A recent preview exposition in Manhattan's Flatiron District is a warm-up held two months before the giant Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where tech manufacturers show off their goods that will become must-haves by year's-end.
Though organizers of this year's CES have said participation in the show is as strong as ever, the sluggish economy has helped reduce the show from absurdly huge to just ridiculously huge.
"Size wise, it'll be smaller in terms of the absolute footprint, because we've decided to centralize the show in the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Hilton," spokesperson for Consumer Electronics Association, Gary Shapiro, said. "But in terms of excitement level, introductions of things like mobile TV, 3-D TV, all sorts of cool products, eBooks [and] things like that, we're doing fantastic. Every major company and many more are back at the show, plus we have a record number of new exhibitors. Three hundred and thirty companies are coming that have never been to CES before."
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CES
Adam Balkin shows a preview of what's to come at this years Consumer Electronics Show.
 
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The show will include a new "iLounge" area, dedicated exclusively to those developing hardware and software for iPhones and iPods.
Another device, the Viper SmartStart, can start a car from anywhere in the world. A webcam showed that an iPhone in New York can start up a car in California.
"You get a device installed in your car, [and] then you can start your car from virtually anywhere in the world with your iPhone," spokesperson for Directed Electronics, Kevin Duffy, said. "Warm it up, cool it down, defrost the windows, lock your doors, unlock your doors, pop the trunk, even do panic if you want to."
The Viper SmartStart is available for $500, including installation.
As always, there are more timesaving devices. Traditional tech wrapped in less traditional design and plenty of gadgetry try to make life more comfortable.
For example, a massage chair made by Inada U.S.A. can collapse into a compact cube.
"The Inada Cube tucks away very neatly in a compact, storable package and when it's unfurled it offers a spectacular foot, calf, back and seat massage," spokesperson for Inada U.S.A. Cliff Levin, said.
The chair launches in limited quantity at the end of the month. It's not only smaller than other massage chairs, but at $800 it will take a smaller chunk out of consumers' pockets.
