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.

12. SD Cards. Back up for your digital camera

13. Dayquill.  Just in case you catch “nerd flu”

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.

I hope to see you at CES 2013!

I completely geeked out in this booth.  Admittedly I was first attracted to the purse charging the cell phone, but when I saw the board room table with the charging pads, the light went on.   This is amazing technology for event and conference professionals.

Here’s their info:

Fulton Innovation,the leader in wireless power, is taking wireless technology to the next level by increasing spatial freedom with interoperability that enables a device to be moved around both on and above a surface while maintaining efficient and continuous charge.

The ability to wirelessly charge through a metal surface is another industry first that Fulton demonstrated during CES.

Fulton has developed an advanced wireless power solution that can be built into almost any surface, including packaging and publications.

At CES, Fulton demonstrated a recent issue of Entertainment Weekly powered by its eCoupled intelligent wireless power technology. The magazine will light up on the shelf using wirelessly powered printed electronics –a low‐powered, low cost, truly flexible example of wireless power in action.  The prototype demonstrates how wireless power can be used by publishers and advertisers to attract readers’ attention, and drive new revenue streams.

I was particularly impressed by the wirelessly charged board room table. Just imagine a conference center or hotel venue where all of your attendees can charge their devices while sitting at their conference table.

Learn more about Fulton Innovation and eCoupled Technology
A subsidiary of Alticor Corporation, Fulton Innovation is dedicated to commercializing new and
innovative technologies that improve the way we live, work, and play. Fulton is working with a wide
range of industry‐leading companies to integrate wireless power technology into infrastructure and
electronic devices to enable consumers to live a truly wireless life. http://fultoninnovation.com/

Where do you see this technology headed for event and conference professionals?