD-producing spin-off company is also throwing in a 55in TV version for our viewing (and manipulating?) pleasure.
Things are going to get twisted down in Vegas, that's for sure.
- Read more about Samsung Display's flexible demoes
Ascend W1 and 'too powerful' D2
Huawei has not one but two phones confirmed for the Vegas show: the Ascend W1 and Ascend D2.
The W1, as the "W" suggests, will be Huawei's first Windows Phone foray, while the D2 is getting an Android OS.
While both should be fun to put under the microscope, Huawei's CEO has expressed trepidation that the 5in D2 will be too powerful and thus too expensive for the average consumer.
It's 1080p display, quad-core 1.5GHz processor and 13MP camera are certainly specs to admire.
- Read more about Huawei's phones for CES
Staggering 110-inch UHD TV from Samsung
Samsung isn't slacking in its CES plans, as rumors surfaced December 17 that the firm was planning to unveil a 110-inch Ultra HD TV come show time.
A Korean tech site's source said the company also has OLED TV designs for Vegas, creating the perfect storm for a "my TVs are totally the best, yours' belong in a heap" showdown between Samsung, LG, Sony and even Westinghouse.
All we want to know is: can we get a 110in set for the office?
- Read more about Samsung's possible 110-inch UHD ambitions
ZTE's Grand S does a 5-inch entrance
This phone was a bit of a mystery for a good 24 hours, before the CES press page gave us a helping hint at what the Chinese manufacturer's 5in handset would be called.
The ZTE Grand S is set to debut January 8 at 1:30 p.m., bringing the company's first FHD smartphone and, according to the press blurb, "the world's thinnest for 5in FHD smartphones."
It will be made of ceramic and feature "traditional Chinese style," whatever that means for a phone.
- Read more about the Grand S at CES
Samsung announces major new product
Hold onto your oversized souvenir drink - Samsung has an earth shattering announcement planned for CES.
At least that's what the South Korean company would have us believe in a teaser video it recently posted.
While short on details, the video implores the world to "get ready" for something we've all been waiting for. We've touched on the rebranding rumors, the Galaxy S4 and even a QWERTY tablet.
While Samsung could announce one, none or all three of these products, it could have a product up its sleeve that leaves up entirely blindsided. We kind of hope for that...
- Read more about Samsung's CES teaser
A Red Ridge tablet from Intel
A recent filing at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission revealed an intriguing device illustrated with a label that read "Red Ridge."
Red Ridge is Intel's Medfield-based tablet platform, and while that news is certainly noteworthy, what makes us think a tablet could show at CES is that the device tested was reportedly a "production unit."
That means we could see a commercial model in a month's time - or just about when CES' doors open.
- Read more about the Red Ridge tablet's FCC appearance
A 110-inch 4K LED TV
Westinghouse isn't being shy about it's ambitions to present the "world's largest" 4K LED TV at CES. The company said as much in a press note.
While it won't be the biggest TV out there (Panasonic's 152 incher takes that crown) it will be interesting to see how the company prices this puppy.
Though it beats out Samsung's 85in behemoth in size, because it's a lesser manufacturer, we could actually see a price tag that the non-Jay Z's of the world can afford. Either way, it'll make watching football really engrossing.
- Read more about Westinghouse's TV ambitions
HTC might unveil a new phone or two
Mere months ago HTC released two killer devices into the marketplace, the Droid DNA and the HTC One X+. Apparently that wasn't enough for the Taiwanese manufacturer. If a couple of recent rumors are true, HTC has a couple more smartphones up its sleeve.
The first rumbling came back in June when a possible line-up of HTC Windows Phone 8 devices was leaked, the headliner being the 4.7in HTC Zenith. Then another WP8 device, the HTC Titan III registered on our radar thanks to a survey on Xbox Live. Now just a few days ago we caught wind of the HTC M7, which the rumors peg as a possible 5in flagship device.
If these leaks have any merit, big handsets would seem to be a running theme for HTC. After the iPhone went over 4in, everyone seems to be upsizing. Maybe this is HTC's new angle after it bowed out of the US tablet market?
LG gives CPU making a try
The rumor mill is turning even faster as the days wind down to CES 2013. One thread we keep seeing pop up is processors, and LG is the latest to jump in the mix.
A report out of Korea has the tech firm producing in-house made CPUs next year, starting with chips for its web-capable Smart TVs.
One chip could be the H13, with the H standing for home entertainment and the 13 for the year, and we could see it and others come early January.
- Read more about LG's in-house chip producing prospects
A tablet to take notice of
There's a good chance we'll see a good number of tablets at the show, but there's two we've heard about recently that could really turn some heads.
Asus is reportedly working on a tablet with the model name ME172V, a slate that could reach no more than 7in, come with a microSD slot for expandable memory and flash a price that puts the Google Nexus 7 on notice.
And while Samsung's Galaxy S4 is stealing most of the South Korean company's 2013 thunder, we've heard the firm might be planning a 13.3in tablet to take on Asus' Transformer series.
