Sitting in McCarren

CES is over (for me) and now I have the rest of 2008 to recover and get ready for next year (although my performance was so stellar this year, I actually might not get invited back). This marks the first year I didn't have booth duty, so I spent the majority of the show staffing interviews, setting up at press events/parties or walking (if you can call the crawl with which show traffic moves walking) the show floor. Samsung and LG were really impressive. I remember a CTIA a couple years back where LG had a tiny little presence, and now their booth rivaled some of the other big dogs - very impressive.

I spoke at CES this year, sitting on a panel about taking the blogosphere seriously - not a huge turn out for the panel, but I actually really enjoyed the chat. Jerry of Jerry's Juice Bar (and fellow Longhorn) was on the panel along with Ryan Block (hmmm, what blog does he write for, I can't remember) and Pete with Buzz Metrics. I really enjoyed some of the other stories shared by panelists and I REALLY enjoy watching the way people react to Ryan Block. It is kind of like watching Walt walk through the Pep-Com event - people just go crazy and get a little star struck. Mostly I liked walking around the show with my speaker badge. Next year I might register as a blogger - perhaps every year I should try to have a different badge title.

Now I am waiting in the sports bar for my delayed flight considering a job move to an industry far removed from the world of consumer electronics...I'll let you know if I come up with anything interesting.

Things that make me cry...

1. CES car/taxi/shuttle
2. CES schedules
3. CES speaking opps
4. CES

hmmmm, there appears to be a theme...

UPDATE:

5. Advancing slides

6. Engadget coverage reports

7. Cari wearing sunglasses and Jucy sweats

I have no idea...but I think they're after me...

Oh how delightful...

'Leaning on Online Content' or 'When Numbers Make the Story more Interesting'

As I have mentioned before, Mondays are set aside to read print publications. Lots of the weekly pubs are leaning on online content to support their print stories - driving print readers to the online sight (increasing unique visitors and therefore increasing ad revenue) and encouraging online readers to go buy the print version. For the most part, the online content is a collection of numbers, lists or research that clearly wouldn't fit in the print article, but is incredibly interesting all the same.

BusinessWeek had me checking out the cheapest places to raise kids (although I don't think I would move to a single city on the list) and how to save enough money to have kids (even with their advice, I don't think this is possible). But TIME has the amazing numbers - their cover story, 'One Day in America' is just interesting. How many Americans are happy at work? Print story reports that 9 out of 10 Americans are satisfied with their jobs - but the online story told me 39.5% of Public Relations Specialists are VERY Satisfied - and civil engineers are, in general happier in their jobs than the PR hacks - so Joc is happier than me. Utah consumes the least amount of beer (color me surprised) and D.C. drinks the most wine. The average commute in Austin is about 24 minutes (mine is, with a stop at Starbucks, 10 minutes tops) and that 20% of paying Gold's Gym members haven't been to the gym in the past 4 months. Last but not least, there is an 80% increase in risk of obesity among adolescents for each hour of sleep lost and 78% of people think sleep is a good alternative to cosmetic surgery. I am not sure how sleeping is going to increase my bust or fix the flab on my arms, but I will definitely give it a go. I will not be in the office tomorrow, I will be sleeping.

Anyway, it is nice to see online media and print publications work together and play nice (that sentence right there is what makes this blog post about social media).

delightful...

What will they think of next? I was pretty pumped to see the secure simple pairing that utilizes Bluetooth and NFC, just because it is neat - but this takes it to a whole new level. Mostly, I love the fact that they simulate a 'real life attack'. I know most Bluetooth hacking threats are completely over hyped, but this one seems ridiculous. I am assuming this means in the real world someone would see you trying to pair your phone with your headset and then would stand within the 30 foot range and try to mimic your shaking? Fabulous.

I am probably on my way to becoming...

All I have to say is...

I'm not on the list. And I am sorry I have been away - I am gathering material and I will be back sharing my expert (yep, that is right, I said expert - CES thinks so too) opinions on the blogosphere and social media.