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Now this was by far the coolest gadget I saw at The Gadget Show Live this week: Microsoft's Kinect for Windows software development kit, Kinect Fusion.

After all the (well-deserved) hype over 3D printers, I was seriously impressed to have a play with a 3D scanner which used only a Windows PC Kinect and this free developer software.

The software works by taking multiple images and fusing them together to create a 3D scan. It is still in beta developer mode, so can be subject to glitches, but it's a great way to allow people to have a go with this technology.  

I got my head and shoulders scanned by the Kinect and the next moment it turned up on the screen in front of me. It took a while to get it right, as it seemed a bit sensitive as I twirled around on the spot many many times. But finally I saw a morphed version of myself on the screen. This image can then be manipulated in 3D on the computer and sent through to 3D printer to print out. While the scanning process took only a few seconds, once we got the technique right, the printing takes an hour or so to print a miniature head - sadly I wasn't allowed to have a mini-me printed out.

In order to show you how this worked, I asked an unsuspecting, yet curious, passer-by to give it a go so I could film the process:

Take one regular Gadget Show visitor:

Facebook launched its new social search function, called Graph Search, last night, and I have been lucky enough to try out the additions which the company have said are still in beta test mode.

The social network, which boasts one billion members, 240 billion photos and one trillion connections, will enable users to "naturally" search through people, photos, interests and places.

Graph Search will enable users to filter content on Facebook to find out particular things, such as which nearby restaurants their friends have liked or which friends like a certain movie, or to search for photos including selected people.

Facebook will then order answers depending on the number of "likes" or the level of a user's interaction with their chosen person, place or photograph, placing more familiar links at the top of the search results.

Dressed in his statement black zipped-up sweater (for the love of God, you're a millionaire, shell out for a checked shirt at least? No? OK), Zuckerberg stated that while Graph Search is not a web search, like Google, Facebook has partnered with Microsoft's search engine, Bing, to enable users to search the internet when Facebook fails to find an answer.

When I used Graph Search for the first time last night, Facebook provided me with a two minute tour which showed you how to type questions into the search bar. It seemed to personalise the tutorial for me, using "Cardiff University" as an example search term.

However, that's where the personalisation ingenuity stopped, for me at least.

During the press conference Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and his cronies were describing different types of searches and how they had enabled Graph Search to recognise natural language. They suggested 'photos I have liked' as a search term to gather all the images you have positively engaged with.

Trying out Graph Search for the first time at about 11pm last night, I forgot the "correct" terminology and typed in 'my favourite photos'. Facebook decided to autocorrect my sentence to 'my favourite girl photos' and presented this page of rather nude women, which may I add, I haven't 'liked'.

I found another couple of faults, which can only be expected in a beta test version - It seems that my best friend who lives in Bangor, North Wales, lives in Cardiff, because any Cardiff filters I put in she pops straight up.

I can see this going down particularly well with users who wish to check out single men and women. Just type in 'single friends of friends who live in London' and friends of friends who have publicly shared their relationship status will appear as the results. Maybe if everyone everyone knows is taken, Bing will direct you to Match.com?

While the tech industry generally seems underwhelmed with the added functionality, it will be interesting to see how small businesses may be able to explore their customers' likes and dislikes and target advertising at them. For instance if a user has liked a bar, it will be interesting to see if the bar can then go ahead and filter, finding that user to like a particular cocktail or cuisine, then pointing out special offers to them which will in theory be more attractive to the customer.

Zuckerberg kept a quite tight-lipped on using Graph Search for business, avoiding questions, but answering in regards to existing sponsored advertisements on Facebook:

"You build good businesses over time, by people wanting to use something," said Zuckerberg. "Sponsored ads extend quite nicely to Graph Search, but there is nothing new for this."

I predict that Facebook users will not mind the inclusion of Graph Search in general. It's not a redesign of the site, which is when users usually get up in arms about scandalous changes to their ever-so-familiar pages... for about two days. 

The search bar will feature at the top of Facebook on the blue bar, with the home button moved over to the right. Facebook users do like complaining though, so they might kick up a bit of a fuss, until they realise the power of the Graph Search functionality to increase stalking by 600%.

Still in beta, Graph Search will be rolled out to a "very small audience" from 16 January. The company will collect feedback from users before rolling out to a wider audience. Graph Search will also go through tests before being available on mobile devices.

