Technology leaders from around the country gathered last week to discuss the state of the consumer electronics industry at the Consumer Electronics Association's (CEA) 2005 Industry Forum. Industry Forum, CEA's annual networking, education and leadership conference, took place October 17-20 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"With more than 400 attendees, the 2005 Industry Forum was by all accounts a phenomenal success," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. "From insight into new industry areas such as specialty retail, mobile entertainment and the digital home, to the annual holiday sales forecast and sessions with leading business strategists, Industry Forum is truly a melting pot of ideas, knowledge and real-world solutions."

Read the press release.

Facts, Findings and Highlights:

• MP3 players are the product most desired and most likely to be given as a gift this season.
• Marcus Buckingham engaged attendees about effective leadership. "Every great manager needs to find out what is unique about a person and capitalize on that," he said.
• 55 percent of consumers donate or give away products when they are no longer using them.
• "Technology Sales in New Home Construction: Closing the Gap," panelists agreed that education is the single most important tool needed to close the gap in selling home technology.
• Americans are more interested in portable device content subscription services. Currently satellite radio has over nine million subscribers.
• Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) detailed plans to continue making Las Vegas, "a world of destinations in a single city." Plans include adding another 45,000 hotel rooms by 2009, improvements to McCarran Airport, the monorail system and the Las Vegas Convention Center.
• Steve Miller told how tradeshow exhibitors can successfully measure their ROI on their tradeshow investment through setting true, measurable and specific objectives.
• Forty-two percent of consumers are concerned about losing their digital imaging content, but only a handful actually back-up their libraries.
• Keynoter Dr. Barry Asmus noted that productivity throughout the twentieth century was about 1.5 percent a year, whereas in the digital economy it is now averaging three to four percent a year.
• More.

CE Hall of Fame
CEA honored eleven new members of the CE Hall of Fame this year in Las Vegas. View the honorees and their contributions to the consumer electronics industry.
Read the press release.





5 Technologies to Watch
CEA named 2006's five technologies that are certain to change our industry and the world. View this publication and a special feature on the future of CE.
Read the press release.
Browse previous editions.






Holiday Sales and Forecasts
Revenues from sales of consumer electronics are expected to increase nine percent during the upcoming holiday shopping season, show the results of a new survey presented at Industry Forum.
Read the press release.





Missed a moment?
Browse the photo gallery.


Next