Gearing up for CES...and the Adult Expo?

It's not even Christmas, yet everyone in this industry is already gearing up for the 2009 International CES in Las Vegas. You're weeding through hundreds of e-mail product pitches and meeting requests. Setting up booth tours and plotting out a daily plan that allows you to cover as much ground as possible, and meet as many clients (and potential clients) as a day and evening will permit. Are you attending, and have you created a schedule yet?

Judging from e-mails requesting that I come see a nifty new gadget, or advising that on-site interviews can be set up with key manufacturer executives, it's clear that there will be plenty to see at the show. The most puzzling e-mail request I received, however, originated from an exhibitor at the Adult Expo, which runs concurrent to CES, inviting me to register, and visit their booth at that show. Two things initially crossed my mind. First: where do they see a tie-in between my industry and theirs? And second: how on earth did this person gain access to my e-mail address since the two expos have nothing to do with one another other than sharing the same city as their venue?

The person was pitching an iPhone application that optimizes adult films for viewing on the portable device's screen. Ahhh, now I get it. There is a clear tie in. Still: would traditional CE journalists cover this?

In many ways, when you think about it, the adult industry is a huge part of the consumer electronics industry. A few years ago, people were even predicting that X-rated films could very well be the deciding factor between which format won the high-definition DVD war - Blu-ray or HD DVD. In fact, this particular firm claims to have been filming in HD for the past 5 years! There are lucrative opportunities there, that's for certain. But you're walking a fine line if you consider covering this side.

With that said, while the Adult Expo won't be on my radar during CES (as if we don't have enough ground to cover already!), it'll be interesting to see how that area of business could eventually become further entwined with CE; especially with HDTVs, the Internet, and downloadable content making waves as the way of the future for content of pretty much every kind. Yes, including the adult kind.

As for CES, many still wonder whether attendance at the show will be down. It probably will be, but I doubt to very noticeable proportions. Exhibitors will have booked their booth space a year in advance, which means there will be just as much product on the show floor. From an attendee perspective, we'll most definitely see fewer feet roaming the aisles. But it will still be a packed show floor. And if some of those people decide to take the Adult Expo up on their offer and mosy on over to those exhibits at the Sands Convention Centre, so be it. But rest assured that the only scantily clad "booth babes" you'll see in the mainstream media will be holding a gadget of some sort, or standing nearby a line of flat-panel TVs.

What Will They Think of Next?: Convert Apple Earbuds into Headphones

While I'm not an Apple iPod owner, and I would advise anyone who has one (or any MP3 player, for that matter) to invest in a better set of headphones than what comes in the box, I can't help but recognize the cleverness of this product. Called BudFits, it turns the cheesy, white earbuds you get with your iPod into over-the-ear headphones that fit more securely, and won't annoying fall out of your ears.

If you have ever purchased or own a Bluetooth headset, you probably noticed that most come with a variety of different sized ear hooks that you can loop through a hole on the headset to wear it comfortably around your ear. Essentially, this is what EarBuds are: flexible, rubber hooks that you loop through each Apple earbud, to then secure them around your ears.

The company claims that, in upgrading to new 'phones, you "lose the coveted Apple image associated with Apple earbuds." Indeed, seeing those signature white cords hanging from someone's ears and into their jacket or backpack certainly cries "iPod". But I think at this point, the prestige has more to do with which iPod you have and what you have on it; not just the fact that you have one (who doesn't, these days, present company excluded, of course). Bottom line: the iPod earbuds might say "iPod, but they don't exactly scream "quality listening experience".

With that said, invest in a pair of new headphones, for goodness sakes. But if you want an affordable alternative to use at the beach or any other spot where you don't want to get your expensive 'phones diry or fear losing then, the BudFits are a neat stocking-stuffer idea for just US$9 per pair. www.budfits.com

CES: Huge Leaps or Status Quo?

As anyone in the CE industry knows, CES, North America's largest technology trade show, is fast approaching. Returning to Las Vegas this January, the show will feature everything from the latest in consumer electronics, computing, wireless technology and other portable gadgets, digital imaging, and entertainment. You name it: if it's a really influential, really cool, and attention-getting device or technology, it'll be at CES. But just as quickly as all the facets of the technology industry are coming together in harmony, so, too are they branching off in various directions. Because of this, does CES still have the same clout that it used to?

