Delaying the nation's Feb. 17 switchover from analog to digital television would lead to considerable consumer confusion and additional costs for the U.S. government and the private sector, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin warned during an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Saturday. Earlier this week President-elect Barack Obama proposed pushing back the deadline and it was announced that the federal program to help subsidize the cost of converter boxes for analog TV sets had run out of money. "Ultimately this is up to Congress to decide," Martin told Tech Daily Dose. "But something needs to be done to make sure coupons [for converter boxes] are issued again." he said.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John (Jay) Rockefeller issued a statement Thursday saying Obama's team "deserves time to bring to order what has been an appallingly mismanaged process by the Bush administration" and he would support delaying the date "unit we can do it right." Ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison, however, said it was too early to call for a delay and members should focus on the coupon shortage. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a senior member of the House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, said moving the date would involve significant logistical challenges but Congress should immediately consider the feasibility of Obama's proposal.
Technology can be used to drastically transform economies in emerging countries, Intel Corporation Chairman Craig Barrett and Cisco Systems Chairman John Chambers told a crowd of thousands at the Consumer Electronics Show on Friday. During his keynote, Barrett announced the launch of the Small Things Challenge -- a campaign based on the premise that every small action can make a big difference. He bolstered his message with some star power: Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine (pictured) and Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz -- both of whom support the Intel-sponsored effort. Each spoke on stage about the importance of nurturing the global community.
"Technology can be used in tremendous ways to impact people's lives on the ground," Barrett said. "There are huge opportunities today and real examples of how technology is changing the lives of people." Technology accessibility, connectivity and content are "absolutely key," but education is potentially the most powerful component, he said. "Ultimately, economies are competitive if they have smart people who generate smart ideas," Barrett said. The event also featured a panel discussion with Seven Fund cofounder Michael Fairbanks; Grameen Solutions CEO Kazi Islam; inventor William Kamkwamba; and Microsoft's Kentaro Toyama.
Once President-elect Barack Obama announces the nation's first chief technology officer, the White House tech guru will have no shortage of recommendations from the private sector on how to spend his time and energy. Intel Corporation CTO Justin Rattner, for one, plans on sending the chosen one a list of suggestions -- with a little help from his friends. Attendees who visited the computer chip manufacturer's mega-booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week were invited to share their thoughts via an online questionnaire -- and enter to win a an ultra-portable "netbook" computer. An Intel official said hundreds of people completed the survey on the first day of CES alone.
Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro hilariously volunteered to be the guinea pig for YooStar, an interactive entertainment publisher whose product debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show this week. The system allows users to star in their favorite movie scenes with the original actors and share their performances online. The start-up has secured hundreds of movies from Paramount, Universal, MGM and Lions Gate for its digital library. Watch the video above to see what YooStar can do. In a speech on Thursday, Shapiro said the small firm "epitomizes what CES is about -- innovation, content, technology and enhancing life."
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab urged President-elect Barack Obama's administration Thursday to continue the momentum on an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, which the United States and several trading partners have been working on for more than a year. Since the deal involves the rapidly evolving high-tech and content industries, time is of the essence, she told CongressDaily at the Consumer Electronics Show. "Unless we find a way to protect intellectual property we're going to continue to hemorrhage billions of dollars worth of income and jobs," she said. Read the full story in CongressDaily's AM Edition.
One of the most eagerly anticipated announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show this week was the unveiling of smart phone manufacturer Palm's new operating system. The company is scrambling to compete with Apple's iPhone and the Blackberry. The high-tech firm touted its new handheld device called "Pre" at a swanky, dimly lit lounge tucked away in a corner of the bustling Las Vegas Convention Center. The invitation-only space featured demos of the product, a DJ, a coffee bar, specialty cocktails and light fare.
The Consumer Electronics Show on Thursday hosted a panel that I would have definitely covered had I not been moderating the line up of tech and telecom policy superstars. "Washington Update: The Times They Are A Changin'" featured NetCoalition Executive Director Markham Erickson; Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Cato Institute; Center for Democracy and Technology President Leslie Harris; Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn; and National Association of Broadcasters President David Rehr (not pictured). If you weren't there, you should have been. Panelists covered lots of ground -- including a discussion about what role President-elect Barack Obama's chief technology officer will play and how tech issues will fare in the 111th Congress.
Movie star Tom Hanks tries out some new high-tech glasses alongside Sony Corporation CEO Howard Stringer at the Consumer Electronics Show on Thursday. The effervescent Hanks also poked fun at Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro''s on-stage pacing and somewhat monotone delivery during his State of the Industry speech. "What a wake-up, cup of coffee Gary is!" Hanks laughed.
From CongressDaily's AM Edition:
President-elect Barack Obama will have a greater interest in and appreciation for the technology industry than has been the norm in the Bush administration, a panel of public policy experts agreed Wednesday. Obama's use of the Internet during the campaign helped him mobilize supporters and win the election -- and that momentum has continued through his transition team's multifaceted, content-rich Change.gov Web site. His plan to name the federal government's first chief technology officer -- a high-level White House staffer whose identity and job description has not been disclosed but could come to light this week -- is the most significant indicator of the importance Obama places on using technology to improve the business of government, they said. Read the full story here (subscription required).
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer addressed the deepening U.S. economic crisis early and directly in his first-ever Consumer Electronics Show keynote in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening. Ballmer took over the top spot at the company -- and the opening night stage at the annual high-tech extravaganza -- when founder Bill Gates decided to dedicate the bulk of his time to philanthropy. His was an upbeat message for a crowd of roughly 4,000 industry insiders, analysts and media: "Even at a time when we may be tempted to temper our optimism and scale back our expectations... our digital lives will only continue to get richer."
