2013 CES Keynote: We Are ‘Born Mobile’


Las Vegas, NV – Qualcomm took over keynote duties from Microsoft at this year’s CES, but the wireless telecommunications company more than delivered with new devices, celebrity guests, a catchy tagline, and a peek into the not-so-distant future.

Young people today are “born mobile.” That was the idea that framed Qualcomm’s entertaining keynote address, and the expansion of mobile among a growing demographic of mobile tech users is more than just a fetching idea. Qualcomm poised mobile as the wave of the future, and they don’t appear to be terribly far off the mark.

Monday’s Consumer Electronics Show keynote was delivered by Qualcomm’s chief executive Paul Jacobs, whose speech officially kicked off CES 2013, which opened its doors this morning in Las Vegas.

Contrasting Microsoft, Qualcomm isn’t exactly a household name yet, but that was part of what went into the keynote. Qualcomm had more to do than carry the burden of CES on its shoulders: It had to show us why their tech is relevant to regular customers.

After a short (slightly iffy) skit, Qualcomm’s presentation included showing off existing Windows * and Windows Phone devices like the Samsung Ativ tablet, Nokia Lumia 920, and HTC 8X.

Joining Qualcomm, a broad pool of celebrity guests took the stage, including director Guillermo Del Toro, Nascar Sprint Cup Champ Brad Keselowski, and even Sesame Street’s Big Bird.

Big Bird showed off Big Bird’s Words, a new app that helps kids learn to read by having them search for words wherever they are. For example, if a child is asked to search for the word “milk,” they’ll have to find the word nearby (perhaps on a milk jug).

Star Trek Into Darkness star Alice Eve was also at the keynote, showing off an app for the upcoming movie. We actually randomly crossed paths with Alice Eve ourselves at the MGM on our way to CES. She was taller than I thought, and very nice. I would have asked her some questions, but I was too surprised by the unexpected meet. Oh well, we did get a picture:

Also, Maroon 5 (most of them) closed out the keynote with a few songs.

Overall, CES 2013 is shaping up to be a monumental show, and we’ll be on scene all week reporting live. Stay tuned!

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