CES 2012: Elegant Gadgets AboundCES 2012: Elegant Gadgets Abound

The days of showing off electronic prototypes shoved into generic boxes are gone from the Consumer Electronic Show. The CES: Unveiled show provides press and analysts a chance to preview some of the newly announced products in a space that's a little more intimate than the Las Vegas Convention Center. The one constant across the gear we saw was an unparalleled attention to design along with (mostly) good utility.

True to form for CES, we saw products that ranged from gear bags to high tech thermostats--complete with speakers, and everything in between. The other trend that dominated Unveiled was either compatibility with or dependence on Apple technology. Many of the products we saw were solely designed compatibility iProducts. One other notable trend, products introduced here weren't particularly cheap. We expect that trend will continue when the main show kicks into gear on Tuesday. Thinking you'd like to move to Android tablets for your industrial application, but worried about a less than friendly environment? Fujitsu may have the answer. This 10.1" quad core tablet runs Android 3.2 weighs in at 597 grams and is water resistant. The tablet could be used by delivery drivers or others who need a tablet that can take a little abuse. These tablets might also be just the ticket for teenagers and others who are hard on their toys. Fujitsu also includes a hand gesture recognition system that allows device operation without you actually touching the tablet. For more coverage of the show as it unfolds, be sure to visit InformationWeek's CES 2012 Special Report.