The economic downturn seems to have forced major TV manufacturers to concentrate on cost-effective products instead of extravagant, high-end, energy guzzlers.

While previous editions of the CES were all about bigger, expensive displays, the trend this year seems to be slimmer, cheaper displays. While Panasonic had its 150-inch monster on display last year in an effort to showcase its technological prowess, there seems to be nothing of that sort this time around. Major manufacturers have instead focused on their investment in R&D, costumer service, and environmental issues.

Another major change seems to be the gradual convergence of TVs and PCs, with many manufacturers offering Internet enabled TVs that come with built-in widgets and applications to access limited content over the web. Yahoo, Samsung, LG, and many others have ventured into such convergence tie-ups, which might usher in a new era of convergence. This is not the first time that the Internet is knocking at the doors of TV. Previous attempts at convergence have not met with encouraging results. However, now, the manufacturers seem to have learnt their lessons well and have tied up with major Internet companies to deliver content.

This year also sees advancements in OLED and LED technology and displays based on them, which are energy-efficient but expensive alternatives to existing LCD and PDP displays.