The 13 incher would even feature a QWERTY keyboard dock.
- Read more about Asus' 7-inch tablet and Samsung's 13.3-inch QWERTY possibilities.
Intel to outline new tablet chips
In the mood for some T-time?
Intel is supposedly prepping the introduction of a next gen processor at CES 2013: the Bay Trail-T.
The Bay Trail-T is rumored as a quad-core scheduled for a 2014 launch, though CES will see the series' debut plus info on what manufactures are building slates based off the Trail-T.
A SoC sibling is also expected at the Vegas show. Dubbed the Valleyview-T, the chip could take on Nvidia's Tegra 3 and Qualcomm's S4.
Look for long battery lives plus 22nm prowess, superior audio, boosted memory capacity and amped up graphics when used in conjunction with the Gen7 Intel GPU. There's even talk 3D video recording could be in the cards.
- Read more about Intel's rumored processors
Galaxy S4 with Full HD Super AMOLED display
As the major hardware manufacturer taking up CES real estate, it's no surprise Samsung should (so far) dominate the rumor mill.
This one has a Full HD Super AMOLED display arriving at the show, but that's not all: chances are we'll see such a screen housed inside the Galaxy S4.
A Samsung source reported that the display's resolution will reach 1920 x 1080 and a staggering 441 ppi, but the real point of interest is in the ultra-thin and energy efficient AMOLED technology.
Fingers crossed Samsung decides to bring a SIV with such a screen as its CES carry on.
- Read more about the Galaxy S4 with a Full HD Super AMOLED display
Huawei Ascends take flight
With Windows Phone 8 reveals by Nokia, HTC and Samsung already in the books, it was easy to forget that a fourth manufacturer received a Microsoft nod to use the new OS.
China's Huawei confirmed just a few weeks before the show that it will bring its WP8 dish to the party in the form of the Ascend W1.
Though the Ascend W1 will be the last guest to arrive, it may turn out to be the phone everyone flocks to if a cheap asking price is tacked on.
The firm may also introduce the higher-end Ascend W3, a phone with a 4.5in display that recently leaked online.
- Read more about what we can expect from Huawei's Ascend W1
World's largest Ultra HD TV from Samsung
Can you say "whoa?" Samsung is about to set mouths agape with an 85in Ultra HD LED TV, "the world's largest commercialized UHD LED TV."
The company made the over eight million pixel tube official November 12, and we're looking forward to standing wide-eyed before the mondo television that probably makes the lights on the Strip look like dying flashlights.
- Read more about Samsung's Ultra HD TV at CES
Samsung rebrands itself
Despite having the best-selling smartphone in the world and running an operating system on clip to eclipse all others, Samsung is reportedly preparing quite the rebranding at CES 2013.
While we don't necessarily anticipate a radical image reimagining, we do expect Samsung will take advantage of the stage (and a keynote speech) to introduce a new facet to its business identity – a refresh, as it were.
One of CES's exhibit categories is "Digital Health and Fitness," so Samsung will likely tack onto that theme with the introduction of products (or the retooling of current devices) that fit into the health and wellness category.
Samsung has reportedly hired a design team that's worked with Nike on some of that company's branding initiatives, so we'll likely see some dynamic stuff from South Korea in Vegas.
As Samsung continues to grow from an Asian powerhouse to a global one, how it sells itself to a broad international audience will be key to its future.
We expect Stephen Woo, president of Samsung Electronics' device solutions division, to set the tone of the company's refreshed self during his keynote address January 9.
The debut of Ultra High-Definition television
It took a while but CRT televisions have finally become the stuff of garage sales and trips to grandma's house, and 3D screens have just started to crack the home market. Now everyone's lovely flatscreen is about to become a little bit obsolete, thanks Ultra High-Definition.
- What you need to know: Ultra High-Definition television
After a brief flirtation with 4K high-definition, the CEA settled on the name Ultra HD. However, Sony, always one to buck a naming trend (remember Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD?) has said it will stick with numbered moniker, calling its pixel-dense displays 4K Ultra High-Definition (4K UHD).
Still, everyone seems to be in agreement over the spec requirements set by the CEA, defining what it takes to be called Ultra HD. According to the group, Ultra means at least 8 million pixels, with a minimum resolution of 3840 x 2160, and an aspect ratio of at least 16 x 9.
Now the question is how big will the screens at CES 2013 be? There's debate between engineers as to whether anyone can even tell the difference between UHD and regular HD on a display that's less than 100-inches. And when will these TVs become affordable? Right now they're around $20,000 (UK£12,515, AUD $19,210), keeping them firmly in Donald Trump and Richard Branson territory.
Intel introduces a new mobile processor, stakes its claim
Intel is probably one of the most recognizable names coming to CES 2013, though it's not the only chipmaker making a stand on the Vegas exhibit floor.
We expect Intel to show up big at the event, schooling the competition on how it's done, and very likely announcing a new mobile processor or two as well as some destined for PCs.
