Arriving late at the Las Vegas airport, I took a shuttle to my hotel, The D, in downtown Las Vegas. When I got there, I knew this was going to be a trip to remember. Not only was the Fremont Experience on at full blast, but no less than three cover bands were playing loud music right outside my hotel. I wasn’t getting any sleep any time soon. I checked into my room and was amazed at how many people were still up late gambling and smoking. Smoking is permitted in most casinos, despite the known publications showing health affects from second hand smoke. Did anyone in Las Vegas care?
By the time I got to my room, I was beat. The three hour time difference from Eastern Time to Pacific was catching up to me and I wanted to pass out in my room as quick as I could. About the time I got situated in my hotel room, I noticed a very loud cover of AC/DC’s “Back in Black” roaring from below. I was at first angered, but eventually gave in and went downstairs to join the revelers. Stepping into the street, I was blown away by the intensity of the lights and sound that surrounded me, known as the Fremont Street Experience. It has to be seen to be believed. Over my head was a canopy of lights and sound that stretched as far as I could see in every direction. The AC/DC cover band I heard before rolled into their next hit and I walked down the street to try and find some solace. I didn’t.
Sleep was rough with the band playing outside, but I did eventually pass out with the sound of my hotel room’s air conditioner droning out the classic rock below. I didn’t sleep well. As a matter of fact, I spent the next day trying to catch up on lost sleep and jet lag. I did get to have a steak dinner at the Paradise Cafe across the street from the D. It was excellent and a steal at only $12.99. Everything seems more expensive in Las Vegas, which is ironic since the average Las Vegan (my term, you can use it) has probably just lost everything gambling the day before.
Monday January 5, 2015 was the first day I got to make it to the Las Vegas Convention Center. I wasn’t sure how to get there, but there were easy to find buses that would give me a ride for $8 for a 24 hour period. Surely I’d just need a ride down there and back, right? Not so. The Las Vegas strip is huge. Every casino is a microcosm unto itself, complete with restaurants inside, clubs inside, and show inside. Like a tiny city, the economy of scale was at play here and I felt as though fractal geometry applied. Chaos theory definatly did. Needless to say, I got to the Convention center, but even with the bus ride, I still had to walk a good mile to get there.
The Las Vegas Convention Center is huge. I found the show entrance and low and behold, I had purchased the correct badge beforehand. After a brief sigh of relief, I mozied off towards the show exhibit floor. The show didn’t officially open until Tuesday the 6th, and today was supposed to be a press day, but these guys at the door didn’t seem to notice, or care. Moreover, none of the security in the whole place stopped me and told me I wasn’t supposed to be there. Maybe I was. I know it felt right. Finally, I had gotten to the place I’d seen only in pictures and videos before, the great, the glorious, CES 2015!
So there really wasn’t that much fanfare involved. Mostly there were partially assembled booths from major hardware manufacturers of consumer electronics. I did get shooed away from the Samsung Booth when I tried to sneak a peak through the thin black curtain that veiled their new products. I guess the curtains with see-through thin fabric held together by paper clips weren’t enough security, so they felt they needed guards. I got the point, I can wait.
I met the guys with Virtuix. They have a game developer on staff and he’s playing Dragon Age: Inquisition! We shared our stories of the game experience, right before he strapped on a Oculus Rift and mounted the Omni to demo their newly developed unit. I was told they had a version 2 of their software soon to be for sale and that anyone who wanted a version 1 better jump on it since they’re about to jump in price. I don’t think that’s a good idea if they’re about to roll out a version 2, who wants a version 1? Oh right, I did just buy a DK2 and Crescent Bay is about to be premiered at CES 2015! There went $350 down the drain.
The Oculus booth was gigantic and impenetrable. They definitely have a position of honor this CES as their technology is, in my opinion, truly a game changer. Being bought by Facebook for a few billion dollars must go to your head though, because I couldn’t get anyone to strike up a conversation. I hope they haven’t lost their scrappy startup sense along the way and continue to put out innovative hardware. One of the guys at the Intel booth told me about the Oculus CES app. I downloaded it and was able to schedule my preview of Crescent Bay, the new and improved (DK3?) version of the Head Mounted Display.
Did I mention I got in before everyone else? I did. I got to walk Tech East’s North and South Halls and talk with engineers and designers of new technology before the public. I only bought an exhibits pass for $100. I love my life sometimes. I met the guys from Zano, manufacturers of a hand held drone you can fly with your mobile phone and take pictures with (yes selfies too!) from high altitudes. They said it had 30 foot range, but it depended on your countries laws and regulations. I can think of a lot of good uses for a personal picture drone, but I can think of a lot of bad uses as well. That will be a controversial technology, but a really cool toy too! They said it could follow you and shoot video of you walking. I pitched them the idea of having two cameras on it and flying it with the Oculus Rift.
After I saw all of the half built booths I could handle, I jumped on the wrong bus and headed to the wrong place. You see, the problem with Las Vegas is that everything is confusing and just leads you back to casinos. I did manage to find my bus and take it back to my hotel, but not before stopping at the Luxor. I had to see a huge Black Pyramid with light shooting out of the top of it. It was alright, but not nearly as exciting as the prospect of seeing the new Oculus Rift Crescent Bay demoed Tuesday. Now I’m back in my hotel and that brings us to the present. I’ll be back later, but please follow me on Instagram for pics of the stuff I see.
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