Mari and I have made it back to the east coast (but her suitcase didn’t) with quite a backlog of content. In fact, I forgot to mention my most valuable tools in the blogging gear of CES writeup: a comparatively archaic notepad and pen. Paper is still the most efficient and reliable method for jotting down and retaining notes. Although, in some ways I’ve regressed… A few years back, I took notes using a stylus on a PocketPC phone. But, alas, the iPhone is all touch and not suitable for my workflow.
As expected, CES was somewhat subdued with a smaller crowd than seen in previous years. Both fewer people, and shorter stays. Not to mention, there may have been fewer vendors on display. (Cisco and Sirius XM had no show booths, only hotel suites, for example.) Much can be attributed to the international economic woes, but I also wonder if it says something about the value of tradeshows (ROI) – especially given the current speed and nature of information dissemination. (As does Steve Jobs?) Not to mention, many phone announcements are probably being held back until their industry show in February. And camera announcements will be held until their show in March. However, as with prior shows, the greatest rush comes from physical interaction (as opposed to virtual) with folks I rarely (or never) get to interact with in person.
While the “SlingLoaded” DISH DVR came away with a coveted CNET Best of CES award in the Home Video category, Yahoo’s Internet TV platform and numerous heavy hitting partner relationships is much more significant in my opinion – both as a geeky consumer and a guy who watches this space. I’ll get a post up on the initiative later this week.
But, beyond discussing how quiet it was in Vegas, the Palm Pre was all the buzz and gave the show life. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see it in person. But, through frequent conversation and online coverage, Palm’s new webOS (and hardware) looks sharp and caters to powerusers sometimes frustrated by the iPhone limitations (think multitasking, unified inbox). And the announcement surely breathes life (and hope) into Palm perceptions. Although, the biggest winner may be Sprint – the first carrier of the Palm Pre. Challenges still remain… first and foremost, getting it out the door before Apple steals their thunder (back) with GPS software or a new photo/video oriented iPhone variant.
Once I get a bit more caught up on sleep and these antibiotics kick in, expect additional CES posts. And, without further ado, our earlier coverage:
Posts
The Evolution of HP TouchSmart
Browse Your Friends’ Phones?
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