The power of ideas and innovation will drive the country forward regardless of the economic environment, Ballmer said. "When people are struggling to make every dollar count... the choice that offers the most power, the most value for the money is the PC," he added. Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro, who introduced Ballmer, said that after a proliferation of "tough news," he was ready for some optimism and innovation. Microsoft delivered. Ballmer announced the beta availability of the Windows 7 operating system and partnerships with computer manufacturer Dell, social networking site Facebook and Verizon Wireless.
Ballmer's speech was not all somber. He joked that a number of people sent him messages before his big address, including Gates, who told him to make sure he was at CES, "not that other convention in Las Vegas" (the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo). He added that outgoing Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang sent him a message saying: "Why do you keep ignoring my friend requests on Facebook?" His keynote also featured a performance by Tripod, an Australian musical comedy act who sang about an epic struggle between playing a videogame and spending quality time with a woman.
More photos...
Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg received a lifetime achievement award Wednesday evening at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards. Unfortunately, the event occurred at the same time as Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's keynote speech to launch the Consumer Electronics Show -- so here's a photo of the shiny trophies. Read more about the ceremony here.
Chart-topping rapper Soulja Boy Tell'Em explained Wednesday at Billboard's Digital Music Live event, which is affiliated with the Consumer Electronics Show, how the Internet helped launch and sustain his successful career. The Grammy-nominated musician's song "Crank That" became a MySpace sensation and an instructional dance video to accompany the track was a hit on YouTube. Pictured: Michael Crooms (a.k.a. Mr. Collipark), Soulja Boy and Billboard's Bill Werde
"Any city in the world would give their right arm to have 130,000 people come for a convention like this," Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said in a Tuesday interview with Tech Daily Dose, reflecting on the impact of the annual Consumer Electronics Show on his city's economy. He acknowledged that attendance for this year's show is lower than in the past but said the 300 companies (of about 2,700) exhibiting for the first time at the high-tech exposition is a sign that the industry and multi-day mega-meeting remain healthy. But Goodman is concerned about the local and national economy and stressed the importance of Congress passing a "Main Street stimulus package." Such a proposal was the focus of a U.S. Conference of Mayors teleconference earlier in the day, he said. "Our city has been very aggressive in capital improvement projects and we're not putting anything on hold," Goodman said. He cited the development of a Frank Gehry-designed brain research institute and a massive new performing arts center as proof that "it's full steam ahead."
--Special thanks to CEA's Meghan Henning and Sony's Gregg Nole
Popular game show "Jeopardy!" will mark its 25th anniversary by unveiling a state-of-the-art 18,000 square foot set at the Consumer Electronics Show this week. The legendary program's new home can accommodate 600 audience members and features Sony's latest high definition, low energy consumption 42-inch LCD displays. The show is hosted by Alex Trebek and produced by Sony Pictures Television. While at CES, the studio will shoot 10 Tournament of Champions episodes and an additional single installment of "Celebrity Jeopardy!" featuring Elizabeth Perkins and Tom Bergeron, according to a release. The HD shows will air in March. Some of us got a sneak peek at the new set Tuesday and it's quite a stunner.
"Jeopardy" has won 28 Emmy awards since its debut in 1984 and was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most awards won by a TV game show. Nearly 39 million viewers tune in each week making the series the #1-rated quiz show in syndication. Sony Pictures Television will also demo its new multiplayer mobile game, "Jeopardy! Live" at CES. The game allows users to play along live via cell phone with real-life contestants while the show airs on broadcast television. The game will also give players at home or on the go the chance to create communities where they can compete against each other. CES attendees are invited to play along at demonstrations in the Sony booth, which is adjacent to the new game show set.
From CongressDaily's PM edition:
The Consumer Electronics Show is bracing for a smaller turnout this week as a result of the economic downturn -- and the newly elected lawmaker representing the city's suburbs is worried the shift indicates more gloom for the state's fragile economy. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., said the high-tech convention, often billed as one of the world's largest expositions, is among the most important conventions in town. "Our bread and butter is conventions, so when attendance drops, it really hurts," Titus told CongressDaily Monday. This year's pageant of gadgets, gizmos and government-focused dialogue, which begins Wednesday with a keynote by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, is expected to draw 130,000 people. That's down from the 141,150 who attended in 2008, according to projections from the Consumer Electronics Association, which puts on the event. Read the story at CongressDaily (subscription required).
National Public Radio will introduce captioned, braille, and blackboard radios as well as a new radio reading service receiver to high-tech manufacturers at the Consumer Electronics Show this week in hopes of securing partnerships with companies to develop receivers that would serve millions of deaf, hard of hearing and blind people worldwide and people who are located in remote communities needing access to schools. The technologies' debut comes after years of research by NPR Labs, America's only not-for-profit broadcast technology R&D center. NPR plans to award funds for prototyping that would bring the radios into production and into consumers' hands within two to five years.
Also at CES, which kicks off Wednesday evening, NPR -- along with Apple, Google, Ibiquity and others -- will receive a Vision Free Award, presented by soul singer Stevie Wonder for their work in accessible digital radio and broadcast services for the sensory impaired. Wonder will host the Vision Free Awards reception on Friday. "There are 650 million people worldwide who are sensory impaired and whose quality of lives could be greatly improved by use of new digital radio technologies," NPR Chief Technology Officer Mike Starling said in a release. The services will "break down sound, sight and location barriers for these underserved populations," he said. For more information, click here.
