this week: ces 2013

Sony unveils Xperia Z and Xperia ZL 5" 1080p flagships

Sony's press conference at CES 2013 was indeed mostly about Xperia Z and Xperia ZL
Sony Xperia Z
The Sony Xperia Z runs on the latest Snapdragon S4 Pro with a quad-core 1.5GHz Krait processor, Adreno 320 graphics and 2GB of RAM. The smartphone is built around a 5" LED-backlit 1080p display with Mobile Bravia 2 Engine and has a 13MP Exmor RS camera sensor capable of 1080p video recording with HDR option at its disposal.

The Xperia Z is IP57-certified for dust and water resistance. It bets on the unibody design and has a non-removable 2,330 mAh battery.
The connectivity pretty much has it all - LTE, HSPA+, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC and FM radio. There is a microSD slot too.
The phone runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and is skinned with the latest version of Sony's proprietary launcher. It will hit the shelves this March, but its pricing is yet to be announced.
Sony Xperia ZL
The Xperia ZL is a smartphone pretty similar to the Xperia Z, save for the lack of IP57 certification and the slightly different design. The Xperia ZL has its front camera placed in the bottom right corner of the front panel, has a tad smaller footprint (but thicker profile) and is slightly lighter than the Xperia Z.

The rest is pretty much the same - the 5" 1080p display, the Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset, the 13MP camera, the connectivity department, etc. Don't worry, the Xperia ZL also sports a microSD slot.
Just like the Xperia Z, the ZL runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and will launch this March. The pricing is yet to be revealed. The Xperia Z and ZL will be available in different markets, but Sony refused to reveal more details on that.

Snapdragon 800 and 600 series processors announced

Qualcomm has just announced their next generation of mobile processors, the Snapdragon 800 and 600 series.

The Snapdragon 600 Processors
Building on the momentum of our highly successful Snapdragon S4 Pro processor featured in such flagship devices like the Google Nexus 4 and the HTC Droid DNA, we have introduced the first Snapdragon 600 processor which will once again lead the industry in both performance and power efficiency.  Inside of the Snapdragon 600 processor is an integrated system featuring our custom built CPU, GPU, and much more so you’ll our feel the Snapdragon experience—fast performance and great battery life. The new Snapdragon 600 processor includes the following features:

• Quad Core Krait 300 CPU—running at up to 1.9 GHz
• Adreno 320 GPU –offering over 3x the performance of A225 &, as the first GPU in the Adreno 300 series and introduces support for new mobile and GPGPU compute APIs       such as OpenGL ES 3.0 , OpenCL and Renderscript Compute
• LPDDR3 RAM— (Low Power Double Data Rate 3)this faster RAM gives a speed boost to the channels which data flows.  By increasing the speed at which the data flows to each component, performance is boosted throughout the entire processor.
• Overall Performance Boost—we expect the Snapdragon 600 processor to deliver up to 40% better performance than the Snapdragon S4 Pro processor.

Our first Snapdragon 600 processor is sampling now and expected to be available in commercial devices by second quarter 2013.
The Snapdragon 800 Processors
Fast on the heels of our first Snapdrgon 600 processor, we will once again reset the performance and power efficiency bar with the introduction of our flagship Snapdragon 800 processors.   Inside these tiny processors are all of the leading technologies that you have come to expect from Qualcomm.  And we continue to custom build these technologies in-house so they can be fully tailored and tightly integrated with the entire system.  This level of customization enables the Snapdragon experience—stunning performance and extreme battery life.  The Snapdragon 800 processors will enable the newest mobile experience with a cutting edge feature set that includes:

• Quad Core Krait 400 CPU—speeds up to 2.3 GHz, per core
• Adreno 330 GPU—featuring patented Flex Render Technology and leading edge API’s that are designed to expand the use of GPU processing for general computing and other SoC tasks, the Adreno 330 GPU offers a 2 times better compute performance than Adreno 320 
• 2x32bit LPDDR3 RAM at 800MHz – with industry-leading memory bandwidth of 12.8GBps.
• 4G LTE Cat 4 and 802.11ac—these connectivity options offer blazing fast, seamless connectivity with cellular modem boasting data rates up to 150 Mbps and 802.11ac at speeds up to 1 Gbps.
• UltraHD—video can be captured, played back and displayed in UltraHD (previously called “4K.”)  The resolution has four times as many pixels as 1080p. (1920x 1080 versus  4096 × 2304)
• HD Audio—support for DTS-HD, Dolby Digital Plus and 7.1 surround sound.
• Dual Image Signal Processors (ISPs) up to 55MP – with support for up to four cameras and allows for 3D captures, photo merging into a master 55MPixel image, separate autofocus and captures, 1080p30 video captures.
• Overall Performance Boost—the Snapdragon 800 processor is expected to deliver up to 75% better performance than the Snapdragon S4 Pro.

