For more than four decades, the Consumer Electronics Association has worked to connect all members of the electronic community to promote discussion and growth in the industry; thus the Consumer Electronics Show was born. The CES, running from January 8 until January 11, 2009, resides in Las Vegas, where it has been every year since its debut in New York City in 1967. The goal is to showcase new gadgets which will eventually be aimed at the consumer, but are currently only understood in the technology-savvy world.
The CES’s purpose is to encourage new electronics to thrive and for different companies to come together. More than 2,000 organizations are represented there, ranging from those involved in digital imaging and in-vehicle technology, all the way to home theaters and wireless Internet. The electronics shown at the CES are those which will soon be, or already are, available to the public. However, with representatives from all over the globe, not everyone is on the same page, technology wise, and are ready to learn about international gizmos.
With manufacturers, retailers and inventors from all around the world, this is one of the few opportunities given to the technology world to truly come together and see what each other has come up with. With representatives all the way from Rwanda and Zambia, there is a plethora of products available for trial and observation.
Past Consumer Electronics Shows have been incredibly beneficial to companies who attend. They are given access to innumerable other companies and are given the opportunity to showcase their new technological advancements. Inventions like the plasma TV, HD radio, video cassette recorder, and the camcorder all made their debut at the CES.
This year, attendance at the CES fell over 23 percent. With 130,000 in attendance last year, and only 110,000 this year, the drop was significant. Lack in attendance was blamed on the fact that with our current economy, consumers and buyers are just not as interested in spending extra money on unnecessary new technology.
The world’s largest consumer-buyer technology based showcase revealed much new technology this time around as well. With the premiere of multiple wide-screen HD computer monitors, new in-car entertainment centers, and brand new software which allows you to record your favorite TV shows online, the show has lost little steam and will continue to press on and unveil influential technology for years to come.
