What to Expect at CES

CES, the annual consumer electronics show, long has provided an up-close-and-personal look at the people and products that portend to change the way we work and play. But before major telcos entered the entertainment business, this event was of limited relevance to carriers.

That all has changed dramatically in the past three years, and this month’s 2007 International CES conference, which takes place Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas, is strong evidence of the show’s evolution beyond just cool gadgetry and fascinating handheld wireless devices that have drawn limited telco attention to the event in past years.

With telcos now pushing video services to the home and handset full bore, and with nontraditional telecom players driving consumer product innovation and marketing excellence, CES has become a can’t miss event for service providers and their partners.

“CES has always been a fascinating show, it’s just some industries figured out its relevance before others,” says Teresa Mastrangelo, principal analyst at broadbandtrends.com. “Its breadth continues to expand annually. And with telcos caring very much about what people do in their homes, there’s much more to focus on than wireless wonders.”

The show’s producer, Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), says that more than 2,900 content industry professionals attend the International CES to see the newest digital technologies. CEA promises this year’s event will feature the hottest product debuts from 2,700 exhibitors, covering more than 30 product areas, including the latest in content and entertainment, wireless, digital imaging, mobile electronics, home networking and more.

This year’s scheduled CES keynoters speak to the value of the event well beyond “widget watchers.” The lineup includes semi-retired Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates, Walt Disney Corp. President and CEO Robert Iger, CES President and CEO Gary Shapiro, and Ed Zander, chairman and CEO of Motorola Inc. Other planned event keynoters include Leslie Moonves, president and CEO for CBS Corp., and Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Computer Inc.

The conference is looking to focus on several categories of content, most of which are interrelated. They include communications, imaging, emerging technology, games, home networking, home theater and video, mobile electronic and wireless.

To highlight the fact that today’s consumers want to be entertained and informed when and where they want, CEA has announced a new Anytime-Anywhere TechArena at Innovations Plus at the Sands. This arena is sponsored by Sling Media Inc., makers of the Slingbox, a device that let’s you watch your home TV from anywhere, and will feature content-shifting technology companies as well as The Download TechZone, ExpressCard TechZone, IPTV TechZone and PodCasting TechZone.

It is also of note that CES this year will host the Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards. Show producers explain that the awards honor achievements in two areas. The first is Science & Technology for Television, which includes broadcast, cable and satellite distribution, while the second, Advance Media Technology, encompasses interactive television, gaming technology, and for the first time, the Internet, cell phones, private networks and personal media players.

In addition, Emmy Awards will be presented for the best use of Advanced Media Technology by commercials as well as programmers.

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