Apple appeals denial of product ban in Samsung patent case

The Samsung Galaxy S II Android mobile phone was one of the devices Apple motioned to have Samsung blocked from selling.

Apple has appealed a federal judge's denial of its request to ban 26 Samsung products that were part of a sweeping patent infringement case it won in August. 

In that case, a jury awarded Apple $1 billion after finding that Samsung had violated several mobile-related patents held by Apple. Following that verdict, Apple had asked the judge to increase the size of the awards, as well as permanently ban the 26 Samsung products in question. 

PHOTOS: Devices in the Apple Samsung trial

But in December, Judge Lucy Koh denied Apple's motion to block the sale of the smartphones — including the Fascinate, Epic 4G and Galaxy S II. 

Koh wrote in her decision that Apple had failed to make the case that the features covered by the patents played a decisive role in consumers' purchase decisions. In addition, she wrote that such a ban would unfairly deprive consumers of the right to buy the Samsung products. 

On Jan. 3, Apple's attorneys filed a notice with the U.S. District Court in San Jose that they had appealed Koh's ruling on the product ban with the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C.

Samsung is also expected to appeal the jury's verdict, but has not yet done so.

READ MORE AT: http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-apple-appeals-denial-of-product-ban-in-samsung-patent-case-20130115,0,4451226.story

Technology trends in 2013

Trends to watch at CES 2013

The annual Consumer Electronics Show, when tech companies gather in Las Vegas to show off their biggest, boldest ideas of the year, is set to open the second week of January. The show has lost some of its cachet in recent years, particularly withformer headliner Microsoft opting to stop its traditional keynotes. But it is still a key place to see what smartphone makers, television companies and automakers are forecasting for the future of technology. Here are five trends to watch at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.

Connected cars: Audi, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia and Subaru are among the top automakers making appearances at this year’s show.

“Cars are becoming rolling computers,”said Tom Coughlin, a consumer electronics consultant and member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. It’s not simply that cars are becoming more technologically advanced, with richer sensors and better data, he said, but they’re also working more closely with existing gadgets that consumers are already carrying. “Cars are a mobile application platform; let’s start configuring them in the way I want them to be.”

Higher hi-def: There’s always a push to make high-definition screens even better, and this year is no different. Tech trend watchers are expecting to see high-definition televisions get even clearer, sharper and more accessible to the general public. The screen resolution on cellphones is also expected to get better, particularly as the screens creep up and over the 5-inch range.

Coughlin said he expects screens on laptops, computers and other devices to continue getting sharper while manufacturers also figure out how to have these screens use less energy overall.

Video on demand: Samsung has already made clear that it’s planning to do something big in television, which is generally seen as the area of consumer electronics that’s most ripe for innovation and disruption. A teaser on Samsung’s “Tomorrow” blog hinted at a television with “unprecedented new TV shape and timeless design,” the Verge reported.

Whether it’s set-top boxes or smart TVs that offer more a la carte programming, consumers have made it clear that they want greater control over what they’re watching. Large companies such as Google and Microsoft have jumped into the space with their own offerings through Google TV and the Xbox Live service. Consumers should expect to see more on-demand video integration than ever at this year’s show.

Gesture control: Technology companies are also looking for more intuitive ways for users to interact with their gadgets, putting aside the remote control in favor of something that won’t get lost in the couch cushions — your body.

EyeSight, an Israeli-based company that works on motion control, is particularly interested in bringing down the scale of gesture control.

“These are not shoulder-level hand motions,” said EyeSight Marketing Director, Liat Rostock. “It’s all down to the wrist level...down to the resolution of the fingertip.”

EyeSight is already putting some of its technology in the laptops and televisions of major manufacturers, and saving some money by building their technology directly into the devices rather than adding the features on as accessories.

Competition for digital advertising: While CES is mostly about the gadgets, content is important at the show as well. One of the companies rumored to be making a big splash at this year’s show is Yahoo. The company is reportedly looking to make a name for itself at this year’s show under the new leadership of chief executive officer Marissa Mayer. According to a report from All Things Digital, Mayer is going to work on building up partnerships with companies who may be looking at competitors such as Google, Facebook and AOL.

Aakash Tablet is making wonders

Aakash maker Datawind becomes the third largest tablet seller in India

BANGALORE: British-hardware manufacturer Datawind, also the maker of Indian government's low-cost tablet Aakash, emerged as a surprise candidate to become the third largest tablet seller, according to latest data from technology market researcher Cybermedia Research.

