No one can accuse the International Consumer Electronics Show of being being a small, quaint affair. Every January, consumer electronics professionals from all over the globe flock to Las Vegas for the annual trade show, and this year's event was, not surprisingly, the biggest CES on record.
140,000 professional attendees.
30,000 overseas visitors.
2,700 technology companies.
22 keynote-participating CEOs.
158,000 tweets.
And who knows how many pairs of 3D glasses.
Although final numbers are still being compiled, the above statistics represent the preliminary data released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the organization that owns and produces the event.
As for this year's show, there were certainly some trends worth reporting. As you've undoubtedly heard by now, tablet computers (a.k.a. "tablets") made a big splash at CES, with more than 80 tablets making an appearance, many of which for the first time. Ironically, the tablet that started it all, Apple's iPad, was nowhere to be found. (Unless you looked in the hands of fellow show attendees. I think I saw more iPads than cell phones this year.) If this year's CES was any indication, Android-based tablets will surely give Apple some serious competition in this burgeoning market segment.
Also prevalent at CES this year was the connected TV. LG and Samsung may have been the only companies using "Smart TV" in an official branding sense, but every display and Blu-ray Disc maker on the show floor had something to tout which allowed consumers to stream Netflix, Pandora, Vudu, YouTube, et al. And many companies showed evidence of serious investment in R&D with a focus on improving the end user experience. Like the Internet itself, connected devices are getting more colorful, more graphical, more feature-rich, and easier to use every year - and that's a great thing.
Last but not least, 3D was once again a major topic of discussion at CES. Everywhere you went, booths were outfitted with podiums and stands holding 3D glasses for passerby to look through. Talk of theatrical 3D releases (such as Sony's upcoming Green Hornet) and Blu-ray 3D titles coming in 2011 (such as the 15 or more coming from Disney), universal 3D glasses, and the ever-increasing number of 3D-capable displays was rampant.
Companies jumped the gun by making 3D "The Story" of CES 2010 before the talked-about hardware was truly ready, but that time has passed. With hardware on the shelves, universal glasses on the way, and content to watch, 2011 is poised to be the year that 3D truly takes off - or doesn't. Only time will tell. Just remember to remove your glasses before going out in public. The real world is 3D all by itself, no glasses required.
