With two conferences to keep track of (CES and Macworld), it’s easy to get lost in all
the website coverage. One blog though is doing an outstanding job of covering both
events – Engadget. I’m also enjoying the CNET CES coverage for
down and dirty details on the products.
Today I’ve been scanning through the latest CES news, to try and find Web Tech
highlights. Here’s what I found, accompanied by some random Flickr photos…
–
Gary Shapiro’s and Ed Zander’s CES keynote; a keynote from Gary Shapiro, president of
the Consumer Electronics Association, and Ed Zander, CEO of Motorola. Shapiro says that
CES is about “New Convergence” this year: convergence of content, services, and products.
You can also read Shapiro’s opening remarks via this PDF.
Highlight:
“Ten years ago when we first talked about convergence, we debated whether the TV or PC
would dominate. Today that battle is over with nanotechnology, sensing devices,
biometrics, optoelectronics and robotics part of the new convergence. They will combine
with existing technologies and allow benefits, just as audio, photo, calendar, contacts,
GPS, and even telephone and email connectivity are meshing into products. IPv6 will be a
feature in every product allowing seamless Internet connectivity and making the world
safer, more connected and more attuned to our preferences and desire for efficiency.”
– At the Yahoo press
conference, the focus was mobile Internet. See Read/WriteWeb’s
coverage of Yahoo’s announcements at CES. Nothing new to report from the press
conference. ScientificAmerican.com has
a good write-up though, ending with this comment:
“Yahoo thinks that the “phone will be the new PC.” They rightly point out that many
people will have their first internet experience via a phone (though I imagine most of
that will be in the developing world, and I have trouble seeing their advertising-based
revenue model working there).”
– In the Cisco
John Chambers keynote, Chambers says that Cisco aims to enable “all forms of
communication in IT”. Their current focus is networked, the latest in the evolution from
analog to digital to networked. The term ‘human network’ is being used by Cisco – where
“your content follows you wherever you go”. They also note that collaboration is the next
wave of productivity.
Nice soundbite: “By 2010, only 20 homes networked together will have more traffic load
between them than the entire internet had in 1997.”
Robert Scoble has a video
chat with John Chambers up.
– WSJ covered the
keynote address of Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger, where a new disney.com website was
unveiled. The new site will be “heavy on widgets, video, personalization and a feature
called XD, or ‘xtreme digital.'” It will also (of course) feature social networking
elements.
Steve Rubel, a former Disney employee, likes the sound of
this – but rightly points out the missed opportunity for Disney to release their
great store of content onto other parts of the Web, like MySpace or enabling people to do
music mashups.
– In Microsoft news from
CES, Windows Home Server is getting the most buzz. Here’s how ZDNet described
it:
“The Windows Home Server is for households that want to share storage among multiple
PCs or Xboxes game consoles. It will provide automatic backup, easier storage expansion
and connectivity among different devices, including Zune media players”
Ars Technica also has a nice write-up.
Pics: Blackfriers, ekai, yodelanecdotal, El Coyote, theupperroom
