Pioneer heads up display.

Hard to see, but the display is showing a map.

In the future, credit cards will have lights and buttons.

This is a pretty dry video - but at least take a look. Credit cards of the future are pretty fascinating. I actually found this to be one of the more interesting things at the show.

Jerry Pournelle sighting at CES.

Mr S. wanted me to post this picture. Because if there is anything we glean from my you - is that you all are readers. Most likely scifi readers. He thought you'd enjoy this shot. I didn't know who he was.

I, of course, am illiterate and riddled with ADD. So, if its longer than three pages, I probably won't read it.

Jerry is quite spry for an 80 year old. I got two shots off, then lost sight of him. Tried to track him down, but he'd vanished in three seconds. Which was amazing since he was wearing a tan jacket and most people were wearing dark suits.

Sidenote - I just realized I got Mr S. in this shot. He's to the right looking down.

Window washing robots might not be bullshit.

I've been watching this technology for a while and had declared this to be a bullshit technology. I might have been wrong.

I figured the magnetic system would be too abrasive for most windows which are not made of glass anymore.

OMG! Home endoscope. Your butt is going 2 have a twitter feed.

Now updated with pictures.



I have no idea what kind of debauchery this is going to lead to. Okay - that is a lie. The internet shows me a lot of crazy shit. So, I have somewhat of an idea. I guess they are just giving the public what they want. And, they want to see inside themselves.

CES 2010 rundown - Part 1.

Wow.

What to say about this years consumer electronics show. I've been trying to formulate my words every since I got on the plane. I want to be bitchy and say this is my last year. I doubt that will be true. I've been orbiting CES for half my life. I've only gotten to go the last 4, but I've spent the rest of my career wishing I could go.

As much as this year sucked - I know there must have been periods of equal suckage and things will eventually get better. I just got lucky enough to go in some exceptional years.

This years CES is more notable for what wasn't there - than what was.

Less techy.
Less slutty. Normally the AVN (adult video nominees) are interspersed with all the techies. Think what you want about them - they make the place more interesting. It is Vegas after all.
Less smokey.
Less people.
Less booth babes.

And, most disappointingly. No bad ass cars.

Some may think it weird to go to a consumer electronics show to see cars. But these are the kinds of cars you would never see anywhere else. Take for example this Scythe Concept Car from last year.

Replaced instead by team Greenpeace and friends. I don't know how on earth these people got in. But then, the show this year was less about the actual concept of consumer electronics, and more about..."as seen on TV". As I will show you later.

You didn't think I was going to gush about the electronics when it wasn't deserved. Did you? Well, there are a million people covering 3D. Go look at their blogs. I covered that last year.





The thing that is so supremely frustrating about this whole thing is - it feels like and exact repeat from last years Maker Faire. You can read about it here.

I haven't even completely figured out how to completely articulate it yet. But it's so maddening. The green movement hijacks something that is so amazingly innovative and special and creative and says "you can't have that. You are evil and bad for wanting it." And because they are complete assholes, they smother it completely to death.

So honestly. There were probably 20 cars there total. Some were plug ins. I guess there was a Lambo and a Ferrari. But that isn't what you go to CES to see.

Why would I pay to go to Vegas to see that shit anyway? This is what greeted me in the San Fransisco airport parking lot when I got home. Two Tesla roadsters. One I didn't even take a picture of because I didn't know there was going to be a theme. And a Ferrari.





I took this shot so you could see the one Tesla and the Ferrari were parked in direct sight two rows apart.



Having said all that - I'm still glad I went. No one could have convinced me how bad the product cycle was going to be for the year. Really, really bleak. But, if you want a cell phone cover. You are going to be all set!

Maker Faire 09' - THE END.

Adam Savage from Mythbusters.



I might as well get the interesting stuff out first, because this post is going to go dramatically downhill fast.







There is a point where something goes so mainstream - it becomes completely ruined. This is where Maker Faire finds itself today.

Sure, it is great for Maker. They managed to pull in more people than they probably ever could have imagined. A great revenue stream to be sure. For everyone else it becomes the most un-enjoyable event on the planet. You couldn't even walk 2 or 3 feet before having to dodge someone or adjust where you were walking. You couldn't get close to anything. There is a Telsa Roadster somewhere in this shot.

Everything to see was this way.



I wasn't even in the gates 10 minutes before I was completely feeling hostile. Who the eff are these people I ask Mr S. I don't even get the demo. There aren't that many nerds. There aren't even that many hippies. Who are these people?!

