Early January meant it was time to take down the holiday decorations and time to see all the cutting edge tech at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show. Much of this year's gadgets court online video users. Forget affordable. In many cases these first generation devices tease die-hard but budget-minded users, but they're fun to drool and dream over.

In your dreams
Get out your 3-D glasses. It's the latest thing again. The folks at Mitsubishi Corp. introduced its3-D TV with a price tag of $7,000.Everyone run out and buy one, right now! On one hand,"Jaws" would look ever so cool, on the other hand, there's a sad, significant lack of 3-D zombie movies. (See below for a much more affordable 3-D Web cam with which you can make your own movies.) If you could afford it though, imagine the fun you could have connecting it to the Internet.

Toshiba jumped on the online video bandwagon with its new set-top box and Internet TV set prototype called Cell TV. Its geekified goodness gives users an all-in-one large LCD (about 55" diagonal) high-definition TV/Internet TV/PVR with integrated Web and networking capabilities running on the Play Station 3 microchip. If you've got $5,000 to $10,000, snap this up. It's purported to provide the clearest picture available (four times the resolution of the best TVs on the current market), but it's so new there's not a release date or a firm price tag yet. But, gee, the set-top box alone is super cool. It can record and play six video streams simultaneously, and one can watch four high-definition shows on the main screenwhile others can watch two additional high-def programs in different rooms on their TV set. Parents, this could be a wise investment. There'll be no more fighting over the TV or DVR.

Within reach
While the equipment to watch movies costs a mint, the gadgets to make your own remain reasonable. Those snazzy Britsat Promotion and Display Technology Ltd. have come upwith a3-D Web cam. A bargain at $89, it comes with software and five pairs of 3-D glasses. Make a 3-D zombie movie, please. Don't forget to upload it to YouTube or BlipTV.

Kodakwill make it even easier on you. Though it's not 3-D, you'll free yourself from the computer with the ZX1 pocket-sized HDTV camcorder. You won't need the laptop because it lets the user upload directly to YouTube and other video-sharing sites. Pocket-sized doesn't mean it'slight weight on features.The ZX1 lets you capture content at720p at your choice of 30 or 60 frames per second and the weather-resistant casing lets users shoot in any weather. There's a 2.0-inch display screen and viewfinder, built-in editing via ArcSoft Media, expandable storage via both SD and SDHC (up to32 GB, or about 10 hours of HD footage). Don't fear the price - it'll debut at a U.S. retail priceof $149.95.

Sony showed off a couple of cool tools for the online video geek. Its Internet Video Link, another entry in the set-top box market, still works only with select Bravia TVs, but can now draw on increased content including Yahoo widgets. At $300, it's not going to break the bank, but why not wait for a built-in model? Sony will begin integrating it into its high-end TV sets this yet.

Finally, you'll want something new to watch your home movies (and all the Internet offerings) on, so make it the new Sony Vaio P. It's a pocket- or purse-sized laptop weighing a mere1.4 pounds with an 8-inch LED back-lit screen (an 1600 x 768 display). Pint-sized but powerful enough for work or play on the go, this Windows Vista machine boasts 2 GB of RAM, and a 60GB or 128GB hard drive, a built-in Web cam and microphone powered bya standard lithium-ion battery with four hours of use. (If you need more time, upgrade to the large-capacity battery to get eight hours of use.)

The built-in card reader provides slots for a memory stick, a multimedia card and a SD memory card. Connect to your favorite e-video site using its integrated wireless WAN, LAN or Bluetooth. At an entry price of$900 ($1499 for the128 GB solid state drive version), this won't break the bank or your back.

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The references for this article include: New Gear at CES Drives Online Video, Steve Donohue, Contentinople, January 7, 2009; CES: Toshiba blurs the line between TV and PC, Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, January 7, 2009; CES: Sony introduces a purse-sized PC, Michelle Maltais, Los Angeles Times, January 8, 2009; and CES: Internet TVs -- early obsolescence, or curated content?, Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, January 8, 2009; Kodak goes high def with its new ZX1 camcorder, Stevie Smith, January 7, 2009, The Tech Herald; Kodak.com.

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This post blogged by Carlie Lawson. She is a hazards consultant, freelance writer, and weather nerd living in Norman, OK, also known as the weather capital of the United States.