Why some Ceatec gadgets get lost in translation

Impossibly thin televisions, wireless HD video systems for the living room, and TVs that respond to gestures instead of a remote control were all things seen first at Ceatec, the annual gadget extravaganza outside Tokyo. The show's well-earned reputation as a peek into our gadget future remains intact as Ceatec 2010 kicks off Tuesday. It's guaranteed to be full of some of the geekiest stuff you've ever seen, along with some fantastically designed gadgets, and a mostly realistic look into what the rest of the world will some day be buying for their homes, backpacks, and cars. Oh, and there will be plenty of creepy robots too. The annual Japanese gizmo gathering will inevitably lead many Americans watching coverage from afar to ask, yet again: Why can't we get this stuff here?