Not only will you see this Snapdragon 800 processor in mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, but it will be featured in computing and consumer electronic devices such as Smart TVs and digital media adapters.  Snapdragon 800 processors are sampling now and expected to be available in commercial devices by mid-2013

Samsung announces Exynos 5 Octa, an A15 and A7 hybrid SoC

Samsung isn't done with CES 2013. We just got the company's latest and without a doubt most exiting announcement yet - the Exynos 5 Octa chipset.
It brings 8 processor cores, which distribute the work load among each other. Four Cortex-A15 cores ensure incredible performance while the other four are low-power Cortex-A7s that kick in for the less demanding tasks and save battery power.
The chipset is based on ARM's big.LITTLE tech, which ensures that you will always get enough performance without having to deal with terrible battery life.
Samsung promises up to 70% lower power consumption compared to the Exynos 5 Dual, which is powering the Google Nexus 10 tablet and the latest Chromebook by Samsung.
The Exynos 5 Octa could posses as much as twice the 3D rendering prowess of the Exynos 4 Quad, which is found in the Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III.
There's no official word yet on which devices are going to use the new Exynos 5 Octa .

STE unveils NovaThor L8580 chipset with quad-core A9 CPU

After Samsung unveiled its latest and greatest Exynos 5 Octa chipset, NVIDIA announced Tegra 4 and Qualcomm lifted the curtain of its newest Krait-powered Snapdragon 600 and 800 series SoCs, it's now ST-Ericsson's turn to stand in the spotlight. The company just announced its latest NovaThor chipset - the L8580.

It comes with a low-power eQuad processor with four Cortext-A9 cores, clocked at up to 2.5 GHz, the PowerVR SGS544 GPU and the ability to go low-power and run at 0.6V.
The NovaThor L8580 can deal with 1080p video and support display resolutions of up to 1920 x 1200 pixels. 20MP primary cameras and 5 MP secondary ones are allowed too and there's built-in LTE HSPA+, TD-SCDMA and EDGE radios. 3D reproduction and capture is also on board if that's your thing.
The ST-Ericsson L8580 chipset should allow the creation of affordable mid-range devices with excellent processing power and good battery life. The top shelf smartphones and tablets will move on to Cortex-A15 architecture this year, but there's plenty of ground below them for the NovaThor L8580 to cover.

Gigabyte reveals pair of Windows 8 tablets at CES

Gigabyte is boarding the the Windows 8 tablet train, unveiling two tablets at CES for both work and play.
The star is Gigabyte's S1185 tablet, an 11.6-inch tablet with an HD IPS display supporting 1080p powered by a third generation Intel Ivy Bridge processor and supporting up to a 256GB solid state drive.
The S1185 has a kickstand and can connect to an optional keyboard dock to take advantage of Windows 8 Pro's desktop mode, but the tablet also features an "optical finger navigation" sensor. The sensor is a small circle on the right side of the tablet, when held in landscape orientation, which allows for mouse control similar to a miniature trackpad.
Shutterbugs can use either the 5-megapixel rear camera or the 1.3 front-facing camera, and it comes packed with a wide range of ports including VGA, HDMI, both USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports, and an SD card slot along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a 3.5G WWAN antenna.

Samsung S9 Ultra HD TV

Samsung released an 85-inch ultra-HDTV, the S9 at CES 2013. The 4K UHD TV, Samsung claims, is one inch beyond competitive TV sets complete with features to ensure the best picture quality possible regardless of video source.

The S9 features Samsung’s proprietary up-scaling engine that can up-convert HD or Full-HD to UHD-level picture quality by restoring detail information for a more life-like detailing. The high-end TV uses ‘Precision Black Pro’ to deliver colour precise display, “deep, real blacks as well as pure vivacious whites,” says the press release.

The S9 provides extremely high contrast ratio Ultimate Dimming control functionality, which utilises hundreds of blocks of LEDs, and precise BLU control to deliver sharp resolutions that Samasung claims has never been seen on large format displays before.

The monster 85-inch Samsung S9 UHD TV
The S9 comes with 3-way 2.2 channels of 120 watt sound for a rich audio experience, which, according to Samsung, is six times better than a typical TV and provides a dynamic range of sounds to complement the UHD picture. Like most Samsung TVs expected in 2013, the S9 will combine a quad-core processor, voice and gesture control and apps to make TV viewing a fast and relaxed exercise.

