One week from today will be Christmas Day. A lot of presents will have arrived containing some technology, whether its toys for young children or toys for the bigger kids who like things like big-screen TVs and smart phones. 

Still wondering what to get? According to gift comments on blogs monitored by Nielsen Online, 52 per cent of bloggers are talking about TVs, almost one-quarter mention DVD players, toys, laptops and GPS, which is mentioned by only by four per cent of blogs.

The Consumer Electronics Association, the people who host the world’s biggest consumer electronics show (CES), they say growth of sales will be in video gaming (up six per cent), digital cameras (up seven per cent) and GPS (up 30 per cent).

Now as for CES, once again it is in Las Vegas and runs Jan. 8 to 11. Nearly 3,000 exhibitors and 130,000 visitors are expected from around the world.

Everything you can imagine is on display, but areas expected to be big include entertainment for inside the car. Home theatre/audio/video continue as a perennial favourite and this year wireless technology for the home will be a big attraction; in fact, wireless in general will get a lot of attention. Several cell phone companies will be trotting out the latest phones … though several of them have already been released in Europe and Asia.

In addition to showing off tech products, the show features a global collection of experts who will lay out their vision of the industry in 2009. The industry is still predicting a global sales figure in 2008 of $700 billion … that would be a growth rate of 16 per cent.  The world’s economic slowdown may well put a dent in that optimism.

There is also a special focus on baby boomers and technology to help them enjoy their greying years, and a full day will be devoted to children and technology, both the good and the bad influences of tech, and then a day of discussions on how technology can be a driver to boost developing economies.

I’ll have more on CES in columns in the New Year. My next column will be on Jan. 8, 2009. All the best of the Christmas season to you and yours and a very Happy New Year!

Rather than a website recommendation this week … an invitation to send me an e-mail suggesting topics you would like to see in this column. Reach me at technow@ctv.ca.

This Sunday one of the stories on TECH NOW will be advice on buying a computer.

– Be sure to watch Tech Now this Sunday as part of the CTV NEWS at 6 p.m.