Huawei launched a few devices at CES in Las Vegas this week, while none of them were confirmed with regions, dates or prices, two smartphones, which are expected to ship to China and then worldwide, caught my eye.

The Ascend Mate - giant phablet with the "worlds largest screen"

Again, a growing trend at CES this week has been a huge leap in screen size, be that in tablets, phones, monitors or TVs. Huawei's Ascend Mate is a monster. Huuuuge, at 6.1-inches of HD 1280 x 720 LCD touchscreen compared the 5.5-inch screen of the Samsung Galaxy Note.

But tell me something, when tablets are generally growing to ridiculous sizes, but also shrinking to 7-inches, and smartphones are growing to 6.1-inches, where will the line eventually be in the phablet space? In six months time, what will be a phone and what will distinguish a tablet?

I found the Android device surprisingly light in the hand. The rows upon rows of Android apps sitting on the screen could get very messy or be a joy to organise for someone as OCD as me.

The Ascent W1 - Huwaei's first Windows 8 device

This entry-level Windows 8 device looks much simpler than a Nokia Lumia 920 or a HTC 8X. It still has the insanely bright colouring of the other Windows 8 devices, however it doesn't feel as superior as the other devices did when I first held them.

It's light enough, but still feels a bit chunky, like the Lumia. I found the back panel in the bright blue to look not very appealing in plastic, which made it look like a child's toy.

The device was fairly responsive, with easy scroll feature, but not as light to the touch as the Lumia and HTC models. It also comes with the standard additional features of Windows 8, such as kids corner and this model also features NFC.

As I said, no pricing or availability announced as yet. 

At CES in Las Vegas this week, Panasonic unveiled a tablet to be added to CES's growing category of super-size screens.

Sitting more in the "table PC" category, than "tablet", this technology demonstration will hopefully be out later this year with a few tweaks here and there. But the 20-inch tablet impressed me more than Lenovo's Horizon 27-inch Table PC, also launched at the show this week. At only 2.4kg, it's still very weighty, but compare it to its rivals - the Sony Vaio Tap 20 is 5kg and Lenovo's Horizon is a whopping 8kg but only 7-inches bigger. I found the device easier to pick up, but I'm always quite delicate when I pick up devices of this size. When doing so I found the aluminium backing very elegant, but also very warm, a kink that Panasonic will most definitely sort out before mass production.

Panasonic claim that the device has the thinnest body with a screen of this size. It has 2 hours of battery life and at the moment the company is thinking of marketing it to photographers, architects and designers who will appreciate the large screen super high resolution screen from an artistic point of view.

The Windows 8 Pro device set up in CES also came with a special handwriting digital pen which I had a go at using, it was very responsive and was able to create hair-thin lines to chunky paint brush type strokes. The device had a Intel i5 Core processor, 128GB SSD as well as 16GB of memory.

Kyp Walls, director of product management, said that the device was set up to use Bluebeam software for architects using blueprints, it enabled users to collaborate together while working remotely. The device is still portable, he said, "because architects are used to carrying around big flat folders of designs anyway."

This week at CES in Las Vegas, Panasonic added to its line of rugged Toughpad tablets with the Windows 8 Pro 10.1-inch FZ-G1 and the Android 7-inch JT-BI.

Since 1996 Panasonic has been producing mobile computers for the mobile workforce who need to rely on a more study product that will resist dust, water, shocks when in use in the field. The two tablets join a 10.1-inch Android tablet which was broadly available last year.

Toughpads are designed for mobile workers in sectors such as military, government, construction, healthcare, public safety, utilities, retail, and maintenance to name a few.

The devices come with optional added extras such as heighten security features, electronic scanners and card readers. The new tablets are also splash proof and feature screens that are viewable in the sunlight, as well as being robust enough to survive drops and dust.

