Rugged hard drive manufacturer, ioSafe, showed off the durability of their hard drives by blasting the drives with a massive Tesla coil, during the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. 

via BuzzFeed

Our pre-caffeine roundup is a collection of the hottest, strangest, and most amusing stories of the morning. Here's everything that you need to know before taking that first sip of coffee today.

Amid the glitz and glamour of Consumer Electronics Show, a grey cloudhangs over the annual geek-fest in Las Vegas: The future of controversial anti-piracy legislation known as SOPA, which threatens to cause a bit of a civil war among technology firms, pitting content firms against distribution companies.

Before the 2012 Consumer Electronic Show wraps up, Wilson Rothman took a tour of the floor to see the best in show. Check it out.

Plus, take a tour some of the lesser-known exhibit areas at CES.

Facebook launched it's Listen With music service, which sure is a lot like Turntable.fm.

Speaking of Facebook, what's cooler than 7 million users? A billion users -- which the social network is expected to hit in August.

Oh, hey Rupert Murdoch! Tell us how you really feel about the MySpace deal ... on Twitter!

Meanwhile, Bing is now the best search engine, thanks to Google!

Think grandma and grandpa are the most likely to fall for Internet scams? Think again, suggests this study on gullibility.

That said, here's how come your brain loves to learn stuff on the Internet.

Check it out! It's Eminem at the Louvre! And 49 other things you will never see in real life!

  —  compiled by Helen A.S. Popkin, who invites you to join her on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.  

By Anna Attkisson
Laptop

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show revealed some exciting technologies and devices whose release is just around the corner. We’ve witnessed the emergence of the Ultrabook, the re-emergence of Nokia and watched how wireless technology is connecting everything from hard drives to cars to the cloud. We also were very excited to see both new and established companies truly push the envelope at this year’s show, which made our job selecting the most innovative products that much more enjoyable.

Check out who made the cut for Laptop's Best of CES:

Laptop

Best ultrabook: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga notebook
Here's a Windows 8 Ultrabook that literally bends over backwards to get your attention. The IdeaPad Yoga breaks the mold for convertibles with an innovative dual-hinge flip design that lets you use this device in four different modes. You can prop the Yoga up in stand or tent mode for viewing content on the 13-inch display, fold the keyboard all the way back for tablet mode or use it as a traditional notebook. Even with all this versatility, the Yoga weighs only 3.1 pounds and measures 0.7 inches thick. Better still, the 400-nit, 1600 x 900-pixel capacitive touchscreen supports 10-finger input. Expect this slick hybrid to launch at the same time as Windows 8.

• Read more about the Lenovo ideaPad Yoga 

Laptop

Best laptop: Samsung Series 7 gamer notebook
A gaming notebook that delivers a lot more than sheer muscle, the Samsung Series 7 Gamer sports a unique dial that lets you switch into a special gaming mode that kicks the next-generation Core i7 processor into full turbo and disables the touchpad and Windows key to keep your eyes on the prize. Plus, the gaming keys light up in red for easy access. When it comes time to start kicking you-know-what, you’ll love the 400-nit full SuperBright display, smokin’ Nvidia GeForce GTX670 GPU, and booming 2.1 Dolby audio system complete with down-firing subwoofer. Look for this beast to arrive in April.

• Read more about the Samsung Series 7

Laptop

Best smartphone: Nokia Lumia 900 (AT&T)
This long-awaited Windows Phone flagship device will supercharge Microsoft’s compelling OS in multiple ways. The Nokia Lumia 900 boasts a gorgeous Super AMOLED ClearBlack display to make those Live Tiles pop, ultra-fast 4G LTE speeds on AT&T’s network, and a solid unibody design that comes in two colors: cyan and black. An 8-MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics promises sharp photos, while the front-facing camera is among the brightest we’ve seen for video chats. Add in Nokia Drive for turn-by-turn directions--along with all sorts of exclusive content--and there will be a lot of reasons for people to think twice about buying an Android or iOS device.

• Read more about the Nokia Lumia 900

Laptop

Best tablet: Razer Project Fiona tablet
Despite its status as a concept, Razer's Project Fiona Windows gaming tablet blew our minds. This slate easily separated itself from the sea of other tablets announced at CES 2012 because of its two handle-like joysticks and its ability to play full PC games such as “Assassin’s Creed: Revelations”. The 10.1-inch tablet will reportedly feature a Core i7 processor and run Windows 8 with a hybrid user interface for gaming. During our hands-on time, we enjoyed vivid, highly-detailed graphics, fast frame rates, and plenty of potential.