The Consumer Electronics Show -- often billed as the world's largest convention and exposition -- kicks off Wednesday in Las Vegas with a keynote by Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer. The gathering, which features more than 2,700 exhibits, is a must-attend event for high-tech junkies who want to see the latest, greatest gadgetry -- but there is also plenty of policy talk to be had.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Robert McDowell are slated to speak -- as are Meredith Baker, acting chief of the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab. Other big-ticket talks will feature Sony Corporation CEO Howard Stringer, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally, Intel Chairman Craig Barrett, and Cisco Systems Chairman John Chambers.
While visitors to Las Vegas this week should not expect the Hollywood stars, paparazzi and red carpet that make the Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles so scrumptious, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards is a fitting tribute to innovators as part of the Consumer Electronics Show. The awards were launched 60 years ago to honor developments in broadcast technology and recognize companies, organizations and individuals for breakthroughs that have a significant effect on television engineering.
Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg will receive a lifetime achievement award at the Wednesday evening ceremony. Seidenberg was instrumental in forming Verizon through a number of mergers and acquisitions including Bell Atlantic and NYNEX in 1997; GTE in 2000; and MCI in 2006. He also helped Verizon create what is now Verizon Wireless in 1999 and championed the deployment of the company's high-speed fiber-optic FiOS Internet, telephone, and TV service. Other honorees include DirecTV, Harris Corporation, Hitachi, Intel, Philips, Scripps Networks, Sony Corporation, Tandberg Television, Toshiba, and XOrbit. Read more about the awards here.
It's wintertime in Washington so why not head to warm, sunny Florida? FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is doing just that as part of the agency's mission to educate consumers about the upcoming nationwide transition to digital television. Martin will head to Miami on Jan. 3 for a town hall meeting at a Best Buy department store on the Feb. 17 switchover. The forecast calls for sunny skies and 76° weather.
The FCC identified target television markets for specific DTV outreach, including all those markets in which more than 100,000 households or at least 15 percent of the households rely solely on over-the-air signals for TV reception. The five FCC commissioners and senior staff are visiting these and other markets in the days leading up to the transition. Martin will also travel to Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and South Bend, Ind. on Jan 5 and Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus, Ohio on Jan. 6.
Meanwhile, organizers of the Consumer Electronics Show (Jan. 8-11) have announced that Martin will return to the high-tech extravaganza in Las Vegas for his last appearance as FCC chairman. He and Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro will have an on-stage chat on Saturday, Jan. 10 about his tenure at the FCC and the challenges likely to confront industry and the Obama administration.
More details are emerging about potential hotspots at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which takes place Jan. 8-11. The latest announcement comes from Intel, which has hired TV personality, model and "Dancing with the Stars" winner Brooke Burke to host the red carpet at the computer chip manufacturer's invitation-only party at LAX Nightclub at Luxor on Jan. 9. Rock group Counting Crows, best known for their hit single "Mr. Jones," will headline the event.
Meanwhile on the CES exhibition floor, Intel will demo PC.com, which is described as "an online destination to explore, learn and ask questions about PC technology and purchasing options -- geared to the consumer who may find the world of personal computers a bit confusing." The Web site went live in July after a four month beta test and it is on target to reach 1.4 million hits during CES, officials said. The site features tech-tastic video clips starring Rob Lowe, Paula Abdul, Tori Spelling and others notables. For more CES celeb news, click here.
New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain and Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz will help promote Sharp Electronics, Major League Baseball's official high-definition provider at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month, organizers of the international trade show have announced. Meanwhile, Dr. Mehmet Oz, known for his frequent spots on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," will make an appearance on behalf of Sony Pictures Television and singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder will have his own TechZone sponsored by the Sendero Group and the National Federation of the Blind.
Other notables who plan to attend CES include: CNBC "Money Honey" Maria Bartiromo; the hosts of NBC's "Today Show;" "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams; "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek; and IndyCar driver Sarah Fisher. Not a bad line-up, but in past years, the high-tech extravaganza has attracted even bigger star power. Previous attendees include actors Robin Williams, Kevin Costner, Michael Douglas, and Robert Redford plus a parade of musicians from Macy Gray and Joan Jett to Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and guitarist Dave Navarro.
As many Consumer Electronics Show veteran attendees are aware, Silicon Valley is not the only industry to call Las Vegas home in early January. The 2009 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo -- the largest event for the adult industry worldwide -- also happens there and it looks like some of that conference's vendors are trying to woo media types from the international tech trade show.
Some snippets (suitable for general audiences) from a Monday email:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 6:32 PM
Subject: CES Media Invited to Cover Adult Expo
ATTENTION: Media Attending CES
AVN AEE runs simultaneous to the Consumer Electronic Show in the same convention center. Visit Digital Playground at booth # - - - -
Digital Playground Media Angles:
--The first fully functional adult iPhone optimized site with more than 200 full length movies.
--Amortizing production costs across multiple delivery mechanisms beyond just DVD including: Internet, IPTV, Set top box, Mobile, Blu-ray Live, VOD.
--H.264 encoding creates a seamless experience across multiple environments so that the brand is customized for the latest BluRay protocols, the next generation of smart phones, the Playstation 3 and other gaming console[s]
Is the economic slump impacting Sin City's hotels, which in previous years have noticeably increased their rates in anticipation of the annual Consumer Electronics Show in January? It appears so. The Consumer Electronics Association, which puts together the massive international high-tech trade show, sent out an e-mail Thursday pointing out that more than 10 Las Vegas properties have reduced their room prices and potential attendees who have not flocked to CES before "may find it more affordable than ever."
