The Annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) to be Held From January 8-11, 2009

The annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is held in Las Vegas every January. The next CES will be held from January 8-11, 2009. This is the event where Consumer Electronics Manufacturers, Retailers, and Journalists gather every year to see not only what products will be available in the coming year, but to see prototypes of future products that are still in development. The Annual CES is organized by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the largest trade organization for Consumer Electronics Manufacturers, Retailers, and others associated with that industry.

This year CES is in its 42nd Year. The first CES was held in New York City in 1967 with 17,000 attendees and 150,000 square feet of exhibit space. Since that time, the CES has grown to well over 100,000 attendees and takes up over 2 million square feet of exhibit space, including the entire Las Vegas Convention Center, The Sands/Venetian Convention Center, and space in surrounding Hotels, including the Hilton and the Wynn.

Some of the landmark technologies and products that have had their official debuts at CES:

1970: The Videocassette Recorder (VCR)
1974: The Laserdisc Player
1981: The Camcorder, Compact Disc Player
1998: HDTV
1999: Hard-disc VCR (PVR)
2000: Digital Audio Radio (DAR)
2001: The Plasma TV, Microsoft Xbox
2002: Home Media Server
2003: Blu-Ray Disc, HDTV PVR
2004: HD Radio
2005: IPTV
2007: Wireless HDMI

What will be the big thing at this year's CES? The DTV transition, 3D technology, Greener technology, and the impact of the current economic downturn will certainly be topics of discussion. Also, new developments in Flat Panel Plasma and LCD Television technology and style is blurring the difference between the two. In addition, great strides continue to be made in video projectors in both increased performance and affordability. Convergence products, such as the iPod, media servers, and whole house systems will also be highlighted. Also, you can be sure that there is plenty of space for home theater and high performance audio products to be featured.

For hot news and product announcements from the upcoming CES, check in during and after the show dates right here at About Home Theater. For a look at my past CES Show Coverage, check out my On-The-Road At CES Photo and Report Archive.