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Looking back at this year's exhibition the display categories of Telecommunications and Digital Lifestyle were the frontrunners with visitors to CeBIT 2006
Telecommunications & Networks
UMTS was one of the central themes at CeBIT 2006 The aim here was to provide professional solutions that are also suitable for small to medium-sized businesses, thus helping them reduce the cost of system administration.
The same applies to Internet telephony based on Voice over IP (VoIP). All kinds of full-service VoIP packages for business purposes are now on offer. Some of the newer products available support roaming for Voice over IP on WLAN networks.
Information Technology
When it comes to new processors with increasing performance capability, the trend in computer architecture is towards multi-core processors. While dual cores are currently in vogue, the coming years will see multiple cores being built into each processor. This technology is even expected to be available for notebooks within the coming year. Multi-core processors will be particularly beneficial in the portable environment, as they combine high-level computation with low energy usage, thus ensuring longer battery life.
CeBIT 2006 confirmed the growing trend towards mobile PCs, with market share for notebooks now outstripping that of desktop computers. Exhibitors displayed numerous new notebook models powered by the latest-generation technology.
"High Definition", or HD for short, was one of the buzzwords at CeBIT this year. This term is used to describe high-quality digital video with resolution of up to 1920 x 1080 pixels. CeBIT showcased the entire product spectrum now available for everything from shooting and editing to playback of HD video material.
The "spirit of tomorrow" was palpable at CeBIT and particularly evident in the vast array of new research findings. One example was the first memory modules produced using nanotechnology, with their capacity of one terabit per square inch. This equates to the content of around 25 DVDs - on a surface the size of a postage stamp.
Digital Lifestyle
Within the display area for specialist dealers known as "Planet Reseller", the "Digital Lifestyle Home" sector made its debut at CeBIT 2006 showcasing products for the "digital world of tomorrow". Visitors were able to see how digitally networked products from the realm of home entertainment and consumer electronics actually interacted with one another in a realistic setting at the show.
Exhibitors of products for tomorrow's digital living were generally delighted with the feedback to this type of product demonstration. The realistic setting was hugely popular with visitors and media representatives.
Digital Imaging Area The "Digital Imaging Area" in Hall 1 also made its debut at CeBIT 2006 More than 1,000 m² of display space were devoted to the complete imaging workflow, from the act of taking a digital photo through to editing and printing the image. Not only digital cameras and digital photo printers, but also processes for color-calibrating monitors and printing devices were on show.
Business Processes
Current trends emerging in business software are sector-specific solutions and a highly process-oriented focus in systems now on the market. As far as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems are concerned, mobile access to data and related security issues are becoming increasingly important. In the Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) segments, new solutions with enhanced functionality are now available. Web technologies that need no extra software on the client computer are definitely on the march. Portals no longer serve solely as a means of forwarding information but, thanks to one-step authentication or "single sign-on", offer users immediate access to all the IT systems they are authorised to use.
Other highlights in the CeBIT Business Processes section included data capture, storage and management as well as access to in-house and external information. The scope of solutions presented ranged from systems for document management to issues like "Business Content and Electronic Publishing" and "Business Intelligence and Knowledge Management". The trends here included intelligent structuring and visualisation of information and advances made in data mining, or the automatic extraction of information from bulk data collections.
Service-oriented architecture (SOA) was also one of the buzzwords at CeBIT 2006 This term refers to software infrastructure that organizes the essential functions of an application into services. These services exchange data independently of the respective system platform. They can be combined with one another and are often used in the form of Web services to enable rapid response to changing business demands.
On the subject of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), many exhibitors had proven solutions to offer retailing and industry representatives. Apart from the actual RFID chips, the range of products on offer included the necessary hardware infrastructure and tie-ins with existing ERP or SCM systems. Some new approaches to the idea of standardising RFID technology were also discussed at CeBIT this year.
IT Security
The IT Security sector was located this year for the first time in Hall 7. Two special shows in particular - "CeFIS: the Center for Information Security" and the "Security Software Area" - offered a comprehensive overview of all aspects of data and systems security.
IT Outsourcing
The "IT Outsourcing Services" sector in Hall 8 at CeBIT 2006 had its own presentation area for the first time ever. Occupying floor space of 2,500 m², exhibitors from around the world displayed their full range of services, tailored by-and-large to meet the needs of specific vertical markets. In addition, the Outsourcing Solutions Forum offered visitors a comprehensive series of talks, with an opportunity to find out more about the latest trends, strategies and legal aspects with regard to outsourcing issues.
Banking Technology & Financial Services
A core topic at this year's "Bank-Finanz-Systeme" special show at CeBIT involved cost-effective sales support for marketing financial products tailored to fit increasingly discriminating customer demands. A further important theme involved monitoring credit risks, particularly in the context of the Basel II guidelines.
future parc
As a unique platform where specialists from industry and science can compare notes on new, cutting-edge developments, the "future parc" special show once again proved a popular, exciting highlight at this year's CeBIT. The topics discussed included the further refinement of biometric processes, new approaches to human-computer interaction, the barrier-free Internet and concepts for semantic networks.
To research, develop and market new tools, however, you need strong, dynamic partnerships. To this end, around 600 participants from 24 different countries attended the "future match" forum at "future parc," taking advantage of the opportunity there to make contact with research and cooperation partners from across Europe.
Public Sector Parc
The "IT Outsourcing Services" sector in Hall 8 at CeBIT 2005 had its own presentation area for the first time ever. Occupying floor space of 2,500 m², exhibitors from around the world displayed their full range of services, tailored by-and-large to meet the needs of specific vertical markets. In addition, the Outsourcing Solutions Forum offered visitors a comprehensive series of talks, with an opportunity to find out more about the latest trends, strategies and legal aspects with regard to outsourcing issues.
IT Outsourcing
As the world's biggest expo for public-sector IT and communications applications, "Public Sector Parc" at CeBIT again featured numerous new solutions for optimising administrative processes, with the greatest demand being for faster, easier and more customer-friendly processes.
Additional key themes at "Public Sector Parc" at CeBIT 2005 included the security of electronically readable travel and personal documents, eLearning and the evolution of eGovernment into "mGovernment." Featuring an array of highly qualified specialists, the eGovernment '05 and eBusiness '05 forums disseminated expertise to some sizeable audiences.
© International Trade Publications – April 2006
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