15 Examples Of Odd CES 2010 Signage

Stylo, a maker of computer accessories with U.S. headquarters in Miami, came to CES 2010 with a simple yet enduring message: Technology and innovation are the twin engines upon which the entire consumer electronics industry is based. That's right, it's not enough just to have the technology, innovation is also needed to keep the whole system chugging along. Oh, and dressing stylishly and striking funky poses is also critical, from the looks of this poster.

Audio accessories are always big at CES, and this year included plenty of product marketing that encouraged attendees to shed their inhibitions and show the world what they're capable of on the dance floor. It's unclear what product is being promoted here, but what's very clear is that the people in this photo are enjoying themselves immensely.

At CES 2010, Dolby Laboratories took the wraps off new software that greatly enhances the audio performance of PCs, cell phones, and home theater systems. Judging from this gentleman's reaction, these advancements add a whole new element to the listening experience, and that makes screaming out loud not seem like a bad idea.

What do you get when you cross audio appreciation with an environmentally aware world view? Vendor signage that reflects the confluence of these previous disparate disciplines. Green IT is all the rage these days, and vendors are sprinkling it into just about everything they do -- whether it makes sense to do so or not.

Anyone who's traveled abroad has, at one time or another, experienced the frustration of not being able to communicate with the locals. It's so frustrating that it can make you feel like pulling your hair out. At least, that's the message being conveyed here by Ectaco, a New York-based firm that was hawking its Partner P900 talking electronic dictionary at CES 2010.

Intersil brought its latest high-performance audio amplifiers to CES 2010, which apparently can bring a serene sense of satisfaction to audiophiles. If only life were so simple that one could achieve this level of happiness simply by listening to high performance audio. It's not, of course, but you wouldn't know it from looking at this poster.

Gadget lovers are all too familiar with the sprawl of wires that results when charging multiple devices, which is why Powermat's CES 2010 floor space was packed to the gills with curious attendees. Let's face it, having all those cords can be distressing, and while the idea of the cords wrapping themselves around one's face is perhaps a bit overstated, Powermat's technology is something everyone can appreciate.

It was one of those weird curveballs that CES tends to throw at people every year: Stan Lee, former president and chairman of Marvel Comics, made an appearance at the floor space of Marvell, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based purveyor of storage, communications, and consumer silicon solutions.



Get it? The Marvel guy was at the Marvell booth. See what they did there?



The energetic 87-year old Lee, whose creative portfolio includes Spiderman, The Hulk, and X-Men, signed autographs for two hours and was mobbed by CES attendees who grew up with -- and gained inspiration -- from his creations.

Cuman, a Korean firm that makes products that can track pets, cars and children, played the Golden Retriever card at CES 2010. Attendees passing by Cuman's booth couldn't help but be pulled in by this lovable canine face, and as a result, company employees found themselves answering more questions about their products than they'd perhaps expected to.

Bluetooth earpieces have facilitated greater range and convenience for people who enjoy walking around while appearing to talk to themselves. But apparently, these devices leave much to be desired when it comes to sound quality, according to Korean firm Pamsh.





At CES 2010, Pamsh showed off their line of Bluetooth earpieces that use bone conduction to offer a superior listening experience. So listen up all you conventional Bluetooth earpiece-using dinosaurs: Bone conduction is the wave of the future -- get on the boat or get left behind.

Accessories are a big and growing business, and CES 2010, Body Glove was hawking its line of mobile device carrying cases and notebook PC sleeves. For a company that made its mark initially in surfing and diving accessories, CES 2010 gave Body Glove plenty of chances to reach new types of customers.

Korean vendor Paseco had one of the strangest products at CES 2010: Its Electronic Bidet offers various user-friendly functions and advanced features, and its remote control functionality really pushes the envelope. Paseco was far and away the most impressive electronic bidet vendor at CES 2010.

They look like cigarettes, feel like cigarettes, and taste like cigarettes. But they aren't actually cigarettes. So says Smoking Everywhere, one of the companies pushing the idea at CES 2010 that one can maintain their nicotine habit without dealing with the stigma of smoking. And, you know, the health problems.





What's most important about the messaging here is that electronic cigarettes are classy. And the fact that they're a "limited edition" makes them even more attractive. Right?

Pleo, the robotic baby dinosaur from Innovo Labs, is a cute-but-creepily-lifelike Camarasaurus dinosaur. Pleo's sophisticated sensory system allows him to hear, see, and sense touch, and is powered by a color camera, sound sensors, two infrared sensors, 14 motors, over 100 gears, eight touch sensors, and an orientation sensor. At $349, Pleo isn't cheap, but he's sure to freak out your kids' friends when they come over to play.



Hey Pleo, Steven Spielberg called, he wants to know if you're available for a part in Jurassic Park 4.

At CES 2010, Motorola demonstrated the capabilities of its MotoNAV GPS navigation and hands-free system, but the vendor's CES signage seemed to take a page from Yoda's philosophical playbook. OK, fine, "getting there" isn't about the destination, but if that's the case, then what is "getting there"? That part wasn't explained sufficiently, and this didn't escape the notice of CES attendees.