The China Consumer Electronics Show 2006 (SINOCES 2006), co-sponsored by the US-based Consumer Electronics Association, was held 7-10 July 2006, in Qingdao, China. The show attracted more than 390 exhibitors, which prompted the organizers to proclaim it the largest exhibition of its kind ever held in China. It also attracted more than 62,000 visitors, including more than 5,300 overseas purchasers.

SINOCES 2006 is the only electronics show endorsed by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, and the State Council. The show also recently acquired a certification issued by the American Ministry of Commerce - and to date is the only consumer electronics show in the Asia-Pacific area to receive this endorsement.

Using as its theme the concept "Ubiquitous”, SINOCES 2006 brought together the latest consumer electronics technologies and products, and most of the world's top consumer electronics companies. The international contingent at SINOCES 2006 expanded significantly, with more than 80 foreign exhibitors presenting their latest technologies to the Chinese consumer electronics marketplace and international buyers.

That ubiquitous theme

"Ubiquitous” is a word of Latin origin, and means "ever present” or "always there.” Back in 1988, at the Computer Science Lab at Xerox PAR, a bright young man named Mark Weiser created the term "Ubiquitous Computing” to sum up the concept of having computer technology seamlessly integrated into an environment rather than having computers which are distinct objects. Advocates of the concept believe that by subtly embedding computer technology and computer products into various environments and into everyday objects, people will interact with information-processing devices more naturally and casually than they currently do. 3C - which stands for computers, communications and consumers - is the basis of what the Ubiquitous advocates refer to as "U-Strategy”, but the final goal of pure "Ubiquitous” will require auxiliary equipment. The current industrial transformation, innovation and development in IT is embraced and absorbed by U-Strategy. The world is changing all the time, but the effect of U-Strategy will be to make those changes smoother, and faster, and to truly set free the potential of computers.

The catalyst - CES

One of the most significant features of SINOCES 2006 was the involvement of the US-based Consumer Electronic Show (CES) - the largest consumer electronic exhibition in the world. CES was in fact the first consumer electronics exhibition in the world, and for the last 40 years they've been holding shows in Las Vegas. They have a long, rich experience of staging these events, and these days some 2,400 enterprises attend the annual CES show. In 2005 CES set up a strategic partnership with SINOCES, in which both parties cooperate on exhibitions, and SINOCES is allowed free access to CES enterprises database. The involvement of CES will certainly change the whole exhibition system of the consumer electronics industry in the Asia Pacific region, and - perhaps most importantly - indicates a shift of focus of global consumer electronics shows from west to east. This may prove to be the most significant change to emerge at SINOCES 2006.

This year CES brought not only American exhibitors, but also professional buyers and authoritative researchers of consumer electronics products. Several major international retailers were in attendance, including Best Buy, Carrefour, Karstadt Metro, Obi, Quelle, Radio Shack and Walmart. The massive scale of SINOCES 2006 also aroused the interest and awareness of influential global media, including the New York Times, Washington Daily, Japanese Nikkei BP and Wave News Agency. In the past, these heavyweights have rarely been seen at consumer electronics shows in the Asian-Pacific region.

Best of ever

Many famous multi-national corporations were present at SINOCES, along with an impressive contingent of the distinguished consumer electronics brands from China and abroad. Key global exhibitors included Intel, Sony, Epson, Toshiba and NEC. These international home appliance giants all brought their full sales and marketing power to China. They highlighted new consumer electronic products as well as high-end technologies, and the show is now obviously highly rated by these major international players.

Among domestic (PRC) enterprises, Haier, Hisense, Lenovo, Aucma, Konka, Changhong and Prima had a prominent and aggressive presence, while communications service providers China Mobile and China Netcom were also in attendance. SINOCES has clearly moved beyond attracting only consumer electronics enterprises, and is now considered a key event for the support companies in electronics and the communication service providers.

With the success and growing influence of the SINOCES 2006 show at home and abroad, SINOCES itself has now become a remarkable brand in the consumer electronics field in China and throughout the world.