The CES is the most important event on the planet for technological innovation; it is hosted every January in the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which is the most important commercial association for promoting the growth of the consumer technology industry. CEA represents over 2,000 industry members who are involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of consumer electronic products.
The event was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), World Trade Center, Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and the Venetian Hotel, where they have been held in past years, each having its own specialization.
At the fair, you can find the latest developments and innovations of the technology industry, new products are announced and huge deals are made between companies in the industry.
The CES 2013 was no exception, and although this year Microsoft did have its traditional keynote, the interest was in seeing companies like Samsung, Sony, Intel and Microsoft compete to show the best from their portfolio of products and mostly the new technologies in their products.
At the fair, over 170 countries were represented, over 3,000 exhibitors presented over 20,000 products, and a record number of automotive firms were present, such as Audi, Ford and Chevrolet. There were over 5,000 medias, close to 800 conferences, and like years past the leading technology companies participated, like Panasonic, Samsung, Verizon and Sony among others.
Technology aficionados had a lot to entertain them. The highlights of the event were the latest generation of TVs, smartphones and tablets. There were new developments on the cloud, advanced accessories, e-books and there were specially designated spaces for application in the health field, environment friendly technology, domestic appliances, fashion, etc.
Among the large number of products, the most notable prototypes and latest developments at the CES 2013 were:
Higher Resolution TVs
TVs were the stars of the event. Ultra High Definition (UHD) based on 4K technology, in which the image quality widely surpasses current HD. During the CES, the large manufacturers presented their respective devices that contain this technology. The most noted was the 85 inch TV by Samsung which surprised everyone not only with its size but also its strange base. More surprising was the 55 inch curved OLED, which offers a dazzling panoramic effect and whose curve provides the same viewpoint from any angle. Panasonic and Sony also presented their OLED 4K TVs.
New Generation of Smartphones and Tablets
According to the CEA, the real engine of growth in the technology sector in these past years, in the United States alone over 350 million units will be sold in 2013. Tablets as well as smartphones are considered the quintessential entertainment systems.
In smartphones, many new devices with different characteristics were presented, but the AMOLED Youm by Samsun stole the attention with its flexible screen. In respect to Tablets, some of the new qualities were higher image quality like Ultra HD (4K) of 3840 x 2160 pixels and panoramic screens.
Smart Cars
The greatest technological advancement in recent years had been the integration of GPS. Google’s car still seems far away, but Audi, Lexus and Ford presented promising models. Audi presented the Audi A3 which features a chip that allows LTE connectivity (the fastest wireless Internet connection), which allows access to a variety of advanced functions from the web inside of the car. Meanwhile, Lexus presented, a car equipped with a series of devices and software to assist the driver. High definition cameras and sensors that will able to, for example, adjust the suspension according to the terrain being traveled on, anticipate a traffic accident, and even automatically press the brakes.
Technologies and services designed for the improvement of home intelligence had the objective of making it possible that practically any electronic device could be controlled wirelessly from connected mobile devices. All from one master application and program password, so that the user can manage an innumerable amount of home functions at a distance.
Digital health, physical and sports entertainment technologies were presented by 215 exhibiting tele-healthcare systems companies. These systems allow for high quality medical diagnostics at a distance.
This is only a short synopsis of everything that was presented at the CES 2013, a quick snapshot of some of the most highlighted products seen at the event.
The third edition of Program Entertainment Matters (Entertainment Business and Trends) was held at the CES 2013 as well, this event promotes the cooperation and relationships in the audiovisual entertainment industry, the digital creator community and technology providers for content production, diffusion and consumption. The main topics were focused on offering solutions to protect consumers’ security and privacy that use cloud services, and the ways that users are altering their consumption habits.
For over 40 years, the CES has been the largest and most important fair in the world as far as consumer technology; it presents the latest developments, prototypes and technological innovations in the industry each year. The CES 2013 had the attendance of the best companies and professionals in the sector, who took advantage of the event’s global reputation to present their latest developments and creations.
