2006

• The first consumer high-definition DVD player/recorders go on sale in the U.S.
• The first videogame systems with high-definition DVD players hits the market.
• The first OCAP (Open Cable Applications Platform) cable systems begin operation and first OCAP-enabled TVs are available.
• Pres. Bush signs legislation to end analog television broadcasting on February 17, 2009.
• The first 1080p plasma HDTVs go on sale.
• The first solid-state, high-definition camcorder hits the market.
• Digital TVs surpass sales of analog TVs to dealers for the first time.
• New WiFi 802.11n specification, enabling throughput of 100 Mbps for wireless local transmission of HDTV, is approved by IEEE.

2005

• The first digital camera with built-in Wi-Fi capability becomes available.
• The first subscription-based online digital music services and compatible portable devices become available.
• The first hard disk drive-based camcorders go on sale.
• FCC requires mandatory inclusion of ATSC HDTV tuner in 50 percent of all 24-inch to 35-inch TVs by July 1.
• CEA inducts its first class of Digital Patriots, honoring government and industry leaders for their positive impact on the rapidly evolving consumer technology industry.
• The first PCs with dual processors become available.
• Cell phone carriers offer live and downloadable TV clips and online downloadable music stores.
• The first stand-alone VoIP phones are introduced.
• Consumer digital cameras reach 10-megapixel resolution.
• A/V home theater receivers with HDMI connectivity and direct satellite radio connectivity go on sale.
• The first portable MP3 player/satellite radio recorders are announced.
• Flash media card capacity reaches four GB.
• The first single-use digital camcorder goes on sale.
• U.S. Court of Appeals strikes down FCC's "broadcast flag" order.
• Supreme Court rules Grokster can be liable for “inducing” copyright violation.
• The first HDTV with built-in HD-DVR goes on sale.

2004

• The first U.S. 3G cellular network services and phones are announced.
• Single-year U.S. sales of consumer electronics surpass $100 billion.
• Combination cable HDTV STB and HDTV DVRs and CableCARD-equipped DTVs go on sale.
• The first flash memory camcorders go on sale.
• Discussions begin on inter-carrier push-to-talk cellular compatibility.
• Dual-layer (8.5 GB) DVD recorders and media are announced.
• The first city-wide Wi-Fi networks are activated.
• Cell phones equipped with video cameras and megapixel digital still cameras become available.
• The first cell phones capable of receiving live TV broadcasts become available.
• The first portable HDTV recorder, using MiniDV tape-based HDTV recording format, is announced.
• FCC and FTC begin rules-making process to curb wireless spam.
• 1-GB flash memory cards are available; new FISH (Flash Internal Semiconductor Hard drive) flash memory format is announced.
• The first 5.8-GHz cordless phones go on sale.
• An FCC Report shows that mobile telephone users exceeded land-line telephone users - 181.1 million to 177.9 million.
• The first hard disk drive-based portable A/V players go on sale.
• Professional Audio/Video Retailers Association (PARA) merges with CEA.
• DualDisc, combination CD and DVD, is introduced.
• The first portable digital music players with color LCD screens go on sale.
• UWB (ultra wideband) wireless broadband technology capable of achieving speeds as high as 110 mbps is commercialized.
• More than 200 companies form DLNA (Digital Livingroom Network Alliance) to merge multiple wired and wireless, CE and PC standards into interoperable home network standards.
• USB-equipped flash memory "thumb drives" go on sale.
• GPS Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) is implemented, improving accuracy to within a yard.

