THE CONSUMER Electronics Show (CES), the world's biggest technology trade show, opens in Las Vegas this evening Irish time, with 3D television, e-book readers and touchscreen tablet computers set to be the new products that attract most attention, writes JOHN COLLINSin Las Vegas

Just over 100,000 people are expected to descend on Nevada for the show, which runs until Sunday. They are coming to see the latest gadgets from 2,500 exhibitors who will display an estimated 20,000 products. All the big names of the technology world including Sony, Microsoft, Samsung, Panasonic and Toshiba are in attendance.

In the early hours of this morning, Microsoft’s chief executive Steve Ballmer will kickstart proceedings with a keynote presentation that has been delivered by himself or Microsoft founder Bill Gates for almost 20 years. With no major product announcements in the pipeline this year, other than an upgrade to its Office productivity software, there is much speculation about what Ballmer is likely to focus on. Many industry watchers expect him to expand on Project Natal, the company’s technology for controlling the Xbox games console using a player’s hands, head and eye movements rather than with a controller or joystick.

While 3D television was a major focus of CES in 2009, the difference this year is that the big manufacturers such as Sony, Panasonic, Samsung and Mitsubishi have products ready to hit the shops.

Even in the US this summer’s football World Cup in South Africa is set to be a 3D TV showcase, with ESPN announcing plans for 3D broadcast, while Discovery, Sony and Imax have said they will launch a 3D cable channel in the US by year-end. Sky will launch a service in Ireland this year.

3D-capable sets are not expected to cost significantly more than current high-definition models but viewers will also need to buy special polarised 3D viewing glasses.

It is expected that Apple, a notable absentee from CES, will launch a touchscreen tablet at the end of the month that may have e-book reading capabilities. A large number of companies are announcing products and technology for this emerging category of portable products and CES has a dedicated zone for e-book manufacturers. The new crop of portable tablets has screens of 8-15in, wireless connections and will access a range of web-based applications. There is speculation that Ballmer may even show off a Microsoft tablet, codenamed Courier, this morning.

An interesting feature of this year’s event is that a record 330 new companies are exhibiting. Much of the innovation on show may come from these smaller companies rather than the established players, many of whom are playing it relatively safe in the face of the recession.

French firm Parrot has already impressed the world’s press with its AR.Drone, a four-propeller flying helicopter that can be controlled wirelessly with an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch. With the tagline “when video games become reality”, Parrot is opening up the system so that third parties will develop games using the drone.

Other areas that start-ups are focusing on include wireless charging for phones and media players, as well as set-top boxes that allow web services such as YouTube and Flickr to be viewed on your television.

The consumer electronics industry is in much better mood than last year, when the recession cast a shadow over the event. Worldwide sales fell 2 per cent last year with the US market particularly badly hit, according to research from the Consumer Electronics Association, organisers of CES. New figures suggest global revenues this year will be flat at $681 billion (€473 billion).