CES Scales Up While Companies Push Back

The Consumer Electronics Show is being pushed in ever-more-glamorous directions as organizers attempt to top themselves every year. Much like the final years of the E3 event, this week's showcase will feature loud music and brightly-lit stages. At the same time, also mirroring E3, the big businesses that drive CES are starting to rethink the need for the event itself. The New York Times reports: "Technology companies now frequently introduce their products elsewhere, in an effort to reach consumers more directly. The Apple iPhone, the Nintendo Wii and other recent must-haves were not unveiled at C.E.S. One of the industry's biggest hits in 2007 was the Flip Video camcorder, an easy-to-use pocket-size device that sells for $120. Executives from Pure Digital Technologies, its maker, visited Las Vegas last year during the show but kept to their hotel suite at the Wynn."

Comments

big-budget tradeshows a waste of money

[Swampash]

In other news, sky found to be blue.

Suicidal

[imagin8or]

"the organisers attempt to top themselves every year" - in Blighty that means that they're annually attempting to commit suicide. So either they're very bad at it, or they keep getting distracted by the shiny things.

This broadcast brought to you by Pan Atlantic Linguists (FRIEND).

It's worth it just for the Keynote speech alone

[Anonymous Coward]

BIll Gates states in his keynote in regards to vista: "I think a lot of people would say it was the best new product of the year in terms of the neat, new things they're using in it."

If anyone can honestly say that with a strait face, it's well worth it.

Re:It's worth it just for the Keynote speech alone

[Comboman]

Do you think any of Bill's circle are willing to tell him that Vista is a total mess?

The only way Bill wouldn't know Vista is a total mess is if he's still using XP.

Re:It's worth it just for the Keynote speech alone

[TheRaven64]

Why would he be using XP? He's one of the richest men in the world. He can afford a Mac.

From a CES 2007 attendee

[usul294]

I went to CES a year ago, but all my work for the show was done before it opened. I then had the full 4 days to roam the show and see what I liked. The biggest flashiest booths at the show were Microsoft and Intel, right across from each other. I once heard "Hey when you're done with those quad-cores check out Vista!" Needless to say alot of the booths were useless, I mean at least 20 thousand square feet was devoted to big tv's, and the car audio floor was just fancy cars. The small company booths were fantastic with tons of new and interesting ideas and gadgets. The most satisfying part of the show was when I visited the Microsoft booth and waited until the Vista attendants went to the bathroom, and I grabbed 5 minutes on Vista and somehow managed to crash the system.