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Las Vegas gears up for annual CES event
All eyes are set on Thursday when the year’s biggest technology show--International Consumer Electronics Show (CES)--will open in Las Vegas.
by Priyanka - January 6, 2010 - comments
This year, CES will see the introduction of large number of devices by big and small companies such as tablet devices, mini-tablets, dual netbooks/e-readers and e-readers.
Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, is predicting that "the 2010 International CES will be our best show yet".
Meanwhile, Google Inc. (NSQD: GOOG) is not participating this year. Following on Apple’s (NSDQ: AAPL) footsteps, the company has announced its much-hyped Nexus One Smartphone in a press conference on Tuesday.
Devices expected to make an appearance in CES 2010
1. Tablets: Tablets seem to be the flavor of 2010 and companies are busy unveiling their tablet devices to outshine others in the market.
Ever since Apple announced that it will be launching its tablet very soon, the whole industry is eager to know more about it. But do not get your hopes up because Apple definitely is not using CES as a platform to introduce its much-hyped “iSlate” tablet. However, analysts are hoping it will be unveiled by the end of this month.
Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) will be talking about Windows Mobile 7 as well as “Courier tablet”.
Rumors are rife that Dell (NSDQ: Dell) is also planning to introduce its “mini tablet” that runs on Google’s Android OS.
2. Smartbooks: Smartbooks were among the best-selling technology items in 2009. Many hardware makers are expected to announce a new class of netbooks that will be simpler, smaller, and cheaper.
One can expect to see models starting at $200; expensive versions will feature in-built 3G wireless broadband.
3. E-readers: It looks like that Amazon’s kindle will be having more competition in 2010. A lot of e-readers are going to be introduced at CES, and due to their large number an entire section is devoted to them at the event. A few possible entrants are: Plastic Logic Que; the dual-screen Entourage Edge; and Skiff.
Lenovo also will be launching its revamped line of laptops called ThinkPad Edge models at the event.
Washington policy leaders at CES
This year not only the big and small names in technology industry will be at CES but the top technology advisers, lawmakers and regulators such as National Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski from Obama’s administration will also be attending the event.
Jason Oxman, senior vice president of the Consumer Electronics Association said, "Policy issues are front and center this year at CES. Broadband capabilities are in more devices than ever before.
“It will be hard to find a TV without broadband connectivity at the show, and everything wireless connects to the Internet, so broadband and spectrum policy issues are very important to the [consumer electronics] industry."