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Ubiquitous Connections Are a Hallmark of 2014 Consumer Electronics Show

By technology editor Ian Bush

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (CBS) -- Las Vegas is transforming this week into a technology playground, with all sorts of shiny new gear getting unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show.  KYW tech editor Ian Bush takes a look at some of the early trends:

Whether wearable technology -- like smartwatches -- will really catch on, remains to be seen, but LG is one of many companies getting in on the game with earbuds that measure heart rate and a wristband -- the "Lifeband Touch" -- that monitors fitness, controls music playback, and tells you when a phone call or a text  message comes in.

"We're also seeing this in the home -- in connected home technology," says Lindsey Turrentine,  editor-in-chief of CNet Reviews.   "We're seeing things at this show that are as crazy as a connected, wireless crockpot."

This could be the year you'll drive a connected car off the lot.  Some Chevy models will get AT&T 4G, and auto expert George Polgar, with GT Marketing in Philadelphia, says Google is working with Audi, Honda, Hyundai, and GM to put its Android operating system in-dash.

"If you're just a drive-and-go kind of guy, you just want it to be seamless. You don't want to have glitches.  You want to get in the car and plug in or connect wirelessly and have it be a simple experience and intuitive," Polgar tells KYW Newsradio.

The ultra-high-resolution 4K TVs are still priced well out of reach of most of us (and, besides Season 2 of the Netflix series "House of Cards," there isn't that much 4K content available), but credit Sharp with working the cost down to about $5,000 for its 60-inch Aquos 4K model.

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