CES notebook: Less money means less sushi
LAS VEGAS--With my time at the Consumer Electronics Show having drawn to a close, here's a roundup of my observations from the show:
Sign that the economy used to be good
My Sin City accommodations included dual 42-inch flat screen TVs, plus another small LCD screen in the bathroom.
Sign that the economy has tanked
The only reason that spot was for rent (and could be had for as little as $159 a night) is that it was a condo that didn't sell.
Sign No. 2 that the economy has tanked
There were $5 blackjack tables at the Palms in the evening. (Last year it was hard to find a table with less than a $20 minimum.)
Weirdest mix of Silicon Valley and Las Vegas I spotted this year
The giant eBay slot machine I saw as I wound my way through the Venetian casino.
Less swag, less sushi
Two other visible indicators that things aren't so hot: Both swag and sushi were far less present at the show, notes colleague Rafe Needleman.
Ballmer talks to CNET
It took a bit to get the video up (there's a lot of video being shot and streamed over at the CNET stage). But it's worth a look to hear Steve Ballmer talking about the economy and
Windows 7.
Other random CES observances? Feel free to send them my way...
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
it seemed to us that mostly Chinese spoken at the show, I would expect this if we traveled to any foreign country that english would not be the primary language spoken.
We heard the jokes What "CES" Stood For: The "Chinese Electronics Show"... So by the way, here is your Rosestta Stone CD, practice your Chinese in order to communicate, with any our international exhibitors products displayed you may have interested in.
I have traveled to Asian country's, Most speak English better then most US citizens with a higher education too,Mayeb we should of traveled there instead...!
So why the no proper English spoken at most of the foreign exhibitors booths we visited ( one thought we're asking where the bathroom was) I guess do to the down turn in the economy, the Chinese government sent their farm labors, instead of the high paying professional technicians.
We only had visited a few products made in the USA and spoke perfectly good English ...
but some had to refer us to their technicians who where Chinese manufactures of the products..!
So I guess it is true everything is made in China.
After walking around for hours and viewing the same products over and over of what seemed to be the same thing like at a flee market trinket sale...we noted there was hardly anywhere to sit down and rest your weary feet, or you could rent a battery opportunity cart for $60 per day.
We also we're flabbergasted over the cost of 8 ounces of bottle water $4 to $7 dollars...some places where charging $6.50 for a hot dog...they should of been ashamed of themselves.
This show was a first time disappointment for us, due to what we expected to see in newer technological gadgetry.
Anything would of been better then the glow in the dark cow that kept perfect time, and would Moo at every 1/4 hour along the cows tail would waggle.
We must admit seeing lots Plasma & HDTV screens, 100s of flat screen adapters.
More disappointing to my wife and our talk show co-host wife too was not much in the home gadgetry...
We were expecting, new home technology,such as "Kitchen Techology "(Refrigerators-with computerized components,Stoves .i.e) & more home security technology.
Oh well by time the nextICES 2010 show comes around, we will have learned our Chinese...but with our luck ICES 2010 will be more Russian or French speaking only...!
Guess we will get ready for the EXS Show in Orlando in March 2009...We are pretty fluent with Spanish, which is more of Florida's culture spoken language...but who knows what surprises we will be met there, You never know maybe Vulcan language (Star Ship Enterprise) There...hmmm
I wonder if Rosetta Stone has CD's on The Vulcan Language!
Cheers,
Sean O
Talk Show Host
SOS Computer Talk Show