The expo takes place Jan. 8-11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and just about every other banquet hall and ballroom in the city. On a personal note, after several years of staying at the Venetian, where all of the evening CES keynotes occur, I've made the switch to the Flamingo. It's a cost-saving move and a chance to check out one of the historic hotel's newly remodeled, tech-tastic rooms with amenities like a premium sound system, iPod docking station, CD/DVD player, electronic window treatments, and a 42" HD flat panel TV and wireless Internet connections.
Meanwhile [shameless plug], mark your CES calendar for "Washington Update: The Times They Are A Changin'" -- a session I'm moderating with several fantastic speakers: the Cato Institute's Jim Harper; Center for Democracy and Technology's Leslie Harris; and Public Knowledge's Gigi Sohn. Click here for more details.
The organizers of the Consumer Electronics Show took a breather after last week's extravaganza and then did some bean-counting. More than 20,000 products launched at the Las Vegas trade show and will soon be on store shelves and in consumers' homes.
Every major consumer electronics advance has been launched at CES, including the videocassette recorder, compact disc player, digital video disc player, high-definition television, satellite radio, videogame system Xbox, and more, officials said in a press release.
"No event on earth launches more new technology and devices," said Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Association. "This year was bigger than ever, with the latest innovations, from new next- generation digital televisions, including OLEDs, 150-inch plasmas and laser TVs, to wireless HD, the coolest new multimedia phones and ultra mobile PCs."
The event featured 2,700 exhibitors and 30 product categories and tens of thousands of media reports captured this year's product debuts. More than 4,500 print, online, and broadcast journalists attended the show.
Digital media executives from the music business took part in a Wednesday session at the Consumer Electronics Show that involved a wide-ranging discussion about a number of issues facing the industry [see Technology Daily's PM Edition for more].
To get the ball rolling, each panelist was asked what specialized ring tone they had chosen to alert them of a call on their cellphone. Surprisingly, several opted for a more traditional sound.
* Yahoo Vice President Ian Rogers: "Thelonious Monk."
* EMI Music Group's Barney Wragg: "The sound of the phone ringing."
* Attorney Fred Goldring: "Lurch from 'The Addams Family.'"
* Nettwerk Music Group CEO Terry McBride: "The old school 'ring, ring.'"
* ASCAP Vice President Matthew DeFilippis: "I can't remember the last time I put my phone on audible ring."
(Courtesy: Futureshop.ca via YouTube)
One of the highlights of this year's Consumer Electronics Show was an opening keynote by Microsoft founder Bill Gates. As Technology Daily mentioned earlier in the week, Gates poked fun at his decision to stop running the software company this summer by playing a video that featured cameo appearances by a few of his celebrity "friends," including musician Bono, actor George Clooney and former Vice President Al Gore. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Matthew McConaughey also make appearances in the short film.
Attendees at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas had a number of places to turn for news and information about the annual exhibition but one particular Web site offered a unique look behinds the scenes. That destination was BoothTruth.com, which was billed as an "undercover blog" for the gigantic trade show.
Unlike a slew of other blogs that focused solely on gadgetry, BoothTruth's creators pledged to provide "celebrity sightings, show rumors, free swag pointers, after-show party tips, cab confessions, hangover cures, the best booth shows, the best places to eat, to where all to get free WiFi access …" Readers could also send in tips.
The latest posts include reviews of a Whirlpool refrigerator that sports a docking station (suitable for a tablet PC, digital photo frame or iPod); a fashionable leopard-skinned taser; and an inside look at the CES Blog and Podcast Lounge.
House Energy and Commerce Committee ranking Republican Joe Barton of Texas attended the Consumer Electronics Show this week and took part in a Tuesday discussion with two GOP colleagues -- Tom Davis of Virginia and California's Darrell Issa. Read more in Technology Daily's PM Edition.
At one point during the session, Barton addressed the fact that no Democrats were sitting alongside them on the stage. "None of them are here because we've changed all these ethics rules," he said. "It is truly a brave congressman or woman who will run that gauntlet to come here."
Barton also didn’t leave his sense of humor back in Washington and delivered several zingers for the crowd. His reasoning for why there were no senators on the panel: "They're all running for president."
(Photo Credit: Andrew Noyes)
Take a look inside the Consumer Electronics Show with our collection of photographs taken over the last few days in Las Vegas. The pictures provide only a small glimpse into the gigantic annual event.
[Photobook 1] [Photobook 2]
For a more comprehensive look at CES, search Flickr. There's plenty to see!
Cisco Systems Chairman John Chambers shared a bold vision for the future of the networked world in a rousing Consumer Electronics Show evening keynote on Tuesday. Chambers, who has grown the company from $1.2 billion in revenue in 1995 to $30 billion today, spoke for about a half hour.
Chambers, who first addressed CES in 1999, said a great deal has changed in the industry in the last nine years. Back then, when he spoke about the Internet's role, he had a "device-centric" mentality. In the future, the approach will be "network-centric," he told the Leaders In Technology dinner.
The West Virginia native also predicted that computing will move from an individualized experience to a community one and he cited the popularity of social networking sites as proof of that trend. Chambers, who was impressively unaided by note cards, also said the next generation of will be built around "visual networking."
Near the end of his speech, he touched on the importance of partnerships within industry and reaching beyond the United States' usual international high-tech allies. Chambers said Eastern Europe, India, China and the Middle East are making great strides and have a lot to offer.
His enthusiasm and optimism about the future of the industry may be best exemplified by a quip he delivered mid-speech: "You'll literally be able to 'beam me up Scotty' in a decade."
(Photo Credit: Andrew Noyes)
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin sat down with Consumer Electronics Show chief Gary Shapiro on Tuesday. He said the bulk of the outreach about the nation's shift to digital television should happen closer to the Feb. 17, 2009, transition. Read more in Technology Daily's PM Edition.
