CES 2008 and Beyond: Can the Wow Factor Make a Comeback? Author: David Mercer Other Authors: Peter King Publication Date: 1 Feb 2008 Pages: 15 Service Navigation: Digital Consumer > Connected Home Devices

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At the close of yet another CES we were left with the all-too-familiar feeling that the occasional true innovation was drowned out by the general slow but steady march of technology progress. This jaded perspective was undoubtedly influenced by the resolution, before the show even got under way, of the one technology battle that might have sparked a focal point of interest, when Warner effectively killed off HD-DVD by announcing its exclusive support for Blu-ray Disc. Even against such a background, it can be painful to listen to global CE execs attempting to justify how years of investment in a new moulding technique will “revolutionise” a tired, maturing category when what is really required is a seachange in their approach to consumer technology marketing and innovation. The Apple lesson, it seems, is still not being heard. As well as reviewing some of this year’s key CES announcements, therefore, this report puts the 2008 show in the context of what we believe needs to happen over the next ten years if CES, and by implication the consumer electronics industry as a whole, is to regain its buzz.