LAS VEGAS, NV €”While not your standard CES pandemonium, the halls are crowded here on the exhibit floor of the Consumer Electronics Show. Walking around and checking out what’s hot and what’s not, it’s hard to find a device that’s not connected to the Internet. Sort of makes you wonder if this is the Consumer Electronics Show or the Consumer Broadband Show.

A few emerging themes so far €¦

Focus on value: Gone is some of the flash and sizzle of previous years. The focus isn’t on the biggest TV and most expensive and drool-worthy “must-have” gadget (although there are plenty to choose from). Companies are tuning in to consumers and focusing on value, bargains, deals and bang for the buck.

No place like home. As consumers look for ways to save money, the connected home is emerging as a budget-friendly place to spend quality time. Looking around the various presentations, it’s clear that television + the Internet is the  €˜Brangelina’ of consumer electronics. It’s the highly anticipated and closely watched union that is the focus of intense conversation and innovative product offerings. PricewaterhouseCoopers complemented the many business conversations around CES with consumer discovery sessions €”and invited NGW along for the ride. One theme: Home entertainment is a big deal for many families doing more with less right now, sparking interest and buzz around Sony Blu-Ray players, Wii gaming consoles and other connected, stay-at-home fun.

Green is good: In addition to value, eco-friendly products continue to show strong appeal. Not clear if consumers will pay more for these products in the current environment, but they certainly give companies the opportunity to stand out from the pack and win some brand loyalty. On display in the CES green zone are side-by-side comparisons of monitors and flat-screen TVs that use a third-less energy than their traditional counterparts. If there’s a difference in display quality, then we need to have our eyes checked.

Recession-proof Internet? While consumers are eying virtually every category of spending for places to cut back, if the PWC focus groups are any indicator, the Internet likely ties with underwear at the top of the “do not disturb” list. As one consumer put it, “I’d recycle soda cans before I’d give up the net.” Just the latest powerful indicator that broadband is hardly a passing fad, but the foundation of our modern, connected lives.

Wireless mobility. With the explosion of smart phones and wireless connectivity, our mobile devices are rapidly becoming our “Internet to go.” With consumers growing affection for all that the Internet makes possible, it naturally follows that interest is mounting in exploring the full possibilities of the wireless broadband frontier.

Collaboration. Listen to the top execs on hand from across communications, technology and content and you hear a consistent message: We can’t stop innovating, and we find the way forward together. As the communications, technology and content worlds continue to merge, constructive collaboration will help companies navigate the current economic climate and continue bringing exciting new possibilities to consumers and growth opportunities to our economy. “New technology,” says Sony’s Sir Howard Stringer, “will create new value chains.” As lines between the CE, IT and entertainment communities continue to blur, he says, we must now accept that “this fusion is reality.”

Innovation. Connectivity. Collaboration. We’re thinking we might just be on to something here at NGW with our focus on the broadband future. Are we there yet?

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