New Tech to Be Unveiled at Consumer Electronics Show Thursday

In just two days, flocks of “techies,” and “gearheads” will descend on Las Vegas to attend the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and get a firsthand look at the newest gadgets that will be released this year. And some of those attendees will be undoubtedly be physicians. After all, health care professionals help comprise a significant portion of the tech lover family, and with good reason. Physicians and nurses use a wide variety of technology on a daily basis, and having the latest and greatest devices can help to help streamline their workflow or stay in communication with those they need to.

So, what are some of the early reports about what to expect at this year’s CES show?

In short, the usual: tablets, cell phones, and cameras. The difference is that there will be some new features for all of those categories. For instance, in years past, the focus on televisions was HD and other similar qualities; now, attendees can expect to see and learn more about 3D televisions. And each year there seem to be mobile phones with new features and improved computing power. There have been rumors of Verizon and Apple announcing a partnership to provide the iPhone on the carrier’s service, but nothing has been confirmed just yet.

CNN tells us that attendees can expect to see lots of tablets this year, as “hardware makers, eager to stake a claim in a hot new gadget category, are lining up to take on the iPad.” Early reports say that there could be as many as 80 tablets on display. Many physicians have adopted the iPad in one form or another to help them with electronic record input, e-prescribing, and other day-to-day tasks in their practice.

CNET reports that Microsoft will debut a Windows TV at the show that will be priced “somewhere in the ballpark of $200.” This wouldn’t be the first attempt at combining TV and the Web (Google TV and Apple TV have been available for some time now) but it is uncertain as to what Windows might do to stand out from the competition in a market space that has yet to really flourish. If these types of integrated media systems live up to their potential, it would likely on be a matter of time before patients starting seeing them pop up in examination and waiting rooms. Imagine being able to explain to a patient about a condition and then just touch the screen of a tv to pull up a quick video explaining things in more detail.

CES always creates a buzz, and has delivered the goods in years past. Our society is technologically driven, so there will always be an avid interest in technological innovation from a wide variety of professional fields. To find out more about the show, check out some of the links below.

Finally, be sure to visit HCPLive on Thursday to chime in on our live CES blog that will feature videos, pictures, tweets, and other live coverage from the event.

Around the Web

5 gadget trends to watch at CES [CNN]

Report: Microsoft to debut 'Windows TV' at CES [CNET]