New construction is booming in Dubai, where the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) sponsored Hometech Middle East, produced by Messe Frankfurt. Legend has it that some 15% to 25% of the 125,000 construction cranes currently operating in the world today are located in Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Thousands of cranes operate full time in Dubai, helping to erect some 700,000 new apartments. It's a stark contrast to the United States, where home technology integrators bemoan the weak construction market.

For all the development, though, Dubai seems to trail our country when it comes to integrated home technology. During Hometech, I spoke with several integrators and distributors who said that structured wiring, home automation and multiroom A/V are slow movers.

"People spend a lot of money on what they can show off," says Sunil Gopal of the Dubai-based integration and distribution firm Imagine, adding that the technology in a home does not normally match the quality of a homeowner's other possessions such as flashy cars.

Even though it may lag in home-technology penetration, Dubai and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) present an undeniable opportunity for consumer electronics.

The youth population in the region is among the world's fastest growing, representing a market that is more Internet-savvy and gadget-happy than the older set. Around 42% of the GCC population is less than 15 years old, versus 17% in the U.S.

Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), now under construction, is expected to attract the world's top technology talent to the region. The city-within-a-city will span over 7.2 million square meters and include commercial, residential, retail and educational facilities.