LAS VEGAS -- The International Consumer Electronics Show has hosted super-thin HDTVs, cutting-edge laptops and tablets and "superphones," and the show floor hasn't even officially opened yet.
Our crew of USA TODAY reporters is on the scene. Here's some of the cool stuff generating the most buzz.
TVs, TVs, and more TVs
Which company didn't unveil a pencil-thin, ultra high-definition television? Between Samsung, LG, Panasonic and Toshiba, consumers won't worry about finding the HDTV of their choosing.
The pricey sets have four times the pixel count of today's HD counterparts, and whopping prices to boot. Once they start hitting retailers, the TVs expected to fetch as much as $20,000, depending on size and features. Yeah, not expensive at all.
USA TODAY's Ed Baig took a deep look at Samsung's plans in his daily column. Samsung's upcoming 85-inch flagship UN85S9 UHD TV "takes your breath away," Baig writes. "Not that you can even buy it yet. Samsung isn't saying what it will cost or when precisely it will go on sale, but says the model will ship this year."
There's still not a lot of content out there to take advantage of all those extra pixels — a familiar chicken and egg scenario that slowed the launch of early HDTVs, Baig notes.
In other TV news, USA TODAY's Mike Snider and Jefferson Graham bring your a more "modest" proposition -- a 55-inch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) set from LG for $12,000.
The set from South Korean tech titan is part of the first crop of OLEDs in the U.S. Beyond the superior color saturation and higher contrast that OLED provides, the sets are also lightweight. LG's device weighs only 22 pounds.
Lenovo sets table with hybrid PC
PC-maker Lenovo's latest offering attempts to move computing from the desk to the coffee table.
The IdeaCentre Horizon has a 27-inch screen that functions both as a standard desktop and a huge tablet. The multitouch screen lets you and others input commands simultaneously. You can lay the device flat on any surface as a tablet, or prop the computer up with a smart hinge and use a mouse and keyboard in a traditional format.
If a 27-inch tablet just isn't large enough, Lenovo is also demonstrating a 39-inch wide-screen version at CES. That's gonna require a pretty big coffee table.
GPS heads to the cloud
Stand-alone personal navigation devices are a tough sell now that smartphones offer GPS and location features, but Magellan says consumers want more robust options.
Magellan's solution is the cloud-based SmartGPS device that is expected to go on sale this spring for $249. SmartGPS can wirelessly sync to a PC, smartphone or tablet, using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The pitch is that you'll use your phone or tablet to plan a route before you get into the car -- Magellan has a free app for iOS and Android devices. En route, SmartGPS can deliver social commentary and reviews for nearby restaurants and sites, culled from the likes of Yelp and Foursquare. It can also provide local traffic, gas stations (with gas prices) and red light camera warnings.
Magellan is also selling an optional $150 backup camera that's compatible with the SmartGPS. When you're driving in reverse, the map's screen is replaced by a view of who or what is behind you.
What the fork?
The winner of today's coolest device at CES award goes to the Hapifork, an electronic device that helps you watch what you eat. As Jennifer Jolly explains, the fork tracks how fast you're eating and zaps you if you don't slow down. It also measures how long you take to eat a meal and how long you wait between "fork servings." No pain, no (weight) gain.
Video of the day: Sony smartphones go swimming
Sony rolled out a new pair of smartphones in their Xperia line. While the HD display and fast-processing camera are great, Jennifer Jolly appreciates the devices' ability to survive a trip under water.
Here are some more Monday highlights:
Tablet as flexible as paper to debut at CES
Nvidia's Project Shield makes PC games portable
Toshiba aims for gamers, content creators with 3-D laptop
Vizio unveils Windows 8 tablet
Mauz turns iPhone into sophisticated computer mouse
Source: http://www.news.theusalinks.com/2013/01/07/ces-monday-recap-tv-table-pcs-and-more/
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