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Sex at CES: An uncomfortable coupling
When I arrived at the Las Vegas Convention Center in January 2012, CES was a sexless desert of 4K TVs, second-tier smartphones and (yawn) Ultrabooks for days. I'd heard stories about scantily clad porn stars commingling with the same dumpy tech dudes who continued to stalk the show floor, their oversize polo shirts tucked into ill-fitting khaki pants. Tech veterans recalled days spent rubbing elbows with adult-film stars and nights stuffing dollar bills into G-strings. But from where I was standing, in a sea of brightly lit displays and airborne illness, there was nothing sexy about the world's biggest technology showcase.
How Samsung became the king of CES and where it's going next
Long before Transformers director Michael Bay choked onstage at Samsung's lavish CES 2014 press conference, the Korean company was just another electronics outfit begging for attention. But after decades at CES, Samsung is now the undisputed king of the show. Its blowout media events are the largest and most difficult to get into. Samsung Electronics CEO BK Yoon is kicking off the show next month by hosting the prestigious opening keynote. And it's one of the few tech giants left standing at CES, as Microsoft and others abandon it. Samsung's glorious rise mirrors its ascent in the mobile industry, and it's also yet another example of the company's oft-repeated formula for success: Time, money and perseverance lead to victory.
Setting a course for the future: the best of CES past
Who remembers the CyberGenie cordless phone system from Cygnion? Truth be told: We don't either. That's understandable, though, as it came out nearly 15 years ago. While it might seem like this fairly low-tech (by today's standards) piece of office equipment is a million miles away from what's on Engadget these days, back in 2000, thanks to its unified messaging features and personalized auto-attendant, the CyberGenie was considered innovative enough to be voted Best in Show at that year's CES awards. Coincidentally, it's Engadget that has the honor of deciding which of the thousands of products on display will be worthy of that same title this year. We take a look at a few of the key highlights from the history of CES awards.
Time Machines: Casio gets smart at CES 2000
Welcome to Time Machines, where we offer up a selection of mechanical oddities, milestone gadgets and unique inventions to test out your tech-history skills. In the weeks leading up to the biggest gadget show on Earth, we'll be offering a special look at relics from CES' past. Smart devices have infiltrated our outfits in many ways, but one in particular has been a staple of our ensembles for centuries. From pockets to wrists, its accessibility has also tempted inventors to add camera optics, dating as far back as the 1800s. Although we've refined these devices for years, advancements beyond timekeeping tend to come and go. Head past the break for more of the story.
Time Machines: NASA goes virtual at CES
Welcome to Time Machines, where we offer up a selection of mechanical oddities, milestone gadgets and unique inventions to test out your tech-history skills. In the weeks leading up to the biggest gadget show on Earth, we'll be offering a special look at relics from CES' past. Our willingness to trade biomass for bits has flourished lately, and nascent virtual reality devices like the Oculus Rift owe at least some of the credit to NASA reasearch and its desire to delve into digital representations of reality. Head past the break for more of the story.
Time Machines: Atari's CES Endgame
Welcome to Time Machines, where we offer up a selection of mechanical oddities, milestone gadgets, and unique inventions to test out your tech-history skills. In the weeks leading up to the biggest gadget show on Earth, we'll be offering a special look at relics from CES' past. Atari, a once seemingly untouchable gaming company, was beset by problems during the early '80s and saw its last chance for salvation in a fresh console release. It pitched this device, along with a very unique controller, at CES in 1984, but never managed to regain its footing in the industry. Head on past the break to find out more.
Bill Gates: live at his 12th and final CES keynote
We're here! Yeah, a bit early, but this place fills some 6,000+ people. Crazy to think that this will probably be the last time Gates ever gets up on stage at CES -- at least it'll definitely be his last hurrah up there as Chairman of Microsoft. 6:25PM PT - Ok! "Ladies and gentlemen, the keynote will begin in five minutes, take your seats please." 6:28PM PT - Two minutes. "PLEASE take your seats." Let's not keep North America's 2nd richest man waiting, shall we? 6:30PM PT - Here we go! Lights are down, harp music. 6:30PM PT - Showing a CES promo video. All about the square footage, bajillions of attendees, keynote speakers -- oh, the hype. 6:33PM PT - "Ladies and gentlemen, president and CEO of the CEA, Gary Shapiro!" Mild applause. "Happy new year, and welcome to 2008 CES!" "In my opinion, these are the best four days of the year. The floor officially opens tomorrow morning for the ribbon cutting, with cutting edge product..." Woops, teleprompter mistake in there, sorry Gary. Talking about keynotes, the CE industry forecast, and so on. 6:36PM PT - "We're hosting a new program this year..." -- Technologies in emerging countries. "And now, I'm honored to kick off 2008 CES with Microsoft's chairman, Bill Gates." Applause! Bill! "He's spoken at CES 11 times... clearly Bill's changed the world, and he's brought his vision to hundreds of millions. His story is legendary." 6:36PM PT - Xbox, Media PC, Smartphone... all products Microsoft's announced at CES. "Microsoft aims to provide the tools to let people connect no matter where they are. ... He's also the world's most successful philanthropist. ... I am proud to introduce to you... Bill Gates!" Big applause! Retro tech video playing before Bill's on. 6:38PM PT - People love playing Xbox 360, using their Media PCs, Smartphones, and Zunes alright. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Chairman of Microsoft, Bill Gates!" That's the what, third, fourth time he's been introduced?
