We knew it was coming, and now it's suddenly staring us in the face: the Consumer Electronics Show, one of the most exhausting trade shows in the world, will be all-virtual when it kicks off January 11th.
The Consumer Electronics Association, the corporation that puts together the annual gadget-fest, sent over the transom today the details of the event, including a link to a video tour of the virtual venue[1].
No more crowds, no more running frantically through hotel lobbies because events are frustratingly scheduled back-to-back. No more long lines to hear someone badly recite the text of a press release about the latest connected washing machine, with a possible appearance by a B-list celebrity. No more scavenger hunt for a bathroom. No more sitting in an over-flow room because the news everyone already knew about in the main hall was nevertheless filled to capacity, making you wonder why you bothered.
What is this feeling I feel? Suddenly, I am experiencing a note of sadness. I'm not sure I like the idea of CES without the chaos.
For over a decade, I trekked to Las Vegas to put up with the brutal week-long ritual. (I would have gotten my ten-year wristband at the show back in 2019, but I had missed a couple years back in the day, and when that happens, they re-set your count.)
I remember Bill Gates playing Guitar Hero on stage. I remember Tom Hanks subtly mocking CEA president Gary Shapiro. I remember Shapiro's gushing introductions.
Every year, I made an effort, and it felt like