New Yorkers recently got a chance to ogle a small sample of must-have gadgets from the biggest, hottest consumer technology show of the upcoming year. NY1's Technology reporter Adam Balkin filed the following report.

The Flatiron District showroom could only show a small preview of the massive Consumer Electronics Show that takes place each year in Las Vegas. Just about every type of new device with an on/off switch is on display each and every year, and it's understandable why organizers use the same basic adjectives when describing the event each and every year.

"CES 2012 is, for one thing, it's bigger, it's better and it's more exciting," says Gary Shapiro of the Consumer Electronics Association. "It's really become an innovation showcase for everyone, consumer electronics and everyone touched by it."

While TVs and smartphones are the obvious gadgets most attendees expect to see, it's the unexpected devices that often steals the spotlight, like the "nest" thermostat. Not only is it all digital, but it hooks into a home Wi-Fi network so that users can control it with a smartphone. In turn, the thermostat keeps track of the users' habits and helps make decisions and suggestions.

"We use built-in sensors to detect when you're home or away to help you save energy, as well as learn from your adjustments to help you conserve energy," says Kristin Bickett of nest.

Meanwhile, in the struggle to help conserve patience, Zagg's "HzO" uses nanotechnology to protect gadgets from spills and dumps into water, without adding a single thing to the device's exterior.

"We don't actually apply it to the outside, that's the creative genius of HzO. It's actually applied to the inside, where water creates most its damage," says Scott Gordon of HzO.

Finally, there's a pair of ski goggles called MOD that combines powers of a computer, smartphone and GPS.

"You've got a micro-optics display right down here, it's going to show you stats like speed, jump air time, jump height, distance and drop, altitude, vertical, how many runs you've done, temperature, it goes on and on and on," says Darcy Hughes of Recon Instruments.

The goggles will also link via Bluetooth to a cellphone and allow the wearer to check emails and text messages while on the slopes — hopefully, though, while stopped on the slopes.