1. Here's The Plan

The 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, set to begin January 8 in Las Vegas, will seem subdued to those who have witnessed the conference in its excessive heyday. With economic doldrums as they are, we needn’t remind you that the consumer electronics business is hurting (we’ve all heard about Circuit City’s woes, and even Best Buy is in a slump).

CES itself will shrink—from 141,000 attendees last year, to 130,000, according to the Los Angeles Times. And reporters won’t have to traverse quite as many square feet as years past—1.7 million instead of 1.8 million last year (we doubt our aching feet will notice the difference).

Manufacturers will send fewer representatives, naturally—we are in a recession, people--but the numbers don’t tell the whole story. In fact, the Consumer Electronics Association is expecting the same number of exhibitors—2,700 companies—as years past.

But we’re more interested in what will—or won’t—come out of the show than in who exactly is showing up. The only missing person whose absence we’re bound to notice is Bill Gates. He gave his last keynote speech in 2008, and this year Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will aim to fill his shoes.

So, what crazy gear will companies be hawking on the show floor? All signs point to the fact that fewer companies will be participating in the noisy one-upsmanship and glitzy boasting that has led to monstrosities such as the 150-inch HDTV. 

While companies may not be shouting as loud as last year from the show floor to catch consumers’ attention and draw their eyes to ever larger, smaller, or otherwise extreme and superlative technologies, we’re starting to think that the softer din will make it easier for us to spot what’s really important at the show. 

Our coverage plan? We’re sending six people to Las Vegas to devote themselves all day, every day, to bringing you news, analysis, and photos of the most important hardware, software, and gadget updates from the Las Vegas Convention Center and Strip hotels. We’ll also be laying the groundwork necessary to help us get access to important product launch timelines and company strategies—in other words, we’ll be shaking a lot of hands.

Our CES epicenter will be here. Check back often for our latest articles.

We’ve already got an eye on some of the products and announcements that are likely to take place this week. Keep reading for a list of innovative tech we’ll be watching for and doing our best to get our hands on, and a list of over-hyped stuff that, frankly, makes us yawn.