The 2003 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las
Vegas was jam-packed with all the latest in technology. This year's show was bigger and better than ever; a technological Disneyland for the high-tech child in us all.
Las Vegas 2003 Consumer Electronics Show
The show started off with a keynote speech by Bill Gates showing us the lighter side of Microsoft. Bill mentioned that he wanted to contact the USA network about a possible sequel to "The Pirates of Silicon Valley, "a made - for -TV movie that was not always flattering in its portrayal of Mr. Gates. Bill also raced Shaq on the Xbox--and lost! Finally, Bill portrayed himself at the age of 10 in a skit about the Smart Home, and came scooting in on a Razor scooter.
Bill Gates raced Shaq on the Xbox--and lost.
Bill likes to use the see vents to show off the new technology and products that Microsoft is developing. One of the more interesting products Bill demonstrated was the Smart Wristwatch. This wirelessly -connected wrist watch can receive information via FM radio signals. The FM radio link will allow you to display your favorite sports team's score while a game is being played. The watch will also be able to display current and projected weather reports, and stock prices, all received and updated frequently while you're on the go. You can personalize the look of the watch face to suit your activities and moods, much like you customize the Today screen of the Pocket PC. For example, you can use a classy face display for a fancy dinner engagement and a funny or whimsical display for more playful activities.
Bill Gates demonstrated new, customizable "Smart wristwatches" that are being developed by Microsoft and watch makers.
The passionate man of the Pocket PC, Dale Coffing (www.pocketpcpassion.com), was promoting Pocket PCs (and Pocket PC magazine) at presentations in the Microsoft pavilion. Dale delighted large crowds with his clear and concise descriptions of the many useful things that Pocket PCs can do for us in our daily life. Dale was also giving out a number of Pocket PCs as well as swapping Pocket PCs for Palms. It was a real treat to see him in action! Helping Dale at the Microsoft pavilion was Microsoft MVP Andrew Farkas, a member of the Pocket PC magazine Board of Experts. Andrew gave many one-on-one Pocket PC demos.
Pocket PC Passion's Dale Coffing was passing out tips, tricks, and copies of Pocket PC magazine.
New products and announcements
I attended a press conference held by SanDisk (www.sandisk.com). They announced a new product line of CF and SD "combo" cards which have both Wi-Fi (802.11b) functionality and storage memory built in. This combination comes in handy when you have only one card slot in your device, since it allows you to use a single card for both data transfer and data storage.
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