Most people complain when they have to return to work after the festive period – but not me.

In early January, the UK tech industry flies out to Las Vegas for CES – the world’s largest consumer electronics show.

I always get excited about CES – not just because it takes place in one of the world’s most fun cities – but because I get to see all of the latest high-tech kit that’s going to be found on retailers’ shelves in the year ahead.

There’s always a buzz at CES. The 2009 event was less glitzy and glamorous than previous years – largely due to the poor economic climate – but, despite the lack of showbiz, there was still plenty of innovation on offer.

3DTV was the big thing at CES this year and we can expect more of the same in January 2010, with yet more 3D enabled kit on display.

Manufacturers are playing their cards very close to their chest, but we should see more name brands unveiling 3D solutions, as well as plenty more LED flat-screens, wireless HD and internet-enabled TVs.

A few days ago, a tech PR agency asked me what I thought were the big CE trends of 2009 and invited me to give my predictions on what will be hot in 2010.

Well, 2009 has been the year of the netbook - or the mini-notebook - with consumers snapping up these small, portable products that are designed for surfing the web. It is likely to be the fastest growing PC sector this year

The iPod docks sector continued to be massive in 2009. With the iPod still being the consumer’s preferred choice of MP3 player – and the iPhone becoming more popular – the iPod docks market outperformed any other audio sector.

The DAB iPod sector has also grown significantly.

So what’s 2010 got in-store? I think 3DTV will be the big CE buzzword in 2010, with household brands such as Sony and Panasonic planning on bringing in 3D-enabled home theatre systems and TVs. Sky has also confirmed it will be launching a 3DTV channel next year.

Initially, though, I believe 3D will really take off in gaming applications, with early adopters buying into the technology. 3D TV will remain a niche product for the foreseeable future.

I also believe that internet Wi-Fi radio will go mainstream in 2010, driven by innovative products which combine iPhone-like touch-screen functionality with the benefits of radio, social networking sites and ‘apps’.

What are your top tech predictions for 2010? Email me your suggestions: seanhannam@ertgroup.co.uk

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.