Okay — I am just going to put his out there: I have never been to a CEDIA Expo before.
I know, right?
I am, however, no stranger to technology tradeshows. I have InfoComm’d more times than I can count. Plus, I’ve CES’d, NAB’d, and AES’d on dozens of occasions each. But, up until now, I have never CEDIA’d.
And I am pretty darn excited about the whole thing.
I love seeing new technology at tradeshows – I love both the pomp and the circumstance; I love being one of the first to experience a new technology; and, mostly, I love the overarching sense of optimism that accompanies tradeshows in healthy markets, which CEDIA Expo certainly is.
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In putting together this “CEDIA Preview” that you now hold in your hands, I got a look at the plans CEDIA Expo owners Emerald Expositions has put into the show, and the reasons behind them. Take the Design Connection, for example, which takes the existing conversation on the merging of some of the technological aspects of the residential and commercial markets and continues it in a meaningful way by bringing designers, architects, and builders into the equation.
It is clear that users want the same experience whether they are home, in the car, at work, or staying in a hotel, and this will only be possible by working together more closely than ever before. We are on the cusp of something big that is only going to expand. I think you will see evidence of that throughout CEDIA Expo.
I am also pumped to check out the companies in Innovation Alley and see what they’ve come up with this year. And I know my time will be tight with meetings and covering the show for Residential Systems and the Official Show Daily, but I hope to sneak over and check out a few of the TechBites entries, which will offer three-minute new product demonstrations with a two-minute Q&A immediately following.
Beyond the tech and the trends, I am also looking forward to meeting many of the people I’ve been working with over the past two months face to face. They have all been extremely helpful as I settle in, and cannot thank them enough, although I will try when I see them.
And what about the people I haven’t met yet — virtually or otherwise. The place will be filled with them! I hope to get to spend some time with integrator attendees and get their feedback on the industry, which will help me make better decisions on what to include in Residential Systems in the coming months. Please keep an eye out for my name badge and say hello.
Oh, and I’ve never been to San Diego before either. Anybody have any suggestions for a good place to eat?
