Does CES still matter?

Does CES still matter?The CES floor is all abuzz with 3D, eReaders, and touch screen experiences but in a year where there’s pressure to deliver measureable results, should a brand care abut what’s a year is so ahead? The answer is yes!

Once consumers start experiencing 3D and touchcreen experiences in public spaces (dooh will have immediate deployments) the expectation for all content to deliver at the same level will be high.

Brands should be creating messaging and content for what’s to come.

Windows 7 is setting the stage for touch screen to be a standard. Flash is making its way to your living room through set boxes and connected TVs with power SOC (systems on a chip) that will enable interactivity and layers of information. And over the top solutions powered by broadband are creating web like experiences on HD screens.

The stage is being set for a visual and kinetic revolution and if your not prepared to leverage the solutions that are available, your brand will be left out in the cold.

CES: The power of the printed word

CES: The power of the printed word (ThePlan8 Podcast)The 2010 Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas is crammed with the latest gadgets, all blasting out light and noise and motion in high definition goodness. Much of the news this week will be about 3D TV, motion controlled video games, and the blending of Internet and broadcast on traditional television platforms.

There will also be a lot of press around e-readers. They are everywhere – CES has an entire section of the show floor dedicated to e-reader developers; most major CE manufactures will also have branded e-readers. And of course, the rumor mills churn with the news of an Apple iSlate, though there have been no formal announcements yet.

These little flat, grey-scale tablets seem to have little to compete with the walls of flat screen monitors in every booth. Although e-readers offer lots of consumer benefits, the actual experience is not as exciting as 3D, not as immersive as new gaming technology. It is just reading, after all, right? Continue reading “CES: The power of the printed word”

Welcome to CES: Utility now trumps gadgets

CES 2010: Utility trumps gadgets On the first day of CES, I took a preliminary walk around the show floor as the booths were getting set up. I threw out my jaw yawning (no joke). It’s not that there wasn’t pretty neat stuff – it’s that the show as a whole was broken this year.

The killer feature across many big brand consumer electronics this year, from car to TV to toaster, is utility. “What can this device do for me?” As devices become connected, they increasingly compete on licenses, partnerships, and “the could” – not on the physical hardware. This was the elephant in the room this year. Netflix or Yahoo! widgets will sit on nearly every device, and yet neither company has their own presence at the show. Google revolutionized the mobile industry, and while Android makes a very strong presence, the big G isn’t around (even now that they have become a mobile retailer). Continue reading “Welcome to CES: Utility now trumps gadgets”

3D hits critical mass…at least in our minds

Future of 3D at CESStill high off the heels of watching Avatar, we at the Lab are eager to see some of the 3D products to be featured this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Yes, everyone knows Avatar probably changed the future of filmmaking (with a good old fashion love story to boot). James Cameron’s dedication to pushing the bounds of filmmaking have paid off with over a billion dollars in revenue since the film opened on December 18th. And filmmakers and audiences will thank the director for years to come.

Now that Cameron proved it is possible in theaters, it’s time to see what is 3D’s future on the small screen, and in digital out of home. At CES this week, we’ll be checking out all the latest in 3D solutions for televisions. Meanwhile, Next3DTV has unveiled its broadband 3D service launching in Q1 of 2010. For consumers with the dough to spend on upgrading to a 3D set, Next3D TV will deliver all 3D content all the time. Even ESPN has announced a new 3D sports network set to kickoff with the first FIFA World Cup match in June. The push to 3D is moving faster than we expected. Still, as CNET blogger John Falcone, notes there are three challenges for the future of 3D on the small screen.  Continue reading “3D hits critical mass…at least in our minds”

Best of ’09: Yoostar is Guitar Hero for movies

Best blogs of 2009 From our 2009 best-of the IPG Lab blog series (update, Yoostar is now for sale in stores and makes a great holiday gift!):

What if you could star in famous movies, without ever leaving your home? That is what Yoostar Entertainment Group hopes to deliver to consumers with their recently unveiled Yoostar product. Using green screen technology, the system allows users to star in their favorite movie scenes along with famous actors (and their friends)–then share their performances with friends.

I got an exclusive demo  and was impressed with the concept:  A small red and black camera device (its ingenius design makes it look a bit like Wall-E), a 6’x6′ piece of green screen fabric, and a software disc that allows for recording onto PC and Macs.  The Yoostar system comes with about 12 clips, and each month users can add to their collection of clips (for a nominal price), choosing from Yoostar’s library such movies as “The Godfather,” “Psycho” and more recent flicks, too.  Using Yoostar’s prototype camera, I got the opportunity to play Barbara Stanwyk ‘s femme-fatal character in “Double Indemnity and Grace Kelly’s role in “High Noon.” Don’t try to be a hero. You don’t have to be a hero, not for me!

Why telematics isn’t more popular

Hyundai/Kia prototype (by Fatcontroller via Flickr)As I sat at my gate last week, awaiting my flight home from Las Vegas CES 2009, I overheard other CES-ers recounting their experiences at the consumer tech summit.  Some commented on attendance while others mentioned the cool new stuff from industry stalwarts like LG and microsoft.  It made me long for the day that changes in the telematics space could create the same kind of buzz as the TV’s do.

Certainly this year was not that year. Continue reading “Why telematics isn’t more popular”

What’s hot with kids and social networking

CES (MyYearbook)I attended a great panel at CES that was part of the Kids at Play program called Social Networking: It’s in their DNA. The moderator Parry Aftab was careful to point out that the people on this panel were doing things right – and I have to agree with her. Over two and a half million children aged between 8 and 17 have created profiles on social networking sites. But poor security means that a lot of the time, profile pages pages are wide open for anyone to look at.  Todays kids are growing up in a digital world. But how do you keep these kids safe? Here’s a quick look at what’s new, next and cool in the in the kids and teen social networking space. Continue reading “What’s hot with kids and social networking”

Best and worst of CES 2009

Best and worst of CES 2009 (iStock)When exploring a huge show like CES, it’s inevitable that you will discover that not all manufacturers give equal thought to their products.  Some will shine with obvious innovation. A great many will barely register above a yawn.  And some will leave you shaking your head in disbelief.

Here are just a few that fall into these categories…

Continue reading “Best and worst of CES 2009”

Jeopardy Live gets it right

Sony's Jeopardy Live for mobile (Sony)I stopped by Sony’s Jeopardy booth at CES to check out the Jeopardy Live mobile game.

Jeopardy Live is a mobile application that allows users at home to play along with the nightly Jeopardy broadcast.  Users download and configure the application based on local broadcast service and HD or standard viewing.  When the game is launched syncs with the show, fires each question at the mobile user as the contestants select the category and clue.  Continue reading “Jeopardy Live gets it right”

Can new Palm Pre compete with iPhone?

Palm Pre at CES (Josh Lovison)It is a classic tale.  A once great legend, now down and out, falls for the quirky girl who no one really notices, and with her support, stages a final comeback.  No, I’m not talking about a new Hollywood release.  I’m talking about Palm’s new smartphone and Sprint.

The Palm “Pre” is the newest smartphone from the company that was one of the pioneers of the PDA age.  The handset is initially an exclusive release on the Sprint network, known more for its economical pricing than its sexy handset lineup. Continue reading “Can new Palm Pre compete with iPhone?”