Ten defining moments at CES through the years

Iconic CES devices like the Apple Newton, CD player, VHS VCR, Sony PlayStation, and Oculus Rift “Crystal Cove” didn’t necessarily seem groundbreaking at the time. Here's a list of some defining moments from the annual show.

The story of the debut 1967 Consumer Electronics Show

Read an account of the origins of the first CES in New York in 1967, a story which is surprisingly difficult to find information about.

The organizer of CES originated as the Radio Manufacturers Association in the 1920s

This centennial page explores the Consumer Technology Association’s 100-year history, from its founding in 1924 shortly after the invention of the radio, to its leadership of CES Las Vegas. Read through the history of the wireless age and how it gave birth to a growing consumer electronics movement.

CES debuted in 1967 amid a wave of miniaturization in at-home electronics

The rapid development of integrated circuits—the basis of computing power—in the 1960s catalyzed an industrial shift toward miniature devices, including pocket transistor radios, smaller TVs, and more. This first consumer electronics trade show (with a slate of 117 exhibitors and 17,000 attendees) sought to make everyday electronics accessible and portable. See a timeline of early consumer tech with photos.

Hear about 20 years of change for CES

Longtime CES spokesperson Allie Fried discusses how the show has grown in scale, global reach, and ambition. The podcast also highlights recent tech innovations showcased at the show, including an AI baby panda that can sense emotions and robotic companions for Alzheimer's patients.

Atari's 'Pong', VCRs, and CD players all launched at CES

This roundup highlights major tech milestones at CES, including the launch of the Nintendo NES in 1985, the DVD in 1996, and the virtual reality headset Oculus Rift in 2013.

A timeline of computer history

The earliest computers bear little resemblance to the computing devices that most people rely on today. This timeline graphic from the Computer History Museum tracks their evolution, from the early days of bulky mainframes that only experts generally used through to the personal computing revolution and on to the modern mobile era. Readers will learn important context ahead of the next major computing platform shift.

See how CES comes to life with a massive setup across Las Vegas

This behind-the-scenes video shows crews assembling the sprawling CES show—filling more than 2.5 million square feet of exhibition space with booths, lights, and tech from around the world ahead of the event’s opening.

Visit the official CES site for event info, tech trends, and innovation awards

The CES Las Vegas site features everything from event schedules and exhibitor lists to coverage of emerging tech trends and highlights from CES Innovation Award winners across various categories, including AI, health, and sustainability.

CNET previews CES 2026

This CNET preview outlines what’s coming at CES 2026—from major showcases by Samsung, Sony, LG, and Lenovo to expected trends in AI, chips, digital health, mobility, and robotics.

Tetris was launched in the US at Summer CES 1988

Tetris first appeared in the US at the 1988 Summer CES, where Henk Rogers—who would later publish and market the game—first encountered it. This interview revisits that moment, with creator Alexey Pajitnov and Rogers reflecting on how the game gained global recognition.

At CES 1996, Panasonic unveiled the first DVD player to the public

This demo disc from Panasonic’s 1996 CES reveal showed audiences how DVDs offered sharper video, interactive menus, and greater storage—introducing a new era in home entertainment.

CES has brought more than $6B in economic impact to Las Vegas since 1978

Since moving to Las Vegas in 1978, CES has attracted nearly 5 million attendees and generated more than $6B in local economic impact—boosting hotels, restaurants, transportation, and the city’s global profile.

Explore 100 years of technological innovation at IFA Berlin

This retrospective highlights IFA Berlin’s century of innovation, including the unveiling of the world’s first tape recorder in 1935, the launch of color TV in West Berlin in 1967, and the first public look at HD TV in 1985.

See the original websites for companies like Google, Facebook, and Apple

Explore archived images of homepages on websites dating all the way back to 1991.

See a timeline of Silicon Valley's greatest innovations

Silicon Valley is home to some of the biggest innovations of the last century. From radio communicators in the 1930s, to personal computers in the 1970s, the Valley has been the center of technological innovation for decades.

Publicist Lois Whitman claims she’s worked at every CES since 1967

The colorful PR leader argues in this impromptu, amateur video interview that she has worked at the event since its inception in New York City. A search around the internet revealed she’s not the most well-regarded, as TechCrunch reports issues around using the event’s PR contact list loosely.