When you think about it, the show, despite its massive magnitude, is surrounded by several other smaller, more focused events. In September, CEDIA EXPO is where the custom A/V companies congregate, while PMA EXPO, held in March, is the show for the photo industry. If you're looking at wireless, whether we're talking handsets, software, apps, or business systems, April's CTIA WIRELESS event is a must-attend. Do you work on the commercial side of things? Then InfoComm is the show for you! So where does this leave CES?

Sure, CES gets the most media attention, and the most visitors, especially internationally. Because of this, many companies hold out for the iconic show to make major announcements. But what if you don't have that much happening in a year? If you're a flat-panel TV maker, for example, you can't hold back the following year's big items until January. Then what will you show at CEDIA? Hey, here's my old stuff. Thanks for coming. See you at CES! (?) Likewise, a camera maker might wait until March to make its big announcements at PMA, but then what do they show at CES? Do you divy up the line-up, showing off some teasers at CES followed by the grand reveal at PMA? Granted, it makes absolutely perfect sense to display the same products at CES that you did at CEDIA or PMA or whatever show floats your boat, because the smaller-scale events certainly don't target the same, massively mainstream audience that CES does. But if your dealers, partners, and specifically targeted media members were already at that other show, is CES worth it for the remaining exposure you're going to get?

The answer to this, of course, depends on a number of factors. How much does the rest of the exposure mean to you? What percentage of your dealers attend CES but don't attend the other targeted show(s), whether that be CEDIA, PMA, or what have you? How important is your message to both targeted and mainstream audiences? And finally, how major is the new product or technology that you're featuring this year? Even if it isn't a "revolutionary" breakthrough as so many companies claim the smallest adjustment to represent, the more exposure your company gets, the better. Exposure is everything. As they say, people might not notice you were there, but they'll certainly notice that you weren't.

With that said, while the 2009 CES might very well be a "status quo" year where we don't see any mind-blowing technologies introduced like we might have in previous years (Blu-ray and HD DVD, flat-panels TVs and 1080p, digital photo frames, and satellite radio, to name a few), it still remains a worthy event to attend if you're in the industry.

**Speaking of those in the industry, I'd love to know your favourite spots in Vegas to take dealers/clients, hang out for a drink or two, or relax during down time. If you send your top recommendation(s) to me via e-mail at cpersaud@marketnews.ca, we'll compile a "top spots" list to publish in the mag and/or online that you can peruse and get some ideas. Because hey, just as much as the show is about learning about products, it's also about wining and dining your dealers, potential dealers, and American/overseas affiliates. Here are a few of my recommendations to get you started:

Japonais in the Mirage Hotel: it serves a fusion of Japanese and French food, and has sushi dishes that are absolutely amazing. The ambience is great, and service is impeccable.

Cirque de Soleil’s LOVE at the Mirage: It’s an exciting, captivating show that’s worth experiencing at least once, especially if you’re a Beatles fan.

The Shadow Bar in Caesar’s Palace: Having stayed in that hotel for the past three years, it’s almost become like my “local bar” a few times every year. It can, in many ways, be considered the new Bugsy’s Bar because it often ends up being a meeting place for Canucks. You’re sure to run into some Canadian industry members there.

And of course who can forget Canada Night at Caesar’s Palace: It’s the event for the Canadian consumer electronics industry. No invitation is required, and all are welcome. We’ll see you there on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 6 p.m.! Click Here for more details.

The deadline to send me your suggestion(s) is November 20, 2008.

VCR And The End Of An Era

By Lee Distad

JVC announced this week that it has ceased production of VCRs. Once existing global inventory is sold through, that’s it.

This is especially newsworthy not only because VHS was such an enduring and successful format, having sold over 900 million units since 1976, but also because I (and I’m sure lots of other people) thought that the company had stopped making them long ago! Granted, it’s not a complete extinction. JVC will continue to make DVD/VCR combos for the near term.

At the risk of sounding overly sentimental, like many other lifers in the CE business, I have warm memories associated with VCRs. The first piece of electronics I ever sold was a Sony VHS VCR. Back in those days, you could make a tidy living just on the commissions from VCR sales. Tapes, too. I still remember pitching the advantages of higher grade and thus more expensive VHS tapes when selling them by the case.

