Another CES has come and gone, and like the whirlwind that CES always is, it’s taken us a few days to gather our thoughts together. That and we needed to get some sleep.
Did we see any break through products this year, nah, not really. But we can’t remember the last CES in which we saw some jaw-dropping inventions. However, what we did notice is that companies are getting smarter when it comes to subtle yet important features. Oh, and we definitely have seen enough ipod docks, digital picture frames and cell phone cases to last us a good while. At least a week. Really, the show floor had them everywhere.
And now for a few short tirades. This happens every year. We see some obscure cool product hiding in someone’s booth and as soon as we start snapping photos we are attacked, or we are politely asked to not take the photos because the product isn’t available yet or something to that effect. Umm, you put this product on display at CES and you don’t want media peeps to snap photos? If you’re not ready to share it with the world yet, leave it at home.For our next rant we’re going to touch on the whole bloggers VS press war. In case you haven’t heard (though many other blogs have mentioned it) CEA decided to separate the men from the boys. Or Rather, they created a separate room for bloggers and a separate room for press. Supposedly the bloggers would still be allowed in to the press room, just not vice versa. The press room at the Sands was much bigger and had better resources (more computers, etc) than the Bloggers lounge at the Sands. But at least they did let bloggers in to the press room. At least that was how it went on sunday.
Monday, AKA opening day, is probably the busiest day of CES. Everywhere from the cafeteria to the hallways is packed with people, it’s hard to even find a chair to rest on. That is why a Press Lounge is so essential, aside from the use of Wifi, bloggers and Press a like need a place where they can stop, break and write. Well we couldn’t find the bloggers lounge at the Convention Center, it seemed to have fallen off the map. And the security guarding the Press room would not let us lowly bloggers in to the press room. After spending way to much time trying to find the Blogger’s room, we gave up and found some available carpeted crawlspace to unpack our laptops on. Of course every few minutes other passing bloggers would stop us and ask if we knew where the blogger’s lounge was. Apparently it wasn’t just us who couldn’t find it.
Don’t get us wrong, we do get that there is a difference between bloggers and press. But we also don’t get why some bloggers got press badges and some didn’t. It’s also disheartening when you watch a bunch of people wearing press badges come out of a press conference, and dump the conference material they just received in the garbage as they complain about the poor quality of schwag they just got. We personally don’t know a single blogger who would ever behave like that. And we’re not saying that Press are evil, we’re just saying that we felt a bit discriminated against this time around at CES. After all, it’s the bloggers that truly make CES.
Anyway, for those of you who feel bad you couldn’t make it. Don’t. CES is crowded and overwhelming, and no single person can see everything. It’s weeks like this that we come to appreciate all those great blogs out there. So sit back, relax, grab a cup of coffee and check out your favorite blogs for the best that CES has to offer.
Oh, and a little birdy told us that a Eee PC Valentine’s edition is on its way. Common guys, show her you love her this February!