• Read more about the Razer Project Fiona

Laptop

Best camcorder: Sony Bloggie Live
Proving pocket camcorders aren’t dead, the new Sony Bloggie Live is ready to catch every second of the action and stream it instantaneously to the Web with no fuss. Create an account with Qik and you’re ready to live stream, as long as you have access to a Wi-Fi signal. If not, never fear, the $249 Bloggie Live can use your smartphone’s mobile connection to send your videos out to Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, DailyMotion, and Sony’s PlayMemories Online service. Plus, the Bloggie Live takes 12-MP still pictures--even while you’re recording.

• Read more about the Sony Bloggie Live

Laptop

Best tablet/phone accessory: Satarii Swivl
Somebody’s watching you--or at least your iPhone is. The innovative Satarii Swivl base attaches to your iPhone or pocket camcorder and then follows wherever the remote goes. Use it to be the star of your own YouTube videos or to stay in touch with family and friends on FaceTime. This accessory is dead simple to use, too. Just attach your iPhone to the base, turn on the remote, and you’ll be ready to go. The Swivl is such a simple, genius idea that we can’t believe we haven’t seen it before. It’s available for pre-order for $159 and will be released in the first quarter of this year.

• Read more about the Satarii Swivl

Laptop

Best car tech: Mercedes Dynamic and Intuitive Control Experience
Mercedes Benz stormed into this year’s CES and turned heads with its incredible prototype Dynamic and Intuitive Control Experience. While most automakers were busy integrating apps into their vehicles, Mercedes managed to re-imagine the entire driver experience with its augmented reality-based DICE system. This in-car tech allows you to manipulate the interface with hand gestures similar to those used with Microsoft’s Kinect. The system also recognizes other drivers, projecting on the windshield an interactive icon with a status update when another DICE device is recognized. You'll also see interactive icons for points of interest nearby right on the windshield.

• Read more about Mercedes Dynamic and Intuitive Control Experience

Laptop

Best new tech: Tobii Technology Gaze UI
Forget the mouse. Tobii Technology’s Gaze UI eye-tracking technology detects exactly where you're looking and treats it like the pointer on your display. We tried it out on a Windows 8 system, and, after fixing our gaze at any point on the spacious Metro live tiles, we launched apps. We could also sweep the screen to the left or right, or zoom using a combination of eye movements and touch gestures. We were even able to play a simple game of “Asteroids,” zapping flying space rocks just by looking at them. Though still a few years away from mainstream implementation, it's one of the thrilling innovation that leaves us wanting more.

• Read more about the Tobii Technology Gaze UI

For even more of Laptop's best picks of CES 2012, click over to the original post.

David Friedman / msnbc.com

By Gary Merson
HD Guru

The 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show was packed with new and innovative home theater products as the major home entertainment manufacturers debuted their latest  product lines. HD Guru and Geoff Morrison spent the week scouring news events and company booths seeking out the best new HDTV, 3-D TV, Blu-ray player, streaming media player, sound bar and the HD Guru Best In Show.

This year’s HDTV products are  the most innovative we’ve seen in years, with much larger screen sizes, new big screen display technology, new remote controls and much more. On to the winners ...

Gary Merson / HD Guru

Best HDTV
Picture improvements came from almost every major TV maker, and that gave us a long lists of finalists to consider. However, the improvements in the 2012 Panasonic top-of-the-line VT50 plasma series are significant. Last year’s VT30 series took top honors for picture performance. In 2012 Panasonic raised the bar with a new way to drive the pixels that lowers the black level to the deepest ever, and better motion clarity using its new 2500 focused field drive circuit, according to a Panasonic spokesperson.

In a side-by-side comparison of the VT30 and VT 50 plasmas on the show floor, the improvements were clear. The VT50 had the best image quality of any 2012 plasma or LED LCD we saw at the show.

Best media player
LG’s SP820 Smart Upgrader turns any HDTV into a Smart TV providing instant streaming from Vudu, Amazon Instant, Cinema Now, Internet browser and more. In addition there are many apps available from LG’s app shop. This 2012 version adds Flash, HTML5 content viewing capability and LG’s Magic Motion remote that allows control by buttons, moving and tilting or with a wheel. The SP820 will ship this spring.

