'4K' TVs to shine at electronics show
— -- At the annual Consumer Electronics Show, the gadget menagerie that returns to Las Vegas next week, it's the elephants that get the most attention. Bigger is always better, and there's nothing like a monster TV to draw a crowd of reporters and gawkers.
This year's star is likely to be an 84-inch television from LG that not only takes over a large wall, but that will also make the case for a new standard for high-resolution video images. Just when you got familiar with high-definition 3-D, here comes "Ultra Definition" 3-D.
The LG set joins a growing number of new TVs called 4K because they light up close to 4,000 pixels stretched horizontally across the screen. That produces a display resolution about four times greater than current HD sets.
Another advantage of 4K TV is that it lets you fine-tune 3-D to suit your vision.
That all sounds pretty sweet, but you don't need to start saving your pennies just yet. 4K is currently used only in high-end commercial projectors built by a few companies, including Sony and JVC. And there's no 4K source material or 4K DVD players available to the general public.
But that could change in a few years as more companies bring 4K sets to the market. Toshiba and Sharp are selling 55- and 60-inch 4K televisions in Japan, with price tags topping $10,000.
I'll learn more about 4K TV next week when I'll be reporting from the trade show and posting every day on the Gizmo Blog ( www.courier-journal.com/gizmoblog). Here are some of the other things I'll be looking for:
SKINNY COMPUTERS. Companies including Dell, HP and Lenovo will be showing new, super-thin Windows notebook computers designed to compete with Apple's slim MacBook Air.
TABLETS. Google's newest operating system, called Ice Cream Sandwich, made its debut last month on Samsung's new Galaxy Nexus phone. But the software will also be the foundation for a new generation of Android tablets.
POWER OPTIONS. Until manufacturers come up with better batteries for portable devices like mobile phones and tablets, consumers will welcome new ideas for recharging their gadgets. A company called Powertrekk plans to introduce a portable charger that gets its juice from a fuel cell.
HOME CONTROL. I expect to see a slew of new Internet-aware home products, such as refrigerators, thermostats, health monitors, even doorknobs. With built-in Wi-Fi, you will be able to unlock the front door and turn up the heat from your computer or mobile device.
GAMING GADGETS. Two new handheld gaming platforms will get some time in the spotlight at CES. Sony is expected to use the trade show to promote next month's U.S. launch of the PlayStation Vita, and Nintendo will show off its new Wii U console in private demos.
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E-mail Ric at ricman@courier-journal.com.