Devoted to hardware, software, IT issues, and information technology management

By YC from the Technocrat Soapbox,
Guest Blogger

CES 2006 is here, in a tornado of new gadegts, portable media deivces, CPUs, ultra-humongous Flat Panel HDTVs, multi-functional phones, and enough hot-air from IT Big Shots to fill three hot-air balloons.

And if that's not enough excitement for one, the event is held in "Sin City" Las Vegas, where whatever happens there, stays incriminatingly scandalous.

In the excitement of all, it is difficult to know what to think of the annual Consumer Electronics "Mardi Gras." Bawdy Corporate Extravagance? Geek Woodstock? Or, High-Tech Haute Couture?

Thanks to an insightful CNN report, I suddenly had an epiphany. The following is my CES 2006 "Lessons Learned":

1. Don't go chasing the latest and greatest. You will pay a premium and even regret it. Products launched at CES are usually so new that some of the problems have not been ironed out (e.g. the Blu-Ray DVD Player from Sony does not have all the functionalities expected of a High Defintion DVD player). So, unless you have a lot of money and an early adopter mentality to go with it, wait. The prices will eventually come down and the problems fixed.
   
2. Like the preceding point, in true Redneck philosophy, if it ain't broken, don't fix it. In the attempt to bedazzle consumers with high tech features, Digital Cameras Companies are coming up with 8 Megapixel cameras. Don't bother, you can't experience the full splendors of 8 megapixels with your present flat panel monitor/TV anyway. And when was the last time you need to make a print larger than 4" by 6"?
   
3. Among the many scintillating, mouth-watering gadgets, there are also a lot of dubious junk (see following picture) that leave one asking, "Why?"
     
4. CES is mating season. IT baboons show off their bulbous, red behinds to attract mates and form what we know as "Partnership." Case in point, Google and Motorola; Microsoft and MTV; INTEL and NBC; etc...
   
5. Hiring the right HCS (Hollywood Celebrity Spokesperson) can do PR wonders for your company, e.g. Tom Hanks and Ron Howard by Sony; Morgan Freeman and Danny DeVito by INTEL. Hire the wrong ones and be prepared for disaster control. Wouldn't it be interesting to see Paris Hilton do a launch for Windows Vista? That's Hot!
   
6. I get it. Multifunctional Phones are all the rage (e.g. the NetGear Skype Phone, SKYPE101; the Microsoft-Uniden "Windows Live Call" Phone; and the Sony Vaio Mouse Phone).
   
7. So are the ultra-humongous Flat Panel TVs (e.g. the Sony 82" LCD HDTV, the Samsung 102" Plasma TV, and the Matsushita 103" Plasma TV) and the diminutive portable media devices (e.g. the Toshiba Gigabeat, the Sandisk Sansa e200).
   and finally...
   
   
8. Whoa! Hold it there, Geek boy. Those beautiful ladies are nice to ya because they have been PAID to do just that.