Best sound bar
Sharp is no stranger to the audio business, making audio components for decades. This year it is introducing the innovative HT-SL77 2.1 system. The midrange and tweeter sections can be placed horizontally below the screen and come with extensions to match the width of 46-, 52-, 60- or 70-inch HDTVs. The HT-SL77 can also be separated into sections as left and right vertical towers and includes an attachable base for each speaker. The height can be set to match 60- or 70-inch flat panels.

The HT-SL77 also includes a wireless subwoofer. The HDMI output supports the Audio Return Channel feature found within 2011 and 2012 Sharp and many other major brand HDTVs to direct the audio from multiple HDMI sources such as HD cable box, game console and Blu-ray player to the sound bar seamlessly. The H-SL77 ships in April with a retail price of $449.99.

Gary Merson / HD Guru

Best Blu-ray player
The Panasonic DMP-BBT01 is like no other Blu-ray player Panasonic has ever produced. It is heavily featured with Panasonic’s latest video processor, offers Smartphone remote control capability, a new touchpad remote control, 3-D disc play, 2-D-to-3-D up-conversion, and Internet streaming through Panasonic’s VieraConnect system. The player comes wrapped in a new, small, slim design with a slot-in drive that allows you to insert a disc without the need for a tray. The DMP-BBT01 player comes with a stand and can be operated vertically or horizontally.

Best 3-D TV
The LG 84LM9600 is loaded with industry firsts. It is the largest consumer flat panel HDTV for sale. It is the first to offer a screen with four times the resolution of HDTV (3840×2160). LG calls it UHD. The cherry on top is the 84LM9600 is the first 3-D TV using inexpensive, lightweight passive 3-D glasses to maintain full HD vertical resolution (1080 as half of 2160), overcoming our biggest objection regarding passive 3-D technology.

The 3-D image is not only big, but bright and beautiful because it doesn’t have the visible lines when viewing 3-D that to date has been associated with all other passive 3-D TVs. As the top series in LG’s 2012 LED LCD HDTV line, this giant screen set includes Internet streaming and apps, and LG’s best new Magic Motion remote with voice and gesture control. It all comes wrapped in a slim, brushed aluminum bezel. The 84 converts all content to its 4K resolution and will accept future 4K sources through its HDMI input. Scheduled for release in spring, LG has not yet revealed pricing.

Gary Merson / HD Guru

Best In Show
OLED (organic light emitting diodes) is the first new big screen flat panel tech since 1997. The 55EM9600 delivers everything big screen OLED promises — vivid color, fantastic contrast, 180-degree viewing angle and pitch black blacks. Coming from a 4mm-thick design, the OLED image beat out everything else at CES.

The 55-Inch 55EM9600 has two configurations. One is a table stand version with the speakers and electronics built into the base. The other is a wall mount version with the electronics and downward firing speakers housed within a backpack that sits between the wall and the screen. This OLED is a full-featured HDTV with 1080p resolution, Smart TV with voice and gesture remote and 3-D. Expect to see it yourself in Q3, at a priced to be announced.

Have a question for the HD Guru? Email

More from HD Guru:

• Get a big screen HDTV deal in time for the NFL playoffs
• New Panasonic plasmas and LCDs
• Samsung OLEDs, LEDs, plasmas and more

Autos are increasingly taking the spotlight at the Consumer Electronics Show. But unlike smartphones and tablets, cars also have to take safety into consideration.

The makers of LifeProof cases say that their gear can protect iPhones from water, dirt, snow, and shock. We thought we should test some of those claims — by attempting to flush an iPhone down a toilet.

Stelios Varias / Reuters

There'll be Apples on the shelves ... as in iPads and iPhones. Target announced Thursday that Apple Inc. would be setting up displays in 25 of its stores.

Apple hits the target, or the Target, that is.

Discount retailer Target confirmed speculation Thursday that iPhone and iPad maker Apple will have displays in 25 of its stores.

Target, which is based in Minneapolis, unveiled its "the Shops at Target" concept at a presentation in New York. The strategy will include shops within its discount stores selling everything from dog treats to high-end home accessories.

Items from boutiques such as Miami's The Webster and San Francisco's The Candy Store will be priced from $1 to $160 and be sold in Target and on its website for six weeks starting in early May.