"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest told a crowd at the Consumer Electronics Show that the huge annual event is "like going to the world’s biggest toy store for grown-ups." He said he felt like he walked into a science fiction novel of what tomorrow will look like.
He appeared on-stage alongside Comcast Chairman Brian Roberts to debut the cable company's new Fancast Web site, which lets subscribers find and watch their favorite television shows and movies.
As part of the demonstration, Seacrest showed attendees his personalized Fancast homepage that showed his entertainment preferences. Not surprisingly, the list included the aforementioned Idol and "E! News," a celebrity gossip show he also hosts.
Later in the presentation, the stars of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords" took the stage to perform a cheeky song called "Business Time." Read more about Roberts' keynote in Wednesday's Technology Daily PM Edition.
When it comes to international deliberations about broadband policy, content is king, according to European Union telecommunications chief Viviane Reding. "People buy content and services. If you don’t have the right content and services," people won't invest in high-speed Internet connections in the first place, she told a crowd at the Consumer Electronics Show.
"I am a firm believer in content and I believe technology drives content but content most of all drives technology," Reding said at an afternoon panel where she sat shoulder-to-shoulder with David Gross, the State Department's international communications and information policy chief.
Gross agreed that content is a critical component of the high-tech revolution -- especially as more and more innovations are Internet-based. As applications become more Web-centric, they automatically become more global in scope, he said. "No longer do we think about content as being about us and our [domestic] situation. That's a historic change."
Part of the equation is reliable, affordable broadband access. That is "indispensable if you want to have growth and jobs," Reding said. "I want to get rid of all the barriers that exist in order to drive broadband for all." Part of that effort involves spurring competition in markets that have not historically been commercially viable, she added.
The colorful and candid Lady Kier, whose pop group Deee-Lite is best known for its 1990 dance hit "Groove is in the Heart," took part in a Consumer Electronics Show policy discussion on Monday [read more details in the PM Edition].
"We're living in a great, exciting time," she said of recent tech-fueled changes to music industry's business model. "Maybe not if I had a job at a major label, but for independent artists, it's a great time."
Later in the evening, Kier DJed a party at a swanky suite at the Palms hotel and casino that was hosted by the Digital Freedom campaign, which is backed by the Consumer Electronics Association and other supporters of "fair use" of copyrighted content.
(Photo Credit: Andrew Noyes)
The organizers of the Consumer Electronics Show said they were expecting 4,500 members of the media and 2,200 financial and industry analysts at the massive annual event this week in Las Vegas. In 2007, CES hosted 1,150 journalists from 73 countries, a spokeswoman told us.
This year, CES introduced a new blogger category as well. While officials won't have the final verified numbers until after the show, the spokeswoman said 300 bloggers pre-registered to attend. Reporters, bloggers, photographers, videographers and others took full advantage of fully-equipped press rooms (see photo above and another here).
While I was busy covering a panel at the Consumer Electronics Show about how technology has forever changed the political process [see the PM Edition for more], some sat in on a session called "The True Cost of DRM: What Can't We Do Now?" If only I could be two places at once…
Discussants at that event pondered whether digital rights management will become a thing of the past since companies like Apple and America Online have begun offering digital music free from such technological protections.
Panelists included American University professor Patricia Aufderheide; attorney Russ Frackman; Media Defender Vice President Jonathan Lee; Yahoo Vice President Ian Rogers; and Electronic Frontier Foundation lawyer Fred Von Lohmann.
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates delivered a rousing pre-conference keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show on Sunday night (see our previous blog post for details) and even tried his hand at the popular videogame "Guitar Hero."
Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, challenged his boss to a showdown and I couldn’t bypass a mention of the duel since many of our readers (you know who you are) have become a bit obsessed with the game.
Bach brought out a ringer to assist: "Guitar Hero" champ Kelly Lyon. Not to be outdone, Gates unveiled his own ringer: Slash, the famed guitarist from the rock band Guns N' Roses. He closed out the session by wowing the crowd with his real-life strumming skills.
Who would have thought that department store chain Target would be the breakout favorite at the Consumer Electronics Show on Monday morning? The enterprising company set up a free coffee cart outside the Las Vegas Convention Center, much to the delight of travel weary attendees.
Perky Target employees wearing signature red and white outfits offered regular and decaf java at a booth just steps away from lengthy conference registration lines. Brilliant! Their ploy was especially appreciated by yours truly who couldn’t bring himself to buy another $3.75 coffee at the Venetian or the convention center. Highway robbery!
Verizon is also serving free cappuccinos, espressos and lattes with fresh-baked cookies in their lounge, which is adjacent to the press pit. It's essential to stay hyped up on sugar and caffeine.
Consumer Electronics Show Rule #1. When you're a big-shot executive and you're scheduled to deliver a keynote here, it always helps to bring along some star power. Comcast Chairman Brian Roberts will do just that when he takes the stage at the Las Vegas extravaganza on Tuesday morning.
The cable giant announced on Monday that Roberts will be joined at the event by "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest and the stars of HBO's series "Flight of the Conchords," a fictionalized folk music sitcom based on the lives of two real-life New Zealanders.
Comcast is slated to make a number of announcements at CES involving Internet and video content; phone growth; and two-way interactive television. I'm sure Roberts will elaborate on all of that during his speech. I have no idea what Seacrest or the Kiwis will have to say, so stay tuned.
Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates poked fun Sunday evening at his decision to step aside from running the software giant this summer with a video at the Consumer Electronics Show featuring cameo appearances by a few of his celebrity “friends,” including Bono, Hillary Clinton, George Clooney, Al Gore, Barack Obama, Steven Spielberg, Jon Stewart and Jay Z.
