Look, Ma--no wires

The biggest story in CES's emerging tech category is what's not there: wires. Using a variety of technologies--from Bluetooth to ultrawideband (UWB), Wi-Fi, and several low-power radio frequency mesh networks--small start-ups and established companies alike are using wireless networks to connect everything from domestic appliances to music, video, and communication devices.

Snipping the cables to the TV is on the agenda of many chipmakers. Airgo, a Qualcomm company, will be displaying its Gen-N Wi-Fi that promises the fastest and longest range connectivity to stream standard and high-definition television throughout a home. Amimom will be showcasing wireless HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) technology that will stream high-def TV (both 720p and 1080i resolution) at distances of as much as 50 feet at 1.5Gbps without noticeable interruptions.

Wireless music is also creating buzz. Wireless, whole-house iPod speakers from Altec Lansing, a messenger bag that enables Bluetooth listening to an MP3 player, and a slew of Bluetooth headphones and headsets will be on display.

Home automation
The technology behind "smart" houses that do an owner's bidding is becoming increasingly popular. Eaton's Home Heartbeat can send text messages or e-mail an update about what's happening at home. It keeps an eye on appliances, doors and windows, and the water supply--Home Heartbeat will inform a homeowner of a detected pipe burst or leak. Using a low-power wireless mesh network known as the ZigBee standard, water can be automatically shut off in such a case.

Hawking Z-Wave uses another low-power wireless networking technology (Z-Wave) to power its HomeRemote system, allowing users to spy on what's happening at home from a remote location. Appliances can be controlled via the Web or a cell phone from outside the house, or by the local remote control inside the house. If all the devices are Z-Wave connected, that control can extend to thermostats, lighting, security, and a video camera.

Robots
We already have the Roomba vacuum and Scooba floor scrubber from iRobot, but little automated buddies are being asked to step in for humans to do even more menial tasks. Some, such as the Follow-Me Robot from O Logic, are asked to follow its owner around and carry a few things; others bear cameras and follow owner commands from a remote location, such as O Logic's Igor Robot.

Television
Watching television no longer means just punching in a channel from the comfort of your couch. The Slingbox first introduced placeshifting to the mainstream consumer-tech lexicon, and now several companies are following suit. Motorola's Follow Me TV lets users watch the content stored on a digital video recorder from a laptop or a mobile phone, and it's set to be deployed by cable operators starting in mid-2007. MediaZone will debut Social TV, a mix of Internet television, MySpace, and instant messaging. Professionally produced content on an ad-supported site will let users comment on, chat about, and rate programming, as well as forward the good stuff to friends.

Naming can be critical to the success of a new gadget or technology, and there are clear winners and losers in the name game. The "least appetizing" award goes to Phling: the unfortunate moniker for Oxy Systems' hosted music and mobile messaging site is just too close to phlegm. The cutest name belongs to the ÜWBerStick. It's a USB memory stick from Staccato that can do wireless data transfers at speeds of 480Mbps and within ranges of about 30 feet. It also incorporates an umlaut, which makes it übercool.