CES 2024: A Recap from Our CEO & Founder, Bob Cole
| Updated:Well, would you look at that – my 46th CES, and I’m starting to wonder if they’re handing out loyalty awards or if it’s just a severe case of FOMO. This time around, it’s not your typical CES circus. The spotlight has moved from the flashy pizazz of audio and video to a full-on deep dive into the bowels of the devices we can’t live without – and guess what? It’s AI, baby! It’s like the tech world got a memo: ‘Let’s make everything smart and see what happens.
Forget about the usual audio and video fanfare; vendors were tucked away in tiny suites like they needed a timeout. The real action on the CES floor was in the realm where AI reigns supreme, and it turns out, it’s not just the Wizard of Oz pulling the strings. Transparent screens became the rockstars, turning clear glass into dynamic displays. They layered screens on screens, and suddenly, we’re in a sci-fi movie wondering where our hoverboards are. Space-age stuff, I tell you!
In the midst of all this AI wizardry, tiny devices played the David to the Goliath of innovation. These little wonders projected keyboards onto flat surfaces, making every space an interactive playground. We even had AI-controlled gadgets making small speakers sound like they had a stadium-sized ego. It’s the kind of imagination that proves techies aren’t just good with numbers – they’re dabbling in magic.
Electric vehicles were headlining the show, and it wasn’t just about getting from A to B. It was like a futuristic construction site – building, creating, doing it all autonomously with a side of zero carbon footprint. If cars could mic-drop, they probably would’ve.
Wellness took a techy turn, too. Hearing aids went pro with over-the-counter enhancements, and self-testing devices were doing their own health checkups. I saw a chip that not only monitored kidneys but could regulate them, minimizing dialysis. The future’s looking healthier, and we’re not talking about kale smoothies.
So, here I am, contemplating my CES legacy. AI has its quirks, sure, but if we use it for good, the possibilities are endless. Education, health, entertainment – it’s like a tech revolution buffet. If this is indeed my grand finale CES, I’ll take a bow knowing I witnessed the tech world’s glow-up, and World Wide Stereo was front and center. As they say, ‘A calm sea never made a good sailor.’ Here’s to riding the AI wave, folks!
- Bob Cole, CEO & Founder, World Wide Stereo
Check out my photo dump below or watch the CES 2024 story on our Instagram highlights.
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Bob – can’t believe I didn’t run into you at the SVS booth. I grabbed several photos of Stevie Wonder there- best celeb spotting. (Sorry, you would have been second best.) I thought this was the most Made for Social Media-Posting CES – full of “post a picture/video” stuff like pet robots, amusement park rides, a car (Hyundai) with fully rotating wheels that could drive sideways, LG and Samsung TV screens that flick to transparent (useful for apartment dwellers?) AI was a dominant theme, but I missed the days when a bunch of makers would all rally behind a new format, show their first versions of an HDTV, video disc. Sony’s booth celebrating their movie making and car project with Honda (will it ever happen?) and almost total absence of consumer products (apart from PS5) was particularly sad to me in a “ times they’re a changin’” way.
Bob – can’t believe I didn’t run into you at the SVS booth. I grabbed several photos of Stevie Wonder there- best celeb spotting. (Sorry, you would have been second best.) I thought this was the most Made for Social Media-Posting CES – full of “post a picture/video” stuff like pet robots, amusement park rides, a car (Hyundai) with fully rotating wheels that could drive sideways, LG and Samsung TV screens that flick to transparent (useful for apartment dwellers?) AI was a dominant theme, but I missed the days when a bunch of makers would all rally behind a new format, show their first versions of an HDTV, video disc. Sony’s booth celebrating their movie making and car project with Honda (will it ever happen?) and almost total absence of consumer products (apart from PS5) was particularly sad to me in a “ times they’re a changin’” way.
For those of us who couldn’t make the show, thanks for the look at some of the latest offerings modern technology has brought us. For those of us still use a receiver from the late seventies, and all my friends that are asking me to help connect their modern gear to old turntables so they can listen to old and new vinyl , what are you seeing that looks interesting?
So well written I wish it was longer.
Wow! Looks like you had a great time. Stevie Wonder too!
Those Focal speakers look very interesting, but I’m waiting
for the right 5.1+ A/V receiver at the right price. Sucks when
you’re retired and on a budget.