For that matter, as late as the year 1999, I was still selling as many as 100 Betamax cassettes a week, believe it or not. I had four long-time clients in my client binder who were die-hard Betamax owners, and every time my store got a delivery of tapes, I would call each of them up. Whichever of them got to the store first would buy up the lot! They knew each other and all knew the score. It was like a little game between them.

A lot of years have passed since then, and we’ve seen so much technological progress in CE in even the last five years alone. It makes me wonder what technology I’m going to get all sentimental about 20 years from now.

Planning for Vacation: Can You Leave the Office at Home?

I once said way back in the 30th anniversary issue of Marketnews Magazine (can you believe that was six years ago!) that this industry is like Hotel California: you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. While the statement was in reference to people who may have left to pursue other opportunities, or perhaps even have retired, I've been thinking a lot about it in reference to a shorter-term split: vacation!

By tomorrow afternoon, I'll be basking in the sun on holidays, and while it will be easy to leave the office at home, it also won't be. Anyone who works in this industry, and especially in Canada, knows how tight-knit it is. Everyone knows everyone, and a week is like a year in terms of how quickly things move.

Once you leave the office, you might physically be at home, but you often come in contact with so many things that remind you of work: watching TV and observing the picture quality. Listening to the audio system in a restaurant and thinking about how awful it sounds. Checking your BlackBerry under the dinner table while your wife shoots you a dirty look. Enjoying some fun family time with the kids on the Wii gaming console. While some are able to leave work behind more effectively than others, this industry is so ingrained in everyone's daily lives, that it's hard to do so entirely.

So while I work hard to prepare for my 2-week absence, I find myself wondering how often I'll feel the need to connect. Will I be frantically searching for WiFi zones to jump online? Last year, I managed to cope, although I did find myself a bit twitchy at times. This year, however, I'm outfitted with a BlackBerry (the Bold, of course), which might make surfing online a bit more tempting. Will I be checking our Website properties to see what's going on while I'm away? Will I hear about a big news story and think "darn, I hope we've covered that!" Will I be in the middle of dinner only to have a random thought pop into my head: "We should do this at Canada Night this year!"? Or perhaps be reading a book (Hug Your Customers, no doubt) under a beach umbrella only to look up and think: "That beach scene would be perfect for the article on tech for the summer in 2009".

Chances are the answer to these questions is both yes and no. The truth is that once you're actually away on vacation, leaving the office behind becomes easier and easier with each passing day. Don't you think? But let's face it: as much as you want to deny it, work is always in the back of your mind.

As for me, I'm not actually going to a hotel in California, but I will be checking out for a few weeks. In my absence, Lee Distad, Marketnews custom A/V contributor (author of the Custom Corner column both online and in print) will be taking the reigns and guest blogging here. You might also see a few more tales of woe from Marketnews and here's how! Associate Publisher John Thomson.

Enjoy their insightful and interesting commentary; and I look forward to rejoining the team in a few weeks!

NDAs: Signing Your Life Away for New Products

NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) have been a part of the journalistic process for a long time now. Manufacturers will provide a "sneak-peek" at products prior to them hitting store shelves, and will sometimes even supply review samples ahead of time. The catch? You must sign your life away, so to speak, promising that information won't be published prior to the product's official launch date.

I find the entire process interesting, especially in the wake of the Internet and Web "leaks" that often occur when people dig for secret development information on products, or employees release confidential information anonymously for the thrill of it. It's good to know, however, that in the age of swarms of blogs and Websites that thrive on disclosing confidential information, real, journalistic integrity still exists.

We'll often go to events or receive products or product information under NDA, and, in some respects, it creates an air of excitement in the office. Think about it: we get to see this product or that before the general public does. How cool is that?! More importantly, from a publishing standpoint, it's also essential for business so that when a print issue hits the streets, we can include the most up-to-date information as possible. Even on the Web side, it's useful to have information ahead of time so that a review or details on hot new products can be covered ASAP the day they're released. Granted, this isn't always possible. But when it is, it sure helps the cause!

