Despite being the largest in the show's history, the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show, which ran from Tuesday through Friday in Las Vegas, opened under the news that this would be Microsoft's last high-profile appearance at the show. The technology giant joins brands like Apple and HP, which prefer to stage launches on their own terms. Time will tell how Microsoft's move will impact future shows, but this year's edition is ending as a record-breaker for the 44-year-old event, covering 1.861 million square feet of exhibit space.
The Consumer Electronics Association, which produces the massive event, moved the show a few days later this year to give all involved more time between the holidays. The C.E.A. also added a new exhibitor section, called Eureka Park TechZone, for technology start-ups. Open to first-time exhibitors, booth prices cost about 20 percent less than regular booth space.
Plenty of big brands competed for attention with flashy booths and celebrity endorsements. Justin Timberlake announced a partnership between Panasonic and MySpace, Justin Bieber showed off a robot from TOSY Robotic, and Snooki endorsed a line of iHip headphones. Here's a look at some of the highlights.
