Main takeaway from #ces2019 so far: pushing buttons is so #2018. If I can’t talk to my device now, it is trash.
— Carbon Law Group (@CarbonLawGroup) January 9, 2019
We recently returned from our first firm trip to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada–and what a trip it was.
For those of you who are not familiar with CES, it is the world’s largest consumer electronics show in the world. The estimated attendance over the five days is around 300,000 people.
CLG decided to make the trip this year to meet prospective clients and get an understanding of what the future holds for our current clients in the consumer electronics space. The trip ended up a great success and certainly eye-opening.
While we provided a play-by-play on our Instagram feed (@carbonlg), we thought it would be helpful to provide a few important take-aways here for our those thinking about attending. Here are some insights we gained that may be of interest:
- Get ready to be overwhelmed. There is just too much to see in the time you are there. Plan your trip ahead of time and get an idea of what are the types of technology you find most interesting.
- Wear comfortable shoes. CES is spread out over several convention centers. Great ready to walk–a lot.
- Book your accommodations early. Hotel rooms fill up early and the prices are super-inflated. Try to lock something down as early as possible.
- Get to the official CES parties super early. We attempted to attend the opening party at Omnia nightclub, but we quickly changed our minds when we realized the line to get in was about 300 yards long. It was insane. We ended up at a private Google party, which was very cool and surprisingly empty. Many of these larger companies host private parties at locations they don’t come close to filling. We were able to get into some great events by simply asking nicely.
- Think about how these new technologies will impact your industry. Every industry is going to be affected by the coming technologies featured at CES. From blockchain to AI to autonomous vehicles, there is a lot to be both excited and slightly concerned about.
Key takeaway: technology will be disrupting industries like never before in the next 10 years. CES provides a valuable glimpse into all the new and interesting ways technology will play a role in our lives in the future. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is something worth considering as we must also weigh the effects technology will have our well-being and mental state.
Something to ponder: In an increasingly digital world, how important are analog experiences?
