The largest technology event of the year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), officially opens tomorrow morning in Las Vegas.

Many are anticipating that international attendees of this year’s CES will be coming to the show with high hopes for a brighter mood than last year. The Financial Times reports on a promise of new categories of technological devices that will spur consumer spending this year and help countries pull out of the recession.

“This year I think we will see a little bit more glitz and glamour compared to the more sombre mood of last year,” Mr Golvin of Forrester Research told the BBC.

Last year’s event attracted 113,000 attendees, down from an expected 130,000 and officials from the event’s organiser, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), are cautiously predicting attendance will be flat this year.

However, according to The Financial Times, the CEA reported an increase in interest in recent months as economies begin to recover and absentees from last year, such as Philips, are returning.

As to what’s hot this year, the BBC cites connectivity, 3D technology, e-readers and tablet computers as the trends to watch.

The Telegraph says the 2010 gadget show will mark the beginning of the “year of the tablet” with various computer manufacturers, including Hewlett-Packard, preparing to unveil their versions ahead of the rumoured launch of the Apple i-Slate tablet device later this month.

The launch earlier this week of Google’s new smartphone, the Nexus One, and the anticipated launch of Apple’s i-Slate later in the month have threatened to overshadow the CES event but, as the BBC reports, that’s not dampening the spirits of CEA president, Gary Shapiro: “I’m more excited about this upcoming show than any one in 30 years. There will be more innovation at this show than any one in history,” said Mr Shapiro.