Tue, Jan 11, 2005 - Page 16 News List

'Technosexuals' get nerds out of the closet

The evolving tech industry is just the latest business to discover sex sells, as it promises entertainment and information will get to us faster, easier and cheaper

DPA , Las Vegas

Alongside mobile devices, the other great focus of the technology show was on digital home-entertainment products.

The king of televisions was without question Samsung's 2.6m-wide, high-definition LCD screen -- a monster so large, bright and clear that it is sure to make even cinema-owners jealous when it goes on sale.

Almost every computer maker was also showing off media hubs that transform regular computers into virtual juke-boxes, able to wirelessly stream pictures, videos and music to any connected device, including -- for the rich and lucky -- Samsung's magnificent beast.

Unlike previous shows, which overhyped an imminent immersion into the converged digital lifestyle, this year's products are relevant now.

The concurrent advances in broadband, wireless connectivity and LCD technology, combined with the miniaturization of processing chips and storage devices, mean that the world is really on the verge of a new technological future, where information and entertainment will be immediate and ubiquitous.

This is the Holy Grail that the tech industry has been promising since the birth of the Internet, and its realization should fuel the profits of consumer technology providers for years to come.

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, 2004 sales in the US grew 11 percent to US$113.5 billion. CEA projections are that shipments will rise to US$125.7 billion this year, followed by a multi-year global growth rate for the coming decade of close to 15 percent.

If those numbers hold true, we will all be technosexuals.

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