Consumer Electronics Show CES, which used to
always be right here in Chicago where it mattered, always had the best array of integrated circuits and extremely hot models. Now, in Vegas,
where there is a lot of sandy beaches and no ocean, there's also a lot of Silicone with your Silicon.
Really though, what kind of buzz, what is that game changing in the SCUBA world that it will generate "buzz"?
Okay, Wally, I think I got it. This is the big one- our retirement package all rolled into one product. This will revolutionize diving and absolutely shatter previous sales records in the industry. Then,, next year, we'll introduce it in "Tech Black". Killer. Scuba Pro what know what hit 'em.
Anybody remember the table manned by the two Japanese guys in Orlando (2001?). They couldn't speak any English and had various high-tech geegaws lying on the table, replete with hand written file cards and prices in Yen. Looked like a garage sale. They did have the James Bond thingie, but I had no idea that British teeth were really as bad as they say:
These two guys really did well at DEMA, we saw that they managed to find their way over to Rachel's for a steak and some USDA Prime meat.
Think about any recent developments over the last 30 years. Because of our
SCUBA-Brained resistance and
institutionalized distrust of new systems, look at how long it took for us to adopt BC's and computers. The social resistance was far greater than the plodding curve of product improvement.
Would the public have seen it and caused a demand? Maybe, but your LDS is going to stay the course, go with the proven winner, They even called nitrox funny names until they recognized it as a profit center.
DEMA Show is also a huge clearance center and dumping ground for technologically out-dated gear. Maybe 25 years ago, when the writing was on the wall for the new adoption of digital cameras, there were manufacturers at DEMA with super-duper deals on simple 35mm film cameras, complete with yellow Pelicanesque box. They sat there straight faced as all hell and sold this crap to less than bright Dive Shop owners who saw dollar signs- look at these incredible low prices! They could make a killing. You still see brand new product in shops- covered in dust.
I remember another interesting twist- the one rebreather company (was it Dolphin, Draeger?) was about to announce their new system (in 1990?). Man, I was standing there with my checkbook. All they had to show me was a twenty foot high spiraling mountain of the empty fiberglass shells. Nothing operational, no prediction of availability dates. All flash and no go.
Another show, I had cash in hand and went up to Sea & Sea. They had discontinued their Profile 1000 dive computers and I was aware that although not in their catalog, they were sitting on a warehouse full of them. I will buy them all, how much? They refused to even talk about them because I was merely a registered Sea & Sea Camera Dealer, not signed-up as a S&S Hardware Dealer... even though the Profile 1000 was the only piece of equipment they had other than cameras. Cash in hand was I, not understanding how crazy things could be. (A year+ later they appeared as a closeout in the back of Performance Diver catalog)
But where else can you see insanity such as this?
A shiny new dime if you guess who that DEMA porky-prankster is, and no, it's not me.