The most striking feature of the S9 that has drawn mixed reviews though is its frame design. The design called the ‘Timeless Gallery’ is supposed to make the Samsung S9, “appear to be floating within its frame and showcase the juxtaposition of a minimalist concept with such a large display.” Unfortunately, the design only draws attention to the TV poised at an awkward stance.

There has been no word on pricing or when the S9 will start shipping, but Samsung is promising to launch a 95 and 110-inch version before the year end.

Power VR series 6 mobile GPU introduced at CES

Imagination technologies, the company behind the Power VR range of mobile GPUs, have announced the PowerVR series 6 GPU at the International Consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. The series 6 has not been unveiled entirely, as the demo unit at the company’s booth itself is a FPGA board with limited 1Gbps bandwidth, which is supposedly one tenth of the GPU’s actual performance numbers.
The series 6 GPU, which is still kept under wraps will be having all sorts of new features with respect to the APIs, feature sets  and what not, and certainly a lot of improvement to the performance as well. The PowerVR series 6 GPUs are initially meant to be installed in LG 4k TVs, presumably driving those high resolution displays. The mass manufacturing has been given a go by LG, being Imagination technologies’ first partner for the Series 6 GPU.
Imagination also announced that they are updating their current feature set for the Series 5XT range of mobile GPUs that are almost ubiquitous in the mobile world. The new update will bring all the new APIs that are being released for the series 6 GPUs making it even better than before. Imagination claims that all these new APIs and features will be enabling a tremendous amount of new stuff for the series 5XT GPUs and hopes to please the developers developing for it.

LG's GA7900

LG also unveiled the GA7900 today during their press conference. This is one of seven new Google TVs the company is showing off at CES this year, but it's the most high-end of the models.
The TV works with a Bluetooth remote that has a keyboard on the back. What's more, couch potatoes don't have to life a finger to change the channel. The GA7900 also offers voice control to search for a program.

Panasonic's clever Smart TV

Panasonic gave CES attendees a peek at their new flagship plasma TV, the ZT60, which includes some impressive new features such as a web-browser, three HDMIs, three USB ports, wireless LAN and Viera screen tech.
Other specs include the standard 1080p resolution, 2D-3D conversion, and active shutter 3D.
Panasonic mentioned that the ZT60, along with a few new models, will be available next month. But they didn't give us any specifics on a release date or price.

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 rolled out it's new Envy 27 monitor

HP rolled out it's new Envy 27 monitor at CES, which will offer built in speakers with Beats Audio.
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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).

LG's 55-incher, we've its since topped

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).

Intel introduces a new mobile processor

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.
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.

Ballmer and Seacrest present at CES 2012

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.

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.

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.
 The company would demonstrate the toughness of the Gorilla Glass 3 and also showcase the benefits of Corning Gorilla Glass in larger format, multi-touch displays. The Corning Gorilla Glass 3 would be tougher than the earlier versions with Native Damage Resistance (NDR), 40 percent improvement in scratch resistance and is also expected to be more slimmer. The company would also unveil Thunderbolt Optical Cable at the event next week.

Acer

We have plenty of evidence to believe that Acer has a new, low-end tablet in stock. The Acer Iconia B1, as it is called, is a 7-inch slate sporting a modest 1.2GHz processor and a 1024 by 600 pixel screen. Yeah, its specs sheet won't make any jaws drop, but the price will surely draw in some customers. Rumor has it that the Acer Iconia B1 will be sold for as little as $99, which is a killer price no matter how you look at it.

But in addition to that, Acer might also bring a couple of smartphones to CES 2013. These are the Acer V350 and V360, both running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The former is clearly more capable than the latter as it is equipped with a dual-core Snapdragon S4 chip and a 720p screen. The Acer V360, on the other hand, has to offer a 4.5-inch qHD display, dual-core 1GHz processor, and a 5-megapixel main camera.

Sony

That Sony is working on several new Android smartphones is anything but a secret. What we don't yet know, however, is whether the Japanese company will make them official during CES 2013, or will bring them forth a month later at MWC. Either way, what's in stock, according to leaks and speculations, is the 5-inch monsterphone known as the "Yuga", alongside the equally potent "Odin" and the mid-range "HuaShan" Android smartphones. The first two handsets supposedly come with 1080p screens and Exmor RS cameras, while the specs of the latter are expected to be significantly inferior, although no exact details about it have been revealed yet.

