CES 2021 is officially canceled and turned into a digital-only event

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It’s time for some good news about the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that usually happens in Las Vegas in January. Well, good news for the health of anyone planning to go or exhibit that is, as the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has announced that it will be an all-digital affair in 2021.

That’s probably the smart call, although the CTA did take its sweet time getting to that decision when most other larger shows pivoted to digital early on. That means the hundreds of thousands of industry professionals that would normally be arguing over the latest tech, which restaurants to eat in, and fighting for Ubers to their next appointment won’t have to do any of that. Heck, they won’t even have to shower or put on deodorant (yes, we know some of you don’t anyway, we see you), as they can get the low-down on all the hottest gadgets and gizmos from their couch.

I mean, sure it’s a great place to network but all the walking, the trudging from air-conditioned rooms to other venues, the parties, having to talk to people. The CTA originally meant to hold the event in-person, as ever, with extra provisions aimed at social distancing, but then it sent out some surveys to test the waters, and well, the all-digital version of CES was the result.

I guess people weren’t receptive to the idea of flying in a petri dish to wander around a tech-filled petri dish, and then other petri dishes with private viewing rooms.

We look forward to seeing what the CTA, in all of its technological prowess, can put together as a digital event. But please, for the love of God, let it not be a Zoom call with a hundred thousand participants.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.