Comdex '95!!Comdex '95!!
Well, I made it through five days in Vegas to see Comdex '95. This was the first time I had ever attended this behemoth. While everybody may not be there, it is the computer conventions and many, many vendors were represented. Here's some of what I found:
The Big Thing of course was The Internet and everbody has a some kind of product that uses the Net in some way. Netscape and Microsoft (along with other companies like Quarterdeck) showed that they are willing to battle it out when it come to the browser we will use to access the Internet and World Wide Web. This battle is just beginning and we will be seeing much in this area over the next few weeks and months.
One of the first things that impressed me was the emphasis on Multi-Media. There were a LOT of companies selling speakers, monitors, sound cards, and things like that.
My personal winner for Best of Show goes to Connectix for their QuickCam. Here's a digital camera for your computer that costs less than a hundred bucks! They're going to come out with a color version in a few months and then watch the prices of these B&W versions plummet. I say this is the kind of product that will revolutionize communication on the INternet.
One thing that disappointed me was the state of VR helmets. While much progress has been made, the state-of-the-art doesn't justify the $600-$900 price of these helmets. To be honest, most gave me headaches because of flickering and mis-alignment between left & right eyes.
I did like the wireless joysticks I saw, which operate in 3 dimensions. Through there still aren't many applications which take advantage of the joystick's capabilities, I really can't wait to be freed from all the wires. Give them about 6-12 months and they'll be ready to consider.
One of the neatest things I tried out was a "game chair" with a built-in subwoofer (so you can really feel the sound effects), joysticks and foot pedals. It did much more to immerse me into the experience than the 3D goggles did. But they would've helped.
There are a number of Internet Phone products coming out. Every one says that they are the best and is incompatable with the other (Hmmm, won't they ever learn). We're going to test them for ourselves soon and we'll let you know what we find. It's a great idea, but will it be practical?
Also, Lots of work is being done with voice recognition. It's still not ready for home use, but it will be sooner than I thought. We'll be doing a show about this in the near future.
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