CES 2008 gathers 130,000, breaks records

Aside from the announcement of Skype on the Sony PlayStation Portable and Bill Gates’ final keynote, the Consumer Electronics Show 2008 was big for both consumers and companies alike. Records were set, and a lot of firsts happened this CES. Check out the full article to learn more.

As if we need further confirmation, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) sent a press wire to detail the Consumer Electronics Show 2008’s resounding success. Las Vegas, Nevada was hot in January 7 to 10, with more than 2,700 companies putting their products and innovations to light on a record-setting 1.85 million net square feet of exhibit space.

Among the firsts that made history at CES 2008 was Panasonic‘s revelation of the world’s largest plasma HDTV that stood 150″, ComcastÂ’s first portable DVR, and General Motors‘ energy efficient innovations which involved advancements in fuel cell technology and introduced electronically driven propulsion systems.

CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro shared his thoughts, saying:

This year’s International CES was a show of firsts: the first leaders from the automotive and cable industries to deliver CES keynote addresses, the first time the president of a country has spoken at CES, and the first year a television station broadcast its entire nightly newscast – NBC Nightly News –live from the show floor.

Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, was among the 25,000 international attendees. Over 20,000 products were on the floor, and the Technology and Emerging Countries program was launched.

More than 130,000 industry professionals joined the fray, while celebrities Jerry Seinfeld, Dr. Dre, Ryan Seacrest, Will.I.Am, Natasha Beddingfield, Kevin Costner, Michael Douglas, Mary J. Blige, former Guns NÂ’ Roses guitarist Slash, David Ortiz and many others were also present.