It’s big and exciting news for me: I’m heading for the giant Consumer Electronics Show (CES) January 6-9, 2016 in Las Vegas, but some readers may be wondering, “what the heck is CES, and why should I care that you get to go to Vegas?”
Well, to put it simply, CES is a global consumer electronics and consumer technology trade show that takes place every January in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to the Consumer Electronics Association itself, “the show is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies… it has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for more than 40 years—the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.”
CES is where tech companies, innovators and manufacturers — both multinationals and startups — come to get attention for their products and services. That attention may be from larger companies, retailers or even the media, depending what their strategy is.
The show unfolds at several locations across the strip, including the Convention Centre and several hotels. There are booths set up at these locations, often with products and gadgets set up to test and try. This is where electronics buyers can get hands-on with a product to see if it delivers on promises. But one of the other main draws of CES is that it’s become a launch pad for new innovations, new designs and big announcements, meaning that by attending, you can really get on the cutting edge of what’s new and what’ll be trending in the future.
While an enormous volume of meetings takes place on the show floor, there are plenty of meetings going on too off-site. Many companies are opting to book a suite at a nearby hotel and do their behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing there instead. Probably lots cheaper!
This is my first time ever at CES, and I have little idea of what to expect. So wish me luck and watch for posts in particular on the Best Buy Plug In blog on the subject of TV and Home Theatre. But if there are questions you have or burning issues you want me to investigate at CES, feel free to post a comment below.
Follow my CES posts too on Twitter and Instagram, both are @ErinLYYC