Architect and designer Michael Graves's tea kettles and other home goods helped Target pioneer the concept of higher-end partnerships at mass chains back in 1999. 

Reuters contributed to this report.

via BuzzFeed

Our pre-caffeine roundup is a collection of the hottest, strangest, and most amusing stories of the morning. Here's everything that you need to know before taking that first sip of coffee today.

There's been a lot of news about smart TVs and apps and interfaces this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. But just as 3-D TVs haven't captured the fancy of many buyers, there's no guarantee that smart TVs will do any better.

Also at CES, Razer showed off its concept PC gaming tablet called Project Fiona.

Oh yeah, about that Kinect for Windows. Here's what's actually happening on Feb. 1 — and what isn't.

Want to know what else is hot at CES? What about the dirt behind the worst stuff? Join msnbc.com's Wilson Rothman at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT for a live chat with guests from Gizmodo, Laptop and HD Guru.

Meanwhile, Apple is hosting a "special event" 10 am. ET, Thursday Jan. 19 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. It'll probably be about iBooks -- but if it's not the iPhone 5, does anybody care?

Speaking of Apple, Mac shipments are way up, PCs ... well ... not so much.

In other news, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's command center routinely monitors dozens of popular websites, including Facebook, Twitter, Hulu, WikiLeaks and news and gossip sites including the Huffington Post and Drudge Report. What, you didn't know that?

Reddit is going dark to protest SOPA, and so is ... um... Anonymous.

And uh oh! Google may have some explaining to do with the FTC!

In closing, you've got chemistry! "Breaking Bad" Valentine's Day cards!

  —  compiled by Helen A.S. Popkin, who invites you to join her on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.  

Wilson Rothman / msnbc.com

Smart TVs at the Sony booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

There has been a lot of news about smart TVs and apps and interfaces this week at the Consumer Electronics Show. But just as 3-D TVs haven't captured the fancy of many buyers, there's no guarantee that smart TVs will do any better. A TV that connects to the Internet for downloading movies or TV shows in one thing; but navigating a screen full of app icons may be more appealing on a smartphone or tablet than on the crown jewel of screens, the home TV.

Google has renewed its effort at Google TV after Version 1.0 fared poorly last year. Users and critics complained of complexity, confusing interface and lack of premium content. The search giant has commitments from Samsung, Sony, LG and VIzio to use the new and improved version this year in some sets, but many consumers don't want to deal with the app hassle — or the number of apps, which can multiply faster than cable channels.

Leading TV maker Samsung says it has "improved the user interface" for its native, non-Google smart TVs this year. "The Smart Hub interface has a cleaner, more intuitive UI," said Ethan Rasiel, Samsung Electronics America spokesman.

Rasiel says there are now "over 1,400 apps through Samsung Apps, in categories such as music, sports, fitness, social networking and news. Also, through Media Hub, Samsung offers a diverse selection of on-demand movies, TV shows and 3-D content right to the living room. If you purchase content on one device, you can watch it on all of your Samsung devices."

"Smart TVs have a pretty strong level of capability, but consumers may be intimidated by the complexity, especially around set up," said Paul Gagnon, NPD DisplaySearch director of North American TV research. "If a manufacturer can come up with a better out-of-the-box experience, it would be a big help to encouraging sooner adoption among the less techie crowd."

And when it comes to apps, "social apps are interesting, but with the usage of these apps effectively interrupting the TV view experience — a big problem if more than one person is watching TV — I think most consumers will stick to a preference for streaming video apps on the TV. For now, at least."

Officials from Sony, which is fighting to regain its leading role as a TV maker, say they realize that there's still some consumer convincing that needs to be done before buyers choose sets with Internet connections, much less fuss with apps.

"We do have some work to do to make it easier for the consumer who may not be so savvy about how to connect to the Internet (via TV)," said Phil Molyneux, head of Sony Electronics (USA).

"One of the things we at Sony need to do — and perhaps the electronics industry as a whole when it comes to TVs and connectivity — is to get the message out to our customers," said Kaz Hirai, president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment. "We have to make sure the connectivity is as easy as possible, (and) promote and talk about that excitement."

Beyond connectivity and apps, other problems arise with the various remote controls and software updates that Internet-connect TVs need.