It was all part of an imaginary newscast by NBC’s Brian Williams about Gates’ final day in his Redmond, Wash., office. “All of us here at NBC News will miss reporting every night on this brilliant, powerful – let’s face it – sexy and good-looking leader who just doesn’t believe in paying more than seven dollars for a haircut,” Williams ribbed.
During a keynote address in a massive ballroom at the Venetian that was packed beyond capacity, Gates outlined his vision of future technologies. Among them is visual recognition software, which enables a cellphone pointed toward a building or person to recognize the image on its screen and display pertinent information, such as a restaurant’s menu or a colleague’s name and business title.
Even as Gates reduces his role at Microsoft, he still commands rock-star status among his legions of fans. Tech geeks who lined up hours before the event, many likely aware this would be his last CES keynote, bided their time with so many electronic gadgets that some journalists began photographing and filming them.
Continue reading Microsoft's Bill Gates Kicks Off CES ... One Last Time.
We're quite fortunate at Technology Daily to have well-equipped, modern office space at one of the premiere addresses in Washington but our home-away-from-home for the next few days is pretty posh too. During the Consumer Electronics Show, we'll be reporting from the exhibition floor, the CES press suites, and our "bureau" at The Venetian (we have a pretty nice view).
Some exhibitors at the Consumer Electronics Show couldn’t wait until the official start of the event on Monday to make news. A number of companies held press conferences on Sunday. Unfortunately, flight scheduling and the longest airport shuttle ride of my life forced me to miss most of the action.
High-tech giants that tried to woo reporters included Casio, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and Toshiba. Plus, BMW's Formula One racing team, Sauber F1, launched its Pit Lane Park outside the Las Vegas Convention Center. Attendees got a peek inside BMW's garage and got to see a real race car zip around the track.
It's always fun to see what celebrities are hauled out to wow the crowds at the Consumer Electronics Show and next week's extravaganza is no exception. NBC's convention blog has a sneak preview.
On Sunday, "Rush Hour" director Brett Ratner will help Panasonic unveil their new product line and on Thursday, actor Michael Douglas will be on hand to unveil XSTREAMHD's home streaming innovations. Sony will host comedians Jerry Seinfeld, Drew Carey and "Wheel of Fortune" letter-turner Vanna White on Monday.
The debut of a recording studio on wheels named after the late, great John Lennon may also serve as a prime destination for star-gazing. Yoko Ono along with recording artists Natasha Bedingfield, will i. am of the Black Eyed Peas and Pat Monahan of Train are all expected to get on board.
Soul singer Mary J. Blige will perform on Tuesday night and the legendary Tony Bennett might belt out a few numbers at the Sony booth on Monday. Actor Kevin Costner will show his musical side when he performs on Monday at the Gibson Guitar tent. (Thanks for doing the legwork, NBC!)
NBC Universal is ramping up its involvement in the Consumer Electronics Show this year with a number of special events and appearances by network news celebrities. All the details are available at NBCatCES.com, a Web site designed especially for the event.
NBC, which is the first-ever official broadcast partner for CES, will unveil a giant booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center (Central Hall #12533), which will feature live broadcasts and showcase the network's entertainment, lifestyle, news and sports content.
On Monday, Al Roker of the "Today Show," "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams," and Nancy O'Dell, host of "Access Hollywood," will each report from the exhibition hall floor. MSNBC, CNBC and NBC affiliate stations will also take advantage of the space for broadcasts throughout the week.
Update: NBC announced on Sunday that Williams' broadcast from CES has been changed to Wednesday.
The Consumer Electronics Show, which kicks off Sunday, is getting a lot greener in 2008. The annual convention, which is expected to draw 140,000 attendees, has taken a number of steps to become more environmentally sensitive this year. The CES blog reveals how:
* CES will work with CarbonFund.org to invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy and reforestation projects to offset emissions created by all exhibition space, show freight, shuttle buses and 600,000 hotel rooms.
* 75 percent of food containers and utensils used at the Las Vegas Convention Center will be fully biodegradable and there will be more recycling containers on the show floor.
* LVCC's Central Hall will use recycled carpet and cleaning crews will use non-hazardous solvents and soaps.
* All attendee literature will be printed on recycled paper with soy ink.
* All light bulbs, batteries and electronics used will be recycled.
Read more about what CES has done (and what attendees can do) to be more eco-friendly.
The Consumer Electronics Show is right around the corner and the Technology Daily team will be bringing you as much news as you (and we) can handle over the course of the next couple of days.
My colleague David Hatch and I will be on the ground in Las Vegas starting Sunday, Jan. 6, covering a number of keynotes and panel discussions through midweek. Check the PM Edition and the Tech Daily Dose blog for all the details as the fun unfolds.
The Consumer Electronics Association is gearing up for its annual Las Vegas extravaganza. The trade group announced late Tuesday that Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang and Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the One Laptop Per Child project and the MIT Media Lab, will speak at the January conference.
The world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow takes place Jan. 7-10, 2008. Yang will kick off the Consumer Electronics Show's "Industry Insider Series" with an address slated for the first day of the show. Negroponte's address is scheduled for Jan. 9.
For more information on CES, go here. Technology Daily will be there again this year, providing thorough coverage of all the news that's fit to print for the tech policy community. Stay tuned!
The Consumer Electronics Association provided a sneak peak on Thursday of its line-up for the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The event, which takes over Sin City in January, will feature keynotes by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates; Panasonic President Toshihiro Sakamoto; and Intel CEO Paul Otellini.
