3D TV steals the show as Consumer Electronics Show begins in Las Vegas

The Consumer Electronics Show is one of the most anticipated events of the year for the tech industry, and this year is no exception with the release of 3D televisions by leading manufacturers stealing the show.

Announcements from Microsoft regarding a tablet device, along with the release of gadgets from a variety of smaller players including handsets, iPhone and iPod accessories and laptop devices, are also expected in the next few days.

While the conference has only been operating for one day, the biggest announcements have so far been from manufacturer LG which launched a variety of 3D devices.

In the first press conference of the Las Vegas-based event, LG said it would be launching 3D LCD and plasma televisions, along with a projector. The company said its 47-inch and 55-inch sets would carry the technology.

The company said its full HD monitors with 3D would deliver an enhanced picture quality unavailable on other technology, and expects to sell about 400,000 of the sets in 2010. That number is expected to climb in 2011 with the company predicting 3.4 million 3D sets to be sold.

The announcement came as sports broadcaster ESPN said it would launch a 3D television network in the US this year, planning at least 85 life sporting events for the first 12 months of the network’s operation to be shown in 3D.

Meanwhile, Sony and IMAX also announced they would be entering a joint venture to “develop the first 24/7 dedicated 3D television network”.

The launch of 3D-capable technology has been prompted by a number of films, specifically James Cameron’s recent blockbuster “Avatar”, and games which have been produced in 3D.

Samsung also announced a range of 3D sets, including some sets no thicker than a pencil – about 8.4 millimetres. In a press conference with DreamWorks Animation chief executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, the company announced a number of devices to go alongside the sets, including a 3D compatible Blu-Ray player.

Toshiba announced the launch of a television set known as the “Cell TV”, which can upgrade 2D signals into 3D, and comes in 55-inch and 65-inch models. It is also expected Sony and Panasonic will deliver more details about their 3D strategies in the next few days as the conference continues.

Along with 3D-capability, both Panasonic and LG have announced new internet-enabled televisions which will allow users to make free voice and video calls through VoIP service Skype.

Users will be able to plug in webcams into their televisions, which will allow them to have voice and video conversations from a considerable distance away. Skype chief executive Josh Silverman said the development of the TV sets came after users “expressed a desire to communicate with their friends and family from somewhere comfortable”.

Elsewhere, Hewlett-Packard announced the launch of its first touch-enabled Notebook, with the Mini 4102 taking advantage of the same technology used to run touch-screen enabled Windows 7 computers.

However, it is suspected the company, along with Microsoft, will be releasing a tablet PC as early as this afternoon AEST. This comes ahead of a suspected tablet announcement by Apple towards the end of this month.

Other announcements from handset manufacturers are expected, with the launch of several new smartphones from Shapiro, Dell and Motorola anticipated by analysts. Following the launch of Google’s Nexus One yesterday, it is suspected some manufactures will be rolling out Android-based handsets.

But the conference also features a number of smaller companies releasing quirky and odd gadgets, including:

• A large TV contained within a stuffed polar bear, released by Hannspree.
• An iPhone dock resembling a clock with roman numerals.
• An iPhone and iPod dock in the shape of an older-style gramophone.
• USB sticks in the shape of wine corks.
• A “pocket radar” which measures the speed of any moving object.