Over the last 50 years, some of the most groundbreaking new technologies in consumer electronics have been previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), from the VCR to Blu-ray players, and from CDs to the Xbox.
Some of the most popular types of multimedia player have been showcased at the renowned American trade fair. The two most emblematic examples are the VCR, presented by Sony in 1970 in the form of a prototype U-matic system, and the compact disc player, also developed by Sony in collaboration with Philips, and presented in 1981.
Most of the storage formats that have transformed access to multimedia have been presented at CES. As well as the CD, CES also played host to the first DVDs (Toshiba/1996) and Blu-rays (Sony/2003), which soon took over from the short-lived alternative, the HD DVD (Toshiba). Other formats hung on for longer, like the LaserDisc (Philips/1974), the CD-i (Philips & Sony/1991) and the Mini Disc (Sony/1993).
The first DVD players were unveiled at CES in 1996. (Eky Studio/Shutterstock)
Plenty of consumer electronics devices have been officially unveiled at CES too, such as the camcorder, via JVC and Sony in 1981, and the first plasma screen TVs in 2001 from Toshiba and Hitachi. CES has also seen its share of games consoles, with hit systems such as the NES (Nintendo/1985) and Xbox (Microsoft/2001) previewed at the show.
More recently, CES has played host to the first OLED TVs, as well as the first 3D sets in high definition then 4K resolution. The Las Vegas consumer tech show even showcased the first Android tablets just a few weeks before Apple announced its iPad in 2010.
CES runs January 6-9 in Las Vegas, USA.
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