Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020: A Consumer’s Perspective
I have always wanted to go to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) since I was an engineering student. I never got the chance until CES 2020. It was a bucket list item for me. It is a huge show, and I found it overwhelming as a technologist and consumer. It made me realize why we have so much stuff in our lives and where it comes from! From 8K televisions to all sorts of drones, robots, digital assistants, and cockpit game chairs, the show had it all! So much to consume, so little time!
It’s Really, Really Big!
I know it is expected of a CES type of show to be huge but, there is just too much going on in this show! Too many exhibitors, too many sessions, too many people from too many countries! It felt like the Grand Bazaar of Turkey for consumer electronics!
Most companies showing their wares are hoping for exposure to news and media publications. Some companies take off, and some don’t. If your company is in consumer electronics space, CES is where it happens!
Chinese Domination!
Pretty much everywhere in every category of consumer electronics, I saw Chinese companies showing their gadgets! It makes sense that as the West made China its tech factory, and now the factory has learned the tricks and got good at producing its gadgets. Good for China!
I didn’t expect to see HUAWEI, though! They became a very controversial Chinese company in recent months due to their issues with the US government. But they had a significant presence at the show!
Health Tech Gadgets are Everywhere!
As I expect the healthcare gadgets to become more prevalent in our daily lives, there were plenty of health monitoring and management gadgets around in the show.
Oh My! Robots are Everywhere!
Most of the robots were really made in the same image that we all think of when we think of silly robots. Other than some industrial looking purpose-built robots, most appeared to be glorified toys.
I would love to buy a house-hold robot that can cook meals, fetch food from the fridge, do laundry, use the dishwasher, and take out the trashcan to the curbside. I would buy such a robot just like I buy a car and expect to pay $30K-$150K for different levels of intelligence and skills. Unfortunately, no such robots were on display in CES 2020.
I was hoping to see some Boston Dynamics clones from China, but this is not a military show. I was also hoping Honda would start sporting a practical household robot by now! Come on, Honda! Stop making those lawnmowers with two-stroke engines and move on to household robots!
Even though I am not a huge Ping Pong fan, watching this substantial spider-like robot play against an excellent human player was very interesting!
This underwater submarine robot was impressive. Too bad, I am afraid of going underwater. However, I think underwater submarine drones and powered submarines to assist humans in exploring the beauty of the undersea universe are a happening trend.
Drones, Drones, and More Drones!
From picture taking hobby drones from DJI to agricultural pesticide delivery drones, they were all there!
I was excited to see the DJI booth. They had some new mini drones but no new announcements for their major drone projects.
Oh, Dear, What’s John Deere Doing Here?
I didn’t expect John Deere at a CES, but it turned out they were invited to showcase the technology that goes into agricultural equipment used by farmers. I guess that makes sense. We all have to eat!
It was very much a fun trip. Will I come back next year again? Probably not. I like deep dives into tech, and CES is more of a window-shopping experience. I think the good folks at CES know this and so they limit access to CES to industry people — the companies and media. I am glad that I had a chance to check it out as a guest of a friend’s company.