The Windows 8 Pro FZ-G1

•             Operating System: Windows 8 Pro

•             Processor: 3rd Generation Intel Core i5-3437U vPro™ 1.9GHz up to 2.9GHz with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology

•             Memory: 128-256GB SSD, 4-8GB RAM, optional micro SDXC

•             Rugged: MIL-STD-810G, 4' drop, IP65, 14° to 122°F (operational temp range)

•             Display: 10.1", sunlight viewable, touch screen and active digitizer, 800nit, WUXGA (1920x1200)

•             Battery: 8.0 hours (user-replaceable)

•             Dimensions: 10.6" x 7.4" x 0.75"

•             Weight: 1.1kg

•             Wireless: Bluetooth V4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional embedded 4G LTE or 3G

•             I/O: Full size USB 3.0, HDMI, optional micro SDXC, Full size USB 2.0, wired LAN, true serial port or dedicated GPS.

Panasonic claims it will survive a 4 foot drop and it wouldn't surprise me as this device, despite its rugged and therefore very clunky look, is surprisingly light at just over a kilogram, easy enough to carry about.

The FZ-G1 comes with a barcode scanner and the option of adding on e-card readers and other types of bespoke enterprise technology. Its battery is also replaceable if you run out of the included 8 hours.

The Android 4.0 JT-B1

•             Operating System: Android 4.0

•             Processor: TI OMAP4460 1.5GHz Dual core

•             Memory: 16GB ROM, 1GB RAM, micro SDHC

•             Rugged: MIL-STD-810G, 5' drop, IP65, 14° to 122°F (operational temp range)

•             Display: 7", daylight viewable, 500nit, WSVGA (1024 x 600)

•             Camera: Front: 1.3Mp fixed focus, Rear: 13.0Mp auto focus w/ LED light

•             Battery: 8.0 hours - Large 5,720mAh battery (user-replaceable)

•             Dimensions: 8.7"x 5.1" x 0.7"

•             Weight: 0.54kg

•             Wireless: Bluetooth V4.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, optional embedded 4G LTE + 3G

•             I/O: Micro USB

This device is a much smaller form factor, running Android's operating system, the device itself doesn't have the capacity to run Windows 8, so it's aim at those out in the field not needing quite as much power under the hood.

This device is easily portable at half a kilogram, pop it straight into a laptop bag without noticing. It also is available with additional extras including different types of handles to grip securely to the device.

The FZ-G1 will be available from March, starting at $2,899, and the JT-B1, will ship February, starting at $1,199. At these prices they are definitely aimed at large scale operations, as smaller businesses would be unlikely to kit out the entire workforce at pushing two grand per device for Windows.

Speaking to Kyp Walls, director of product management, at CES, I asked him how he thought the Windows 8 Pro version would fair in the enterprise space which is generally not looking to adopt the new operating system straight away.

He said, "Even though it has been built for Windows 8, a fair number of our customers will buy it with a Windows 7 downgrade."

Panasonic have a Windows 7 Toughbook on the market at the moment, but the convenience of buying the new FZ-G1 is that it is around a third lighter.  

I got my hands on the beautiful premium Chronos laptop today at CES. The SuperBright 15.6-inch full HD touchscreen display almost glistened, it was so crystal clear. I'd taken a quick look at the lower end non-touch screen 1366 x 768 resolution version a few minutes earlier and when looking at the full HD version, even against the back drop of the many dazzling lights at the CES convention, the difference was far superior.

This Chronos had a full aluminium casing and keyboard (the non-touchscreen is only aluminium on the top shell), and it really does have a stunning finish to it - if you like silver.

This full Windows 8 laptop comes with a i7 Core CPU, up to 16GB of system memory as well as a 1TB HDD hard disc drive.

It is a large laptop, the keyboard including number keys on the right, which did make the machine quite heavier than its ultrabook competitors at 2.35kg, however it was very thin at 20.9mm. Because it didn't feel like an ultrabook to me, I then felt as though I was missing out on a disc drive.

The Chronos also comes in an Ultra version which has the same beautiful screen but at 13.3-inches and is a couple of millimetres thinner, with a smaller hard disk drive at 256GB SSD.

Maybe it's just because my trusty Samsung laptop decided it was too old to carry on and passed away the day before CES, but my love for the Chronos seemed to just grow the more I played around with it. I finally let it go after receiving one too many dirty glances from other techies wanting a hands on experience also.

If Samsung are correct in predicting that BYOD will be the norm by 2014, please let one of these land on my work desk soon. 

No pricing at the moment, but the machine feels very expensive and superior - I would expect a lavish price tag to match. 

It's going to be a busy week for hardware, gadgets and gizmos, and HP isn't intending on missing out on the launches.

