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| CEA SmartBrief |
| January 21, 2009 |
2009 International CES Wrap-Up
Wireless, 3-D among hot topics in Las Vegas
The 2009 International CES covered 1.7 million net square feet of exhibit space, which housed more than 2,700 global companies, including 300 new exhibitors. Roughly 20,000 new technology products were featured at the world's largest consumer-technology trade show, proving the CE industry is upbeat despite the economic downturn.
As in years past, the 2009 CES featured products and technology that will shape the future of consumer electronics, including wireless, 3-D HDTV, advances in OLED, green technologies, Internet TV and digital entertainment.
"The level of excitement on the CES show floor was at an all-time high with groundbreaking technologies such as the Palm Pre, Sony's flexible OLED display, 3-D HDTV, Yahoo!'s TV Widget, LG's Watch Phone and a one-third-inch-thin, energy-efficient Plasma HDTV from Panasonic," said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, events and conferences, CEA, in a statement.
Content shined at the 2009 installment of CES. With Sony taping several live episodes of "Jeopardy!" and for the first time CES had an official broadcast partner, NBC Universal. These, among many other announcements at CES, not only showcased a variety of content, but also highlighted the role technology is playing in how audiences view and interact with programming.
This year's version of the CES also featured a distinctly green hue, with exhibit space for the Greener Gadgets Tech Zone ballooning from 520 square feet last year to 3,000 square feet in 2009.
In case you missed this year's CES or just need a refresher, CEA SmartBrief has put together this wrap-up special report.
Even though this year's show has just wrapped up, CEA is already gearing up for the 2010 International CES, which will be held Jan. 7 to 10 in Las Vegas.
While you are waiting for next year's CES, CEA SmartBrief will work to keep you in the CE-industry-know. If you don't receive CEA SmartBrief daily, we urge you to sign up for our timely e-newsletter. CEA SmartBrief delivers the industry news you need to know directly to your inbox -- for FREE.
Outgoing FCC Chairman Martin speaks at CES
Kevin Martin, who is set to resign his post today, sat down with CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro and mused on a host of topics, including the 700-MHz auction, fair-use content, the DTV switchover, ISP traffic-blocking, a la carte cable pricing and the importance of open networks. PaidContent.org (1/8)
For NBCU, it's about the content at CES
NBC Universal used CES to showcase how technology can help deliver content. "We're really about the interaction between great electronics and great content," said the company's vice president of digital media, Mark Lukasiewicz. "TV is still a core, but not the only game in town anymore." E-Gear (1/11)
Retail Roundtable: Discipline, partnerships needed in 2009
During the TWICE Retail Roundtable, speakers called on those in the retail sector to be disciplined and look to forge partnerships in the face of the current economic downturn. "I do think we're going to see a nesting urge and households will want to invest in their entertainment," said Jeannette Howe, executive director, Nationwide Marketing Group. TWICE (1/8)
High-tech marketers shouldn't forget about baby boomers
The first Silvers Summit at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was intended to demonstrate the growing market of older, high-tech users, who reportedly are embracing new tools more easily than past generations of older Americans. Some 7 million baby boomers who don't have children have gaming systems, and 29 million have digital video recorders, according to this article. Los Angeles Times (1/10)
Kids@Play Summit: Gadgets connect kids with toys
Mattel and Ridemakerz were among the companies talking at the Kids@Play Summit at CES about how to more effectively extend a child's play through gadgets. "Children are always looking for different ways to extend their play," said Chuck Scothon, Mattel's vice president of digital media. "The Internet gives us that opportunity." Los Angeles Times (1/10)
Other News
Panasonic home theater makes 3-D breakthrough
Panasonic introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show its 3D Full HD Plasma Home Theater System, which is said to be the first-of-its-kind setup that depicts what the company says is true-to-life 3-D imagery. The system involves a 103-inch plasma HDTV from Panasonic and a Panasonic Blu-ray player that, together, deliver full HD images to the left and right eyes. Pocket-Lint.com (U.K.) (1/9)
Sony debuts power-saving Bravia TVs
Sony unveiled at CES new additions to its Bravia TV line that will hit store shelves this year: the 52-inch KDL-52VE5, the 46-inch KDL-46VE5 and the 40-inch KDL-40VE5. Each model has a number of energy-conservation systems built in, including a zero-watt standby power switch and the company's Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamp, which Sony said could decrease power consumption about 40%. The company also is offering the XBR9 and Z-series lines featuring an Ethernet connection. ElectronicHouse.com (1/7)
Other News
Shapiro urges focus on innovation in tough times
Consumer Electronics Association chief Gary Shapiro opened the 2009 International CES with a call to the industry to maintain its focus on innovation and not be overly distracted by the current economic downturn. "We must remember that we are a free-market economy, and in a free market at times we will expand and at times we will contract," he said. "More, we are part of a global economy and the world looks to us for leadership, not only for economic resiliency but for innovation and all its possibilities." TWICE (1/8) NewsFactor Network (1/8) Multichannel News (1/8)
Stringer lists a few of his favorite things at CES
Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer came to CES with plenty to talk about. In a 90-minute presentation, he outlined some of the company's hottest opportunities for the year ahead, which included 3-D entertainment, a new type of display called Flex OLED and the 550 Bravia HDTV line, much of which will be incorporated into the new Yankee Stadium this spring. TWICE (1/8) Multichannel News (1/8) TVWeek.com (1/8)
Ford gets in Sync with future of dashboard device
Sync, the voice-activated, dashboard entertainment and communication system launched by Ford 18 months ago, is beginning to look a lot like an iPhone. Like the Apple device, future iterations of Sync are expected to allow users to customize and further pimp their ride by integrating third-party applications as well as computer-generated avatars, Ford CEO Alan Mulally said during a CES keynote address. The Wall Street Journal (1/9) CNET (1/8)
Disney-ABC to step up interactive-television efforts
Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney talked about how the incorporation of widgets in new television sets will affect interactive programming on ABC and its cable channels when she addressed the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The widgets would let viewers of "Good Morning America" vote in real-time polls or connect fans of "Lost" with other fans online, she said. Broadcasting & Cable (1/8)
Ballmer at CES: "No turning back" from tech advances
Microsoft's Steve Ballmer took the stage at the 2009 International CES and said that, while the country "has entered a period of reduced expectations," he remains cautiously optimistic about the tech sector's future. "I believe our digital lives will only continue to get richer," he said. "There really is no turning back from the connected world and the pace of technological advance bringing people closer together." 
ClipSyndicate/Associated Press (1/7) The Seattle Times/Microsoft PioO (1/7) The Washington Post/mocoNews.net (1/8) Engadget (1/7)
Chambers: Video at core of Cisco moves
In its continuing effort to move the company into the consumer-electronics arena, Cisco Systems will make "a stream of acquisitions" with video as "the key application," CEO John Chambers said at CES.
"You will see a steady stream of product announcements, of partnership announcements and acquisition announcements," he said. Reuters (1/7)
Palm Pre honored as Best in Show at CES
Palm's new Pre took home the title of Best in Show, an award designated by CNET in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association. Among the features that made the device stand out to the judges was the "innovative way to how you interact with your device and how it organizes information." CNET (1/10)
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