2) Better power management for the home - we saw a number of devices such as monitors  and smart plugs to reduce home power consumption by powering down or managing the consumption of energy by CE (consumer electronics) products

 

3) Green awareness on the part of vendors - all of the "big dogs" were talking about eco friendly policies, energy consumption by their products, recycling etc.  Green is the new Hip.

 

4) Evidence of a market shift in computers, indicated by IDC - 15 years ago, consumers had a desktop with then hopefully got a laptop for their mobile needs.  Now, it seems, that many are buying "large" laptops/notebooks as their primary machines (up to 20" screens), and buying netbooks or mini-notebooks for traveling.  Synchronization and data management needs sound just like 15 years ago.

 

5) According to IDC, consumers appear to be buying more than 1 PC per family - now looking for 1 PC per family MEMBER.  PC sales are on the RISE (although ASP's - average selling price - are dropping).  This is a very mature market and this is a surprise, especially since consumers are driving the increase.

 

6) Laptop cooling - this was introduced last year, but was a big theme this year with new chemistry and new systems evolving to help cool laptops - probably related to the earlier trend of larger, more powerful laptops as people's primary machine. 

 

7) eReaders - everyone jumped on the bandwagon after Amazon demonstrated significant success with the Kindle.  Unfortunately, all of the eReaders we saw were impossible to use! They were a) small b) light c) used E-ink (high contrast B&W low power display technology), but they all had software interfaces that were TERRIBLE!!!! So, concept is good, andd there were a lot of content providers and systems popping up, but if a "book replacement" isn't as easy to use as a book, people won't use it!   CEA is projection -  $1.08 billion in eReader sales in 2010, while only $1.4 billion in Blu-Ray DVD player sales during the year.  (see Twice Daily Magazine, January 7, 2010, page 1, "CE Sales Should Rise 0.3% in 2010")