On that note, I've been receiving a ton of NDA information as of late as I prepare for an upcoming vacation (and naturally, need to finish up articles way ahead of schedule, which means that I need information way ahead of schedule). Today, for example, I got to preview the cool, new Elmo Live tech toy that will be hitting stores later this month. The company is being very "hush-hush" about some of the cool features this latest Elmo has, quite obviously to create hype prior to the launch. After seeing it in the flesh, I'm confident it'll be a hit with the holiday gift giving crowd. Stay tuned later this month for a video of the new, very lifelike, Elmo. It'll definitely have you in stitches! I wish I could reveal more, but, well, I've been sworn to secrecy, and if I told ya, I'd have to kill ya!

Visiting Akihabara in Japan

It's likely than when Eddy Grant was belting out the lyrics to the 80s tune Electric Avenue, he was thinking of Akihabara, a small town in Tokyo, Japan that serves as the destination for anything and everything electronic. OK, so he probably wasn't thinking of this high-tech area, but the Japanese do call it "Electric Town", clearly stated via a sign that greets you upon arrival. If you thought you've seen a lot of technology in one spot, I can almost guarantee that you haven't seen anything like Akihabara.

My first stop was a popular tourist shop called Laox. It looked pretty standard, with digital cameras, camcorders, and knick knacks occupying the relatively small space. No big deal - I see the same sorts of stores walking down Yonge St. in Toronto. Luckily, I was with someone who had visited before, and walked me to the back, where a discrete elevator opened to reveal the option of 6 other floors. Wow! They were all filled with knick-knacks that any tourist would like - fans, kimonos, playing cards, T-shirts, and the like. Moving over to a huge department store had me stopping in awe at the entrance to snap photos. The best way I could describe it would be 1,000 Best Buys or Wal-Marts jammed into one. Aisles upon aisles of electronics. Again, I found myself face to face with a sign that outlined 8 floors of goodies. One for gaming, one for home A/V, one for pretty much anything you might be looking for. To navigate just this one store would have easily taken a full day, and then some. One neat tidbit I learned from walking around? Japanese books actually open from the opposite side, so they're read back to front. Who knew.

I wish I had had more time to explore Akihabara, but my quick glimpse was definitely an interesting one. You probably won't be saving any money by purchasing something there versus in Canada or the U.S., nor will you find the stores filled with too many items that you can't find at home. And I can't fathom anyone shopping there as a regular destination spot. But the sheer magnitude of the area and the stores within it is eye-opening, and worth visiting at least once if you're ever in Japan.

I was really surprised to see how Westernized Tokyo has become. For every restaurant, shop, or street sign that appeared in Japanese, there was another one right beside it declaring the English translation. A short visit to a Macy's-like department store in the Shinzuku area (about a half hour subway ride from Akihabara) reminded me of any old department store in Toronto. Except instead of the standard "welcome" greeting, I received the same with an inviting Japanese smile.

It's important to note that the situation wasn't like this everywhere, such as in the Hot Springs hotel that we visited in Matsumoto where the majority of staff did not speak English, nor was there any (gasp) wireless Internet access. This was a nice change, though, as we were all able to truly appreciate the experience instead of pounding away on BlackBerries.

I can imagine that visiting Tokyo as a whole isn't quite as intimidating as it was 20 years ago. Thankfully in my case, the language barrier has been eased just a bit. Domo arigato!

Business Travel: Is First Class Worth it?

I've never flown first class until today (or rather, yesterday) and wow, does it ever make the difference between a crappy flight and a truly enjoyable experience. Despite my tired eyes and aching back, I've almost forgotten that, while I'm getting ready in my hotel room in Japan to head out for dinner, people back in Toronto are either still deep in slumber, or just getting up to begin their day!

