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Apps on TV, augmented-reality software stars of CES 2012

Televisions powered by software services, augmented-reality apps, a QWERTY killer, and one program that's presiding over the unholy matrimony of Android and Windows 8 are the big hits of CES 2012.

Seth Rosenblatt Former Senior Writer / News
Senior writer Seth Rosenblatt covered Google and security for CNET News, with occasional forays into tech and pop culture. Formerly a CNET Reviews senior editor for software, he has written about nearly every category of software and app available.
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Jaymar Cabebe Former Associate Editor
Jaymar Cabebe covers mobile apps and Windows software for CNET. While he may be a former host of the Android Atlas Weekly podcast, he doesn't hate iOS or Mac. Jaymar has worked in online media since 2007.
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Seth Rosenblatt
Jaymar Cabebe
3 min read
BlueStacks for Windows 8 scored a Best of CES Award in Software and Apps from CNET editors. CNET

Software is becoming a bigger part of CES, which is a bit ironic since Microsoft has begun to pull back its presence. CES 2012 saw the rise of familiar software names powering your living room TV, augmented-reality apps that created a new way to interact with the world around you, a stone-cold assassination attempt on the QWERTY keyboard, and a deft program that ports Android apps into Windows 8.

Let's start with BlueStacks for Windows 8, our Best of CES Award winner in the Software and Apps category. We first looked at a rough version of BlueStacks last year. Now, many of the kinks have been ironed out as it prepares to bring you the entire Android app catalog in Windows 8, complete with individual tiles for each app. Angry Birds Metro, anyone?

One of the most common questions that CNET readers ask is, "How the heck do I cut the cable TV cord and still watch my shows?" While there are numerous paths up that particular mountain, one new answer is to get a Web-enabled TV. We saw a smorgasbord of quality TVs powered by software at CES 2012, including a demo of Opera TV's new Web app store; BitTorrent-enabled TVs, media players, and set-top boxes; and the Lenovo K91 that will run Android's Ice Cream Sandwich. (There was also an Android TV by an outfit called Nyxio, although we didn't get a chance to see it.)