Digital CES 2021: What Went Right, What Went Wrong

With a show floor no larger than my home office, CES 2021 pulled off an uneven semi-triumph

This was me at CES 2021. Notice how relaxed I look (Credit: Lance Ulanoff)

Stay at home CES 2021 had its perks.

I attended most meetings in slippers and my favorite old sweaters.

It was much easier to focus on keynotes without having to juggle a laptop and a big camera or multiple phones.

I was on time for everything.

I attended more keynotes than ever.

I was well-fed and hydrated.

I wasn’t overwhelmed.

I was well-rested.

That was the good news. But a massive tech conference squeezed into tiny screens and experienced at a distance suffered in other, crucial ways.

The single biggest problem was product discovery. Sure, big companies stuffed my inbox full of timely releases, and companies like Samsung, LG, Panasonic, GM, and others held keynotes packed with newsworthy product releases and concept unveils.