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While watching the NFL playoff games this weekend, it hit me. The announcers were touting what great crowds were on hand in Denver and Seattle, and the pigskin lovers were whipped into a frenzy. Time and time again, I heard about record attendance numbers, and all I could think of was “really?”  That’s when I was able to put into perspective that the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas will almost certainly be the biggest event I ever attend in my life. Sure, I’ve been to the Super Bowl, some big time college bowl games, and I was even lucky enough to attend one of the biggest college basketball games ever (hint- Christian Laettner hit a big shot in that one), but when it comes to a mass of humanity, nothing comes close to CES. Think about this for a second. If you counted every fan who attended the games in Seattle AND Denver last weekend, you would still be well short of the attendance at CES. WOW!

Now I know, bigger doesn’t always translate into better, but when 150,000 people show up for an event, you can tell how much of an impact the electronics world has on our daily lives.  The big wows of CES hit you immediately when you walk onto the convention floor. The big TV names like Sharp and LG create massive walls of HD 3D glory. There are “Oooos” and “Ahhhhs” as trains seemingly zip past your side and lions appear so close you want to touch them or run for your life. Then there are tablets here, there and everywhere, and the quality gets better and faster by the second. Oh, and get ready for another new tech term you’ll be hearing on a regular basis – “phablets.” They’re pretty impressive too. Wearable devices are also a new trend that is making a big splash. Glasses that record HD video and watches that you now use like a phone. How about controlling your air conditioner, lamps, and washer/dryer from a simple app? Yup, those days are here. These brilliant ideas were just wishful dreams a few years ago, but that’s one of the great things about tech. If you can dream it, there is someone out there who can figure out how to do it.

If all these tech advancements are a bit to digest; don’t worry, you are not alone. Thankfully, that is a lesson the tech community is learning. If you want to appeal to the masses, you need to make these gadgets user friendly, and that is another trend that is emerging. I’ve been playing with a powerstrip from Quirky that I can control with an app, and setting it up was a breeze. As I walked the convention floor, almost every presenter was showing me how easy this will be for everyone to enjoy. Easy and better, that is where the tech world is going, and if I’m lucky enough to attend CES 2015 there will certainly be a few more advancements to blow us all away.

See more about my adventures from Vegas on Facebook! Find me at Craig Smith for QVC