The company has launched new notebook PCs, an IPS monitor with Beat Audio and a portable media storage device.

HP Pavilion Sleekbook - touch and non-touch

The HP Pavilion Sleekbook and the HP Pavilion TouchSmart Sleekbook are HP's latest offerings in the Windows 8 notebook market. And if you hadn't already guessed it, the TouchSmart version is indeed touchscreen.

Both products offer a 15.6-inch diagonal HD screen, powered by AMD A-Series APU, with up to 1TB of storage. Including HDMI ports and USB 3.0 and 2.0 for connectivity.

Cleverly, the Sleebooks feature HP CoolSense, which adjusts cooling levels according to personal preference, no more hot laps from overheating laptops, which is exactly what is happening to me and my old HP machine as I write this post!

The TouchSmart Sleekbook will be available from February 3 at $649.99 and the standard Sleekbook will be available a little sooner from January 13 at $479.99.

HP ENVY 27-inch IPS Monitor with Beats Audio

This In-Plane Switching (IPS) monitor is able to provide a viewing angle of 178 degrees horizontally and vertically, meaning it is easier to share content with a group of people. The monitor also features edge-to-edge glass, and a stylish aluminium base. Additionally, the monitor is a mere 13.95mm thin at the top of the device.

The monitor also has built in Beats by Dr. Dre speakers for "studio quality" sound. 

Available February 3 for $499.            

HP Pocket Playlist

As we keep putting pressure on our smart devices to consume more media, these devices are proving popular to extend internal storage, Buffalo offers a portable storage solution for those large amounts of data, which I found really useful when I took a look at it recently.

HP's offering requires no internet connection and serves up to five mobile devices at a time. The device which stores up to 16 full-length movies, 7,600 songs or 10,000 photos, also includes a one-month subscription to PlayLater, a DVR app for online content. With this app you can cache videos from over 50 online websites for playing later without an internet connection. 

Available from February 15 for $129.

Lenovo's new 27-inch touch screen table PC, the Horizon, features a "smart hinge" which lets the device stand upright like a traditional PC, but also allows the screen to lay horizontal. When the screen is lying flat, Lenovo Aura automatically activates. This multi-touch interface allows multiple users to access information on the screen.

Its 10 finger multi-touch screen is marketed towards offices and families, allowing multiple users of the device. 

Here's a Lenovo rep demoing the 27-inch screen at its launch at CES in Las Vegas. 

Lenovo have been busy, along with the launch of a 27-inch multiuser table PC, the Horizon, the company also had a few more tricks up its sleeve at the CES Unveiled event in Las Vegas.

Lenovo ThinkPad Helix

Weighing less than a kilogram, this ThinkPad Helix is Lenovo's latest offering of a hybrid detachable tablet. Where the ThinkPad Twist, just well, twisted, the Helix is completely removable from its keyboard.

While completely removable, it is also reversable. The tablet can connect to the keyboard dock either in the traditional clam shell way, or appearing face up, so that the product can be used as a slate when the tablet is close onto the dock.

Available with a i3, i5 or i7 intel core processor, and up to 10 hours battery life (six in the tablet and four in the keyboard dock), this could become a great offering to the workplace. 

Less than a kilogram as a tablet, and 1.7kg as a full ultrabook device, the hybrid also claims to have Lenovo's best screen at full HD resolution and 11.6-inches.

Lenovo LT1423p Mobile Touch Monitor

Lenovo has launched a mobile touch external monitor which will work with any Windows 8 device. There are two models, a wireless and a non-wireless monitor.

The non-wireless device weighs 1.6kg, whereas the wireless device weighs 2.4 kg and has 4 hours of battery life.

Both monitors feature a 1600 x 900 13.3-inch resolution display, protected with Gorilla Glass.  

The monitor mirrors whatever computing device it is connected to, which enables 10 finger touchscreen capabilities to non-touchscreen devices. 

The products will cost $449 for the wireless option (available in June) and $349 for the wired (available now), both will come with a snap on case which allow converts into a stand. 

Small updates, big difference

Lenovo has also updated its U and Z series ultrabooks to include touch functionalities, while the Yoga 11S is now running an intel core and full Windows 8, rather than the RT version. 

Keep checking Inspect-a-Gadget for hands-on experiences at CES with these devices.