If you love gadgets and gaming, then there could be no better place to visit than Las Vegas in the first two weeks of 2013 for, as well as being the gambling capital of the US, it is also the venue for CES 2013 – the most important consumer electronics show this year. Alternatively, log in to your favourite online casino while you take a virtual tour of the show.

Samsung, Panasonic and Sony all have a huge presence at the show, and in particular they are showcasing the very latest in terms of display technology – the ultra-high definition television (UHD TV). The displays have four times the resolution of conventional HD TV and as you might expect they are a little on the large size. The minimum size for a UHD TV is around 60 inches; anything smaller and the definition is wasted. Neither are they cheap; expect to pay at least $10,000 and probably a lot more. But as the centre of a multi-media entertainment system including them they are very impressive.

Smartphones are also getting bigger, which is great for the mobile gamers who find tablets too cumbersome. If you thought that the galaxy Note II with its 5.5 inch display was the largest smartphone you would be likely to see, think again. The Chinese manufacturer Huawei is showing its new Ascend Mate which has a huge 6.1 inch display for the ultimate mobile gaming experience. On many previous smartphones with smaller screens, gaming on a site like Gaming Club mobile casino was always a challenge, as you are likely to miss minute details of your casino game on a screen too small for the graphics and buttons too small for human fingers. Game developers are quick to respond to challenges and there are versions adapted to the small smartphone screen, but a bigger screen is always better for a gamer.

There is no presence from either Apple or Google and there is no offering from Samsung, although there is no shortage of rumours regarding new devices that they are developing. The iPhone 6 will be announced next winter, and the Samsung Galaxy S 4 will also appear during the coming year.

The overall theme of CES 2013 is increased connectivity and what is being called “sensorisation”. Hardware and software is converging and boundaries between different devices are blurring as the number of screens multiply. It is becoming a very interesting world for gaming.