Traveling to the Consumer Electronic Show, CES this year was different. This is my sixth year attending my favorite convention of the year, every year! With over 155,000 attendees this year’s convention was the busiest I have ever attended and not for the claustrophobic industry expert or consumer. ..
This year, I flew in the morning of the first day of the show, landed and headed right to the Las Vegas Convention Center, LVCC. CES was different for me this year because this was the first year I felt at home at the convention. I’ve been attending CES and other conventions in Vegas for so many years that I’ve really learned how to play this show. What events to be at, where to meet the most amazing people, who throws the best parties, where the cleanest bathrooms are towards the end of the day, all of the little nuances to make sure my convention experience is the best it can be.
Here are a few tips worth noting: the cleanest bathrooms are in the North Hall, all the way in the back of the convention center, in the middle of the room. I have also learned where to go to hold a meeting as meetings at the convention center rarely work out. I typically hold my meetings next to the convention center at the LVH, Las Vegas Hotel. It’s always busy, but it’s easier to find people there than at the LVCC.
My favorite experiences at CES are the events held after the show floor closes. As always, ShowStoppers delivered an amazing experience, which is why it is my favorite event every year, companies bring their products to showcase with hands-on demos at this invitation-only press event. The event is always held at the Wynn Hotel, the food is wonderful, the products are the best at the show and the people who attend the event are always interesting. My favorite product this year was made by NeuroSky and Puzzlebox Orbit:
The Puzzlebox Orbit is controlled by the NeoroSky EEG headset and a mobile device. Consumers can fly the Orbit through the air by focusing on flying the device or by maintaining a state of mental relaxation, which is how I flew the device around the room. (http://store.neurosky.com/products/orbit)
The next evening, day 2 of the show was the yearly Tweethouse event, let me just say that it does not get better than this event sponsored by Chevrolet! The food and entertainment are first class, CES wouldn’t be CES without this party.
Some of the other products I have enjoyed since the show include:
I stopped by the Mophie booth as I was leaving the show and they offered me a Mophie juice pack PowerStation® mini – smartphones & USB devices charger for my iPhone 5, retailing for $59.95 on their website and many others: http://www.mophie.com/powerstation-mini-for-iPod-iPhone-smartphones-p/2031_jpu-mini-pwrstion.htm.
This charger is compact and perfect for the executive on the move, as it will charge your phone a few times over while out in the field. You can depend on Mophie to get you through the long days and even longer nights, which is why I never leave home without my Mophie PowerStation Mini.
It’s small, but I also learned not to underestimate the X-Mini UNO Capsule Speaker which retails for $39.99:
These speakers can be found at Bloomingdales, Microsoft stores, ThinkGeek.com and Amazon.com, http://www.x-mini.com/. Frankly, when I was almost tackled by a representative from this company walking through the show, I didn’t set my expectations high, but when I opened the speaker and heard it, I knew it was something special for its price point. Unfortunately, since I arrived at home, my wife has confiscated the speaker and listens to it all the time, yes it is that good! I can’t wait to try the larger X-Mini Capsule Speaker which retails for $59.99!
The be.ez LE Reporter Ropongi Avenue edition is my favorite briefcase I’ve owned for my MacaBook Air 13″. Although this edition is only sold in Japan, I am happy to recommend all of be.ez bags and products based on the quality of this briefcase. This bag has a PVC waterproof surface coating, ensuring the bags use for all-weather protection. A magnet-secured flap and zipped pockets secure the bags contents. There are many compartments and my MacBook has never been so secure. You can buy most of be.ez products on Amazon or you can find additional retailers on their website: http://www.be-ez.com/where-to-buy.en.html.
I am also using the Bracketron Universal USB PowerDock Pro Flex to hold my iPhone 5 while I’m in my car. I have a small car, a Volvo C30 – which I love, but there is no room for devices, everything has to have its place so I can stay organized, the Bracketron device assures I accomplish that goal. Unfortunately, the mount has slipped out of the power port, the cigarette lighter port from time to time, so I’ve stopped plugging my device into the USB port, but am happily using the PowerDock to hold my iPhone when running from clients to clients’ location. This product retails for $36.95 and you can purchase it on their website: http://www.bracketron.com/products/universal-usb-power-dock-pro-flex-for-iphone#.UQQvp6Fxfek.
My favorite new iPhone 5 case is made by Odoyo, talk about style, this checkered metallic case adds a certain unexpected style to my iPhone, although probably not the most protective case, it has saved my phone several times from being nicked and ensures my iPhone 5 always looks good. You can check out and purchase Odoyo’s Metalsmith cases on Odoyo’s website for $34.99 each: http://www.odoyo.com/products/listing/79/82/pcategory:83/lang:eng.
All and all, this was another banner year at CES for our team. If you are in the electronics industry, do not miss this show. In fact, if you can only attend one show a year, this is the one to attend. CES not only sets the stage for the year, but offers a sneak preview of the year to come and since all of the decision makers from the industry are there, anything can happen and it does. So be sure next January to attend this show, I’ll be there and if you want the inside scope on how to ensure your success at the show, look me up, I’m happy to share how I ensure my success during the convention year after year.
This is a guest post from contributing editor Gary Moskoff.
