CES Brings A Preview To Detroit
I got a peek at some of the Michigan-based products that will be on display at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January at a luncheon Friday sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association.
CEA President Gary Shapiro, who has residences in suburban Detroit and near CEA headquarters in Arlington, Va., said this year's show will be even bigger than last year's in terms of exhibitors and square footage.
The show will feature 32 Michigan-based exhibitors, including Ford Motor Co. and its former parts operation, now spun off as Visteon, and General Motors Corp. and its OnStar driver information subsidiary.
Shapiro said six of the world's top 10 automakers will be exhibiting at CES, including Chrysler.
This year's CES will also include a new TechZone special exhibit on driver safety, including location-based services, lane departure and drowsy driver warnings and smart and connected cars.
Ford's Alan Mulally won't get his fourth straight keynote speech, but he will get a spot on a featured innovation panel.
Ferndale-based Livio Radio, which brought easy-to-use Internet radio to the home and car, will have a sizable exhibit. Livio CEO Jake Sigal is on CEA's small business committee, and Shapiro said 80 percent of CEA members meet various definitions of small business.
Commerce Township-based Homedics will again be exhibiting its House of Marley audio lineup, inspired by the family of legendary reggae star Bob Marley. Homedics' Gregg Hirschorn said his company got the business from among many "auditioned" by the Marleys when it included touches like recycled materials and natural woods on prototypes -- without being asked to.
Troy-based Sonic Alert will also be at the show again, showing a full line of products for the deaf and hearing impaired, from low-cost hearing aids to vibrating and flashing alarm clocks.
The 2012 International CES will run Jan. 10-13 and is expected to span more than 1.6 million net square feet of exhibit space, with more than 2,700 exhibitors from 140 countries. The 2012 show looks to bring in more than 140,000 attendees, with some 30,000 from outside of the U.S., to experience more than 20,000 product launches across cutting edge technology categories such as; 3D, mobile DTV, tablets, apps, connected TVs, embedded Internet, green technology and more.
Press events begin Jan. 8. The event attracts more than 5,000 journalists and bloggers.
