The annual Consumer Electronics Show is geek heaven on Earth - a Super Bowl, Disney World and New York Fashion Week all rolled into one for the techies who flock to Vegas to eyeball the newest gadgets from the world's leading manufacturers. But, if you're not one of the 110,000 or so, on the floor at the conference, why should you care? Well, have you ever listened to a CD player or watched high-definition television or Blu-ray? All of those products were new once -- and they were launched at CES. Sponsored by trade group the Consumer Electronics Association, the show was started in 1967 in New York. In that time, everything from the Atari game "Pong," which debuted in 1975, to the Camcorder, in 1981, has been rolled out at the show. This year, more than 2,500 exhibitors are showing off 20,000 new products - all hoping to become the icons whose products will be remembered for years to come. Recently, some observers have questioned the show's relevance at a time when tech giants such as Google and Apple - witness Tuesday's Nexus One launch -- can get massive media coverage for product announcements whenever they want. But many tech journalists say the show remains as important as ever. "It is still an important launching pad for new stuff," says Glenn Chapman, who covers tech news for Agence France Presse. "Some of its significance has been diminished because of today's rhythm [of product debuts]. Companies launch whenever they're ready now." Scott Steinberg, publisher of DigitalTrends.com, agreed. "CES is still a figurehead for the industry," said Steinberg. "When you attend CES you get a good overview of where tech is headed as a whole."