During the July-September period, Datawind that has been facing criticism for missing deadlines to deliver the Rs 2,263 Aakash to government, had about 12% market share in India's tablet market, according to cybermedia. This does not include its sale of Aakash tablets to the government.

New technology in mobile world

New software turns smartphones into versatile keys

Berlin, Jan 6 (IANS) You can open doors using an application, but the technology is still a long way from gaining widespread acceptance.

German researchers have now developed a piece of software that will make smartphone technology even more secure, versatile and acceptable.

Thanks to ShareKey, digital keys can be transferred by e-mail using a smartphone.

Fraunhofer SIT (secure information technology) smartphones and tablets have become an integral part of our daily lives, according to a Fraunhofer statement.

ShareKey sends electronic keys directly to the user's mobile phone, in the form of a QR code attached to an e-mail or MMS

"In essence, ShareKey offers two new functions: users can issue digital keys remotely and assign these keys certain user permissions," explained Alexandra Dmitrienko from the SIT, associated with the project.

"For instance, I can grant the building superintendent access to my apartment for a short period so that he can open the door for the gas meter to be read while I'm at work," he said.

"The solution is built around modern security technologies and can be easily integrated into existing access control systems," said Dmitrienko.

At this year's CeBIT trade fair in Hannover from March 5 to 9, Fraunhofer SIT researchers will be demonstrating their ShareKey software, a solution which will make the key app concept even more versatile and secure.

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 onwebOS.

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.

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.

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 7th. 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 8devices? A Microsoft Surface Pro running Windows 8? Its all in the realm of possibility.

Via Venturebeat

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'sSurface.

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.

We might see the Tegra 3's successor at CES 2013

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.

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-up-man ship 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.

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).

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), keeping them firmly in Donald Trump and Richard Branson territory.

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 reportedlypreparing 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 Jan. 9.

World's largest TV from Samsung

World's largest Ultra HD TV from Samsung

Can you say "whoa?" Samsung is about to set mouths agape with an 85-inch Ultra HD LED TV, "the world's largest commercialized UHD LED TV."

The company made the over eight million pixel tube official Nov. 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

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 4.5-inch display that recently leaked online.

• Read more about what we can expect from Huawei's Ascend W1

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

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

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 7 inches, 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 13.3-inch 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.

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

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 5.5-inch 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 55-inch 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 5-inch 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 Dec. 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 110-inch 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 5-inch handset would be called.

The ZTE Grand S is set to debut Jan. 8 at 1:30 p.m., bringing the company's first FHD smartphone and, according to the press blurb, "the world's thinnest for 5 inch 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 85-inch 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, theDroid 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 HTCWindows Phone 8 devices was leaked, the headliner being the 4.7-inchHTC 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 5-inch flagship device.

If these leaks have any merit, big handsets would seem to be a running theme for HTC. After the iPhone went over 4-inches, everyone seems to be upsizing. Maybe this is HTC's new angle after it bowed out of the US tablet market?

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 5-inch 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

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 5.5-inch 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 55-inch 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

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

New Google TV sets by LG

This is more of a "100% 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 60-inches, while the GA7900 will come in 47- and 55-inch 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

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

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 22-inches 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

Out-of-the-box TV design from Samsung

Samsung is playing a mean wait-and-see game when it comes to it's CES announcements, teasing Dec. 31 that the "true innovation" in TV is coming to Las Vegas sometime between Jan. 8 and Jan. 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

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 a thin bezeled phone that could very well be the Optimus G2. The phone should be a 5-inch follow up to the Optimus G, packing a 1920 x 1080 resolution with 440 ppi.

• Read about LG's Optimus G2 tease

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.

• Read more about Gorilla Glass 3

Fujifilm X-Pro1

Fujifilm's first compact system is a triumph. The redesigned sensor on theFujifilm X-Pro1 uses a new colour filter array, inspired by traditional film cameras. The sensor is powered by a brand new EXR processor and Fujifilm has incorporated the combined electronic and optical viewfinder it first outed on the FinePix X100 model.

Voice/motion control

With Kinect heading to Windows and Siri presumably destined for an Apple TV, CE companies are keen to add gesture control and voice commands to their next-gen telly boxes. Samsung and LG have both demonstrated the technology at this year's CES. The days of the old IR remote control could be numbered.