Gearing up for CES and thoughts for 2010.

December is an exciting time of year - very busy - but also exciting. In January we have the annual CES convention in Las Vegas. While the convention has grown beyond it's usefulness for most custom integrators to attend, it is still a great launchpad for new  products and product improvements. 

In what seems like a never-ending battle to make the thinnest TV, LG has announced a new prototype that is 2.6mm in dept. That is about 1/10 of an inch! The TV reportedly only weighs 8.8lbs (in a 40" model). This one will be hard to top, but who knows - maybe someday we will be rolling up TV's and shipping them in poster tubes! 

So what does 2010 have in store for us in the field of home technology? 

1. TV prices will stabilize overall. Technology, such as LED TV's will keep the prices about where they are, on average, next year. (LED's are about 40% more expensive than traditional LCD TV's)

2. More internet connectivity. We are starting to see services such as VUDU and YouTube built into DVD players. You will see more TV's with these features built in from the factory. This is great news for TV buyers - VUDU, Pandora and NetFlix are all great services!

3. Speakers will become even more concealed. New technology, Called Edge Motion, from Emo Labs will greatly improve the sound quality of flat-screen TV's and computer monitors. Look for major manufacturers adopting this technology in 2010. You can read more at Electronic House. 

4. I expect to see a move to less robust, but more mainstream, home automation. As a product category, home automation has traditionally been priced where the majority of homeowners cannot afford it. As all things technology related, home automation has become less expensive but not so much less that it is mainstream. Manufacturers like Crestron, the leader in home automation systems, have come out with more budget minded product lines. Crestron Prodigy is an example of just that. Unlike standard Crestron systems, Prodigy is limited to how many zones, thermostats and light switches it can control but for 80% of homeowners it should be more than enough to scratch the home automation itch. 

5. Going Green for more than the sake of being Green. In 2010 I foresee a shift from "environmentalist" reasons for going green to a dollars and cents rationale. In the past, going green has meant adding huge costs to a project. These costs were often sunk - there was no return on the investment. In 2010 you will see a shift to technologies that have faster return on investment, such as LED lights. LED lights, now being found in flat-screen TV's, use about 85% less electricity than incandescent bulbs and 40% less than florescent lights. In 2010 going green will be associated with more than saving the planet - it will be associated with saving money. 

I want to wish everyone a safe end to 2009 and prosperity in 2010. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year to all of our customers, employees and industry friends. We are all thankful for the awesome people that support us and allow us to continue to do what we love. 2010 will be a great year and we are looking forward to it! Thanks again!