CES Unveiled New York Announcements

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® announced today its 2015 International CES® Best of Innovation Honorees, presented by Gracenote. The CES Innovation Awards honor outstanding design and engineering advancements across 28 consumer electronics product categories.

“This was a record-breaking year for entries; we saw a 14 percent increase in the number of products and innovations entered in the 2015 CES Best of Innovation program. Honorees this year represent the diverse range of consumer technologies and highlight the intersection of artistic, user-friendly design and innovative engineering that capture the hearts and meet the needs of consumers worldwide,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, International CES and corporate business strategy, CEA. “These innovative products provide greater flexibility and ease of use – key trends to be highlighted at the 2015 CES.” Read more…

CEA Announces Groundbreaking New Book at CES Unveiled New York
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^® today announced the forthcoming release of its new book, Digital Destiny: How the New Age of Data Will Transform the Way We Work, Live, and Communicate (Regnery Publishing), on sale January 12, 2015. In this provocative new book, author Shawn DuBravac, Ph.D., CEA’s Chief Economist, explains why the world’s mass adoption of digital technologies portends the beginning of a new era for humanity, one that will rival the invention of the printing press for its transformational effects on every person, country and institution in the world.

“Digital Destiny will provide readers with a sneak peak at mankind’s future,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. “Drawing on Shawn’s more than 15 years examining trends in the consumer technology industry, Digital Destiny doesn’t just predict future technologies or trends; it unveils a future in which digital data will solve many of humanity’s most ancient problems, create new challenges and transform life as we know it.” Read more…

CEA Announces First-Ever Full Slate of FCC, FTC Commissioners to Join Innovation Policy Roundtable at CES
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® today announced that U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler and U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez will be featured speakers at the 2015 International CES^®. In addition, for the first time in CES history, the full slate of commissioners from both agencies will participate in a roundtable discussion on critical regulatory, law enforcement and policy issues facing the technology industry. Owned and produced by CEA, the 2015 CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, and will run January 6-9, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“For four days in January, all eyes are on the tech industry—including the eyes of regulators and policy makers,” said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. “This level of engagement from FCC and FTC leadership is unprecedented, and speaks to the increasing strength of CES not only as an incomparable showcase for the latest in technology innovation, but also as a hotbed for the policy discussions that will set the agenda and impact the industry for the coming year and beyond.” Read more…

Innovator and GoPro CEO Nicholas Woodman to Keynote 2015 International CES® Leaders in Technology Dinner
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® today announced that GoPro Founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman will deliver the keynote address at the Leaders in Technology (LIT) Dinner at the upcoming 2015 International CES®. Owned and produced by CEA, the 2015 CES, the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, will run January 6-9, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The LIT Dinner will take place at 6:30 PM Wednesday, January 7, in the Venetian Ballroom at The Venetian. The invitation-only event gathers and honors the top technologists, entrepreneurs and policymakers instrumental in furthering technology innovation. Woodman will share insights from his 12 year entrepreneurial journey and discuss how he took an idea for a versatile camera from a beach in Indonesia to an IPO in 2014. He will also discuss the company’s rise as a media business as large numbers of consumers continue to spend hours consuming bite-sized GoPro videos on YouTube and other social platforms. Read more…

ABC’s “Shark Tank” Coming to the 2015 International CES
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^® today announced that “Shark Tank” will host an open call for entrepreneurs who wish to appear on “Shark Tank” on January 8 at the 2015 International CES^®. The open call will be held in section J of the Venetian Ballroom at The Venetian. Owned and produced by CEA, the 2015 CES, the global gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, will run January 6-9, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Shark Tank,” the 2014 Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Structured Reality Program, has entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons, including billionaire Mark Cuban, owner and chairman of AXS TV and outspoken owner of the 2011 NBA championship Dallas Mavericks, real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran, “Queen of QVC” Lori Greiner, technology innovator Robert Herjavec, fashion and branding expert Daymond John, and venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary. Read more…

