CES and the year of the tablet

Marketers either love or hate conferences. I love them – even when I’m not there. CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is case and point. For marketers in the tech area, it’s like the Super Bowl (another favorite). But like never before, CES signals how ALL marketers can use innovations in technology to connect with consumers like never before.

A few things I’ll be watching:

1. The keynote from Verizon CEO, Ivan Seidenberg:
   1. Is a Verizon iPhone finally on the horizon. They are already talking about their 4G network and have already started selling the iPad. This (along with continued other smart phone sales) should keep mobile at the forefront of digital marketers’ thoughts.
   2. eBay
      1. Mobile is big for eBay especially with Amazon’s recent app technology. Think apps and barcode scanning. Retailers should know that bargain hunters are comparison shopping in stores in real time. Companies like Sephora have seen this trend and are building their own apps as well.

1. The obsession with tablets
   1. There will be ton of new tablets. It will be a race to figure out which will sink and which will actually be able to compete with the new iPad. For marketers, it means it’s time to think UI as well as utility to discover what your brand delivers to customers.

1. Who’s not there- Apple
   1. They have done announcements during CES in the past. Will they do it again?

What are you looking forward to this week?