It’s the time of the year when all eyes in the technology sector get glued on Las Vegas for the newest version of the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the lavish geek heaven that descends every January.

And unlike the previous events, which had been dominated by the black-and-silver army of flat-screen televisions, it seems that 2011 is shaping up as the year of the tablet.

More than 2,500 technology companies around the world are to participate in the Jan. 6 to 9 CES, claimed as the world’s largest consumer technology trade show that attracts around 126,600 visitors each year.

The CES will also serve as a crucial audition for Korean industry giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, which are desperate to pass the coolness test of global consumers after being upstaged by companies such as Apple in mobile devices in past years.

Although the Koreans have been maintaining an impressive share in their main markets of consumer electronics and mobile phones, they have yet to establish a reputation for ground-breaking products and technology.

So obviously, the gadgets Samsung and LG bring to the CES will be dissected and debated by observers, who had been criticizing the companies for their lack of creative input in products.