Intel is in an interesting position in terms of its mobile future: although it claims to have 20 Windows 8 tablets sporting its new Z2760 processor coming to market soon, the firm's chips are currently only found in six smartphones.
ARM and its licensees (Nvidia and Qualcomm) are making a killing in the mobile space and all are heading down to Nevada for the show, creating a perfect storm for one-upmanship on the Strip.
ARM-based chips, while found in major money makers like the iPad and various Android tablets, aren't terribly up to snuff when it comes to processing prowess.
Yet Intel hasn't even breached the realm of relevancy smartphone space, making CES the time where it needs to stake that claim.
There's been talk that Apple may chuck Intel as its CPU provider in the coming years. Cupertino recently developed a poppy processor for its iPad 4 – the A6X – a chip that's reportedly twice as fast as those found in older iPads.
For that reason alone, Intel has got to show why it's relevant in mobile and why it deserves to be considered the top chipmaker in the world now and for years to come.
We'd love to see Intel not only announce a new mobile processor, but unveil a new partnership. It's got to prove it can work well with others (and capture consumer imagination) if it hopes to move deeper into smartphones and tablets.
Nvidia trumps out Tegra 4
Nvidia's Tegra 3 has done quite for itself this year, jumping into phones like HTC's One X+ and tablets such as Google's Nexus 7 and Microsoft's Surface.
That doesn't mean Nvidia doesn't have its eyes to the horizon, and we believe the company will introduce its Tegra 4 processor come CES.
Word of the T40 (the new Tegra's model number) got going in April, with a report pointing to early 2013 as the time the Tegra 3's successor would ascend the throne.
At the time, it sounded like the Tegra 4 would fit four new Cortex A15 ARM chips, taking it way past the A9 Cortex chip summit.
Speeds of 1.8GHz are probably going to be average for the new processor, while by the middle/end of the year, 2.0 should be its cruising GHz.
If we're lucky, we might even see an Android or Windows 8 tablet poke about with the Tegra 4 inside.
Microsoft's show no more
The Consumer Electronics Show has long been Microsoft's chance to shine. The software giant has always given flashy presentations, usually involving celebrities. Shaq, Conan O'Brien, Ryan Seacrest, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and more have all appeared to help co-founder Bill Gates and current CEO Steve Ballmer show of the company's latest tech.
- Read more: Microsoft's last keynote at CES 2012
Sadly, CES 2013 will be the first year where Microsoft won't be giving one of its signature keynote presentations. It gave the world plenty of notice, saying in December 2011 that CES 2012 would be its last. Steve Ballmer's last presentation at the Las Vegas trade show focused on Metro, the new Live Tile-based interface for Windows 8.
Companies have moved quickly to fill the space left by Microsoft's exodus. Qualcomm has nabbed the open keynote slot. The telecommunications mogul will be giving its Born Mobile keynote on Monday, January 7. Meanwhile, satellite provider Dish and appliance manufacturer Hisense snapped up Microsoft's booth space in under an hour.
However, Venturebeat has quoted CEA president Gary Shapiro as saying, "Microsoft will have something" at CES 2013. While it's unknown what that something will be, there are plenty of possibilities. More Windows Phone 8 devices? A Microsoft Surface Pro running Windows 8? Its all in the realm of possibility.
Via Venturebeat
LG unveils Smart TV platform underpinned by HP's webOS
While we expect LG to march out a bevvy of phones and TVs, including some we haven't seen before, what's really piquing our interest heading into the new year is word that it may launch a Smart TV service based on webOS.
webOS, the open source system developed by HP, could take the reigns from LG's antiquated NetCast Smart TV interface during the show, a move that wouldn't leave our jaws dropped.
HP delivered on its promise to walk out webOS to the public by September, a vow it made in January, and now it needs a big product and solid partner to get its face out there.
The marriage between the two should be equal – reports have HP providing the OS while LG will plug in its dual-core L9-powered motherboards.
If our expectations pan out, we'll likely see the death of LG's small screen partnership with the struggling Google TV service, a relationship LG championed at CES 2012 yet has since cooled.
Automotive electronics
The CEA estimates that factory-installed automotive technology will generate $8.7 billion dollars in 2013, so it's no wonder seven major car companies will be on the show floor.
Audi, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia and Subaru will be joined more than 100 auto tech companies displaying the latest in-car tech. This is a record setting presence for the automotive industry at CES.
Displays and presentations will include electric drive technology. GoElectricDrive TechZone will demonstrate electric vehicles paired with their respective charging stations, ones that can be used at homes and in public facilities. The Safe Driver presentation will show more than the typical hands-free devices, highlighting technologies that can help drivers park, watch their speed and avoid collisions.
However, not everything between automakers and car tech designers is completely sunny. With so much hardware being put into cars before they even leave the factory, will the aftermarket industry be facing an all-time low? A presentation titled "Are Automakers Running the Aftermarket Off the Road?" will address the issue.
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