What new gadgets are out there to buy?

Dear PropellerHeads: The news just covered a big electronics show out west a few weeks ago. Will I have some new gadgets to blow my money on soon?

A: Itching to use those Best Buy gift cards you got for Christmas? You're in luck! The 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was held in Las Vegas from Jan. 7-10 (cesweb.org). Around since 1967, the show has seen the debut of VCRs (1970), CDs (1981), DVDs (1996), and HDTV (1998). It's geek heaven.

What are the breakthrough products from 2010? We don't know, but here are a few possibilities:

3DTVs: No, not bulky, non-flat panel TVs, silly. We mean TVs that can show "Avatar" in all its glory.

LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba and Vizio announced 3D TV sets. Panasonic's VT25 line of 3D plasma TVs are scheduled to ship in the spring. They include 3D glasses, and not the goofy red-and-blue specs you're used to. These are futuristic, ski-goggle-esque accessories that could've been designed by Ray-Ban. Panasonic's TC-P50 (50" screen) won CNet's "Best in Show," but larger models (65") are planned too.

Internet-Connected TVs: Televisions with Internet connections were also a major theme, although several have been available for a couple of years. The aforementioned Panasonic products can connect to a home network via Wi-Fi. They include support for Web photo galleries (Google's Picasa site), Web video (YouTube and Netflix), Twitter and Web radio (Pandora). A Skype Webcam also turns them into tools for videoconferencing. George Orwell, call your office.

Wireless Display: Intel showcased WiDi ("Wireless Display") technology, which connects laptops to HDTVs without those unwieldy cables. WiDi-enabled laptops (available by the time you read this) "talk" to small wireless adaptors that plug in to a TV's HDMI port, allowing the laptop image to appear on the TV screen. Short lags in display time will keep hard-core gamers away, but it's good enough for other uses.

Energy Monitors: Tenrehte Technologies (www.tenrehte.com) debuted the Picowatt Smart Plug. It's a small box with a short, 3-pronged power cord sticking out of one end, and a 3-pronged outlet on the other. The box sits between your outlet and an appliance.

It's Wi-Fi-enabled, accepting connections from your PC or smartphone. From there, you can turn appliances on or off, or configure them to run at certain times. For example, you can schedule the washing machine to run in the middle of the night, when electricity rates are lower. The $80 device, available in April, also generates charts showing how your energy usage is allocated.

Driving Monitors: Inthinc hopes to promote safe teen driving with their Tiwi (tiwi.com), a small, square, $300 gadget that mounts on a car windshield. It tracks driving speed and location, and integrates with a vehicle's diagnostics port to detect unfastened seat belts. It can also sense sudden stops and starts, as well as hard turns. The Tiwi tells drivers when to slow down or fasten their seatbelts, and will tattle on those who don't. If your teen ignores its warnings, it can notify you by e-mail, phone or text message. Have I already used my George Orwell joke yet?

Many more cool gadgets were on display. See ces.cnet.com for CNet's coverage, including videos. And mail your left-over gift cards to us! We want the Transformer-branded USB devices Toshiba presented at the show. Who doesn't need a memory stick that morphs into a tiger?

When the PropellerHeads at Data Directions aren't busy with their IT projects, they love to answer questions on business or consumer technology. E-mail them to questions@askthepropellerheads.com or contact us at Data Directions Inc. 8510 Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23116. Visit our Web site at www.askthepropellerheads.com.