# CES 2008 Press Day General comments



## Tom Robertson (Nov 15, 2005)

*Green
Customer Focus
Style​*Seems like all the press conferences today, LG, Pioneer, Toshiba, Panasonic, Sharp, and Philips, talked about 2 and usually all three topics. Green, Customer Focus, Style.

They talked about who's buying or influencing the buying. Quoted stats such as 40% of CE purchases are made by or influenced by women. How no longer does "Wow" differentiate CE equipment. That design is becoming more important than performance.

The ecology and being green is important. Even lower power modes. A major recycling corporation for CE, partially in response to legislation in Minnesota.

Style is a differentiator. Some are aiming for invisible bezels and super thin flat panels that mount almost as if part of the wall and thereby draw you into the picture. Philips is taking design the other way using broader white bezels to replace the stark, black boxy looking bezels.

Invisible or at least unobtrusive speakers are common, yet also improve sound quality at the same time.

Easier content sharing between CE gear: IPOD docking, Bluetooth connectivity, SD(HC) card slots in everything, and "Our link is better than there link&#8230;"

Bigger capacity, smaller size. Bigger screen, thinner.

And as always, blacker blacks. More impressive incredible statistics for contrast, lumens, and response.

Manufacturers are all realizing they have to listen to customers (again) to grow. They all talk about measuring and discovering what we really want and how we really use CE gear. Panasonic is even making a movie about real families using HD gear to record and watch their family activities.

And, BTW, manufacturers from both sides aren't ready to declare the Blu-ray/HD-DVD war over just yet.

Yup, another CES. Lots of cool, exciting toys for big people. And I haven't even seen the show floor yet. (Why is it still a show floor? It now encompasses 6 very large buildings, several floors of a couple of those buildings, plus a number of tents in the central plaza outside the Las Vegas Convention Center!) 

More to see so more to come

PS: I could not get into the Samsung press conference again this year. Yet again, Samsung only booked a room half the size necessary. There literally were more people stranded outside the hallway than did get in. So no pictures for them.


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