Digital Bling

It’s that time of year again. Halloween has passed, the holiday toy ads are starting to run on TV, and as of Wednesday it was open season for 2007 Consumer Electronic Show press invites.

Indeed, CES is right around the corner. I’ve received more than a dozen inquires so far and the 2007 International CES New York Press Preview is just next week.

I’ve always had mixed feelings about CES. It’s a mammoth show -- the largest trade event in the United States and one of the largest trade events in the world -- that brings together all aspects of CE, but is very difficult to navigate based on its size. CES 2006 according to the event’s host, the Consumer Electronics Association, drew a record crowd of 152,203 industry professionals, with 2,700 exhibitors in a record 1.69 million net square feet of space. Attendance is expected to be higher this year, and the show’s massive reach will not only spill to the hotels that neighbor the Las Vegas Convention Center this year, but down the strip to take over the Venetian, where the keynotes will be run.

While I do credit the CEA for pulling in all of the main aspects of CE, like wireless, gaming and home networking, I have to wonder when CES’ effectiveness will wear off.  How big is too big to serve its attendees and exhibitors? Is CES becoming another Comdex? Does CES still hold value for you and your customers, and if the show continues to grow, will it in a few years? What are your thoughts?