By Alfred Hermida BBC News Online technology staff in Las Vegas

Americans will spend almost $100bn this year on gadgets, according to figures released on the eve of the largest consumer technology trade show in the world.

They are increasingly going hi-tech, spending their dollars on DVD players, digital cameras and MP3 players.

The latest digital gadgets will be showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which runs from 9 to 12 January.

"Consumer electronics continue to capture the imagination and meet the needs of the American consumer," said Gary Shapiro, President of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which runs the trade show.

DVDs lead the way

The figures for 2003 are part of the trade body's annual report into sales of consumer electronics in the US.

Gadget spending in 2003

DVD players: $2.6bn

Digital cameras: $2.9bn

Electronic gaming: $12.6bn

Camcorders: $2.3bn

MP3 players: $213m

According to the study, the consumer electronics industry can expect a record-breaking year, with sales forecast to reach $99.5bn, up from $96.2bn in 2002.

The rise in sales is being fuelled by digital technology, with DVD players standing out as the fastest growing technology of all time, according to the CEA.

A third of homes in the US have a DVD player and a further 20 million machines are expected to be sold in 2003.

Other digital technologies related to home entertainment are helping the boom in consumer electronics, such as digital TV sets and flat panel televisions. more

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2003