Five things we learned at the CES

Beyond high-tech offerings, events such as this run deeper in meaning.

By Alvin R. Cabral/Reporting from Las Vegas

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Published: Sun 10 Jan 2016, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Tue 12 Jan 2016, 8:21 AM

Sure, there were advancements, but nothing certainly fitting the billing of "groundbreaking"; a bit of "wow", maybe.
But that doesn't mean the 49th Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas didn't turn heads. New products naturally caught the attention of everyone, but there were others that went beyond what's obvious.
Here are five things that are worth pondering - or scratching heads - about, depending on where you look at it.
Technology has its limits: Let's make it clear, however, that it's only for now. Remember that the things we're enjoying right in the present were thought to be impossible at certain points in time back then.
Scientific advancements were built through rigorous research and costly, frustrating hit-and-miss projects; in other words, certain things just won't happen overnight. It won't be far-fetched though, that more ambitious stuff - such as getting to other planets in mere days; a gas range doing the cooking for you from the fridge to your table; or a smartphone with a built-in can opener or flame-thrower ala-Swiss knife - are very possible sometime in the future.
 Startups are here to stay - and grow. Who says only the biggies can play around? Startups are the key drivers of several economies, including the UAE, and it's a great way to develop talent and products.
At the CES, a record 500-plus startups strutted their stuff to visitors, and most of them had very interesting things to offer, meaning that given the right funding and exposure, they have the capabilities and potential to go toe-to-toe with the rest in the bigger leagues.
And, lest you forget, Google was founded in a garage and, apparently, so was Apple - although co-founder Steve Wozniak has said this isn't 100 per cent true. Still, success stories of these kinds are sometimes unfathomable. 
Companies will do anything and everything to get people's attention. Forget the booth babes; tech firms are going all out every time there are events like the CES. As a matter of fact, if there were a superlative to that "going all out" thing, that would be more appropriate to describe what they're doing.
And we're not just talking about what kind of products and services companies are offering; as every event passes, they duke it out by having bigger pavilions; try to one-up their competition with some outrageous displays or inviting celebrities; or, arguably the most underappreciated facet of these exhibitions, more and more people representing a company, whether they be at the booth or roaming around both inside and outside the official fair grounds.
Take a moment to digest that and just think how much they have been investing for all of these combined.
 The CES and certain exhibitors need more room for its pre-show Press events. If you're a member of the media who has luckily been selected or invited to cover the event, here's a tip: make sure that you come early during those pre-show conferences, because even if you're wielding your shiny Press badge, chances are huge that you won't be let in if you're late.
A standing-room-only atmosphere is nothing new during CES Media Day; if you could just see the queues outside conference halls, you'll be amused at the "star power" being emanated that attracts the Press. It would be great - and fair as well - if these events are planned in bigger venues, because it's a win-win situation for both parties: companies get to convey their message to more of the media, who in turn can spread the word to the general public.
One more tip: it's always great to know someone from a company holding a Press event so they can sneak you in if ever you're locked out.
 The CES will be a total madhouse if and when it will (finally) be open to the public: Looking at mere pictures is one thing, but being actually at the Las Vegas Convention Centre during the CES gives a whole new perspective about the scale of the crowd it attracts.
It's practically shoulder-to-shoulder while walking through the show grounds. And consider this: if last year's edition was a record by raking in almost 177,000 attendees. well, just go figure it out.
And to the brains and muscles behind the CES - which ended on Saturday in the city dubbed as the Entertainment Capital of the World - those who are on the outside looking in has a loud message for you: they want in.
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com