Samsung says it's "breaking down consumers' biggest barrier to purchase — rapidly outdated technology — by future-proofing the TV."

The company's "Smart Evolution" kit lets buyers "enjoy the latest technology and services on their TV, years after they purchased their set":

Consumers don't have to worry about their newly purchased TV becoming 'out of date.' This solution will be easily available. Consumers can purchase the Evolution Kit, which includes software and hardware enhancements, and easily plug it into a slot on the back of their TVs.

Still, all of these things are additional add-ons to deal with, think about, and factor in when it comes to the TV experience. That may be why there's more excitement this year at CES about 55-inch OLED screens and voice and motion controls for TV than for smart TVs. The phrase alone elicits a glazed-over look by many, while others snicker at the oxymoronic possibilities.

There are so many products that now use "smart" in their names that the word has lost its impact to some degree. And it may be in danger of turning away buyers, instead of turning them on.

Wilson Rothman / msnbc.com

A smart TV at the Samsung booth at CES.

Waiting, floating somewhere off to the side of the TV wars is word of a possible TV from Apple, something Steve Jobs talked about before he died to biographer Walter Isaacson.

"It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it," Jobs told Isaacson.

An Apple TV set has manufacturers such as Sony on edge, with Apple making ease of use a key ingredient in its products, and the element behind much of the company's success.

NPD DisplaySearch, in a new report, says that it sees demand for Internet-connected growing from 9 million shipments in 2011 to 24.7 million in 2014.

How many of those TVs will be smart TVs, as we know them know, remains to be seen.

"Heavy interactivity requires a re-think of the remote control. It also can be far beyond the familiar passive entertainment of conventional television," the research firm said in its "Connected Home: Smart TV Special" report, adding:

Some set makers have decided to bring the full Internet to the living room and incorporate (Web) browsers. While this is an attractive idea, it places serious burdens on the TV designer: solving the ease of use when a screen is three or four meters away is not easy. Websites require a cursor and complicated movements such as ‘click and drag’ which is not easily achieved with a conventional TV remote control. A shift to wireless remote controls is becoming necessary to handle more complex interactivity tasks. At the same time, the TV will have to be capable of updating itself — we are all familiar with the regular updates to Flash Player and Java —and such updating is not simple: who would we call if an update failed and our TV software crashed?

Consumers, the research firm said "increasingly expect their devices to share seamlessly and interoperability with handheld devices will become a critical factor for the development of smart TVs. In terms of units shipped worldwide, the tablet market alone is expected to be bigger than TV by 2017."

It sees the future of smart TV as one that will "share tasks with other devices. It’s not comfortable to watch an entire TV program on a tablet or smartphone, but these devices are very good at searching. So the best outcome is to be able to search and select on the handheld, then to transfer the final viewing experience to the TV and slouch on the sofa."

The "killer app" for TV won't be apps, the firm said. It "will remain as watching television — but in future that will be video from an ever-widening choice of sources."

The firm may be onto something. One commenter on a recent msnbc.com story about smart TVs posted this sentiment:

I'm not sure I care so much about all these Smart TV features. Some may be nice, but overall, I want a great picture, a TV that won't break. I'm very into high tech, but could care less if my TV hooks up to Facebook or a bunch of this other stuff. Why pay a bunch extra for something I probably will never use? Adding 100 more features I'll never use really isn't going to make the TV any more desirable to me.

But ultimately one of the biggest complications of the "smart TV" revolution is that it doesn't cost a "bunch extra." In fact, the chances are great that the next TV you buy has smart features, even if you choose your TV strictly on performance or reputation. You'll only find out that it's "smart" when you get it home, and start fiddling around for an Ethernet port or a Wi-Fi password — working through the 27-step wizard before you can get to the six channels of TV you actually care about. 

Related stories:

• Sony: It's time to try harder
• Sony shows off radical new 'Crystal' LED TV
• Samsung takes on LG with 55-inch OLED TV
• Samsung TVs to have motion and voice controls
• LG to roll out Google TV
• 1 in 3 households have four or more TV sets
• Steve Jobs' vision for Apple TV set lingers
• Logitech says it was too bullish on Google TV

Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Chone

Want to know what's hot at the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas? What about the dirt behind the worst stuff? Join msnbc.com's Wilson Rothman at 3 p.m. Pacific/6 p.m. Eastern for a live chat with an illustrious panel of guests. They'll answer your questions and swap notes about the show. Here's who's coming:

• Matt Buchanan from Gizmodo
• Avram Piltch from Laptop
• Gary Merson from HD Guru
• Geoff Morrison from HD Guru

Check below the chat box for some great CES stories from our friends, and for coverage from our own Gadgetbox, visit our video player or check out the blog tag ces-2012.

