CES/Macworld: Stagnation Ahead

And, a new “Keynote Remote” app will cost 99 cents to enable an iPhone or iPod touch to control Keynote presentations, part of the iWork '09 update.

But what about a netbook with wireless, a data plan from AT&T that would allow the iPhone to be used as a broadband wireless modem, or embedded HSPA in the Macbook? All hoped for, and all missing. Conspicuously.

The news out of CES this week points to a certain amount of stagnation as well. Palm Inc. (PALM) will announce its long-awaited refresh to its operating system for smartphones on Thursday, a Linux-based stack dubbed “Nova.” Palm needs Nova to go supernova in order to survive in the dog-eat-dog smartphone realm, which has become so rife with me-too-ness that Best Buy is spending millions to teach its employees how to differentiate the offerings for consumers. What is expected out of Palm in the way of Nova devices, however, is only more of the same: Touchscreen, check. Both consumer and business functionality? Check. Developer store? Check.

Meanwhile, Lenovo Group Ltd. unveiled an “all-in-one” desktop and a new lineup of consumer PCs, including a new IdeaPad notebook that is clearly meant to compete with the MacBook. But again, no embedded mobile broadband and no breakthrough form factors or functionality, let alone HSPA+ support.

Recycled, Literally

Other major announcements at CES have been retreads of things already released into the wild. For instance, LG Electronics launched broadband-enabled high-definition televisions with embedded Netflix streaming software. The announcement encroaches on Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) heretofore exclusive deal with Netflix to provide direct access to the online video store from the XBox 360, and is similar to Google TV, which allows users to watch YouTube videos and view Picasa pictures on connected flat panel television sets. Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) announced a new version of its netbook that’s been on the market since last year, with a seven-hour charge. Several other manufacturers simply announced lower pricing for desktops and laptops. And Motorola Inc. (MOT) meanwhile announced a phone made from recycled soda bottles, providing a more literal form of device rehash.

A lone bright spot in the yawn-inducing gloom so far this week is the chipmaker Broadcom Corp. (BRCM), which is showcasing a variety of new technologies for the connected digital home. The idea is to enable devices to share digital content throughout the home, and to marry the Web and the television for true three-screen content porting in the home zone using embedded Internet connectivity for consumer electronics in the form of Wi-Fi.

Wireless broadband networks are reaching double-digit downlink speeds, and more people are finding that they can do so much over such connections. But the device innovation needs to be there to take advantage of the other two pieces of the puzzle. At this week’s trade shows, the third piece — device innovation — was still missing.