Will there be any new technology innovation at CES?

It’s that time of year when companies prepare to show off their latest technology innovation at the show to end all shows – CES (Consumer Electronics Show).  Given the changes in my role at HP, I thought I was going to be able to dodge going.  Instead, I will be attending CES this year as press.  You heard that right — I will be reporting the innovation at CES rather than trying to convince a reporter that my stuff is the cool stuff they should be writing about.

Am I going or coming from the dark side?

With that said, I have low expectations based on the press releases that I’m getting from every vendor attending the show.   The result is a pile of “me to” ideas with maybe some minor incremental innovation to make it look good.

To filter through the press releases, I’ve developed a formula.  I count the number of times words like innovation, breakthrough, revolutionary, never before and invented appear.  The more they appear, the less likely that there is something truly interesting being announced.

My reporting of the innovation at CES will appear under my Forbes column and on Twitter (@philmckinney).  If you know of some killer innovations being shown at CES that I should see, drop me a note.