LAS VEGAS--Few tech industry professionals truly relish the annual trip here each January for the ritual that has become CES, the largest and most important event on the tech calendar. But this year, for the first time in awhile, they were able to get back to complaining about long cab lines and bad food rather than layoffs and budget cuts during their week in the desert.

"Double the energy and enthusiasm at CES compared with last two years," said NPD Group analyst Samir Bhavnani on his Twitter account Friday, summing up a week that lacked a signature announcement … Read more

For me, the essence of the four days I spent at CES can be boiled down to four booths with two competing personal computing dynamics: two of those booths represent the PC's future, two do not.

Here's the quickest way to make the point. Google's Android is the future and Microsoft Windows--let me put this delicately--is the present. More specifically: Motorola-Nvidia (Android) are on one side, and Microsoft-Intel (Windows) are on the other.

Motorola-Nvidia: The Motorola and Nvidia booths shouted future. Lots of Android tablets, high-end Android smartphones, and a very interesting Motorola technology called Atrix 4G. (… Read more

I have to admit, going into CES 2011, I found it difficult to garner excitement about the category for which I hold responsibility.

Before CES, I was reviewing what seemed like the same 23-inch LED-based monitor over and over again, with the odd large-screen IPS monitor thrown in every now and then to spice things up. Only, it was like adding half a teaspoon of salad dressing to a huge plate of cold, raw broccoli.

I definitely didn't expect to leave CES more excited about this category than I've ever been. Thankfully, for the sake of my mental … Read more

Even with all the laptops on display at CES 2011, it wasn't too hard to pick our favorites. We scoured the lineups from HP, Toshiba, Sony, and others, along with a few one-offs and prototypes from smaller companies, and selected the coolest laptops of CES

In order to make this list, a laptop had to feature either some interesting new technology, an excellent design, unique features, or a perfect combination of price and performance.

Check out the gallery below for pics and details of the coolest laptops from CES 2011, and leave us your picks for the best systems … Read more

LAS VEGAS--While 3D monitors have been around for a few years now, at CES 2011 we saw an even bigger 3D push than last year.

This week, both Samsung and LG introduced new 3D monitors, each using their own proprietary 3D technology, and now AOC has unveiled its 2436wz; a 23.6-inch monitor with 120Hz 3D support.

The monitor also includes VGA, DVI, and USB 2.0 ports.

No pricing or release date info has been confirmed yet by AOC.

LAS VEGAS--It appears the ultrathin monitor wars have begun. At CES this week, LG showed off its 0.28-inch thick E2290V monitor. And not to be outdone--or at least in an attempt to not be outdone--AOC revealed its i2352Fh monitor with a 0.37 profile length.

It is not quite as thin as LG's offering, but is still thinner than anything else we've yet seen in monitors.

The 23.6-inch AOC monitor is, however, wall-mountable--unlike the E2290V, as far as we could tell. Also, the AOC comes with two HDMI ports.

No pricing or release date info has … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Over the last few years, with the advent of LED backlighting technology, monitor panels have been on a hard-core diet or sorts, getting thinner and thinner. How thin you ask? How about a thinness of 0.28 inches?

This week at CES 2011, LG presented what may well be the thinnest monitor ever built. Hmmm, even using the word "built" seems to betray the sleek elegance this monitor conveys. "Forged" seems like a more appropriate term.

"Forged" seems even more appropriate when the E2290V's striking metallic-chrome chassis is revealed. Suffice it to … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Though a few years ago LED backlights were a fairly novel concept to most, today virtually every monitor vendor is pushing LED-based displays out the door.

That must make it difficult for one manufacturer's LED monitor to stand out from the rest. LG's current solution is Super LED. This feature can be found in its new line of LED monitors that, according to the company, use 25 percent less power when Super LED mode is activated.

When the low-power mode is activated, the monitor's backlight dims and the display's gain is adjusted. However, it's … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Coming into CES 2011, I was considering the possibility of seeing an IPS-based monitor with a WLED backlight and a thin profile. LG must have been reading my mind.

At CES this week, LG introduced the E70V series, IPS monitors targeted at gamers. Usually gaming monitors are made with TN panels, as that technology has a propensity to support fast gameplay with minimum input lag. Input lag is the difference in time it takes the monitor to respond to the last command from your input device, like a mouse or keyboard.

For most, input lag is undetectable--only the hardest … Read more