Brett Molina

USA TODAY

If you like robots, or self-driving cars, or crazy stuff like smart belt buckles, then this is your week.

The Consumer Electronics Show kicks off this week in Las Vegas. When you're not bumping into $25 blackjack tables, you're probably trying to dodge drones in all shapes and sizes.

Most of the major electronics companies will show up, including Samsung, LG and Dell. Among those that don't make a splashy appearance: Apple, Google and Facebook.

Want to keep track of everything from CES 2017? Start here, of course:

What's the coolest tech at CES so far?

Travel giant Carnival unveiled a fun wearable allowing passengers aboard its cruise ships to leave their keys or wallets behind. You can board or disembark the ship, unlock your room and make any purchases using a medallion you can slip in your pocket or wear like a watch. Now you can enjoy those fruity drinks with tiny umbrellas peacefully.

Automakers have quickly found a space at CES, thanks to self-driving cars and smart dashboards. The one vehicle grabbing the most attention is the FF 91 from Faraday Future. The car maker is promising big things for the FF 91. A vehicle with the horsepower of a Ferrari and the driving range of a Tesla? Amazing. It's fast, too. During a trial run, the car hit 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.39 seconds. Does it fly too?

Own a ton of connected devices? You might want to consider this router. It's among several products security companies are pushing to help protect devices like that smart refrigerator from hackers.

Even babies need their own smart speaker and digital assistant. Mattel introduced Aristotle, which is basically Amazon Echo for kids. And it's really cool. If your infant wakes up, it can play soothing music and flip on lights while notifying Mom and Dad.

But we want more robots!

OK, fine. Here's Kuri, a "home companion" launching this fall for $699. It does a lot of things Amazon Echo can do, but who cares because it can take cat videos while you're away and play them when you get home.

What else did I miss?

Finally, 4K TV is kind of a big deal. Since the first televisions boasting the higher definition displays went on sale in 2012, consumers have slowly warmed up to the technology. As many as 1 in 4 U.S. households could own a 4K TV by the end of 2017. A big reason for the boost? There's a lot more 4K programming to watch.

Be ready to hear the name Alexa a lot. A lot of the gadgets at CES will likely incorporate some form of voice-enabled digital assistant. One example: Velop, the Wi-Fi system from router maker Linksys. It can respond to voice commands like share your home password with guests or go on a Wi-Fi timeout. Take notes on that last feature, parents.

Meanwhile, if you're into video games, PC makers are pushing to offer more affordable hardware options. Dell revealed its Inspiron gaming laptop, going on sale January 5.

Speaking of Dell, one of their best laptops has now transformed into a tablet. Because everything is a tablet or smartphone now.

What announcements should I expect?

On Tuesday, the show hosts CES Unveiled, a media event where journalists get an early look at some of the gadgets on the show floor.

Wednesday is the big day at CES. Most of the tech companies hold press conferences to reveal their latest products, including LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Intel, Nvidia and Sony.

On Thursday, the CES show floor officially opens.

So, what should we expect? There will definitely be a fair share of robots, drones and smart devices on display. Don't forget self-driving cars, either. One trend to watch closely: the rise of the digital personal assistant.

CES 2017: Cars, robots are expected to star

How do I stay updated on the latest from Vegas?

Follow our tech reporters on Twitter from Las Vegas: Ed Baig, Jefferson Graham and Mike Snider. You might also see them on Facebook Live. For the latest streams from CES, visit us on Facebook.

Also, check out the latest news and reviews at CES from Reviewed.com.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.