CBS Corporation President and CEO Leslie Moonves to Keynote Brand Matters Panel at 2015 International CES®
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) ® today announced that CBS Corporation President and CEO Leslie Moonves will serve as Brand Matters keynoter at the 2015 International CES®. The session will include an exclusive interview with Moonves moderated by Michael Kassan, chairman and CEO of MediaLink. A panel discussion will follow with top media and marketing leaders. Owned and produced by CEA, the 2015 CES, the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies, will run January 6-9, 2015, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Brand Matters keynote is slated for 3 PM Wednesday, January 7 at the Westgate Theater. The keynote will highlight how the evolution of hardware and software enables more dynamic content creation and distribution. Moonves will explore the impact that technological innovation has on today’s business paradigms and share their insights on the intersection of media, content, marketing and technology. Read more…

DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group and CEA Launch Year-Long Collaboration to Promote Latest and Greatest In Home Entertainment
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® and DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group today announced a new partnership to promote the latest Blu-ray Disc™ releases and emerging home entertainment technologies to consumers. The two organizations are collaborating to develop “The DEN (Digital Entertainment News) Presents Ben Lyons”, a year-long series of satellite media tours highlighting the most recent movie and television releases for home viewing and the best ways to purchase and watch them – physically through Blu-ray Disc and digitally through advanced Smart TVs and portable devices such as tablets, smartphones and computers. The tours will be hosted by renowned technophile and entertainment personality Ben Lyons.

Each month, Lyons will spotlight what’s new in consumer electronics home entertainment technologies while highlighting new Blu-ray titles from major Hollywood studios. As part of the series, Lyons will discuss the hottest Blu-ray Disc Combo Packs being released. Blu-ray Combo Packs provide consumers with a Blu-ray version of the movie or TV program and a Digital-HD version for a laptop, tablet, phone or other mobile device. At the same time, Lyons will showcase the latest in immersive mobile and home entertainment technologies including 4K Ultra HD, the next generation of home display technology. 4K Ultra HD display products feature more than eight million pixels – four times the resolution of Full HD – and other possible future technical improvements designed to result in greater color depth and an overall unparalleled home entertainment experience for consumers. Read more…

CEA Announces Availability of 4K Ultra HD Logo License
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^®announced today that the licensing agreement for logos for use by manufacturers to designate 4K Ultra High-Definition TVs (4K Ultra HD or 4K UHD), monitors and projectors for the home is now available. CEA also announced the availability of logo licensing agreements for promotional and educational use by retailers, buying groups, organizations and companies engaged in the 4K UHD ecosystem.

The two 4K UHD logos unveiled in September by CEA will be made available for voluntary use by manufacturers for product packaging, marketing materials and promotional activities that meet CEA’s voluntary core characteristics for 4K Ultra HD display products. The two logos – 4K Ultra HD and 4K Ultra HD Connected – are designed to address various attributes of picture quality and help move toward interoperability, while providing clarity for consumers and retailers alike. Retailers, buying groups and other organizations are invited to use the logo for promotional, educational and marketing activities related to products covered under the licensing agreement and for promoting the 4K UHD market in general. Read more…

Leading Television Industry Players Line Up To Support ‘4K Ultra HD’
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® announced today that leading industry associations, technical organizations and retail groups have agreed to use 4K Ultra High-Definition or “4K Ultra HD” (4K UHD) as common terminology to describe the new generation of television products, technology and content. This will help provide clarity and consistency for consumers seeking to enhance their home entertainment experience with 4K Ultra HD.

The groups – including DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group [the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC)], the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA), the Home Theater Specialists of America (HTSA), the NATM Buying Group and independent specialty retailers – agreed to join CEA in using “4K Ultra HD” as common terminology in their educational and promotional efforts related to the emerging category of display products with more than eight million pixels – four times the resolution of Full HD. Read more…

Note to Editors: The official name of the global technology event is “International CES^®.” Subsequent references to the event can be shortened to “CES.”

About CES:
The International CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for more than 40 years—the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its kind, CES features all aspects of the industry. And because it is owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the technology trade association representing the $211 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry, it attracts the world’s business leaders and pioneering thinkers to a forum where the industry’s most relevant issues are addressed. Follow CES online at www.CESweb.org