Happy New Year! What Lies Ahead?

Another year, another 365 days. What do we have to look forward to in the consumer electronics industry in 2009? We'll find out much of this at the 2009 International CES, which commences next week in Las Vegas. But there is still plenty that we can safely anticipate.

When it comes to flat-panel TV technology, this could be the year for OLED. Sure, Sony has already been selling its portable (and stunning!) model for more than a year; but might we see larger-format displays utilizing the technology in homes this year?

In the cellular arena, new carriers will commence operations by around Q3/Q4. What will this mean for existing carrier business? What's more, can new entrants even sustain themselves through this troubling economy? After all, building an entire cellular network is a costly venture! Google's Android format will also hit the phones market in full force by the end of this year, leaving much to the imagination on the apps and software side.

Internet radios are also poised to make waves. It's an interesting paradox: while many other devices encourage us to buy digital music online then stream it to our home audio systems, these radios base their differentiating factor on, in part, free, Internet radio content. Could they result in a drop in the sale of digital music? Probably not, since people still like the play their own collections. But these radios do point toward a larger trend in the industry: the connection of the PC to the overall home theatre system.

On that front, many people are excited to see what the PC companies are up to this year. What's up Microsoft's sleeves? Intel? And with Steve Jobs absent from this year's Macworld (which will be the last Apple participates in), will 2009 be a quiet year from the Mac, iPod, and iPhone maker?

We can't, of course, ignore the state of the economy, which will inevitably lead to tough times ahead. But this doesn't mean technology development becomes stagnant, nor that people lock themselves up at home never to visit a retail store again until times get better. Shopping through the holidays, and especially on Boxing Day, proved that Canadians still have a relatively positive outlook that we'll get through the financial crisis.

Still, 2009 is poised to be an exciting year for this industry, as always. Stay tuned next week, where we'll be reporting to you from CES!

Lines Form for iPhone?

You never know what to believe, but sources on the ‘net claim that line-ups are already forming outside of the gorgeous New York City Apple store, as anxious customers await the launch of the much-anticipated iPhone. The device won’t actually hit stores until June 29 – three days from now!

I’m getting a case of déjà vu, as we saw a similar situation mere months ago when the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii gaming consoles hit the market. Will the hysteria turn into disappointment once consumers shell out the $500 or $600 the unit will cost? Or will people by praising Mr. Jobs for providing them with the phone/music and video player/digital camera/Internet browser that they’ve been waiting for all their lives? One thing's for sure: Jobs certainly knows how to create hype around a product!

When it comes to pricing plans, sources say that they will cost anywhere from $60 to $100/mth (on top of the actual iPhone purchase price, of course); and, in an interesting twist, customers can sign up through iTunes rather than in-store. Mac fanatics everywhere are undoubtedly clasping their hands and gritting their teeth in delight right about now.

So far, the only negative comment I’ve heard about the iPhone relates to the difficulty one might have in locating one for purchase. I’m not convinced of its leader status just yet (after all, I don't even own an iPod!), but I’m willing to keep an open mind. As for us Canucks, hold tight, because there’s still no confirmation that the device will even see the light of day north of the border.