Japan's biggest electronics show opens to the public
next week, showcasing the latest flat-panel TVs, mobile phones,
optical storage and more.
The Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies Providing
Image, Information and Communications, better known as Ceatec, runs
from 5 October to 9 October. It is expected to feature about 700
exhibitors, up from 667 last year, with about the same number of
visitors (around 192,000) as last year.
The event's 2,700 exhibit booths will sprawl across eight halls
divided into two main areas: one for electronic components, devices
and industrial equipment, and another for digital networks. All the
major Japanese electronics companies will be there, with many
unveiling technologies and products.
One company keeping its products under wraps till the show is
Sharp. The company said it would display either a new technology or
new models for its line of Aquos LCD TVs, as well as its latest
solar cell products and technologies.
Toshiba will also be highlighting TV - surface-conduction
electron-emitter display (SED) devices to be precise, as well as
its latest LCDs, hard-disc drives and DVD players. All are products
that the company wants to become a major source of profits over the
coming years.
SED combines cathode ray tube and flat panel technologies for a
brighter and more responsive picture than plasma or LCD and uses
much less power, according to its backers.
Toshiba will also join NEC, Sanyo and Memory-Tech to display
high definition/high density DVD technologies. The four are setting
up a group to promote the format over Blu-ray Disc as the
high-capacity optical storage replacement for today's DVD
technology.
NEC will also be displaying its latest technologies for VOIP, IP
phones, mobile phones and RFID.
Fujitsu will be showing biometric security products that can
recognise vein patterns, and a service robot that greets visitors
and patrols the home, as well as broadband, storage and networking
products.
Mitsubishi's exhibition will be split into an audio-visual zone
and a network zone. The audio-visual zone will include a 37in
high-definition LCD TV, a wearable display and various hard-disc
drives and DVD video recorders. The network zone will focus on home
security systems, radio sensor network systems, home RFID network
systems, and the latest mobile phones.
Sony will be showing its "type X", a PC-type Vaio with a giant
storage capacity of one terabyte.
The digital network part of Ceatec will feature 12 categories of
home appliances, 10 categories of mobile network products, six
categories of home network products, and eight categories of
networking and broadcast products, including mobile phones and
devices for downloading online music.
The electronic component part of the show will feature a
semiconductor zone, an electronic display devices zone, and a
batteries and materials zone with diverse technologies such as fuel
cells, nanotechology and solar cells.
Paul Kallender writes for IDG News Service