I survived CES and most of the people I know go out OK. I reached a state of information overload by the second day, but achieved all my goals and had a good time doing it.
This years CES was all about the Bloggers, it was my third year with Press accreditation, but many in the dead tree Press wrote this was the first year bloggers got in; shows you how much they know.
I'm an independent blogger on a budget, members of the Press work for huge conglomerates with big expense accounts.
The dead tree Press don't take the serendipitous rout to find stories, their Editors tell them where to go and who to meet. Don't you think they are paid by the companies they cover?
I had a hundred requests for meetings, but not one from Microsoft. Microsoft PR has adapted the
FEMA tactic of having employees do the reporting. Jeff and Larry of Microsoft's own on10 were in the Bloghaus, but kept to themselves as the bloggers did what bloggers do; share information and stories. Intel also did their own blogging this year, so they didn't need to set-up any meetings with a blogger who could link to them.
I just went for a run and realized I put on about ten pounds, too many pastries, brownies and beer....but oh those pastries, brownies and beer....