2009's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was the world's largest technology-themed trade show.
A few nights ago, I had a chance to catch up with some of the organizers of the Consumer Electronics Show, the gargantuan trade expo held January in Las Vegas where many of the world's largest tech companies unveil their latest gadgets. It's expected to attract about 110,000 attendees this year and to represent about 2,500 tech exhibitors.
I won't be able to attend the event, which runs Jan. 7-10, due to an impending birth in the family, so I wanted to get a sneak peek at what will be hot at the expo. Last year, some of the hottest products included the Palm Pre smartphone (which debuted in the summer and hasn't quite set the world ablaze since) and connected HDTVs that can stream video from the Internet without a set-top box. (They exist in the marketplace, but are expensive and haven't hit the mainstream yet.)
For 2010's show, reps from the Consumer Electronics Association told me a great deal of floor space will be devoted to 3-D TVs, with the holy grail being TVs that can display in 3-D without clunky glasses. This will be a closely watched category at CES, especially if James Cameron's Avatar, the most expensive film ever made, becomes a big box office hit over the holidays. Nobody expects the 3-D experience to his consumer TV sets anytime soon, but analysts predicts it will become common in homes eventually, replacing regular HDTVs.
Based on floor space reserved at CES, e-books will have a major presence at the show as products like the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook continue to attract new buyers. And of course, companies like Palm will be back to try to capture lightning in a bottle again after last year's big show.
Other trends? Apps on smartphones will continue to be huge, but we'll also see app stores open up for other platforms. Green electronics will have a big presence at the show. Two big spaces, the iLounge Pavilion and the Living in Digital Times area, will focus on all things iPod/iPhone/Mac-related and on tech for specific lifestyles.
More predictions for CES 2010? Here's a few from CEA's Research Director and Economist Shawn DuBravac.
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.