While most of the hype at this year’s Comdex is certain to be around Tablet PCs, there are several other interesting items that are being introduced to the world at large.

Comdex, once hyped as the premier place to introduce technology products, has lost much of its luster, particularly in the recent economic downturn. However, many technology companies are no longer waiting for "big events" to launch products or services, choosing instead to make announcements as products become available.
Analysts, reporters and attendees turn to Comdex in hopes of finding any type of sign that the end of the technology downturn is near and that a strong recovery is underway. To help bolster confidence, all of the big technology players will be in Las Vegas in force, with many announcing new products ranging from Tablet PCs to PDAs to Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled devices.

The king of the processors leads off this round-up, as Intel’s 3 gigahertz processor will launch at Comdex. The new 3 GHz Pentium 4 is like 2 CPUs in one, once again putting Intel at the forefront of the processing world. Craig Barrett’s troops continue to prove that innovation is not dead.

Tablets and PDAs
Speaking of Tablet PCs, there is a lot of early buzz around script-to-text features as well as look-up capabilities. These advances could be of special significance in the medical community, where vendors hope Tablet PCs will start a technology revolution. Coupling a Tablet PC with significant advancements in handwriting recognition software could finally put an end to the special handwriting comprehension classes required of all aspiring pharmacists.

Due to the competition among vendors for limited customer budget dollars, analysts and reporters alike are speculating that price points will be a big news item. Dell’s subsidized $199 foray into the low-end of the PDA market with the Axim has already started tongues wagging. There could also be a shakeout in the Tablet PC world, with vendors promising price points starting below $1000.

Walkabout Computers and Symbol Technologies are making a mad dash for the "ruggedized" Tablet PC/handheld markets by introducing products that are meant to last longer and be more durable. Look for Symbol’s PPT8800 and Walkabout’s Hammerhead XRT.

Wireless and Mobile
The big factors in the wireless world are the WiFi products. These products are rumored to hit it big due to significant enhancements in speed as well as enhanced mobile security.

Look for Bluetooth everywhere – in laptops, desktops, handhelds, headsets, Tablet PCs and MP3 players. As convergence increases and mesh networks come to the forefront, look for announcements linking 802.11 networks to existing cellular networks, as well as mobile smart displays and optical data entry devices that you can carry around the room. The best part is that you are still connected – wirelessly.
As consumers and enterprises place more emphasis on mobile workers, many announcements will be unveiled in the area of compression technology. Companies have made significant improvements in this area that will enable users to run complex enterprise-level applications and store pictures and graphics, all in a device that is likely smaller than the one you currently use.

From a handset perspective, two new entrants are expected to leap into the wireless handset market – Samsung and Sharp. Phone giant Nokia will also be announcing add-on devices for wireless phones. Rumor also has it that Good Technology might be making a play for this space as well, and Dell continues to tweak imaginations by refusing to rule out a near-term phone offering.

Finally, look for Computer Associates to announce a product aimed at organizing enterprise mobile devices. Their Unicenter Mobile Device Management solution enables corporations to organize as well as push data to mobile devices in the field without having them in the office.

Security
Move over CSI – here come the latest security apps and technologies. First, new facial recognition software from the UK is on tap, designed both for government as well as enterprise users. Along these same security lines, biometrics will be a big focus, particularly for mobile devices. Safeguarding and tracking mobile devices and keeping them out of enemy hands has been a big push since the passage of the Homeland Security Act.

Look for Hectrix Limited to make a huge entry in the biometrics world with its iGuard biometric fingerprint and "contactless" smart card authentication access control systems. IFG Consulting will keep those unauthorized users out of your PC with their SecurLock technology, a smart card used for physical authentication as well as encrypting confidential files and applications. By logging on to a secure website, access can be granted to frequently used applications without the need for multiple sessions.

Imaging
The days of the bulky digital camera are certainly over. Olympus will be announcing the WP10, which also has 3 hours of audio/text memory. It is only slightly bigger than a butane lighter.

On the printer front, several new printers will be unveiled at the show, including the SMB-focused ML-1750 Laser Printer from Samsung, as well as several printers from Verity Systems.

Finally, if you are looking for a chic way to carry all the nifty gadgets you acquire at the show, Mascot Metropolitan will be launching their new $39.95 Lap Pro CompuPack, a full featured backpack designed using mountaineering guidelines. And for those of you who have a PDA, phone and other clutter – they will be launching the Horizontal PDA Pro Organizer, which integrates the concept of a horizontal cell phone case into a low profile, wearable technology case that holds a PDA as well as a phone.

Both of these products will help those weary tech souls wandering the bowels of Las Vegas..