Thanks to the Internet, you don’t have to travel to Las Vegas to absorb all the news from the nightmarishly crowded Consumer Electronics Show and its 20,000 product launches. You can let others spot the trends for you. For example, 4G phone wars, among both phone makers and service providers, will top the headlines. “While Verizon has had its run of the LTE field for the past year, this year it’ll finally have some competition from AT&T and Sprint,” VentureBeat says. On the PC side, expect up to 50 small and sleek ultrabook models to be displayed. With Intel spending up to $300 million to promote this new class of laptop, expect the PR to be hot and heavy. As Intel exec Sean Maloney said last June:

Computing is taking many forms. Technology innovation is a catalyst, and we believe the changes Intel is making to its roadmaps, together with strong industry collaboration, will bring about an exciting change in personal computing over the next few years.

Among other things, CNET’s editors predict that Microsoft may have an Xbox surprise in the works. For a little historical perspective, take a look back at a timeline of hits and misses from CES’s 40-year history. Betamax, anyone?