The consumer electronics industry came unbuttoned in Las Vegas this past week. At the annual Consumer Electronics Show, which kicked off Jan. 7, companies from around the world unveiled myriad devices boasting touch-sensitive technology, rather than traditional push-button controls.
Motorola, Sony and LG Electronics all showed off touch-screen phones this week. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates touted a touch-screen computer, the Surface, akin to a flat panel TV for a tabletop. Even camera makers, such as Kodak, included touch-screen LCDs in their devices. Touch-screen tech has been in use for years, but the impetus to develop and weave it into consumer electronics gathered steam with the June introduction of Apple's iPhone. "The touch-screen industry is really getting hot," says Jennifer Colegrove, a senior analyst at iSuppli. "Since the iPhone came out, there are a lot of companies that did not have a relationship with touch screens before that decided, 'O.K., I want to make a touch screen, too.'"
