Yes, another TV, and yes, this time for the TV. Pioneer smartly went the reverse of their peers and went beautiful instead of big with almost all their product lines, but most significantly in the TV realm. CES is one million square feet of exaggerated, overblown, overly lit exhibit space that not only overwhelms but blinds you after a while. For a TV monitor to make you stop and admire the picture in the midst of such confusion is a major tribute the superiority of this product.
Who won the race for best gadget at CES? Al Gore, that’s who. Well, not specifically, but there was a decidedly “Green” tint to this year’s judges’ choice for ultimate winner.
The Phillips Eco TV, a 42″ fat panel that lets you adjust the amount of power that you use is a nice nod to the idea that many of the products that we saw at CES 2008 will not only cost you big money for wanting have the biggest and the fanciest, but they’ll also eat up your power bills. Not eco-friendly at all. To emphasize this point, The New York Times Magazine ran an article Sunday on where old cellphone go to die, and the vast amounts of valuable minerals mined and then discarded when we throw away one phone to get the coolest new thing. According to the piece, some 220 pounds of earth must be manipulated to gather the materials needed for every one cellphone. The Phillips product smartly plays to the audience that is legitimately concerned about the impact of technology on the environment.
But is the Eco-TV really the Best Product of CES? In my opinion, not really. So in these next few items, my personal best of CES….
Some of you who are less familiar with CES sent notes asking me that question.
The answer is simple. The Adult Video News (AVN) conference has overlapped (no pun intended) the CES for years. Until very recently, it’s been one industry that has guided the other, and you’d be surprised at the one doing the leading. Put frankly, consumer technology is where it is today because of some of the risk-taking of the adult film industry. From VHS to DVDs to the internet, technology has always provided the porn industry with the answer to one basic problem - the guilt/embarrassment/need for privacy of the film’s fans gave home-based viewing technologies to perfect reason to exist. VHS and DVD allowed people to keep it at home, and the web allowed the ability to choose and search one’s personal predilections. The shrinking of technology allowed portability.
The adult, dealing in a lot less money and lot less risk, had nothing to lose and became first adopters. Hollywood and the tech industry responded and followed after seeing the adult industry make its mistakes. Of course, the relationship is more symbiotic that anyone cares to admit. The major cable companies have been in bed with (pun intended) spinoff of huge media companies to produce and distribute adult content for years. Those hotel movies you hide from your corporate accountant? Major companies.
The Vegas location has also helped because of it’s proximity to Los Angeles, where most adult films are produced. We’ll see what happens if or when CES moves to Chicago or Orlando as it’s threatened to do.
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Tough to believe that CES lasts a full week. Day 3 and everybody around the joint is a zombie, just moving along trying to see whatever’s here (no matter how insignificant) or just geeks looking for human contact and trying to sneak into the porn convention next door. (Hint: Dude, just hang out the bar at the Venetian and save yourself the trouble).
As for me, it’s time to put the computer down and just chill and take it in. My eyes (and my feet) have gone all screwy. Later for now. So much more to come.
Yesterday I solicited questions for what you wanted to see from CES. So now, the answer to the Number 1 question: Yes, guys, there are booth babes. See the smiles on these guy’s faces? Now grow up.
What do you do when you get 140,000 people from around the world throwing big money around when the dollar is weak. You charge them an arm and a leg for everything, of course. From hotel rooms to food - $350 for a $175 room, $50 for a room service breakfast - prices skyrocket for CES Week and Vegas is taking a sharp criticism for it. The Consumer Electronics Association is reportedly in talks with Chicago, New York (New York? Lower prices?) and Orlando for 2009. Maybe a negotiating tactic only, but we’ll keep you posted.
Lest you think CES is one big gadget giveaway, don’t be fooled. Nicely designed bags and lovely brochures are about the most you can expect unless you’re invited to one of the exclusive parties, generally open only to major electronics retailers.
A summary of swag so far:
Direct TV - box of chocolates, bottle of Voss still water
Samsung - 1 GB MP3 player
CES Press Room - free lunch and a backpack
Everybody else - tote bag
Most popular photo opportunity, other than the booth girls - the 8-foot tall Ironman prototype from the upcoming movie, in the LG booth.
