Consumer electronics show 2019, from connected devices and big data to artificial intelligence: implications for libraries
| Published date | 01 July 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-04-2019-0030 |
| Date | 01 July 2019 |
| Pages | 11-14 |
| Author | Martin A. Kesselman,Wilson Esquivel |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Consumer electronics show 2019, from connected
devices and big data to artificial intelligence:
implications for libraries
Martin A. Kesselman and Wilson Esquivel
Introduction
As usual, an onslaught of
professionals, vendors, buyers and media
came to Vegas in early January (Plates 1
and 2). By onslaught, I’m talking about
almost 200,000 attendees filling up rooms
and airlines for several days. This review
discusses trends, examples of new
products on display, reviews of some
sessions and reasons why librarians
should get an early start on programs that
will disrupt our thinking about services
and resources and how we engage with
various user groups.
CES is divided into three areas of
Las Vegas – Tech East that includes the
Las Vegas Convention (currently under
expansion), Westgate and Renaissance
Las Vegas which showcased mature
companies. Tech West included the
Sands Expo Center, the Venetian Hotels
as well as some events at the Palazzo
and Wynn Hotels. This is where all of
the startup companies are included.
(Plate 3).
In Eureka Park were three large
aisles of university innovations,
international pavilions such as The
Netherlands, France, Italy and many
others, and on the second floor were
more mature companies that focused on
niche areas such as digital health,
wearables and drones. Eureka Park
focuses on early-stage entrepreneurs
and innovators and provides a look into
products at their earliest stages. This is
the exhibit area I focused on the most.
Finally, for the third year, there was
Tech South highlighted by the Aria
Hotel and focused on digital imaging,
entertainment and media.
For the first time, CES had a new
marketplace and some sessions on tech
for good. Focuses in this area, also
called resilient technology, dealt with
topics such as the use of technology
for helping cities and countries
around the world with health issues,
water problems, disaster recovery,
cybersecurity, famine and food security.
CES began with a discussion of tech
trends for 2018, the percentage of
market share and overall sales in
billions and millions of dollars. See the
top technologies from 2018 below:
streaming services, 25 per cent
increase – US$26bn;
smart watches, 19 per cent increase
– US$4.7bn;
smart homes, 72 per cent increase
– US$4.6bn;
new vehicle tech trends, 9 per cent
increase – US$17bn;
televisions, 8 per cent increase – 4K
UHD US$16bn (8K, US$545m);
smart speakers, 7 per cent increase –
US$3.2bn;
drones, 4 per cent increase – US
$1bn;
smartphones, 2 per cent increase –
US$80bn (76 per cent will have 5G
by 2022!); and
total increase of US$398bn.
See CTA.Tech/Sales and forecasts for
more.
There were over 1,000 vendors with
products on display, some from
established companies and many that
are new to the market and looking for
funding at the show as well as on
crowdfunding sites such as Indiegogo
and Kickstarter. This past year
Indiegogo helped entrepreneurs raise
more than US$1.5bn from over 10
million backers (Plates 4 and 5).
Exhibitors
Below is just a sampling of products
that may be of interest to librarians or
the communities they serve.
MOON 3D MOBILE THEATER,
Immersive cinema glasses, www.
royale.com. Just one of many, many
devices on display that could be used
as stress busters. Even more
impressive was Royale’s first on the
Plate 1. Photo: CES 2020 official
image
Plate 3. View of the CES exhibit floor
Plate 2. Photo: One of many
registration areas
LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 5 2019, pp. 11-14, V
CEmerald Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/LHTN-04-2019-0030 11
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