NEW YORK –
During its annual CES Press Preview,
here, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) provided
more details on what will be in store for 2011 International
CES attendees.
More than 120,000 attendees and 2,500 exhibitors
(occupying 1.53 million square feet of exhibit space) are
expected at CES in Las Vegas, Jan. 6-9. The amount of
exhibit space and number of exhibitors are higher than
final 2010 CES figures.
Among the new panels, speakers, official products
and events announced by Gary Shapiro, president/CEO
of CEA, at the Nov. 9 event were:
• John Chambers of Cisco; Jeffrey Immelt of GE; and
Ursula Burns, chairman and CEO of Xerox, will participate
in the first CES Innovation Power Panel.
• Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius
Genachowski will sit down with Shapiro for a one-onone
interview at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 7 to discuss broadband
and other technology issues facing the CE industry.
• Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hasting will give
the keynote address at the CES Leaders in Technology
Dinner.
• The Ford Focus is the official car of 2011 International
CES.
• Monster Cable’s Noel Lee was introduced to announce
that Earth, Wind & Fire will celebrate 40 years
in show business at the company’s annual party with a
concert for its top retailers and guests.
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are the official candy
of the 2011 International CES and will unveil at noon on
Jan. 6 at its booth in the Grand Lobby what it calls the
“Next Big, Little Thing.”
Previously announced CES keynote speakers are:
Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft; Shapiro and Ivan Seidenberg,
chairman/CEO of Verizon; Rupert Stadler,
chairman, Audi AG; Boo-Keun Yoon, president/GM of
Samsung’s visual display business; and Alan Mulally,
president/CEO of Ford Motor Company.
There will be 27 TechZones at the CES in January.
Two worthy of note are the iLounge Pavilion, located in
the Las Vegas Convention Center’s North Hall, which
will be twice the size of last year’s Pavilion at 48,000
square feet and 185 exhibitors, according to Karen Chupka,
CEA’s events and conferences senior VP.
The previously announced Connected Home Appliance
TechZone, which will feature GE Appliances, Sears
Kenmore and floor care maker Bissell among other suppliers.
LG Electronics told TWICE it will be exhibiting
its major appliance line at its booth at CES, but is not
participating in the TechZone.
Entertainment Matters at CES, designed for Hollywood’s
film, television and digital communities sponsored
by Variety and Cricket, will feature exhibits, events
and conference programs designed specifically for entertainment
professionals interested in the convergence
of content and technology.
And Shapiro provided further details on the CEA Tech
Enthusiast program first revealed at CEA’s Industry Forum
last month in San Francisco. Pricing is $49.95 annually,
with a special introductory price of $29.95 for the first
2,000 members and to join visit CEAtechenthusiast.com.
As one of the benefits for the first 1,000 registered members
is a one-time only celebration at the final day of the
2011 CES, Jan. 9, for the first 1,000 registered members.
Shapiro also revealed that he is introducing a product
at CES for the first time, a book called, “The Comeback
– How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream,”
with a forward by Mark Cuban.