I've always wondered why those tickets are exponentially more expensive than economy class. Sure, you catch glimpses of drinks being served, and comfy pillows through the curtains if you're sitting near the front, or see highly exaggerated scened in movies where flight attendants are dancing on tables with hiked up skirts and tied up, low-cut tops. But is it really worth that much more money? The truth is that the experience is, simply put, what flying should be all about. Before the plane even took off and I was settled in, an attendant (male in pants; sorry, it isn't like the movies!) was offering up champagne and orange juice. While arranging my little alcove of space to my liking, I realized that wow, there was a power outlet to charge up my gadgets if I needed to. A roll-out LCD (just for me) provided movies, TV, news, and even games. Yes, the underside of the remote control can be tilted horizontally to serve as a gaming remote! OK, so I didn't actually use it, but that is pretty darned cool. Then came my fav experience of all - the adjustable lounge seating that rolled all the way back such that I was able to comfortably sleep (or at least) rest for the 12.5-hour flight. All of this was topped off by fantastic food (real food, not the kind that comes in packages), and a little care pack with booties (so I could take off my heels, but still roam around the plane), toothbrush and toothpaste, and some other niceties. Now this is flying.

Sure, you'll fork over tons of extra cash to fly this way, so it's likely not a frequent occurence for many. But just in case you were wondering, it is worth it. Well worth it. Once wireless Internet access becomes common in planes, business class will become even more enticing.

As for Japan, this is my first time visiting and although I've only just arrived and haven't seen much yet, I'm excited to see how the other side lives. This truly is one of the technology epicentres of the world. My first indication? I plugged my notebook in via Ethernet, and wham, I'm connected to the 'net. No cumbersome log-in headaches or entering the room number 50 times so I can be charged for every 24-hour period. OK, so it's probably not this way in every hotel in Japan. But it's a nice change from the sometimes technologically-challenged western world.

Stay tuned!

What Will They Think Of Next?: Power More Gadgets in the Car

My boss brought to my attention a neat gadget mentioned in today's edition of the National Post, and the first thing that came to my mind was "that's neat - why on earth didn't I think of that?" It's a 12V adapter from a company called Maxsa that plugs into the 12V socket in your car, and has three 12V outlets attached to the end of it. This means that, rather than only being able to connect one device in the car, you can now connect 3!

You might ask yourself why you'd ever need to do that, but I've found myself in situations many times where I could have used something like this. The most common instance is when both myself and my passenger want to recharge a cell phone during a long road trip. Other times, I'll be using my portable GPS unit to navigate to a destination (plugged in, since I always forget to charge it up!), and my partner will want to unplug it so he can charge his cell. When it comes to parents, I can imagine that there are tons of ways they could find such a gadget useful to help entertain the kids on long drives. It comes with a 16-foot extension to reach to the backseat; and can handle a maximum load of 120-watts.

Of course, many of the latest vans and trucks come with extra outlets in the back anyway. But for small car owners like myself, I'd love to have something like this in my glove compartment.

[Photo courtesy of www.maxsainnovations.com]

CTIA WIRELESS: Viva Las Vegas!

Although it’s my third time in this city this year, Vegas never gets old to me. There’s something about the air that rejuvenates you the second you arrive, even considering the three-hour time difference between Toronto and here. The weather is gorgeous, and the city is full of talk about the CTIA WIRELESS show, which officially begins tomorrow. Tonight is a big “pre” show event where a group of companies will exhibit in a smaller, more intimate venue (which is often times much more appealing than the crowded and loud show floor). I’ll have tons of great information from that show tomorrow. But before the event has even begun, I’ve already seen my first demo!

Nokia cleverly arranged a car service that gave the company the opportunity to show off its new Nokia Maps 2.0 software (now in beta version) by actually navigating us to the hotel. Although the functions the software offers aren’t new in the portable navigation category, per se, it’s amazing to see how quickly the mobile phone category is ramping up its offerings. Powered by Nokia, the service offers the standard address searches and favourites, but adds a new walking mode that does things like avoid one-way streets, and displays little “bread crumbs”, described the rep, as you walk along your route. The mapping software itself is more robust, with over 15 million Points of Interest (POI), and various viewing modes. It’s worth noting that Nokia showed off the software on the U.S. version of its new N95 handset, which is quite a nifty looking device; not to mention that it includes a whopping 8 GB of internal memory! And the screen itself showed off the vibrant colours of the map in all their glory. The device navigated us to our hotel safe and sound. Hopefully we’ll see this phone in Canada some time soon!

So there you have it. Before I even reached the hotel, I was one step closer to seeing what neat gadgets and technologies are in store at the show. Now it’s time to enjoy 20-degree weather!