Thursday, January 20, 2005
Where's it digit-all going?
The world of electronic gadgets is changing at such a rate it's almost impossible to keep up. Cell phones are so 2002 -- this year they will be everything-in-a-matchbox.
The 37th annual Consumer Electronics Show which opened today in Los Angeles may be a good guide to where things are headed. Washington Post journalist Leslie Walker says that judging by the offerings, tomorrow's kids will be watching live TV in the corner of their ski goggles while zooming down mountains and simultaneously chatting with ski buddies over short-range wireless headsets.
Mobile media -- picture tiny new audio-visual jukeboxes in all shapes and sizes -- is a major theme at the show. "The big trend for the show is going to be around place-shifting of media," declared Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for research firm NPD Group. That's geek-speak for carrying media around in your pocket, on your lapel, in your car or -- who could forget? -- on your cell phone. Only you won't be calling it a cell phone judging by all the new features phone makers are building into their do-everything communication contraptions.
Computer clothing could also be among the Next Big Things.
The world of electronic gadgets is changing at such a rate it's almost impossible to keep up. Cell phones are so 2002 -- this year they will be everything-in-a-matchbox.
The 37th annual Consumer Electronics Show which opened today in Los Angeles may be a good guide to where things are headed. Washington Post journalist Leslie Walker says that judging by the offerings, tomorrow's kids will be watching live TV in the corner of their ski goggles while zooming down mountains and simultaneously chatting with ski buddies over short-range wireless headsets.
Mobile media -- picture tiny new audio-visual jukeboxes in all shapes and sizes -- is a major theme at the show. "The big trend for the show is going to be around place-shifting of media," declared Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for research firm NPD Group. That's geek-speak for carrying media around in your pocket, on your lapel, in your car or -- who could forget? -- on your cell phone. Only you won't be calling it a cell phone judging by all the new features phone makers are building into their do-everything communication contraptions.
Computer clothing could also be among the Next Big Things.
