CES Terminology Decoded - Cary Tilds, GroupM
Navigating the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas each year can be a daunting task. Forget the logistics of getting there. When you finally arrive at the convention center and wander the long, pad-less carpet aisles, you start to notice something overwhelming: Innovation that intrigues you, but much of the language used to describe the products is some sort of foreign techno speak. For some, it's like landing in a foreign country where you don't speak the language.
In order to make your journey a bit easier, below is a top ten list of definitions that matter the most while you navigate through the show floor.
| Term | Focus Area | Definition |
| NFC | Connective Technology | Near field communication (NFC) is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish radio communication with each other by touching them together or bringing them into proximity, usually no more than a few inches. |
| HDMI 2.0 | Connective Technology | HDMI 2.0 was released on September 4, 2013. HDMI 2.0 allows support for 4K resolution at 60 frames per second (fps), improved 3D capability, support for up to 32 channels of audio, as well as other improved functions. |
| 4K UHD | Display | 4K resolution is a generic term for display devices or content having horizontal resolution on the order of 4,000 pixel. 4K UHD (Ultra High Definition) is a resolution of 3840 pixels × 2160 lines (8.3 megapixels, aspect ratio 16:9). 4K UHD has twice the horizontal and vertical resolution of the 1080p HDTV format, with four times as many pixels overall. |
| LED, LCD, Plasma, OLED | Display | There are four different main display types at the show: LED uses an array of light-emitting diodes as a video display; LCD uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly; Plasma utilizes small cells containing electrically charged ionized gases, or what are in essence chambers more commonly known as fluorescent lamps; and OLED (organic light-emitting diode) is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which the emissive electroluminescent layer is a film of organic compound which emits light in response to an electric current. |
| IOT | Interactive | The Internet of Things (or IoT for short) refers to uniquely identifiable objects and their virtual representations in an Internet-like structure. This term is often referred to when discussing connected devices such as wearable technology or home appliances. |
| 3D Printing | Manufacturing | 3D printing is achieved using an additive process where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes. 3D printing is also considered distinct from traditional machining techniques, which mostly rely on the removal of material by methods such as cutting or drilling (subtractive processes). |
| 2K Smartphone | Mobile | 2K resolution is a generic term for display devices or content having horizontal resolution on the order of 2,000 pixels. New to smartphones! |
| 4K Streaming | Video | The 4K format is roughly four times higher resolution than regular HD (3,840-by-2,160 pixels vs. 1,920-by-1,080 pixels). But as VentureBeat has pointed out repeatedly, streaming 4K video is exceptionally data intensive (meaning you need a reliable high-speed Internet connection) and requires a 4K-ready television set, which most consumers probably won’t have. Google will showcase VP9 codec for 4K streaming. |
| Codec | Video | A video codec is a device or software that enables compression or decompression of digital video. |
| 4G | Wireless | 4G is the fourth generation of mobile phone mobile communication technology standards, providing mobile ultra-broadband Internet access to mobile devices. LTE, an acronym for Long Term Evolution, marketed as 4G LTE, is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data for mobile phones and data terminals. |
Use this list with care while you are at the show, to impress those around you at dinners and cocktail parties, and when you are back home to ensure you're helping to empower adoption and success of these new technologies within your organizational needs.
Cary Tilds is Chief Innovation Officer for GroupM. Cary can be reached at cary.tilds@groupm.com
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Cary Tilds
Cary Tilds is the Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for Frameplay. At Frameplay, Cary is responsible for leading Strategic Planning, Marketing and Operations. Prior to Frameplay, Cary was the SVP, Corporate Strategy for FordDirect where she led Emergi…
