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Friday Poll: What brought the heat at CES 2014?

Wearables, home automation, 4K everywhere, and more: what's your final takeaway from this year's tech-stravaganza?

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Eric Mack Contributing Editor
Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is ericcmack@protonmail.com.
Expertise Solar, solar storage, space, science, climate change, deregulated energy, DIY solar panels, DIY off-grid life projects. CNET's "Living off the Grid" series. https://www.cnet.com/feature/home/energy-and-utilities/living-off-the-grid/ Credentials
  • Finalist for the Nesta Tipping Point prize and a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Eric Mack
Wearables could be one of the lasting trends from CES 2014. Josh Miller/CNET

CES 2014 is winding down, and it's been full of strange moments, celebrity appearances, and an unrelenting march of new Ultra HD and/or curved televisions.

Over the course of the week, some clear trends emerged at this annual tech takeover of Las Vegas -- some we expected, while others were a bit more surprising. Wearable technologies like new smartwatches and activity trackers dominated the show (they must be able to multiply as quickly as rabbits... or Bluetooth speakers, which appeared this year with a level of ubiquity previously met only by iPhone cases).

Unsurprisingly, 4K televisionscould also be found everywhere, with a fair measure of curved screen displays thrown in to spice things up.

The less obvious trends emerged from a strong showing by the automotive folks, who presented an array of approaches to creating vehicles that are more connected to our digital lives (and our 4G networks), alongside a glimpse of our self-driving future.

Some interesting new trends in gaming also garnered attention this week as Steam Machines took over. We also saw home automation tech make a serious push after years of seemingly simmering on the back burner.

After following this year's show, which emerging tech trend will you be telling your friends and family about in the weeks to come? Take our poll and leave your comments below.