| Editorial December 2005
The Upcoming CES
The 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show will take
place in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 5-9. Although I missed last year’s show due to
the birth of my first child, before that I had attended this granddaddy of trade shows,
without fail, for a number of years. I’ll be back in 2006 with my eyes peeled for the
next great thing. Here are my predictions of what I think I’ll see -- and not
see.
Flat-panel televisions: The world has gone flat.
Will there be even one new CRT set at CES 2006? I doubt it. No one wants a bulky set
anymore, including me. Flat is here to stay.
The question: Will there finally be a sizable flat-panel
screen for less than $1000? There are rumors and buzz, of course, but will we actually see
good-sized production models in the triple digits?
Digital amplifiers: Smaller, lighter, less
expensive, and with as many channels as you could possibly need, digital amps will be in
evidence from all sorts of companies -- even those not traditionally in the amp biz.
The question: Will they sound as good as the heavy iron?
Turbos and superchargers have been around for years, yet the real super cars are
still powered by V8s, V10s, and V12s.
In-wall, on-wall, and through-wall speakers: The
flat-panel TV has forced the hands of the speaker companies. Home Décor Rule #1: If the
TV goes on the wall, the speakers can’t sit on the floor. There will be numerous
permutations in every shape, size, and price.
The question: Will they all look alike? Which companies
will find ways to truly differentiate themselves in a market segment that’s not all
that exciting?
More integration: This year we’ve seen such
things as projector-DVD-player combinations, three speakers (left, center, right) in one
box, and a number of DVD receivers. How far will this go? Can someone cram all the
electronics and all the speakers into a single box?
The question: Just how much performance will folks be
willing to sacrifice in order to save a little space? When is too small just too stupid?
Not as much Blu-ray and HD-DVD as you might think:
Those looking for myriad models of these new high-definition video players will be sorely
disappointed. I expect to see quite a few "prototypes," but as for ready-to-ship
production models, don’t blink or you might miss all of ’em.
The question: Are the two new HD formats and their
respective makers battling themselves into irrelevance? I suspect that by the time these
formats make it to market, the video iPod and its ilk will rule the day.
Samsung as the new Sony: Sony’s bumbles are
becoming legendary, while Samsung seems to be on the cutting edge, and growing in market
share yearly.
The question: Can Sony make a comeback? I don’t see
it. They seem to be asleep at the wheel.
Am I right on all counts? I’d like to hear your
predictions as well. E-mail them to me and let’s talk about it.
...Jeff Fritz
editor@hometheatersound.com |