Mr S. replies - they look to be just about anyone bored enough to come down. A perfect snapshot of what you'd see in a mall. And he was right. It even had just about as much enjoyment as shopping at a mall the week before Christmas. People didn't even seem to be enjoying themselves. They were just milling about.



Gone was that electric creative energy of the previous years. Only to be completely hijacked by the green movement. It was less "Maker" and more just Trash Faire. Tinged with complete guilt bullshit. Tinkering to make things and recycling to make things aren't really the same. One is an interesting project. The other is just stuff from the dump.



How disturbing is this shot?



It was today that I realized how the greenies get away with all their crap. They capitalize on how most people don't feel good about themselves. And, they are oh so successful.

Once I did find an area where people were selling stuff, it was the most ridiculously overpriced stuff you can imagine. I finally had to leave early. It was the most self absorbed annoying group of people on the planet.

When we got to the parking structure I asked Mr S. "do you think those people will be gone next year". He said "probably not - it's too mainstream now". So, unless something becomes really interesting, I doubt I'm going next year. It was that unpleasant.

My Thoughts on CES 2009

The big winner for CES 2009?    The games "Guitar Hero" and "Rockband".  Every single booth which any kind of flat screen had either Guitar Hero or Rockband running.   Even the booths which were showing off 3D stereo TVs were running Guitar Hero in 3D!  It's amazing how ubiquitous those games are.

CES 09'. Part 2.

In the future People.... things are going to be very thin. Shockingly thin.





Biggest trend at the show. Rockband. Still!





A few weeks ago I asked the question if 3D was in or out. Here. Now, I don't know if this is where the industry is going - but I know a lot of companies are putting a hell of a lot of effort into it. These are just the ones I got - and I know there was a bunch more.











In the future - things will be very hard to photograph. Between 3D t.v. and holographic everything. Can stereo cameras be far behind?

These were holographic bathroom tiles.



Images displayed on a windshield.

CES 09'. Cars - Part 2.

Part one here.



See what I mean? About being too busy.







Earlier this summer I noticed a lot of these flat black paint jobs. It must be trend.





This truck is always at CES. It is competing for the brown noise award. It is freaking loud. But I swear to you, this car was the loudest on the floor this year.



The sub-woofer was so powerful that when they started it up - it was disorienting. I couldn't figure out where the sound was coming from. I mean, it seemed like everywhere. When I finally tracked it down and stood right in back of of the car, the percussion made the bottom of my pants vibrate. I'm not even joking.

I was impressed. And I've been to some pretty loud concerts. I once lost hearing in my right ear for 3 days from and Anthrax concert.

CES 09'. Cars.

Most people go to CES for the tech. I go for the cars. Though, this year there wasn't as much great stuff. And - I found it way more difficult to get great shots. I think we have reached a tipping point. With the paint jobs, all the crap they cram in them, and out of control sponsorship plugs - it just makes these cars way too busy. I might have to go over and see how real photographers handle this kind of difficulty.



Most ridiculous use of lambo doors. EVER.









And - what car doesn't needs it's own super huge flat screen in the back seat. No passengers please. And it will give you a neck ache trying to watch it.

Hey - wait, what I am saying. I hope I'm not over this trend.





Oh - I forgot to add that this car with the National Guard paint job is some kind of Nissan Altima. Apparently not many out.

CES 09'.

Brings out my inner tard.

You had me at blinky lights.

I'm going to start out with the car stuff. I realise I'm probably the only one who thinks the cars at CES are awesome. Even Mr S. isn't that interested in them. And he is a car guy.

I am not even sure why I find them so interesting. Honestly, it's pretty unlike me. If I saw one of these cars on the street - I'd probably want to beat the owner with a club. Or burn holes in their heads with the lasers I shoot from my eyes. But when I get to CES, I turn into complete tard. I just can't explain it. Mr S. says it's the same reason guys like boobs. Men can't explain it. They just like them - and I get about as goofy as men do around boobs. Even the reaction from the others guys at the show make it clear they think I've lost my mind. But, see those same guys over with the booth babes... they turn into dorks. Same thing~!

Let me give you an example. Try to look at the faces on the guys crowding around this van which was easily the loudest on the show floor. Vibrate the walls, feel the bass on your chest loud.



Now look at the face on this guy at a babe booth.



Honestly... as you are browsing my pictures - look at the faces of the guys in the photos. Then refer to my booth babe shot.

-
I just realised I'm going to have to charge some batteries before I can unload more pictures. So let me start you out with this:

Shouldn't there be some law that if you are wearing a pink turban and tie, you shouldn't be allowed to checkout this fine Bentley? Honestly. They should make a whole law. Right?