The first CES was held in June 1967 in New York City and quickly evolved into the definitive place for manufacturers (large and small, known and unknown) to showcase their most innovative ideas. I’ve seen the introduction and extinction of many products and an ever-expanding list of manufacturers. And every year when I hit CES, I’m still incredibly energized and inspired by the creativity of the technology industry.

This year, I’m keeping my eye on Ultrabooks (those new, incredibly slim and light laptops) and the constantly-evolving competitive landscape in tablets. We’re seeing increasingly smarter cars, tons of opportunity to make the connected home a reality, and continuous integration of health and fitness with technology. And, of course, the march of progress in mobile phones, apps and accessories is only getting faster and louder.

As I work my way through the show and meetings with Best Buy’s partners, our role in bringing this incredible variety of options to our customers is crystal-clear. As the world’s #1 consumer electronics retailer, we stand for choice. It’s our responsibility to discover, research and present the best of this innovation in a way that makes it easy for people. It’s our job to help our customers – all 1.5 million of them who visited last year – understand how to make this amazing but sometimes overwhelming technology work for them.

Again this year, we’re bringing some of our best customers to CES, to give us their take on what’s important and interesting to them. You’ll see what we collectively think are the most compelling and thought-provoking finds of the show, presented in all of our online and mobile channels. Thanks for experiencing CES along with us, and Happy New Year, everyone.