  Asus

If rumors are to be trusted, Asus will bring a couple of 7-inch tablets to CES 2013, alongside the rest of its flashy gadgets. One of them – the Asus ME172V, is expected to be an extremely affordable Android slate with pretty modest hardware specs, such as a 7-inch 1024 by 600 pixel display and a low-end processor made by VIA. Sure, it doesn't sound too impressive, but what is expected to make the ME172V grab consumers' attention is its price tag of about $130 or so.

The rumored Asus ME371MG might also make an appearance at CES 2013, and what makes it special is that it has an Atom processor running inside it. Its 7-inch IPS display has a resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels, and a 3-megapixel camera is said to be also on board. It is believed that the device might go on sale for under $250.

LG

Recent leaks indicate that LG has a new high-end Android device in the making, packed with a 1080p display measuring 5 inches and powered by a Snapdragon S4 Pro chip. Judging by what we know about the device so far, it will most likely be offered through AT&T in the U.S. Its release date isn't known yet, but an announcement during CES 2013 isn't out of the question. Could that be the rumored LG Optimus G2?

What we're also hoping to hear more about during the event is the new lineup of SoCs that LG will soon bring to the market. The chips, based on Cortex-A15 processors paired with Mali-T604 graphics, will be used to power not only mobile devices, but also smart TVs and presumably other gadgets.

NVIDIA

NVIDIA has announced Tegra 4 processor for smartphones and tablets that has 72 GPUs cores and 4 ARM A15 CPU cores at CES 2013. It also comes with an optional 4G LTE chipset. NVIDIA is calling it the fastest mobile processor in the world. The Tegra 4 tablet takes 24 seconds to load 25 unique web pages, twice faster than the Nexus 10 that has a dual-core A15 CPU. The Tegra 4 slide leaked last month revealing the features.
It is developed using a new 28nm manufacturing process, rather than the 40nm manufacturing process in the Tegra 3. This offers less power consumption and better heat dissipation. It is based on the same 4-PLUS-1 technology, but has second-generation battery saver core for low power during standard use. If consumes 45 percent less power than its predecessor, Tegra 3. The PRISM 2 Display technology reduces backlight power while delivering superior visuals. Tegra 4 also has 4K ultra-high-definition video support.

Tegra 3 has HDR feature in the imaging pipeline, where the chip’s processor does all the work in real-time making the Always-on HDR Camera possible. It offers HDR videos, HDR One Shot, HDR Flash and HDR Burst shots. It can also capture HDR Panorama shots, strobe motion, 3D reconstruction shots and object tracking.
 NVDIA has also announced Icera i500 processor, which runs 3G and 4G along with voice and can do 1.2 trillion operations per second. It is 40% smaller than the current Icera modems. It would sample the i500 modem starting this month.



HTC & NVIDIA

The quad-core Tegra 4 chip by NVIDIA is expected to launch commercially in Q1 of 2013, so an announcement during CES in January seems highly plausible. With its four Cortex-A15 cores and 72 GPU cores, the new SoC should be several times more powerful than its predecessor without taking a toll on battery life. The question is, however, what device the potent piece of silicon will debut in.

Sources from the far East claim that HTC will be the first manufacturer with Tegra 4 hardware on the market, but whether that will be a tablet or a smartphone remains unclear. We've been hearing rumors about a phone called the HTC M7, which is supposed to be the maker's flagship for Q1 of 2013 with its 1080p screen and all, but that device is said to be powered by a Qualcomm S4 Pro chip. That's why seeing the Tegra 4 inside of an HTC tablet isn't out of the question, even though the company's previous offerings didn't do very well on the market. And speaking of tablets, HTC is said to be preparing two of them – a 7-inch and a 12-inch slates running Windows RT. But who knows, and Android tablet may be in HTC's plans as well, although that could only be wishful thinking. Hopefully, we'll get to learn more about these smartphones and tablets at CES 2013.

Samsung

Samsung is now ready to alter its identity in order to be perceived as a global company, rather than a Korean one. A new logo is also to be introduced.And the chance to show off its bendy AMOLED screens, among which this time may be a 5.5-inch panel with 1280 by 720 pixels of resolution. And speaking of smartphone screens, it is rumored that a non-bendy, Super AMOLED display with Full HD resolution may make an appearance. That's 1920 by 1080 pixels across 5-inches of screen real estate for you! And that's a pretty big deal because until recently, AMOLED technology didn't allow such high pixel densities, but it seems like Samsung has already figured out how to pack the dots closer together. If the rumors are to be trusted, this panel is going to land on the Samsung Galaxy S IV, which is likely to be announced in Q2 of 2013.