CEA President Gary Shapiro said the executives are all "industry pioneers who have revolutionized the consumer technology industry through innovative and ground-breaking ideas." Other big names will attend the week-long mega-conference. Details will be announced this fall, CEA said.
Next year's trade show is expected to feature 2,700 exhibitors, covering more than 30 product areas, including the latest in content, wireless, digital imaging, mobile electronics, home theater and audio. Read Tech Daily Dose's coverage from 2007 here.
(Photo Credit: Andrew Noyes)
Did you really think I would make it through a trip to Las Vegas without an Elvis sighting? Pictured above is the King of Rock 'n' Roll clutching a coffee maker that also gives the weather forecast. Ingenious!
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin made a pit-stop on his way to CES this morning to speak to a Citigroup media conference here. He talked about network neutrality, the a la carte cable controversy and his agency's focus in the coming months.
(Photo Credit: Andrew Noyes)
Later in the day, he sat down for a one-on-one interview with Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro. Read more about Martin's Citigroup speech in today's Technology Daily P.M. Edition and come back tomorrow for details from his CES appearance.
Countries "need to allow market forces to take their course," Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez told CES attendees Tuesday. He said governments "should not be involved in designing business models nor should they be involved in picking winners and losers." Too many communications policies "are rooted in decades past," Gutierrez said. Structuring policies with "tech neutrality," which he said rewards innovation, is "the best way forward."
Read more about his speech in today's Technology Daily P.M. Edition.
Rep. Tom Davis, the ranking Republican on the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, told a CES session via webcam today that passing a data breach bill should be a priority for lawmakers. Davis, who spoke in person here earlier this week, said a string of leaks experienced by government agencies and private sector entities point to the need for such a law. Data breach legislation failed last year despite progress on a handful of competing bills. Davis said he is already working to make such a mandate a reality for the 110th Congress.
After two days of covering high-tech policy sessions, I finally ventured into the exhibition hall! The blogging continues tomorrow.
(Photo Credit: Andrew Noyes)
Computer visionary Michael Dell unveiled a global carbon-neutral initiative Tuesday at CES that plants trees for customers to offset the impact of electricity required to power their systems. The "Plant a Tree for Me" program and Dell's recycling efforts "empower our customers to participate with us in making a difference," he said.
A customer donation of $2 for a notebook and $6 for a desktop will go toward the planting of trees that will absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, he said. The initiative is available now to Dell's U.S. consumer customers and will go global in April.
Dell also launched a new Web site Monday, which highlights the breadth of the firm's environmental responsibility programs.
(Photo Credit: Andrew Noyes)
XM Satellite's Jeff Blattner; Avevenu CEO Richard French; "music futurist" Gerd Leonhard; Recording Industry Association of America's Steven Marks; Public Knowledge's Gigi Sohn; and TiVO General Counsel Matthew Zinn debated the future of digital rights management at CES on Tuesday.
Learn what they had to say in today's Technology Daily P.M. Edition.
Republican Rep. Jon Porter of Nevada shared a scary scenario during a Monday discussion about securing the government's information technology. "My biggest fear is that Osama bin Laden is sitting with a laptop at a Four Seasons somewhere" and can shut down the United States' power grid with a mouse-click, he said.
Reps. Tom Davis, R-Va., and Darrell Issa, R-Calif., also spoke about securing federal computer networks. Davis said he was worried about "terrorists logging onto our system and causing a cyber Pearl Harbor" while Issa advocated for lesser dependence on Social Security Numbers as universal identifiers. "Social Security Numbers should no longer be the trigger for you being able to steal my ID," he said.
YouTube's efforts to filter unauthorized copyrighted content will ultimately fall short, predicted Joe Fleischer, co-founder of online media measurement firm BigChampagne, at a CES panel on Monday. The video sharing site, which was bought by Google last year for $1.65 billion, has not yet faced major legal challenges from intellectual property owners.
"This is not really a technological plausibility -- not in the way they want it to function," he said of the popular site's content filtering system. "The other shoe on YouTube will drop when the filtering fails," he said. Alternatively, the site could set up blanket licenses for content, much like the current regime in the music sector involving performing rights organizations, Fleischer said.
Read more about the session in Tuesday's Technology Daily P.M. Edition.
Kudos to Consumer Electronics Association chief Gary Shapiro for asking an A-list panel of executives what might have been one of the most intriguing questions of the day: "If you could change one law currently on the books, what would it be?"
(Photo Credit: Andrew Noyes)
Some answered more candidly than others:
Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt said "we've been consistently in favor of less regulation" and having a level playing field across areas in which he does business. Charlie Ergen, CEO of EchoStar Communications, said he would reverse the FCC's 2002 decision to block his company from merging with competitor DirecTV.
Cox Communications President Patrick Esser said his answer depends on what regulators are focusing on at any given time. "Today, it's retransmission consent because David's sitting here," he joked. He was referring to David Barrett, president of Hearst-Argyle Television, and the current law that allows broadcasters to seek compensation for the consent to retransmit signals on cable television.
Verizon's Virginia Ruesterholz tossed out "voice regulation" as her pet peeve. "We have a lot of competition and we'd be looking for less regulation on that. More regulation is just the opposite of what's happening in industry."
Read more about the session in Tuesday's Technology Daily P.M. Edition.
Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger told CES today that his company is committed to working with the consumer electronics sector as the entertainment empire evolves. "We are witnessing an explosion of media and Disney is both reaping the benefits of that explosion and acting as a catalyst by taking a technology-friendly approach," he said.
Iger gave his audience a sneak peak at the newly redesigned and intensely interactive Disney.com, which will launch later this month. The existing site gets 24.8 million unique monthly visitors, according to comScore MediaMetrix.
