The Consumer Electronics show (CES) made it clear that when it comes to gadgets, thinner is better.

Ultra books and ultra thin television sets are going to be the wave of the future. Ultra books are ultra light, ultra thin laptops with instant on technology. Several manufacturers have unveiled 55 inch flat screens that are only a few millimeters thick.

LG’s Ultra Thin TV is as thin as a Cigarette.

This month Toshiba released the world’s thinnest tablet; the device was also announced at CES. “The ultra sleek and sexy Excite 10 LE tablet is just 0.3 inches thick and weighs only 1.18 lbs. The device is 0.04 inches thinner than the 0.34 inch thick iPad.”

Another company, EpiCrystals is developing a superior laser light source for projectors that will be integrated into mobile phones, enabling the accurate and efficient projection of photographs and movies on many surfaces.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association explained that more people are putting these electronic toys in their budget:

“Well it was certainly tough for everyone a few years ago, but what we have seen recently in 2011 is that the electronics industry went up dramatically … much quicker than the economy did. And this is because people are investing in our products. They are becoming cheaper in some ways, and they are becoming beautiful and new. Smart-phones — everyone has to have them — they want the apps — they want tablets — and they want a new TV set because it’s bigger, better, thinner, less heavy, and cheaper.”

Despite increased enthusiasm over these devices, “technology stocks slipped into the red Wednesday, pressured by shares of Applied Materials Inc. as the company disclosed a weaker-than-anticipated forecast.”

Some tech gurus have grown bored by the lack of innovation in technology and wonder if there will ever truly be a next best thing or if the focus will remain on enhancing old products?

But there are some exceptions, CNBC’s Chris Morris thinks “Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Kinect peripheral for the Xbox 360 are opening up new avenues to search for content and control devices, and could be installed in more electronics.”

What electronics do you think will be the most sought after in 2012?

Check out some of the highlights from January’s CES here.