THE CONSUMER ELECTRONIC SHOW -2011
THE CONSUMER ELECTRONIC SHOW -2011
Six months ago we started receiving information about the CES show. The e-mails arrived advising us about special products, areas we should be sure to examine, and speeches we should listen to. Scott, as well as the others from the station, told us about the size and scope of this show. We were advised that nothing like this in size and scope had been seen. After attending the four days of the show, going to some of the wonderful parties, and walking through two or three pairs of shoes we can only state that all of the hyperbole was an understatement. THIS SHOW IS HUGE! While a later column, after we have gathered ourselves and rested a bit, will go into some of the highlights for us (as Seniors) we never felt the need to cover the show from a technical angle. That aspect must be left to the professionals. Anyone who has read a newspaper watched the news on television has seen and heard the top aspects of the show. It is interesting that in talking with quite a few people, none have listed the same highlight. There was so much to be seen, no one could see it all!
We were very impressed that there are now many more programs and products available for the Sandwich Generation to monitor the wellbeing of their parents. We do not know how well these products do, but they are out there and should be reviewed by those who need them. On the green side, there was a company willing to buy back your old cell phone or other products no longer needed. This prevented them from entering a landfill and could earn the owner a few extra dollars. Something else to watch and evaluate in the coming months.
Anyone interested in cars: WELL! There sure were a lot on display. Both electric, hybrid and regular were there with sound systems better than anything we have in our living room. The first question I heard was: How did they get all those cars on the showroom floor?
For the owners of I Phones, I Pads, or anything else with an I there was a plethora of products that could be attached to them and improve the quality, their ability to survive disasters and so on.
It would be impossible to miss the huge screen television screens being demonstrated. Television is now married to the internet, and anything else electronic. We were advised of a phone that could replace a computer by docking at a station. Life is changing rapidly, and for us Seniors we need to keep pace!
From Lenovo to the other brands of laptops on display came a broad array of new products that will improve job performance, do multiple tasks and all on a screen that produces awesome pictures. The ability to view movies on the laptop is not new, but the ones we saw made it a pleasure to do so.
In addition to seeing many new and improved products, the highpoint was meeting and chatting with other attendees and the knowledgeable people representing their companies. The down side, for us, was the huge crowd of people (over 125,000 attendees) that were fighting us for space, blocking our paths and competing for the It attention of the representatives that the companies sent to the show.
We were advised by veterans of this show that it would take three or more years before we truly learned how to navigate the vast expanse. That is more than true, we suspect. We marvel at the awesome staff that put this program together. They did an impossible job well and deserve a huge thanks and round of applause! Meeting rooms for talks, the huge displays, luncheons, parties and much more had to be arranged. Security was great, and staff, information screens and booths were available when we needed help/.
Steve-you did a great job!
One area (among countless others that we missed due to time and fatigue) was the wonderful display of speakers coming from some of the meeting rooms. We heard great music emanating from them and only wish we could have stayed longer!
The socials (well, parties) that we attended provided an opportunity to chat with others as well as get some needed nourishment into the body. We enjoyed them all.
The lesson we learned was, despite all the great planning done for us by Scott, we need to rest more before the show and decide specifically what we want to see and where that is on the floor. It is not that we were not advised of this, but we did not follow through as much as we should have. The lesson is learned! Hopefully we will be able to do this again next year!
by, John Lustig, Senior Editor