CES 2010 Product Overview: Prices Down,Thin Is In, Power of Touch
Thin is in, and the electronics industry continues to focus on shrinking its waistlines and reducing weight. But don’t think small comes with a lighter price tag, adding new features while decreasing size generally forces innovation in batteries and chipsets, and this can cause first generation products to cost more. Packaging also is going on a diet as part of a move by the industry to address consumer consciousness about the environment.
Televisions seem to grow in size every year, but this year, ultra-thin was in. The resolution and color clarity in screen technology, and the revolution in 3D may make the HD television you wanted last year obsolete before you buy it. But if you think you have to wait to buy a new 3D television to get in on the fun, you’ll be delighted to learn HDLogix, the company that recently demonstrated a live 3D broadcast at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, demonstrated technology that can convert 2D content into a 3D experience. 
Touch-screen technology is everywhere, including on a Samsung touch-only remote control you'll love to use to channel surf. Who needs buttons to input anything anymore? The folks who make keypads will feel like they might as well make audio cassette tapes pretty soon. This is especially true as the price is dropping on portable devices with touch-screens and the applications for touch input are expanding.
Green was the color of the day, with the generally eco-unfriendly electronics industry trying to show sensitivity to the environment through new power solutions, packaging design, and material selection.
The electronics industry has pressured the entertainment industry for years to open their business models to allow new ways for consumers to access content, and at CES they continue to push the envelope with devices and services which challenge the current paradigm for viewing television and movies. The winner of the annual “Last Gadget Standing” contest was the Boxee Box, an add on for your home entertainment system that plugs into your TV and allows you to search, share and store Web content.
The threshold for consumers’ megapixel appetite appears to have been reached, with digital camera manufacturers no longer touting the number of megapixels as the key reason to upgrade. Since most mobile phones now have cameras with reasonably good megapixel resolution and lenses, the digital camera has lost some of its allure for the average non-professional photographer.
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