The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) consistently sets the mood for the consumer electronics calendar, with the newest and smartest products from around the world gathered under one roof, along with industry heavyweights from top companies including Panasonic and Samsung gathering to talk shop, chat tech and lend their advice to thousands of technology journalists who make the yearly pilgrimage to the event.

With inside knowledge however from the heart of the chaos, SmartHouse has put together a list of eight predictions for which the industry should watch out this year, coupled with local trends and forecasts from some of the country's major players in retail.

A Retail World

The fact that consumers spent a massive $1.1 billion more than forecast over the pre-Christmas period bodes well for the year ahead, with the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) calculating Australians spent $36.5 billion in the six weeks before 25 December, while post-Christmas spending has remained steady, up 7 per cent from last year.

The country's largest electronics retailer, Harvey Norman, said sales for the season so far have been "outstanding", particularly for digital cameras, games consoles, laptop computers and LCD and plasma TVs.

"It's the greatest December we've ever had. Up to Christmas Day and on from that, it's just been enormous," Harvey Norman chairman, Gerry Harvey, told the Courier Mail.

The shopping spree comes despite a record number of rate rises throughout 2007, along with continuously rising petrol prices leading to increased food and consumer goods costs.

Page: [1] 2 3 4 | Next Page