Live from CES: the Long Road In

Well, I made it in.  The drive went fine -- a touch of rain the whole way, but it was really only a very light drizzle, not much more than a spray, on and off.  The traffic was a touch slower than it might have been otherwise, but barely, and I was in no rush.  Sometimes there are press conferences I want to go to in the afternoon before the show opens, but none struck my interest this year.  As a result, I leisurely drove and and went straight to my hotel to check in.  (I stay off the Strip because I have a car, so driving in each day is easy.)

One of the two big events I like (Pepcom, the other is Showstoppers) is tonight, and I can pick up my credentials at the hotel it's being held at -- the Mirage -- so there was one more reason I didn't have to do that before going to the hotel.  It's just far more convenient.

One "annoyance."  For the longest time, college football would play what was basically the "championship game" during CES, usually during Pepcom.  They eventually realized that they had the technology available to put a massive screen up, hanging from the ceiling, but it was a poor fix.  Then, when college football went to a playoff, there would be a two-week delay after the New Years Day playoffs, and suddenly, joyfully, I was able to watch the game at home.  Huzzah!  Alas, that only lasted about three years.  This year, they've cut a week out of the schedule, and the game is again  the following week -- which is tonight.  

The only saving grace is that the event doesn't begin until 7 PM, and the kickoff is around 5:15 -- and if you're going to be anywhere in the world where you want to have televisions playing the college national championship game...a Las Vegas casino is probably that place.  There are probably more TVs around than in a "TVs R Us" showroom.  So, I can at least watch about half the game.  Hey, all I miss is the last half and the end of the game, so who cares about that...

The elves taking care of the homestead are, as you might expect, laughing at this, since they say they are already all comfortable at my home and have the set on and eating snacks...

Anyway, finishing up a little busy work here at the hotel and then I'll head over -- for the credentials, first half and then the beginning of tech heaven.