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CES Day One: Greetings From Las Vegas!

by on ‎01-06-2015 02:47 PM

The team touched down in Las Vegas to blue skies and a buzz in the air. The CES show floor opens soon, and the atmosphere is--dare we say it--electric.


 


While we're about to embark on a multi-day journey of technological discovery, we're already in awe of just how much technology we used to get here. From the instant we settled into our seats on the plane, our smartphones and tablets were on our laps, keeping us connected to the world even at 30,000 feet. At the hotel, we kept track of events and fine-tuned our itinerary with the CES app. It seems only fitting how much technology we’re using, given how many technological innovations have debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show over nearly five decades.


The VCR. The camcorder. Microsoft’s first Xbox. Plasma TVs. These are just a few of the innovations that have been unveiled at CES since the first show took place in 1967. For almost 50 years, the Consumer Electronics Show has been the place to see not just the latest and greatest in technology, but what the future held.

So what’s on the horizon this year? It’s early yet, but judging from the floor plans and schedule, we can get an idea of what’s going to be big in 2015 in beyond. First up: wearables! From fitness bands to smart watches, wearable technology is only getting bigger. Then there’s 3D printing, which is fairly new to the consumer market. Making an object out of thin air sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but that’s exactly what consumer 3D printers aim to do: make it easy for people to print three-dimensional objects in their own homes.

Of course, you can always count on new computer hardware and software to make an appearance at any tech show, and there’s also going to be a big gaming presence at CES 2015. You might not consider yourself a gamer, but chances are you’ve played Angry Birds or Candy Crush on your smartphone, or maybe bowled a few rounds of Wii Sports with the kids--from mobile to PC to consoles to virtual reality, there are so many ways to play.


Prior to arriving in gorgeous Las Vegas to attend our first CES, we thought we had an idea of how big the show actually is. People kept saying "wait until you see it--it's huge!" We certainly didn't dispute that fact. After all, it is the largest show of its kind in the world, so we figured it would be a big deal. Man, were we wrong. It is an ENORMOUS deal. Check out these numbers to get an idea...


 


According to the CES 2015 website, last year's show featured:



  • Almost 160,500 total attendees

  • Nearly 3,700 exhibitors

  • Over 2 million square feet of exhibit space (!)

  • 144 countries represented

  • More than 20,000 new product announcements

  • The hashtag #CES2014 being used across social media more than 250,000 times...and seen by 40% of the entire world's population


Yeah, it's that big. Over 160,000 people from all walks of electronics life gathered in Vegas, representing countries all across the globe, from Argentina to Vietnam. Technology dominates our lives, which is precisely the reason CES news is covered worldwide and followed by hundreds of millions. It's amazing just being a part of it all.


Tuesday will be our first taste of its enormity as we stretch, put on our comfortable shoes, and get ready to walk the floor to check out all the cool gadgets and technology on display. Stay tuned for updates, and please feel free to let us know what technology you're excited to see and hear about this year!