Those of us who attended the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last month knew the announcement of the all new Samsung Galaxy Note was going to be huge. Then the Super Bowl ad aired.
At CES, the Galaxy Note was displayed as a powerful phone with an 8 megapixel camera that could double as a tablet. The pen was touted as a creative’s dream, showing cool drawings made using the only the Galaxy note. Cool Right?! Then the Super Bowl ad aired.
There were tons of video reviews and drooling geeks over the new, what’s next is already here phone from Samsung.
At CES, Samsung paid caricature artists to sit and sketch images of people. People who waited in lines longer than anything I’d ever seen just to have their funny image scanned on a free T-shirt. You know what happened next. That really awkward Super Bowl ad aired.
Then came the Twitter backlash. This is just one example of how Samsung completely killed the buzz from CES.
At no time during the International Consumer Electronics show did I hear or think Palm Pilot. (and I owned several Palm Pilots in my day).
My question is, Why would Samsung spend all of that money at CES to create a fantastic buzz about this new product… and then all of that money to ruin it with an over the top Super Bowl ad?
The International Consumer Electronics Show is one of my favorite conferences to attend and one of the most grueling.
I love seeing all of the new gadgets and connecting with the people behind the most innovative technology.
This was my second year at the annual juggernaut. Not only did I need to plan out my travel and agenda, but I had to prepare for the inevitable aches and pains that come along with covering 1.861 million net square feet of exhibit space with 153,000 of my closest friends.
Some stuff I brought with me, others I purchased on site.
Here are 20 things you should have available in order to survive CES.
1. Bring plenty of business cards. I know, I know. Everyone at this conference is highly connected and wired, however, the wifi and cell connections at this monstrous convention can be slow to
non-existend. I ordered Meet-Meme cards just for the conference.
2. Gum. Or something to keep your breath fresh through out the day.
3. Smartphone. Laptops and tablets are great, but after miles of walking even the lightest tablet can add weight to your bag.
4. Charge. Bring back up batteries, and don’t forget to bring the charger for each gadget you pack.
5. Coffee. I bought this three pack of Starbucks’ Via at the airport. While there will be coffee in most hotels. You might need a boost to make it through the parties.
6. Lip moisturizer. Las Vegas is dry. Keeping some lip balm handy is a must. C.O. Bigelow is one of my favorites.
7. Hand sanitizer. For all of the handshaking. Hugs are a good (and welcomed) alternative.
8. 5hr Energy. If you’re going to be in Las Vegas for more than 3 days, you might want to invest in one or two of these.
9. Sunglasses. Not only to protect your eyes from the bright NV sun, but to hide the zombie eyes when you venture downstairs to breakfast. I’ve gotten a lot of miles out of my Maui Jims
10. Saline Nasal Spray. For the airplane ride and to fight off the dreaded conference bug. aka “nerd flu.”
11. Vitamin B. Another way to keep energy levels stable.
14. Water. Stay hydrated. No matter how fit you are, your muscles will ache from all of the
walking and standing.
15. Cough Drops. Doubles as a breath freshener and helps if you start to contract the aforementioned ”nerd flu”
16. Oh my aching feet. Aleve will help reduce the swelling and soreness.
Not pictured in the above:
17. Wear comfortable shoes. Ladies, you can start with a comfortable wedge, then a sneaker, by the final day you’ll probably be in flip flops. (note: Dont’ start with flip flops)
18. Don’t skip meals. If your hotel has a restaurant. Have breakfast before you leave for the day. There is plenty of food at the convention center, but the lines can be very long and the food is pretty pricey for what you get. The patio grill outside of the Hilton had some pretty good burgers. (Stay away from cheese)
19.Take the Monorail. With stops at both the Las Vegas Hilton and the Convention Center, The Monorail is the most affordable way to get to and from the convention center. Try to stay away from peak times. Either depart earlier or later than the crowd.
20. Find a hot tub. I was so fortunate that my hotel had a hot tub. Relax for a moment and then get back to CES!
Full disclosure. none of these links are affiliate links, just me playing around with Pinterest. I use the term “nerd” with the utmost affection and affiliation. Oh, and I did get a massage after I returned home.
Those of us who attended the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last month knew the announcement of the all new Samsung Galaxy Note was going to be huge. Then the Super Bowl ad aired.