Scroll through a Sears historical timeline, starting in the year 1886

The Sears story starts with railroad worker Richard Sears purchasing a declined shipment of watches for a discounted price. An interactive historical timeline chronicles the history of Sears from then onwards.

‘Eureka Park’ is CES' startup hub at Vegas’ famed Venetian

For years, new ventures looking for funding and a network appeared alongside established bigwigs like Microsoft and Sony at CES. In 2012, CES created “Eureka Park,” a part of the convention where startups could congregate (some viewed it as being sidelined at the time). Producers of hit reality show “Shark Tank” scout new startups in the park every year.

Twenty of the coolest products from CES 2025

This roundup from Cybernews showcases standout CES 2025 innovations—from flying cars and robot dogs to VR headsets and AI-powered gadgets—showing the event’s most talked-about tech.

Explore an online gallery highlighting the importance of graphical user interfaces

Before the Macintosh, computers were primarily used in offices and required users to type complex commands to perform tasks. Apple followed the device with the LaserWriter printer, bringing graphic production to at-home artists and designers.

Silicon Valley’s history in technology can be traced back to the late 1800s

From its developments in radio, defense technology, and personal computing, Silicon Valley has been associated with innovating tech for more than a century. This animated timeline of Silicon Valley’s history helps visualize its evolution.

The first compact cassette tape was introduced at IFA 1963

At IFA 1963 in Berlin, Philips introduced the compact cassette tape. This new standardized audio format replaced bulky reel-to-reel tape and would go on to dominate home recording and music listening for decades.

It’s actually pretty hard to get into CES

The event is technically a “trade” event, designated only for industry professionals. Roughly 170,000 attendees pass muster to get in, and according to this blog post, not all of them adhere strictly to the standard qualifications. Sometimes folks create a false credential or simply buy unused tickets from absent industry pros, while others sneak in.

Take a visual tour of past Coachellas

This collection of photographs features shots from every year of the festival's history, with portraits of acts like Rage Against the Machine, Oasis, and Lady Gaga gracing its legendary stages.

The moment Bill Gates and the Rock announced the original Xbox at CES 2001

At CES 2001, Bill Gates and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took the stage to unveil the original Xbox. This memorable moment marked Microsoft’s entry into gaming and set the tone for its console brand.

Coachella's early years were seen as a success story for alternative culture

From 2007, this oral history of Coachella provides an interesting snapshot of the festival before it became an international attraction. There are interesting stories about the festival's chaotic first year and interviews from artists who frame the festival as a success story for alternative art.

The world's first webcam was invented in the early 1990s by scientists at Cambridge Computer Laboratory to monitor a coffee pot for researchers working in different labs on various floors.

Sears once tried to become a tech company

In 1984, Sears arguably created one of the first online retail services, called “Prodigy,” in 1984 alongside IBM and CBS. But it was more of a WeChat than an Amazon, offering a variety of other services to users a few years before the dot com era.

Watch Steve Jobs introduce the first iPad

Apple's cofounder debuted the first iPad in 2010, framing it as a third category of personal electronics between the laptop and the smartphone. Steve Jobs showed off how thin the device was (for the time) and explained how it was better than smartphones and laptops for browsing the web.

See the schedule and headline keynote speakers for CES 2026

CES 2026 features keynote speakers including entrepreneur and "All-In" podcast cohost Jason Calacanis, and Lenovo Chairman & CEO Yuanqing Yang—part of a lineup spotlighting voices shaping the future of tech and business.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s keynotes have become a main event at CES

Watch Jensen Huang’s 2025 CES keynote, where he unveiled major advances in AI and GPU technology. His presentations now draw global attention, blending product reveals with sweeping visions of the future of computing.

Retrospekt is one of many companies making money by flipping old, fan-favorite technology like Polaroids, cassette tapes, and Tamagotchis.

Apple, the tech giant renowned for products like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, started out in a garage in 1976.

Vegas’ high-rated convention logistics earned it a CES contract through 2039

The strip has more than 100,000 hotel rooms and the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center where some of the convention takes place. Sin City’s alluring attractions combined with these logistics perks make it a common destination for big-time gatherings like CES.