That hum you hear comes from gadget expo bursting with buzzwords

Buzzwords are the "in" thing these days, especially if you're hanging out at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics show. That's CES for those in the industry, and probably the buzziest of words if you have a product and you're looking for coverage and exposure.

Attendance at this years' CES is projected to be down a bit from last year, but the buzzword factor is way up. Here's a spattering of the buzz that's consuming today's electronics world:

Under the heading "green" there's "environmentally friendly, recycled, responsible packaging, energy efficient, consumes less and solar power.

These descriptions relate to products and services that are sensitive to the environment. The folks at the Consumer Electronics Association, say consumers will pay a premium for products that are proven to be "green." Just look at the organic vegetable section of the local produce market or the hybrid auto buzz that has recently calmed a bit.

A recent CEA study of U.S. consumers and their purchase plans for electronics show that 38 percent say they are confused by "green" product claims; 59 percent say they want to know the specific attributes that make a product "green" and 65 percent believe some companies overstate their "green " credentials.

In the "command and control" category, which covers how people interact with their devices, buzzwords include: "touch, voice, direct, control, gesture, swivel and hands-free."

The keyboard and mouse are still the most popular way to interact with electronics, but look for more voice recognition, motion control and even thought controls in the future.

The "no strings attached" area of consumer electronics includes the shift to more cordless and wireless devices, along with the addition of services to make the devices more useful. These include Netflix, TiVo, YouTube and others that extend the abilities of existing devices.

Buzzwords in this area include: "Bluetooth, free, wireless, ad-supported, network-friendly, attached, portable, mobile and bundled."

Another hot topic in 2009 will be the "embedded Internet." This includes kitchens equipped with computers to help manage the family calendar and shopping lists; time- and place-shifting devices like Sling Media's Slingbox; video consoles with online interactivity and Internet radio.

The buzzwords here include: video chat, streaming, connected, Wi-Fi, live, Internet radio, ethernet and netbook.

I'll start sharing next week some of the coolness factor from CES. I'll be playing with new gadgets you're likely to see in stores in the near future.

Head to my blog for more from CES: (www.lvrj.com/blogs/onlineguy).

Share your Internet story with me at agibes@reviewjournal.com.