Now that we are back from Vegas and I am wrapping up my coverage, I had a chance to think back to all the questions I had going into the 2008 CES and what answers I had hoped to find out. While not every answer met my expectations, I DID get an answer to what I was pondering. As I thought, there wasn’t anything earth-shattering from the gamer’s perspective, and the Ace up Bill Gates sleeve never materialized (unless you count Slash hitting the stage amongst lasers and smoke, and disappearing almost as fast). While we didn’t really encounter too many of those “Vegas Moments” there was some great quotes that came out of our visit and a few celebrity meetings I will share instead…


How good are the 120Hz refresh LCD TVs?
The answer to this question is simple, yet complicated. I had the opportunity to ask multiple companies just how good the technology was and if it impacted the longevity of the LCD life. The answer was no, it would not impact the life at all. This answer came from all the companies including one’s lead engineer/designer. From what I saw on numerous booth visits, they are exceptional, but two small things are still nagging at me. The first is the quality of the motion smoothing chip used to create the 120Hz refresh in the sets and the second is the continuing progression of motion smoothing as it hits 180Hz and 220Hz technology. At our meeting with Vizio, we were able to get great info from their Designer/Engineer that stated he didn’t put the 120Hz technology in until he found the proper motion smoothing chip to use. The demonstration we saw was incredible, and included split-screen and side-by-side comparisons of 60Hz vs. 120Hz. There wasn’t a comparison, as the 120Hz is far superior and you don’t really see it until you have a proper demonstration. The other thing that I noticed is that the next level of Motion Smoothing technology isn’t that far away, as I saw a prototype of 180Hz refresh, and Chuck saw a 240Hz refresh on the show floor.


What thunder will Microsoft bring during Bill Gates last keynote as head of Microsoft?
This one was a bit of a bust, as there was nothing earth shattering (especially from a gaming perspective) about the Gate’s keynote unless you count the hilarious self-parody video. As expected, the surface technology was further explained and had a prominent position in the Microsoft booth and the Synch service received quite a bit of time. Probably the most notable piece to the keynote was the general philosophy that Microsoft will be focusing on going forward. As far as my predictions go, we did get some additional IP TV (strictly over the pond with British telecom for now) and Xbox 360 digital download partner news, but that elusive handheld is still sitting on a shelf in a back room or in everyone’s imagination. Maybe as the year goes on we will get some gaming announcements before Gates officially retires.


When will OLED become more than a developing technology?
Well, after seeing several models capped by the Samsung 31” prototype and Sony 27” model, it appears as if OLED will be hitting the U.S. sometime in 2010. The largest Sony OLED was a 27”model that may retail for approximately $2,500. While extraordinarily thin and bright, the high cost, small size and limited life-span means these guys probably need to go through a few more years of development to become something the average Joe will gout and buy.


Next-generation gaming consoles are launched and mainstream, so what now?
Who knows? The answer probably won’t come until E3 or the Game Developers Conference later this year. There was so little information for the consoles available that we were left scratching our heads. Sure the Xbox 360 had a UK IPTV update and ...