Most Popular Gadgets of CES 2012

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is like Christmas in January for technology geeks. If you like having the latest cool gadgets for your home or office, the CES is the place to be. We always look forward to Vivint’s Twitter feed and other reports from the floor. As usual, this year there were exciting finds from both the leading tech firms and new headline grabbers. Here are a few of the most popular gadgets from the CES.

Roku Streaming Stick
The Roku box was an instant hit when it hit the scene a few years ago. Now Roku has introduced the Streaming Stick. It plugs into a port on compatible TVs – no external power source needed – and uses the HDMI MHL standard to provide streaming content just like a Roku box. It has built in Wi-Fi to access providers like Netflix, MLB, Pandora and Rdio.

Sharp Freestyle Aquos TV
Televisions are becoming thinner and lighter and Sharp is leading the way with the Freestyle Aquos TV. The Freestyles come with Wi-Fi for HD video and range in size from 20 to 60 inches. Even the larger sizes are light enough to pick up and move from room to room. All they need is a plug. In keeping with the Aquos line, video display is crisp and clear.

Thermador Freedom Induction Cooktop
This is a big step forward in kitchen technology. With the Thermador Freedom Induction Cooktop, place a pot or pan anywhere on the surface and the cooktop senses where it is located. The heating level is maintained, even when cookware slides to a new location. A touch-sensitive display shows the location of each pot or pan. A boost feature will redirect power to provide faster heating.

Samsung Smart Evolution
Gadget geeks know that it is expensive to upgrade your TV every couple of years just to get the latest model and cool features. Samsung has made it more affordable with their Smart Evolution. This Smart TV system lets you upgrade the processor, Wi-Fi hardware and app platform while keeping the same display.

A couple of other products we like are the Vizio Ultrabooks, exceptionally light laptops similar to the MacBook Air, and the Griffin Twenty, which can turn your Apple AirPort Express into a stereo system. If you were not in Vegas with Vivint and the other technology leaders, keep an eye out for all of the exciting new devices and gear from the CES.