On CE - For Dealers, Distributors and OEMs of Consumer Electronics throughout EMEA

Nobody doubts the biggest buzz coming from CES was about 3D TV.

Everyone was impressed with the new-found commitment that major manufacturers made to adopting 3D. Few will dispute the “inevitability” of 3D TV. 

But I want to make it clear that 3D was the buzz and not the honey of CES.  

Sure, there were impressive 3D TV demos from Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, LG, Sharp, Toshiba and Vizio (a market leader in US, but unknown here in Europe.) ESPN, Discovery and Turner broadcasting will announced channels of 3D content.  But if you are in retail, the sting is that real money in 3D is a long way off.  

TV makers are all buzzing because buzzing creates excitement, but this is one of those technologies that takes a lot of time to develop the infrastructure, to solve the issues of standards, content, and consumer need.  Think “desktop publishing,” think “wireless audio,” and think of any other product category that took so, so long before it finally came to mass market that people were exhausted from hearing about it. 

No one would talk about pricing (each company is waiting for the competitor to announce first) but these 3D sets will command premium pricing. And they are selling in the wake of recent replacement sales, the mass market upgrade to HD.

Wireworld debuts a $1000 per meter HDMI cable.

"The Platinum Starlight HDMI cable features molded carbon fiber connectors, the company's unique new 24-conductor DNA Helix design with solid silver conductors, and high-speed/high-bandwidth capabilities to meet even the most stringent system requirements, including the new HDMI v1.4 High Speed with Ethernet specification."

Wireworld says the Platinum Starlight HDMI cables will be available in February 2010 in lengths ranging from 0.3 meter to 30 meters. Retail pricing for a one meter cable is $1000.

Go Wireworld

Straight from the CES show floor, the Video Name Tag is a 2GB solid-state video device that users can wear.

Built around a 7 cm organic LED screen, it can loop video, display text or present information, data and charts.

OK, it can be used as a name tag but can also be used as a display device, allowing users to make impromptu presentations to small groups of people.

The conversation-piece device comes with a folder that you can drop in content. Then functions like PAUSE, REPLAY, PLAYLIST, or RE-SET allow you to control your micro presentations.

Go Video Name Tags

LG Display unveils at CES a 42" 1080p panel that's only 2.6mm thin, allowing LG to claim it makes the "world's thinnest" LCD TV.

The prototype LED-backlit display weighs less than 8.8 pounds and offers a 120Hz refresh rate. LG will be showcasing this thin display not on the CES show floor, but in a private hotel suite.

LG will also show its new line of TVs with video calling and conference calling capabilities developed with Skype. "Skype on Your TV" brings broadband features that enables web communications while simultaneously watching TV.

Go LG Super Thin Display