Regular readers of the blog will know that early January belongs to the Consumer Electronics Show – the most important three days annually on any techies calendar. Taking place annually in Las Vegas, CES is the place where the world’s tech titans come together to impress the crowds and dictate the course of technology over the next year. Naturally LG were present and by all accounts it was a good year, with plenty of positive media buzz matched with an impressive haul of CES innovation awards.

Best of Innovations Awards: NANO Full LED 3D Smart TV (LW9500)

In the first of several awards for the Home Entertainment team, LG’s top-of-the-range LW9500 NANO Full LED Active 3DTV scooped a prestigious “Best of Innovations Award”. Packing LG’s unique NANO technology provides an extra bright sheen to its FULL LED backlighting, whilst the LW9500’s ultra-narrow bezel makes it a stylish accompaniment to any room. The LW9500 also won plaudits for its quick and easy access to online content.

Innovations Awards: Smart TV Platform (LW9500)

2011 was the year that Smart TV really made its presence felt at CES and LG won another Innovation Award in the online and video content section for it’s Smart TV platform on the LW9500. LG’s offering stood out thanks to a simple, intuitive interface that makes its high technology easy for anyone to use. LG’s Smart TV also benefits from a fast-growing range of apps that cover everything from lifestyle and education to entertainment and games. Additionally the Smart Share function lets users wirelessly stream content from compatible devices direct to the television screen, while also serving up meta data, such as synopses and actor profiles for the content you are watching.

Innovations Awards: NANO FULL LED 3D Smart TV (LW7700)

Packing NANO Technology, the LW7700’s high-definition, cinema standard picture has received THX certification, the gold standard for cinema-quality TV. The LW770 also boasts all the benefits and functions of LG’s Smart TV technology.

Innovations Awards: 3D PDP TV (PW350)

With an ultra-narrow bezel maximizing the screen display and an elegant frame and stand, the PW350 is a truly visually arresting TV.

Once the TV is turned on, the PW350 shows its real power, with 3D images staying smooth even during the fastest action sequences. Combine this with LG’s patented 3D XD Engine and you have a 3D picture of startling brightness and clarity.

Innovations Awards: Portable Media Player (BP650)

At just 1.6 inches in width, the BP650 is the ultimate in portable performance. Playing Blu-ray™ in beautiful HD on a 9-inch screen is not its only trick, as users can also enjoy online content through a wired network, adding even more tools and applications to the BP560’s impressive repertoire.

Innovations Awards: Home Theater System (HX996TS)

A CES Innovation Honoree for excellence in the category of Integrated Home Systems, the HX996TS uses innovative new sound excellence to take sound into the third dimension. Optimized to offer 3D sound for 3D movies, this 3D Sound Home Theater uses dual subwoofers and special tallboy speakers that completely fill the space above viewers’ heads, creating the illusion they are right in the thick of the movie.

Innovations Awards: Monitor (E2290V), Optical Disc Drive (BP40LS20)

In computer accessories, the LG E2290V, an ultra-slim monitor, and the LG BP40LS20, an external Blu-ray Disc™ drive, also earned Honorees of the Innovations Awards.

With a 10 million to 1 contrast ratio, the E2290V, offers crystal clear images and a lightning fast 2ms response time that keeps images smooth, even during the fastest games or movies. It is also packed with eco-friendly features including lower energy consumption – as much as 40 percent less than with conventional CCFL-backlit LCD monitors.

The LG BP40LS20 is the first optical disc drive with BDXL, offering new standards in Blu-ray™ technology.

Innovations Awards: Home Appliances

Rounding off an impressive Honoree list from LG is a trio of the company’s outstanding steam washers.

The WM3885HCCA is a highly-efficient front load Steamwasher™ based on LG’s Inverter Direct Drive technology, complete with major improvements in capacity, energy, efficiency and durability. This all results in a clean as thorough and delicate as if it had been washed by hand. As both an energy and cost saving advantage the WM3885HCA’s Coldwash™ technology uses cold water to penetrate into fabrics, which when combined with the 6 Motion technology, results in the same washing performance as washing in warm water.

Key to LG’s success within the Home Appliance category is the combination of LG’s Inverter Drive and 6 Motion technologies, the latter of which lets the drum tailor each cycle to clothes’ precise needs, using a mixture of rolling, stepping, swinging, scrubbing, filtration and tumbling. These technologies are both found on LG’s high efficiency top-load laundry pair, the WT5101HV and DLEX5101V and ensures an extremely gentle wash for delicates or a more powerful cleanse for soiled items.

Using Truesteam™ and Inverter Drive™ technologies, LG’s new Steam Dishwasher (LDF9942ST) delivers excellent, simple cleaning while consuming less energy and water. LG’s Truesteam™ Generator, the only built-in steam generator of any dishwasher, creates high-intensity steam that dissolves even the toughest residue. A highly water efficient function in itself, the Truesteam™ Generator also does away with the need to manually pre-rinse dishes, thereby helping save water. What’s more, the Inverter Drive™ motor makes the LG dishwasher one of the most energy-efficient, high-performance lines in the industry.

And that’s it for another year, the techies moved on and Las Vegas was soon back to its normal, ebullient ways.

In a year when ‘smartness’ and integration were crucial, LG played a key role in shaping that picture with innovations that embraced some of the most impressive elements yet seen in smart consumer technology. The show may be over, but the buzz around LG for another year has only just begun.