2003

• Local number portability (LNP) begins, allowing consumers to keep their mobile phone numbers when switching cell phone carriers or transferring landline numbers to a portable account.
• The first IBOC digital radio receivers are announced.
• The first copy-protected CDs go on sale.
• FCC adopts controversial anti-piracy "broadcast flag" technology.
• Dolby Pro Logic IIx technology to upconvert two-channel audio, matrixed Dolby Surround, and 5.1-channel audio into 6.1- and 7.1-channel surround is announced.
• Satellite radio reaches one million subscribers.
• The first HDMI-equipped HDTVs are available.
• Broadcast video-on-demand (VOD) service combined with a hard disk drive capable of storing 100 movies is launched.
• National HDTV DBS service launches.
• Touch-screen tablet PCs are introduced.
• The first DVI-equipped DVD players go on sale.
• New PictBridge connectivity standard allows digital still cameras and digital camcorders to be directly connected to digital printers.
• The first Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-equipped PDAs are available.
• ExpressCard flash media format is introduced.
• The first consumer 8-megapixel digital camera is announced.
• Commercial voice-over-Internet (VoiP) phone service begins.
• PCs with built-in Wi-Fi capability go on sale.
• Sub-$1,000 digital SLR cameras go on sale.
• DBS TV service surpasses the 20-million subscriber mark.
• The first 70-inch-plus HDTV plasma displays are announced.
• CEA adopts CEA-2008 Digital Entertainment Network Initiative (DENi).
• The first FireWire 800 (FireWire IEEE-1394b)-equipped products become available.
• Digital wireless home networking standard using 5-GHz frequency is announced.
• IEEE-802.15.3, a wireless 55-Mbps 2.4-GHz standard designed to coexist with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices, is announced.
• The first PDA watches go on sale.
• The first flash media camcorders become available.
• Traditional PC makers such as Dell and Gateway enter consumer electronics product business.
• FCC approves "plug-and-play" cable set-top box HDTV interoperability compatibility rules.
• The first HTiB systems with built-in DVD recorders are announced.
• HD-compatible PVRs are available.
• Eight consumer electronics companies form CE Linux Forum (CELF).
• The first HDTV camcorders enter the marketplace.
• Development of four-color (blue, green, red, emerald) video CCD is announced.
• DVD-Audio recording specifications are announced.
• High-speed Wi-Fi 802.11g specification is published.
• The first xD-Picture Card flash memory format-equipped products on sale.
• The first consumer 64-bit personal computers go on sale.
• Distributed Audio Alliance merges with CEA.
• Home Automation and Networking Association (HANA) merges with CEA, becoming the TechHome Division of CEA.
• CEDIA and CEA announce joint membership benefits.

2002

• 5.8-GHz cordless phones are introduced.
• The first legal online music sites launch.
• The first location-based E911 cell phones hit the market.
• The first combination cell phones/digital cameras become available.
• Blu-ray and red laser high-definition DVD recording standards are announced.
• High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) digital video connector format is announced.
• FCC requires mandatory inclusion of ATSC HDTV tuner in 36-inch and larger HDTVs.
• TV manufacturers and cable operators announce "plug-and-play" specifications for HDTV set-top boxes and HDTVs.
• FCC denies EchoStar-DirecTV satellite TV merger.
• DVD-RAM/DVD-R compatible camcorders enter the marketplace.
• FCC raises spectrum cap for cellular phone carriers from 45 MHz to 55 MHz.
• The first car-based digital music hard disk drives are introduced.
• Sony ends availability of Betamax VCRs.
• D-Picture Card solid-state flash memory format is introduced.
• FCC begins limited deployment of ultra wideband (UWB) wireless data network technology.

2001

• Satellite radio broadcasting begins.
• The first integrated HDTVs with FireWire become available.
• Microsoft and Sony introduce Internet gaming.
• Next-generation, higher speed USB 2.0 and FireWire IEEE-1394b standards are announced.
• Nationwide two-way satellite Internet access becomes available.
• The first high-speed, next-generation cell phone networks are activated.
• The first solar-powered cell phone batteries debut.
• Car-based MP3 burner is introduced.

2000

• The first Bluetooth-enabled products launch.
• Stephen King's "Riding the Bullet" is the first original book available for sale online before it hits bookstores.
• SuperBowl and NCAA Final Four programs are broadcast in HDTV for the first time.
• CEA and the cable industry agree on standards for transmitting digital television.
• The first HDTV direct broadcast satellite dishes become available.
• FCC imposes HDTV labeling standards.
• The first consumer recordable DVD players debut.
• The first DVD-Audio decks hit the market.
• The first Super Audio CD players debut.
• The first stereo audio component hard disk MP3 jukeboxes are introduced.
• The first color screen personal digital assistants (PDA) are introduced.
• The first CD players capable of playing MP3-encoded CDs are available.
• The first portable audio hard disk drive players enter the marketplace.
• The selective availability limitation is removed from the global positioning system (GPS), increasing the accuracy of locating a position from 100 yards to ten feet.
• The first HDTV VCR is announced.
• Secure high-capacity solid-state flash media formats and products debut.
• Combination cell phone/MP3 players become available.
• E-mail pagers are available for the first time.
• An HDTV-DVD player is demonstrated.
• The first camcorder to use recordable DVD-RAM discs is available.
• CEA inducts its first class of industry leaders into the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame.