bah.... hippies.... pt2

so.... I'd really like to meet the rocket scientist who developed the waterless urinal....

while I can appreciate that potable water is a precious resource.... come the hell on.... just a little water to get the waste downstream... would have loved to be a fly on the wall in that design meeting

"hey bill.... how about we use one guy's pee to coax the guy who peed before him's pee into the plumbing...."

"my lord smitty!!! thats brilliant... hey, can you hand me my Starbucks...."

the smell is absolutely revolting....

little freetime today....

Bullitt…. Oh…. And Symantec rented me a base line mustang… 

Ahhhh haaaa haaaaaaa!!!!! 

For those of you that don’t have a clue what I’m talking about  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062765/  (bar none – the best non-cgi car chase on film)….

p.s:  it felt like the starting location in cuuuuuuuuuhhhhhrazzzzzyyyyy taxi!!!!!  (hard geek… sorry)

so - what the shit am i doing in san francisco anyways?

Funny you should ask… I never mentioned it….  Meant to – but stuff happens too fast. Ya know?

As some of you may or may not know I do this computer thing from time to time..  part of me doing this computer stuff – occasionally involves a tech-support component (sometimes you just can’t help yourself – and need an “expert”).  Quite some time ago – I was involved in a LENGHTY support incident with our backup software provider of choice backup exec – hereafter referred to as ‘BE’ (read this as sitting 6-8 hours on HOLD… waiting for help).  While most sane people would see those kind of hold times as a reason to move on to another provider – I’ve always had a very soft spot for BE.  Over the years I’ve come to love it – and let’s be honest.. I’m the one doing the damn restores from the backup schemes that I’ve concocted…. This is a matter of personal preference first and foremost.  There are many other providers out there – but I feel most at home when using BE.

Anyways – back to my story..

After being horribly miffed at the level of support I was getting from Bangalore – I decided that it was best to do what TFT has always done – AKA:  find a way to get closer to the people making the software – thereby opening a conduit to the people whom make things happen….   Just a contact or two is all one needs to bypass the support queue – and the long ass hold times that ensue. 

So, in my infinite wisdom, I joined the Beta-test group… J  What better way to have access to engineers and features than to be part of a beta cycle?  You have a name/face/email/cell of someone inside whom has the power to drive change.  It was a match made in heaven - in my eyes.  Anyways, fast forward 1.5 years or so – I get an email form a member of the SMB marketing team – noting that some of my feedback in the user acceptance testing forums spurred interest in tft as a company – and the possibility of a case study.  Case study turned into co-hosting slot on a webinar a month ago; and now we find ourselves in San Francisco– at a product launch discussing the possibility of doing some additional corporate blogging in 2012.  BE 2012 is getting ready to launch worldwide over the next few months and TFT is already fully running it in our production environment (with exceptional success, I might add).

Any of you who know me – know enough to grasp that I’m not one to mince words…  If it looks like fecal matter, smells like poo, and is shaped likewise – then it is time to cut to the chase – and call it as it is:  a piece of shit…  Sorry – I respect people’s time too much to beat around the bush….  Love it or hate it – it’s who I am… and that’s that.  While the aforementioned certainly applies to the negative… We find currently ourselves at the opposite end of the spectrum in regards to Symantec’s new BE offering.  I’m completely enamored with this product – and being as I’m one that can’t seem hold back – I made an ideal candidate as a “happy customer” reference at their launch earlier today.

So they flew me out…  J

USA Today and E-Week were both in attendance – and we discussed TFT’s operations at length (as it related to the product that was launching).  Some video was shot – most of which will be used to pull quotes out of context from yours truly (which, I’m ok with – I was NERVOUS as hell – and kept getting distracted by all the people / reflectors / mic-booms).  It was really fun talking to the legitimate press today – I feel that TFT has a unique story, vision, and culture of technology…  the more people I can tell about “how we’re doing it right” the better…..

-          I’m writing most of this while being stuck in traffic – so if it feels fragmented (and poor grammatically)… that’s because it is…    sorry…  my quality suffers..  tomorrow I’ll be in the air most of the day – but if I happen to see any breast-feeding amish people – you can damn well bet I’ll be taking pictures!!!

