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Connecting consumer electronics, improving wireless capability and access to broadband networks, as well as the transition to digital broadcasting are some of the critical factors that drove the design of products and services on display at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), say show organizers.
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Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the CES, which ran Jan. 8-11, used some 1.8 million net square feet of exhibit space in several venues. More than 140,000 attendees, including international attendance of more than 26,000 from 130 countries, viewed the latest consumer technology products showcased by 2,700 exhibitors.

During the show, more than 20,000 products were launched and Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) pointed to a convergence of consumer electronic (CE) devices on the show floor, combining existing product categories with new digital content and services to create unique, multi-functional products.

Whirlpool's Centralpark Connection lets a refrigerator serve as a docking station for electronics.

For instance, Whirlpool Corp., Benton Harbor, Mich., unveiled the Centralpark Connection, an interchangeable interface that can be attached to a Whirlpool refrigerator. Designed in conjunction with electronics manufacturer Jabil Circuit, St. Petersburg, Fla., the detachable docking station allows customers to charge and play a variety of devices such as an MP3 player, a digital photo album or a DVD/CD player. Matt Nelson, innovation manager at Whirlpool said that idea is to give consumers the ability to hook almost any electronic device to the refrigerator docking station.

Keynote speaker Bill Gates said the industry is in the midst of the Digital Decade where consumer electronics are in use “everywhere we look” and pointed to the need to improve the connections to these devices. “Delivering on connected experiences, where people are being productive, doing new creative things, where they’re sharing with each other, where they’re mobile, where they’re just playing games, that is the key element that’s missing and something that we’ve all got to deliver on to take full advantage of that hardware, and deliver on the promise,” said Gates.

As part of this “connected experience,” Gates introduced Windows Vista, which Gates says will make it easier, safer and more fun to use the PC and will play a central role in the experience. Through Windows Vista, Microsoft Office and Windows Live, consumers will connect to multiple devices and access live services.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said that the increase in broadband access is pivotal for consumer electronics. “The goal is that everyone has access to broadband,” said Martin. “It impacts the way that we get entertainment, seek healthcare and receive education. Trying to put in place a regulatory environment that allows operators to invest in broadband technology is critical for consumers to be able to take advantage of the technologies we see on the show floor.”

Wireless capabilities were showcased by individual companies, as well as industry groups promoting standards such as Bluetooth and the ZigBee Alliance. Debuting at the show was eCoupled, a new technology that transmits power and data without cords and ports. Fulton Innovation, developers of the technology, as well as automotive component supplier Visteon, electronics giant Motorola, and furniture manufacturer Herman Miller, are jointly working to commercialize eCoupled and develop standards for the technology.

Visteon demonstrated eCoupled-powered wireless charging in an automobile environment. This in-vehicle technology eliminates the need to have dedicated power cords for each portable device in the vehicle. The user places an electronic device on Visteon’s wireless charger, and power is transferred by electromagnetic induction from the charging surface to the user’s portable device at a rate comparable to a plug-in power cord. The wireless charger contains intelligence that can determine if an object is in close proximity to the charger and whether the object can be charged. Other wireless technology on display including a wireless media player from China’s largest appliance maker, Haier Group, in conjunction with a subsidiary of AOL, that can stream or download content without hooking it up to a PC. The HP TouchSmart PC, which was named Yahoo! Tech’s “Last Gadget Standing” online winner, provides one-touch wireless access to information, communication and entertainment.

A multitude of display technologies, such as the TouchSmart, also debuted on the show floor, with sizes from large to small, and even greater resolution. Pioneer Electronics Inc. showcased a 1080 p plasma television, the Pioneer Elite PureVision PRO-FHD1, which the company says is the world’s first 50 in. 1080 p plasma display. Images burst off the display for a near 3-D effect, the company says. The challenge in creating a 50-in. plasma display that could display a 1080 p signal was to reduce the pixel size by half in order to fit more than 2 million pixels in the screen. Pioneer developed the world’s smallest pixels measuring .576 mm. The depth of picture, particularly when viewing original content in 1080 p, such as a movie on Blu-ray Disc, gives a truly 3-D effect.

Sony, LG Electronics and other display manufacturers showcased razor thin OLED displays. Sony showed a 27-in. OLED TV and announced plans to bring larger screen OLED displays to market by 2008. LG showed small area OLED displays. LG’s AM-OLED A220A screens, ready for use in mobile phones, are a 2.2-inch A220A screen that boasts QVGA resolution (240 x 320) and 262,000 colors.

With all of the new technology set to replace outdated technologies, recycling of consumer electronics was a key industry issue discussed and the 2007 International CES Environmental Awareness Day was the largest ever. With a focus on the key industry issues of consumer education, electronics recycling and energy efficiency of electronics, Green Wednesday featured the launch of myGreenElectronics.org, a resource guide from the CEA.

Parker Brugge, CEA’s senior director and environmental counsel, says that the myGreenElectronics.org, is intended to be a ‘one stop’ consumer resource for electronics recycling, information about electronics' energy consumption and eco-friendly purchasing opportunities.

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