CES 2011 First Impressions - iPads, Tablets, Digital Natives

Greetings from CES 2011 and after this blogger had a late night out with a college friend after a surprise meeting at The Cosmopolitan Hotel, then a walk to Bellagio, where we visited The Bank Nightclub. After getting in at 4 AM, some breakfast, and some rest, I'm ready to tell you about my first impressions of CES Las Vegas 2011 in brief.

First, this is just overwhelming.  You need two weeks to see all that's here.  Plus, as you can see from the video below, the place is teaming with people from all countries.  You commonly hear three or four languages spoken around you.



Second, even though Apple's not here, Apple is here. There are iPads all over the place, and consumer electronics makers like BlackBerry, Samsung, and Motorola are rolling out their versions here at CES. I'm not sure all of these tablet, some with operating systems that are a cross between the maker's smartphones, and computer operating systems, will succeed. They may do just enough to blunt the iPad's sales, but I can't see them overtaking the iPad.



It's the size thing. The tablets are smaller than the movie-viewing-ready iPad. I can't see kids wanting a tablet smaller than the iPad. Time will tell, but I'm willing to bet the iPad remains the leader here by a wide margin.

Tablets aside, there's 3D all over the place, in televisions, movies, tv shows, and even for your smartphone:



But is the public really ready for all of this 3D, or is it being pushed on us. There are three views: one is that the tech push gets the next generation ready for 3D. The other is there's too much and some companies involved are going to take a bath. The last is that this is the next wave, and the data shows there're money to be made. My view is a mix of the three.

Finally Walking Dead and Terminator producer Gale Anne Hurd says CES 2011 is a split between "digital natives" and "digital immigrants," which folks like her as the immigrants, and people like, say, Robert Scoble or Caly Lewis, as digital natives.  The natives know this digital stuff; the immigrants feel like they have to know this digital stuff.

Well, I've got to jam.  I've uploaded a ton of videos at YouTube.com/zennie62.  I'm headed down to the floor, and then, eventually, to something called the CES Tweetup, where I'm going to drink nothing but cranberry juice.  

Also, live feeds are at Qik.com/zennie62.