|
|
The media frenzy over the Consumer Electronics Show 2005 is still going strong even though the Las Vegas show ended on Sunday. CES seems like one of the only trade shows that gets press from every media outlet. Seriously, I've seen so many people on TV doing stories on products they know nothing about that it makes me sick. They always tell you the prices at the end and they are so awed by these products that it doesn't even phase them. $500 for a universal remote? What! I guess we just can't get enough of those high-tech gadgets. This year's CES was, of course, filled with thousands of high-tech gadgets. But there really weren't any exciting new product categories introduced, as has often happened in the past.
Most of the products on display were improvements on existing technologies. Display technologies were the most talked about. Bigger and sharper plasma, LCD, and projection HDTVs seemed to make the most buzz. (By the way, new HDTVs with 1080p resolution were introduced so if you just bought the latest and greatest HDTV, you might want to save the receipt). Then there were lots of little home theater projectors that make big screens on the wall. And bigger (relatively) and sharper displays for cameras, portable media players, digital cameras, and cell phones. More buzz came from all the ways that companies want you to view your digital pictures, movies, and music in every corner of your home. Look for powerline networking (that's right, your home's electrical wires) to carry media to all around your house. And there were supposedly a thousand companies touting accessories for the most popular high-tech fashion accessory - the iPod. I'm sure there are thousands of other products I'm leaving out, but yawn, they really aren't worth mentioning.
Don't get me wrong, I love technology more than just about anyone (I am The Geeky Jock), and I enjoy reading about these cool new products, but I really don't get overly excited about this stuff. Remember, the motto for this site is "Tech advice without the hype." CES is nothing but hype. A very large majority of the products on display will never make it to market. Those that will won't be affordable for many years. Still many of them might be a neat idea, but really aren't all that useful - only things you would buy if you had everything and just had to burn that 10 grand sitting in your bank account.
What I care about is gear that I can buy right now that works and is affordable. That's why you didn't get extensive coverage of CES 2005 on this site. And that's why you won't see articles about the latest and greatest. Now you know.
Now, how big was that plasma TV Samsung was showing off?