Disney Xtreme Digital (Disney XD), the broadband centerpiece of the new site, will let users personalize their experience as well as watch and share videos, listen to music and play games, he said.
Virginian Tom Davis, the ranking Republican on the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, had some interesting thoughts today on the forthcoming ban on lobbyist-funded travel.
He said the prohibition will have a major impact on lawmakers' ability to converse with key players in the high-tech sector and understand issues important to them. "We're only as good as the information we have," Davis said, and the new rules cut off "a line of communication that I think can be very important."
The rules have "thrown the baby out with the bathwater," Davis quipped. "There's a better way to stop these Abramoff trips," he said, alluding to the disgraced lobbyist who was convicted of giving elaborate trips and gifts to legislators.
He said one way to skirt the ban is by turning certain destinations into political action committee-affiliated excursions but groups that do not have PACs will be left out. International trips, many of which are sponsored by nonprofits who lobby, will also change, Davis said.
In the future, the State Department or Defense Department will be fully in charge of congressional delegations' itineraries and will completely control where lawmakers go and who they see when they travel overseas, he said.
Republican Reps. Jon Porter of Nevada, Tom Davis of Virginia and Darrell Issa of California talk about Internet gaming and other high-tech issues of interest on Capitol Hill.
(Photo Credit: Andrew Noyes)
Read the full story in today's Technology Daily P.M. Edition.
During this morning's keynote, Motorola Chairman Ed Zander promised "you ain't seen nothing yet" in the mobile communications world. His talk was accompanied by a slideshow that pointed out: "It's no longer the personal computer, it's the personal connection."
Anyone who paid attention to 2006's major newsmakers -- YouTube and MySpace -- and the rapid evolution of portable audio and video already knew that.
Zander helped Yahoo Senior Vice President Marco Boerries introduce a beta version of the search giant's new mobile platform, which will soon be pre-loaded on select Motorola phones. "Today we are changing the game by putting the full power of the open Internet into consumers' pockets," Boerries said.
There's big news in the digital video world today as VeriSign and Adobe Systems announce they will jointly develop new technologies to help media and entertainment companies put content online. Adobe will pair its Flash technologies with VeriSign’s peer-to-peer content distribution platform. Specific product and service announcements will come later in 2007.
VeriSign also announced that it will work with Open Media Network to make videos downloaded from omn.org viewable on consumers' television sets. Users of OMN's public broadcasting library will be among the first able to download high-quality programming from the Internet and watch it on intelligent TVs via set top boxes.
I'll sit down with VeriSign's vice president for broadband services, Todd Johnson, later today to talk about his ambitious plans for the year ahead. He's a Silicon Valley veteran and founder of P2P firm Kontiki, which VeriSign acquired last year.
The main event on "CES Eve" was undoubtedly the keynote by Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft and unrivaled high-tech heavyweight. The frenzied fanfare that preceded his speech on Sunday night was impressive (at least for this CES first-timer).
When he took the stage, Gates had a simple message: "The digital decade is happening." Greater Internet adoption and connectivity and higher Web penetration worldwide are transforming the consumer electronics experience, he said. Meanwhile, young people spend more time on the computer than they spend watching television and portable devices are proliferating like never before.
After a short talk, Gates summoned a colleague to demonstrate some groundbreaking features of the Windows Vista computer-operating system. Ohs, ahs and rounds of applause emanated from the massive crowd. The platform debuts in 22 days.
Meanwhile, Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro extended a special welcome to the handful of lawmakers in attendance at this year's conference -- Republican Reps. Cliff Stearns of Florida, Tom Davis of Virginia and Darrell Issa of California.
The trio will discuss Capitol Hill's interest in technology and innovation during a Monday morning session. Be sure to check out our P.M. Edition for the full story.
CES doesn't officially kick off until tomorrow, but Verizon Communications got a head-start this afternoon by unveiling the next generation of its fiber-optic television service. Bob Ingalls, the company's chief marketing officer, promised his Las Vegas audience that the latest iteration of FiOS is anything but "old-fashioned TV."
The new FiOS pulls together content from broadcast TV, the Internet and users' own music and photo collections. Customers in New Jersey will be the first to receive the expanded service, officials said. By mid-year, all FiOS subscribers in the 10 states where it is currently available should be on board.
Verizon's new president Denny Strigl also raised the curtain on VCast Mobile TV, which the company calls the "first true mobile TV service in the nation." It is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2007. "Don't think of us as a traditional telecommunications provider," Ingalls said. "Think of us as a key to the growth of the entertainment industry."
Update: I had the opportunity to test drive VCast Mobile TV at a swanky Verizon reception on Sunday night. My first impression -- it would make chaotic commutes on the bus and/or subway much, much more manageable.
The picture quality is astonishingly good and the navigational controls are simple and efficient. There are still a few uncertainties -- like the initial seven-channel lineup and the ambiguous price point -- that make me wonder how quickly consumers will embrace the offering.
I'll be buzzing around the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week bringing you all the news that’s fit to print from one of the most exciting trade shows in the world. Be sure to read Technology Daily's P.M. Edition and our Tech Daily Dose blog for the latest updates.
(Photo Credit: CES)
This is the 40th anniversary of the show, which has grown eight-fold since 1967. The event now hosts 2,700 exhibitors and more than 150,000 attendees. Groundbreaking technologies are unveiled to the world every year.
In 2005, Internet-based television made its debut and 1998 saw the introduction of high-definition TV. The camcorder and compact disc player debuted at CES in 1981 and conventioneers ogled over the videocassette recorder in 1970.
What will wow visitors in 2007? We'll have to wait and see.
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