Thanks for reading….  as always

./brandon

p.s. the event was at the tesla motors offices... hence all the teslas - and stuff...  no tours were given - and this wasn't the manufacturing facility anyways (which is what i would have REALLY wanted to see)...   they're busy with launching their new product - the tesla s.  have a look  http://www.teslamotors.com

gettin filmed outdoors on a hill :)

drove a tesla....

meh.... 0-60 was good fun.... but it did feel like it was gonna fall apart.... just like the original lotus platform it was based on....

for the msrp, I'd much rather buy two of my current whip... one to wreck in the winter and one to 'tune' ;)

bah.... hippies...

put gas in your autos - not electricity :)

still wondering how the sexy fella with the 914 porsche was going to rip a charge... but whatever... :)

good lord.... im getting hounded by marketing ppl

upgrading the infrastructure last week seemed to be the kiss of death.... they all want to hear about it.... especially since it went well...

more....

they pulled out the damn stops.... lotta production value here....

more

at the taping....

lord, how is it even possible

I do believe the 3G at lax is worse than in Vegas @ ces....

amazing.

I've been trying to send the same email for the past 20 mins....

Sean lee from monoprice and his woman were on my flight....

amazing.... azn's can sleep anywhere.... I can barely get a good night's rest on a real bed....

let alone on a damn traytable....

I'm jealous as hell...

rear exit opened for the plane for them to restock supplies

all I can smell I reefer..... holy hell.... the guys doing the stocking are totally baked.... Ear to ear grins....

just dropped in at sfo.... what a flight....

gonna have to fill in later.... shoeless passengers, screaming kids, cool guys chatting with stewartesses.... yikes.

Steadfast Ezekiel.... we're out amongst the english....

trapsing is done

i swear... i'm not cheating (i.e. disclosing details to others)...

harrigan won again.....  actual value was 21.23 miles.

plate 3

unfortunately abandoned.... something in plate 1 or 2 prompted a mad dash back to my room....
i've had better luck at ponderossa, unfortunately...

i should have listened to the internet - people BITCHED up a storm about this buffet.  in that regard, it is STILL a damn buffet...  i'm no damn diva - but this experience was shockingly poor...
the guacamole was worth the 20 dollar entry fee...  good lord.. absolute perfection....

plate 2

oh my - what do we have here...

bowl pasta fagiole

2 california rolls

4 shit rolls (they were gross... i don't know what was in em - but i do believe i saw ginger, pineapple, and rice)

greek salad

cous-cous salad

egg/veg fried rice.

plate 1

pretty hard to screw up mexican.... so we started with that...

refrieds

two stale as hell taquitos

and two tacos.

honorable mention - the guacamole was likely the best i've ever had (and i eat it often)...  suprised it wasn't a little browner... :)

this buffet feels like the foodline that time forgot...  as long as it's still warm, i suspect we'll be ok...

4 years later.... finally heard mbl with some 'non show' music

it was amazing.... and there's a bit of a story here... more later.

recycle your phone for cash on the spot...

figured something like this would totally encourage gadget crime.... but it does require a drivers license scan.
I guess when you snatch that phone... you should probably make an effort to get a purse or wallet as well :).

transport situation got all jacked up today

had to take a double decker sight seeing bus home from the convention center..... it was flipping freezing up there...

yesssssss...... I gotta find a courtesy station....

for a good time....

dial:
transfer conf star transfer conf pound

starving.... buffet tonite!!!!

eggleston works

epic fail.... sounded so bad it felt like mp3.
normally - their kit is absolutely TOP notch - not sure what was going on....

rbh sound and boulder electronics

playing stinking pat metheney.... yuck....

wolf cinema now has a 10,000.00 projector

if I were building a high performance projection room.... I would look at  their stuff first...
two years in a row, their wares rocked my face....
this years offering is 1/3 less than last year..... amazing stuff

westlake.... playing some strange new speaker

sound coming out didn't match their physical appearance... it was surprisingly full and detailed.

need more stuff like this... this old fuddiedudd show material makes me cranky...

m&k playing dub step.... hahahaaasa

I'll always have a soft spot for these speakers.... as they marked the beginning of my audio downfall....

look closely at the center of this card

see the raised surface? that is a 140 watt class d amplifier....

badass!!

speakers for scoundrels

been watching movies lately (limitless, horrible bosses).... likely you saw these speakers in the bad guy's lair.... meridian makes em, and they're not half bad...

the ole Nelson pass block the doorway with product tactic is now in its second year...

first good system today

Estelon xa diamond....

been to 20 rooms already, and this one was the first one worth mentioning....

weak showing, occupy Vegas....

no food pics this year.... until now....

nothing interesting to report on the food front - as i've been eating mcdonalds since i arrived (either that, or i forgot to eat completely - which is extremely common with me)...

so, it is a well known fact that i find early dining to be incredibly lame.  alas, given that there's a million freaking people in town - the good restaurants are hard to get into.  in that regard - i was in the mood for a steak....  a damn good steak...  and found that one of the better reviewed chop-houses in this town resided at my hotel.  upon finding out that there were no available reservations until next week - i was left but no choice other than to be there when they opened at 5 - and head straight to the open seating area in the bar.

