Key CES message: We’re fast becoming a throwaway electronics society

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Author: Chris Preimesberger

Q: So what’s the enduring message of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which concludes Sunday?

A: Following three post-9/11 bubble years of generally conservative spending, the industry perceives that a growth breakthrough is going to happen this year. Device manufacturers know a lot of equipment — both consumer and enterprise — is obsolete and needs to be replaced; over the next five years, the industry is going to do its darndest to help people do just that.
(Use Angela Gunn’sUSA Today blog site for regular updates at the show.)

Industry thought leaders are expecting increased sales through the end of the decade as consumers replace their analog cameras, video recorders, music players, radios, telephones, and other devices with digital versions, and also invest in new flat-screen TV sets. Personal computers are also being replaced faster than ever. Higher and higher quality is the goal; companies with high-end products are the ones standing to gain big time.