The Consumer Electronics Show has just wrapped up in Las Vegas earlier this week, and there have been some notable and exciting debuts for products coming in the near future. This year, we have seen some great new devices and gadgets from companies like Asus, Palm, Sony, and many other high-end manufacturers, and historically this trade show has been the place to introduce new revolutionary products to the press and public. For example, this show was the first to introduce the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) in 1985, the DVD in 1996, HD-TV in 1997, and Microsoft's XBox gaming system in 2001. This show has the background and significance for some big debuts, so let's take a look at what was at this year's expo.

-Asus: Eee Keyboard, New Home-Theater PC-

Asus, after getting a huge boost in funds and popularity recently from their Eee PC netbook series, is stretching into a couple of new territories, one of them being this new form of a home-theater PC. The Eee Keyboard looks like what you'd imagine it to be: literally a solid keyboard, but inside of it is an entire computer system, processor and all. A lot of the specific details, as in what processor and solid-state or hard-drive, are still in the dark, but the cool stuff is readily available: this computer connects wirelessly to a huge amount of displays beyond your usual computer monitor, including your high definition TV or a business-class projector for presentations on the go. Using a technology called Wireless HDMI this computer becomes very portable, and opens up a whole world of useful and practical possibilities. In addition to the wireless connection, the Eee Keyboard uses a five-inch display that functions as a touchscreen, which can be useful in a number of ways. For example, like a mouse in the common desktop configuration, or a number-pad in a full-size keyboard, too.
Details like pricing, release date, or anything else aren't available yet, and the device that was shown at CES was a concept. However, Asus commented to Engadget bloggers that the Eee Keyboard will be going into production. I hope that we see and hear more about it later this year (hoping for a 2009 release!).

-Sony: the Vaio P, Diamond in the Rough-

Sony finally got to show off their new ultra-portable/netbook device, the Vaio P, for themselves after it's been ogled and spied at from end to end in recent weeks. The Vaio P is a miniaturized notebook with a unique extended widescreen size and aspect ratio (2.08:1, 1600x768), it's only one-inch thick and one of it's key points in the press materials is that it fits inside a jacket pocket for easy carry-around business use. Although, as Engadget's Joshua Topolsky had demonstrated with gadget-fanatic and famous comedian Jimmy Fallon, it takes some practice for it to go smoothly. Further details will reveal that the processor is an Intel Atom, a couple of drive options include a 60GB hard drive and a more expensive 128GB solid-state disk, 2GB of RAM, and a really cool simplified instant-on operating system that allows you to do daily-use activities very quickly, including web browsing. While most of that is truly impressive, the Intel Atom is the weakness in an otherwise perfect device.
The pricing is set at a premium and starts at $900 with Vista Home Basic and the 60GB hard drive, with four more options that change with what storage alternatives are available. The high-end 128GB solid-state disk rings in at $1,500. The initial hands on reviews are overly favorable for this new device, but some are skeptical and withhold a full opinion until they have a chance for prolonged use.

-Palm: Don't Call it a Comeback, “Pre”-

This is a product with a back story that deserves a screenplay or something close to it. Palm has been on the ropes for months, with stocks declining and their product line aging against popular competitors like the Apple's iPhone. With literally no teasing or leaking of information about this new smart phone, the Pre, Palm seems to have just about done the impossible and came out swinging at this year's CES.
The Pre is a smart phone smaller in size than the iPhone, uses a smaller screen with the same resolution (480x320) that uses multi-touch functions similar to the iPhone, but has a few new features that the competition can't match. In addition to a slide-out physical QWERTY keyboard there is an area below in between the screen and keyboard that's touch-sensitive, too. Dubbed the “gesture area”, you can page back and forth through your contacts, web-pages, or apps, or return to a home screen with the touch of a button.
The software side of this device is even more impressive. Running an new operating system based on Linux, called WebOS, features like multi-tasking are available with a speed that seems equal to or possibly faster than major competitors. This OS operates like a card deck, where each card is a different application or process running on the phone, and you can flip from app to app and even rearrange them in any order you'd like; this process appears very easy and intuitive to use. The phone is fitted with an accelerometer which allows it to operate like the iPhone: when you tilt the phone sideways, the page you're viewing expands and re-aligns itself with your perspective. Another unique feature is wireless charging, which is available through an accessory from Palm. This happens through a charging station that resembles a tilted puck on your desk. You can place the phone on the dock, which is held in place by magnets, and the battery is charged through that physical connection. Otherwise, you'd charge your phone through a USB port on the phone.
Other features like a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash and a removable battery help finish out this new smart phone. As of now, this phone has only one size available (8GB), and pricing is still unclear. However, we do know that the phone will be available exclusively through Sprint, and a 3G version will be sold alongside a EV-DO Rev. A version.
Although Palm still has a far way to go to bring itself back up to where it once was as a smart phone provider, this product debut is the best step in that direction.