RandomTechNews

With the new year comes new gadgets.

But with the economy still shaky, tech companies are pushing things that are a little less pricey.

We've certainly seen some companies withholding innovation after realizing last year that people are not in the mood to spend big. And that's still the case this year, but maybe a little less so.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the major trends include items that have already been successful.

Expect to see more e-book readers like Amazon's popular Kindle and the Barnes and Noble Nook. These days, 3-D is a hit at movie theaters, and now it's coming to your TV!

But the reviews of these first models are mixed.

"I'm kind of an I-don't-get-it guy on 3-D TV, said Paul Reynolds, senior editor of Consumer Reports. "I think it's for a narrow audience with a certain kind of content - gamers, but I don't think we're going to put on goggles to watch a weekly scripted drama on television."

One of this year's most eye-catching gadgets is the AR Drone. The flying gaming device syncs with an iPhone or iPod Touch, which becomes the remote control. You can mount a camera on the toy, and video is sent back to your phone.

Microsoft's big announcement at the show was its own version of a tablet computer. It's being touted as portable and powerful with the full capabilities of Windows 7.

Some other gadgets that were showcased include convertible laptops - the screen comes off or flips around to become a tablet PC, a see-through laptop, and a next-generation robotic vacuum cleaner! More than 100,000 tech types are expected to take part in the annual event.