CES features smaller inexpensive products

LAS VEGAS —The standout products at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month were giant plasma TVs and wireless camcorders, but there were also dozens of smaller products on display that will show up in the GM aisles of drug stores this spring.

They included Jelleeze earbuds from Maxell, a new line of tiny, colored earphones designed to match the many colors of the iPod. The colorful earphones work with any MP3 player or iPod and have arrived in stores already. As Maxell executive vice president Don Patrican noted, the new line arrives at a time when the industry is making the transition rapidly from an era of bulkier headphones. “Earbuds used to be a small part of the business but last year they accounted for 65 percent of headphone sales,” Patrican said.

Micro Innovations is another company that will be making CE products more colorful with its corded laser mouse line in such colors as steel blue and pink. It’s also rolling out a line of multi-colored, small mobile speakers and USB hubs that come in purple, green and black.

And Jasco was at CES showcasing its latest products, including a new line of GE-branded Bluetooth headsets.