So, CES is over for another year.
The view on the show floor – and from many of the analysts and press attending – is that this year’s event was rather underwhelming.
It’s not that it wasn’t busy, although organisers the Consumer Electronics Association actually wants to reduce numbers, not least to relieve pressure on hotel rooms.
A less congested CES would be a good thing. But the show faces growing competition, at least among Europeans, from Berlin’s IFA . Samsung’s decision to launch its F490 touch screen phone in Europe first (and during CES) suggests that CES cannot take its leading position for granted.
But there was useful content at CES: Verizon’s Voyager touch-screen, mobile TV ready phone was one. For businesses, Seagate’s Maxtor Black Armor encrypted drive (see story here for more) was another. It was more that other news overshadowed the products on display.
Warner’s decision to back the Blu-Ray HD standard, speculation about Apple’s product launches next week and BT’s deal with Microsoft to create a version of the Xbox that doubles as a set-top box for its Vision service were the real stories.
But you can still bet it will still be pretty hard to get a hotel room – let alone a cab – at CES next year.
