3 Trends to Watch at CES 2013

Every year, January brings three things: post-holiday gift returns, half-hearted New Years? resolutions, and the Consumer Electronics Show (January 8-11)?which, if you?ve somehow managed to avoid hearing about it until now, is the largest gadget convention in the world. As big companies such as Microsoft have pulled back from the show and electronics manufacturers have largely abandoned the yearly product cycle that used to cater to the yearly event, the influence of CES on tech news has waned somewhat. Nevertheless, it remains a good indicator of trends percolating up through the industry. Here?s a list of three technology stories that we?ll be keeping an eye out for at the show next week.

TV Tech Goes (Even More) Bonkers

Now that everyone has finally replaced their old tube sets with HDTVs, the industry is desperate to outmode all those 720p and 1080p flat panel sets with all-new technologies. The past few years have brought smart TVs, 3DTVs, and last year, 4K TVs with roughly 4 times the resolution of 1080p sets. But none of these technologies have caused consumers to ditch their perfectly good HDTVs. This year, expect more 4K sets and odd hybrids like the 4K Ultra-D 2180p glasses-free 3D television, which gathers all the hype in one convenient package.

4K TVs really do look gorgeous (even though there is pretty much no content available yet to display on them) and the first manufacturer to bring costs down from the stratosphere might have a viable TV revolution on its hands. Also look for evolutionary steps on Internet TV delivery services and smart TV platforms that take greater advantage of HTML 5 apps.

The PC Evolves (or Disappears)

So now Windows 8 has launched, and consumers really don?t know what to make of the new operating system. It?s supposed to blur the distinction between a tablet and a desktop OS, but that has opened the door for so much reinvention and experimentation with the tablet and laptop form factor that now no one knows what to buy. Should my next machine fold, flip, or break apart from its keyboard? Should it be a tablet with a keyboard cover? For now, the question of what a computer should be is ?all of the above,? and CES will likely showcase even more experimentation and funky form factors that will either point the way to the future of the PC or point to its extinction.

Rise of the Chinese Tech Brand

Yes, yes, we all know pretty much all our gadgets are made in China, but until recently, most of that manufacturing was for U.S., Japanese, and Korean tech brands. Now, Chinese companies such as Huawei, Hisense, and TCL are looking to make a mark in the U.S. with smartphones and TVs that aim to steal market share from giants such as Samsung, Motorola, LG, and Sony. Look for a huge-screen phone from Huawei and smart TV products from Hisense and TCL.

Popular Mechanics will be on the scene and reporting live from CES 2013 all next week, from the earliest press previews to the last-minute wrapup. Plus, on Tuesday night we reveal our Editors Choice Awards best-of-show list. So check in early and often!

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/news/3-trends-to-watch-at-ces-2013-14940800?src=rss

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