All of the tech gurus, tech companies, and like-minded computer people will be converging in Las Vegas this week for the annual International CES convention. The Consumer Technology Association’s annual conference and show takes place this week and it is always the biggest tech and computer event of the year. It is a great way to kick off the year and snap us out of holiday mode and get right into the technology advances to expect in the coming year.
CES Statistics
In 2015, CES broke attendance records and 2016 is set to do that again. Last year, more than 170,000 attendees from all over the world (with close to 50,000 international attendees) transcended on the Las Vegas convention space to cover the over 2 million square feet of exhibition space. You can expect to see close to 4,000 companies exhibiting the latest technology and almost 400 startups with the biggest and brightest ideas for the future of tech and computers. Among the exhibitors and attendees include:
- 83 percent of top retailers;
- 82 percent of Fortune 100 companies;
- 153 different countries represented;
- 48,616 senior-level executives; and
- 1,809 government professionals.
CES Conference and Exhibition
Sometimes you attend a show for the conference portion and sometimes you attend one to see the exhibitors. Both sides of the show at CES are equally important. In the conference portion of the show, you can hear fabulous industry experts deliver keynote addresses, listen in on super sessions or choose different tracks based on your interest such as 3D printing, content monetization, or sensor technology. There are over 40 different topics that will be featured in various speaker sessions. To give you an idea, here are some of the Super Session topics:
- Insights with the FCC and FTC
- An Inside Look: Industry Innovators and Government Join Forces
- The Next Big Thing: Is Typing Dead? Presented by CNET
- IOT Business Strategies: Partnerships for the Sharing Economy
- Forecasting the Future of Entrepreneurship. Presented by Consumer Technology Association
- Making Disney Magic: Connecting Digital and Physical Worlds
- Global Innovation. Presented by Consumer Technology Association
What to Expect at CES
CES is the place to find out what the trends will be in technology and computers for the year and beyond. You will hear about new products being introduced to the world, new startup inventions, and the latest in tech gadgets in every category from smart televisions to smartphones, wearables, the Internet of Things and more. A few notable things to keep an eye on this year include:
- Cars
- Televisions
- Smart Home Technology
- Wearables
- Headphones
- Rideables
- Virtual Reality Products
- Drones
The Internet of Things
IoT, or Internet of Things, is a big topic for CES. Besides a bunch of acronyms, IoT is a driving force in technology and the future of many industries includes digital marketing. In addition to seeing many new IoT related products at CES, there will be many discussions and conference sessions on the topic and related issues like security, privacy, data ownership, big data, etc. The IoT industry has been treading lightly and taking time for consumers to better understand the technology, but this could be the year it really takes off. It is undoubtedly growing and adoption is increasing. The top area of IoT for consumers looks to be in the area of smart home technology, with the added security features playing a big factor:
- Security (locks and alarm systems)
- Temperature (thermostats and fans)
- Lighting (smart light bulbs)
- Safety (fire/carbon monoxide detectors)
While more consumers warm to smart devices for their homes, there’s no shortage of smart things that will be shown at CES this week. There are some other consumer IoT products that will be showcased and popular this year according to MediaPost. Here’s a glimpse:
- Bowflex: Smart dumbbells with technology designed to guide users through each exercise while tracking reps and weight lifted
- Edyn: A smart irrigation controller for plants
- Keyssa: Smart glasses for cyclists
- Whirlpool: Smart French Door Refrigerator uses space more efficiently so families can fit and find it all
- Livall: A smart bike and helmet
- Beddit: A sleep tracker that makes any bed a smart bed
- Master Lock: Bluetooth Smart Padlocks, turns a smart device into a key
- Moff: The Moff Band, a smart wearable for kids
- Osram Sylvania: Smart connected LIGHTIFY portfolio, including the LIGHTIFY Switch and Outdoor Flex RGBW strips
- ZoZbot: Consumer robot made for Robo-Gaming
- Nortek Security & Control: GoControl water control and monitoring devices including a smart flood detector
- Schlage: The Schlage Control Smart Locks and the Sense Smart deadbolt
- Lumo Bodytech: Lumo Run smart shorts
- NXT-ID: The Wocket Smart Wallet
- Telepathy: AR smart-glasses
- Zuli: A smart plug that enables a home to adapt to personal preferences, such as lighting and temperature
- Oco: Smart camera for monitoring a home with a self-learning motion and noise detection system
- McGraw-Hill Education: A tablet-optimized version of SmartBook, an adaptive reading product
- Osterhout Design Group: Augmented Reality company to smart glasses
- Petnet: The SmartBowl for pets
- Icontrol Networks: Piper smart home security system
- RIF6: The Cube, a pocket-sized projector that can turn a smartphone, tablet or laptop display into a 120-inch projection
- Roost: The Roost Smart Battery, which transforms existing home smoke and CO alarms into smart alarms
- Slendertone: The Slendertone Connect Abs, a smart device that actively tones your abs
- Tablo: Tablo apps for Apple TV and LG webOS-powered Smart TVs
If you didn’t plan for CES this year, you should probably make it your New Year’s resolution to check it out next year. In the meantime, you can follow along with the rest of us who didn’t make it there either and still stay on top of the latest and greatest technological advances, products, and interesting topic discussions. Read up on new technology and get ready for the next best thing!
