CES Day 1: Just Setting Up

I’m completely bushed. I’ve been fighting the flu, have had a headache for days, got up at 6 am to dash over to the Home Depot and get some stick up banner holders, and fought my way through traffic to and from the Venetian. Just getting out of the parking structure took 20 minutes. So please excuse me for the brief post today…I haven’t missed a day since I started and I don’t want to start now.

I drove up on Tuesday afternoon and went straight to the Venetian Bellini Ballroom 2001. The two draped tables that I have previously ordered were no where to be found. One of the exhibition personnel assured me that he had seen the two tables in the my booth area…but at 6:00 pm, they were not there. So I went tot he third floor and checked on them. The Freeman Exhibits people assured me that they were delivered. However, some gentle pushing and discussion with someone on the scene, they agreed with me and promised two new tables within an hour. 10-4.

While I was waiting, David Chesky walked in an suggested I come next door to experience the demo room that features the work of Edgar Choueiri, a Princeton University physicist and researcher in 3D audio. I had read about his work in making binaural recordings work in speakers by filtering out the crosstalk (when the left signals gets into the right ear and visa versa. In brief, I was amazed…it was very cool. I’ll share more in a full post…but this work has real merit.

An hour later, no change. I rode the escalator up to the Exhibitors Services area once again and told the lady at the booth that nothing had changed. Honestly, I would have retired to me hotel (the luxurious Howard Johnsons near the Stratosphere) and come early to set up the next morning…but I just didn’t trust that the tables would be there. I waited another hour. I didn’t unpack the cases but I did pull out my extension cord and stake a claim on one of the outlets near the door. The A/V department was about to claim both plugs so I had to move quickly. To make sure there was power I unpacked a power strip and plugged that onto the end of the extension cord. The light went on when I switched on the strip. I’m golden…and I left.

This morning I stopped at Home Depot for some supplies (push pins, hooks etc) and got to the ballroom about 8 am. The power strip was no longer attached to the end of the extension cord. IO was calm but irritated that my personal property was now missing. I looked around the room…no sign of it. After requesting a replacement from the Freeman Exhibition people…I looked behind the Acoustic Sounds/SuperHighRez.com booth..and there was my power strip. I recognized it because I noticed the $7.99 bright orange price sticker that was still attached. Someone had removed it from my space and plugged in their booth lights to the strip. I unplugged it, informed the people in authority, and went about setting up my tables.

See you in the morning…