The (almost) ABC of CES 2009

What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, at least when it comes to CES 2009. We've been bringing you all the news you need to hear as the world's technorati spent a wild week in Sin City. Now we've got our breath back, massaged our expense claims and nursed our hangovers, it's time to look back over what went down, with our (nearly) ABC of CES 2009.

A is for announcements. All the major manufacturers -- and lots of minor players -- showed up, with the launch of new products from Dick Tracy tech to tiny projectors to extreme memory cards to Sony's not-a-netbook to blinkin' mind control!

B is for Blu-ray. Panasonic gave us awayday Blu-ray, while Sony wheeled out Toy Story helmer John Lasseter to ensmuggen proceedings in Blu-ray's first anniversary of the decisive blow in the format war with HD DVD at last year's CES.

C is for CNET. As always, CNET entertained the masses with live podcasts, discussions and even the odd quiz. Meanwhile, your 'umble Cravers Reid, Morris and Trenholm scoured the show for the best bits, while Cravers Lim and Lanxon held the fort back at Crave Towers.

Take a look at our photos as we cast an eye back over the show.

D is for 3D. Whether it was 3D displays or funny glasses, CES 2009 didn't disappoint in the third dimension. Every year, at every show, 3D is hotly tipped. But with big hitters such as Dreamworks' Jeffrey Katzenberg spreading the word, could it be that 3D is finally set to live up to the promise?

F is for famous people. Sony wheeled out Tom Hanks and Usher among others. Stevie Wonder punted tech for the blind, Diana Ross shilled for, er, cabling, and Wilmer Valderrama and Randy Couture were selling Lord knows what. We spotted a thoroughly lost Robert Scoble and encountered Kid Rock in the gents. But all of these pale into insignificance, however, next to the magnificence that is Al off of Home Improvement.

G is for Guitar Hero. It seemed like every other stand was showing off its comfy chair, surround sound or fancy screen with this inexplicably popular music game or its rival Rock Band, complete with overweight long-hair plonked down showing off their fretwork.

H is for Hello Kitty. Of course. I is for iPhones. The geekerati got their gesture on this year, with the press room in particular packing more iPhones than a branch of Carphone Warehouse.

L is for ladies. While CES tends to shy away from scantily-clad booth babes, it's definitely an opportunity for inveterate geeks like us to talk to more ladies than we're used to. Casio took the award for the most spurious eye-candy, with these cheerleaders busting moves to show off the slow-motion Exilim FX1 and FH20.

M is for massage chairs. There were loads of them, for some reason. Sure, walking the floor can take it out of you -- but we took this picture on the first day!

O is for OLED. They were everywhere. Sadly, you still can't afford one. P is for porn stars. The AVN Adult Entertainment Expo takes place at the same time. Ohhh, so that's why Kid Rock was there! S is for Segways. There were a couple pootling about the show itself, but none were as funny as the renta-rozzer patrolling Caesar's Palace shopping mall. In slow motion.

T is for televisions. Really big televisions. U is for UK tech journalists. If any flights between Heathrow and Vegas ever go for a Burton into the Atlantic in the first week of January, you'll be back to getting your tech news from Ceefax.

W is for walking. To paraphrase Douglas Adams, CES is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemists, but that's just peanuts to CES.

X is for see you next year!