Consumer Electronics Show 2006

A Happy New Year to all! It has been a few weeks into 2006 and I have finally settled back into my saddle after weeks of holiday chaos. Now I fear the other fast-approaching chaos, the arrival of my credit card bills!

But a different kind of chaos was going on in Las Vegas last week where the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was held. This event is touted to be the biggest trade show in the world dedicated exclusively to consumer electronics. There were 2,500 exhibitors and 150,000 guests catching up on the latest in high-tech products and software. From reports I heard the convention center was filled to the brim with geeks and reporters despite the event being closed to the public. Also from another source, there were numerous celebrity sightings, too. Where can you ever find Justin Timberlake mixing with Bill Gates, and Snoop Dogg crossing paths with Donny Osmond? Only at the CES 2006!

The CES is always jammed with the latest in consumer gadgets and loads of accessories as well. Basically, if it’s electronics or electronics-related, and someone has plans to sell it, you’ll see it somewhere at CES. The show floors are crammed with everything from PC hardware to car audio equipment, to health care gadgetry to new wireless 2.1 speaker systems. Even if you attend every day of the event, it will be nearly impossible to see everything without a team of assistants. 

During the same event, technology companies of all makes and models – including Intel, Google, and Microsoft – are not to be left out. For these companies, the event is a launch pad to brag about future plans and new products alike. Intel was very busy showing off its recently released dual-core Pentium D 900 series processors built on its new 65nm manufacturing process, as well as promoting the VIIV platform, and showcasing numerous notebooks based on the Centrino Duo platform. And let’s not forget its new logo! On the other side of the center, Dell was showcasing a number of really cool products like its spanking-fresh new 30" 3007 WFP wide-screen LCD monitor, a media center PC and its upcoming flagship, the Quad-SLI based XPS 600 Renegade Gaming PC in fiery red casing. Creative Labs likewise announced the launch of its Skype Internet PhonePLUS, a device that enables Skype phone calls directly through a broadband router without requiring a PC. Google revealed at the show the upcoming launch of its Google Video Store that would let people rent or buy downloadable videos online for $1.99. Also released that day was a free download application called Google Pack, a software package that includes homegrown programs like Google Talk, Google Toolbar, Google Desktop, Google Alerts and Google Video Player, as well as third-party software, including the Firefox browser, anti-spyware from LavaSoft, Adobe PDF Reader 7, Norton’s antivirus program, Trillian Instant Messenger and RealPlayer. Wow, fairly soon Google may just control the world!

So all these lucky CES delegates are now in their homes still drooling from the array of new gadgets they saw. In all fairness, I will share with you what the polls have revealed to be some of the coolest must-have toys. Here’s a list of five gadgets in no specific order:

• Oakley Razrwire Bluetooth music shades. In collaboration with Motorola, these shades allow you to make and receive mobile phone calls and provide wireless iPod stereo playback via an adaptor housed on the glasses.

• Actiontec CallCenter. A smart little gadget that forms a bridge between your phone line and your PC, thereby enabling you to make and receive Skype VoIP calls no matter where you are and which phone you are using.

• Sony location-free TV for the PSP. It’s an innovative location-free TV service which enables PSP owners to stream wirelessly whatever is on their home TV to their device over Wi-Fi.

• SanDisk’s 6GB flash player. This Nano slayer not only boasts of the biggest flash memory to date but has the sexy aesthetics and features like video support to make the mighty Apple shiver.

• Sony Reader. Finally, a device that seems to deliver the promise of the e-book with its near paper-like contrast, book-like size and weight and on-board storage for 80 books.

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Patrick R. Garcia is the managing director of Bidshot Wireless Services. For comments or suggestions, e-mail [email protected].