From Laptop:

• Hands-on with the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Hybrid
• Swivl wheeled iPhone accessory follows you around
• Swiss Army Knife with a 1TB SSD built-in — just $2,000

From Gizmodo:

• New Windows 8 first touch: This is Windows?
• The most (and least) amazing things we saw at CES
• The future of TV is beautiful and simple and good

From HD Guru:

• Sony's HDTV announcements at CES 2012
• New Panasonic plasmas and LCDs
• Samsung OLED! And LED LCD and plasma and more...

Courtesy of Gizmodo

By Matt Buchanan
Gizmodo

Just stop me when this sounds ridiculous: A tablet. Built for gaming. Like, really built for gaming. With twin analog joysticks. That are permanently built into it. That's Razer's Project Fiona. And it's more amazing than you think.

Project Fiona is a proof-of-concept and a prototype in the most serious way. What you're looking at is version 0.2. (Razer's already finished work on five more iterations of Fiona — they're up to version 0.8 at their labs, and expecting to hit 1.0 by the end of the year.)

I can tell when I feel the heat coming out of the vents, as the fan spins up to cool the Intel Core i7 breathing fire inside. Or when the right analog stick feels a little sticky.

Courtesy of Gizmodo

(For more pictures, go to Gizmodo's post.)

But when I run my finger along the edges of the brushed aluminum frame that provides Fiona's remarkably rigid structural integrity, or try to make its skeleton flex and creak, it feels more done, more solid than some other very finished tablets I've used. "And frankly, the final product will look much different," says Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan of Fiona.

Which is also why I can't tell you battery life, or how much it'll cost, though Tan is aiming for under $1,000 for the Windows 8-powered tablet — meaning it'll have full PC powers, though Razer is adding some software of their own on the gaming side, like the interface for browsing games. (Side note: Do you remember OQO, a little company that built little computers that were both radically ahead and behind their time? Appropriately, a lot of their engineers worked on this.)

It's lighter than you'd think, for a tablet that's at least as thick as three iPad 2s — it'll be thinner, promises Tan — and has a pair of sticks bolted onto it. But I rest my elbows on my knees to play Warhammer 40K: Space Marine. And it feels totally natural. If you've ever used an Xbox 360 or PS3 controller, you know how to use Fiona's controls; Razer software takes care of the mapping PC controls to the buttons.

Courtesy of Gizmodo

Do you know what the minimum spec requirements are for Space Marine? A 2GHz dual-core CPU, 2GB RAM, 256MB video card. And it ran beautifully on Fiona's glossy 10.1-inch, 1280x800 display. I held PC gaming in my hands, and I killed a bunch of Orcs and it felt fantastic. It sounds stupid that a 10.1-inch screen could be as immersive as a 24-inch display, but when you're able to bring your game up to your face, and it moves with you and your body, it's a different kind of connection.

Speaking of moving! It's got an accelerometer and force feedback and a camera, so Razer's already thinking of ways PC games could take advantage of gamers having access to traditional controls, touch and movement simultaneously.

The deepest PC gamers might balk at an analog stick and a handful of buttons truly replicating the PC gaming experience on the go — and I agree an RTS seems pretty hard to squeeze into those controls — but the potential of ubiquitous, for-real PC gaming anywhere, as defined by the games, is pretty incredible to consider even for the most hardened of PC gamers.

And even if Fiona is not for them, they should still be thrilled to salty, Cheeto-infused tears that this thing (and the Blade) exists. It pushes the boundaries of what PC gaming is. And Razer might just be the only company willing to reinvigorate PC gaming — the exact kind of PC gaming that gamers love, not Zynga Facebook games — by radically reinventing it at a hardware level.

So while Project Fiona itself might not literally be the future of PC gaming, I still feel like that's exactly what I just held in my hands.

More from Gizmodo:

• The most (and least) amazing things we saw at CES one day
• Origin's insane new gaming laptops are as fast as they are pretty
• Turning your iPhone into a PSP is pretty awesome