at the end of it all - by the time i was done eating - there were like 10 people in the restaurant... what the hell...  

anyways - 

texas chili, with american kobe beef, bacon, and beer...  while it is well known that i crap all over most people's chili - this was distinct... and quite interesting.  very complex - even by chili standards.  

one thing i love about top shelf steak houses is that at the right place - you can actually find out where your dinner came from.  this 20oz bone in black-angus ribeye came from the Niman Ranch in California (whatever the hell that is :) )..  was cooked to absolute perfection - and was damn near a religious experience...

so that's it for food...  unless i happen to hit a buffet tomorrow - for some odd reason :)

tender @ luxor... avoid the hotel like the plague - but swing on by for dinner - and the LAX night club....  it looks to be a pretty legit hangout... oddly enough.

day 1 total

Mr. Harrigan won with the closest guess at 7.5 mi.

Next giveaway will be on Friday... guess the total mileage for the whole schebang....

taking the high road...

congrats screenprotecter.cn

voted most circus tent like booth... ces 2012...

finally.... fuhhhh raaaahhhh rrrriiiiiii

tired of looking at lambos....

heh...

cheezer mc cheese

ahhhh car audio.... their marketing demographic always keeps me guessing..

wake the f**k up!!!

Amanda Doxtater:  here's an 8 month early preview of what you're getting for your birthday...

kept trying to take a shot of the lambo.

this nice lady kept gettin in my damn frame.....

Audi a7 Quattro

stunning....

new fords.

grilles look like that of Aston... quite attractive, actually.

massive led set... from lg

in 3d.. :/

lg's massive video wall

in 3d. :/

big......

sharp going big...

while I normally dont like sharp's product... I do like the fact that they're pushing into the larger display space.... as it'll stir up a little competition....

eventually my 72 inch dlp is gonna blow, and it'll be nice to have a few options when that time comes.

sweet Jesus.... we need oled NOW!!!!

shockingly crisp....

it's thinner and stronger... and coming this year

pretty sure mary'd will be happy, given the past years number of iPhone incidents ;)

last year I posted about Mitz and their 92 inch monster

this year I saw it again.... and it was gorgeous (even won a ces design award this time around)... last year it looked so god awful i almost felt there was a problem...
it was playing 3d - so no point in taking a picture.
although... if one has room for a set that big.... I'd have to ask the question 'why not do a dedicated projection theater room instead?'

asus ultrabook2

10mm thick....

I actually like this ALOT.... everyone is releasing one in the coming year.... but this one is so well designed it nearly feels like it was made by apple....

asus ultrabook

sexeh.....

this may very well be the worst attempt at a fake server rack I've ever seen...

silly Verizon ....

the fake tv's and av receivers you encounter at furniture stores are more convincing...

quite a few more people are here today...

this somewhat typifies the sea of people I'm swimming in today...

so, you think your work area is badass?

uhhh.... nope... not so much

grrrr.... boy have bear claws...

put in those guesses for how far i walked...

EDIT:  Harrigan won - i have another cert to give on friday morning...  person with closest overall mileage takes it home.  

i get by with a little help from my friends...

I’ve gotta say folks… the technology augmentation I received this year was just what the doctor ordered… 

 

1.       VZN Mifi – you wouldn’t have gotten a post today until after 5 without it.  I would walk a straight line thru the convention center shooting pics, and scrawling text – then head for an exit – uploading all content in batch.  AT&T’s network is getting less than 10kbps aggregate due to what I can only imagine to be flooding.  Stewart is to thank for the last minute save – content would have been a day late without it. 

 

2.       The Qmadix boostpak from cartronix:  while the mifi saved the day from a data standpoint, my battery was still constantly being drained (in part due to the iphone 4s, and wireless auto discover.  At one point today – I had 50 access points in range.  I tried to find a way to prove it with a screen cap, but fell short..). It is amazing what an additional 2000mah will net you.  I would have had to charge 2 times today had I not had it – (and I still am seeing 1/3 capacity left after my use).  Since I’m totally not the only person in town with a 4s…  people were hoarding what few charge outlets there are to themselves.  Thanks kevin…  seriously.  (honorable mention goes to thorgren – who tried to give me his... not knowing I already had one).

 

Y’all saved the damn blog…  thanks!

 

 

pictures of a deserted CES...

http://consumerist.com/2012/01/photos-behind-the-scenes-at-ces-2012.html

wow… 

tomorrow – I’m going to try and get video for some of these spaces (as I make my way over to the “high-rent” section of the convention center)…  it’s interesting to see these spaces without folks milling all over the place…

fiddy cent

walking around minding my own business and saw another huuuuge crowd....

so... if a mouse worked in 3 dimensions would you call it a 3d mouse?

it's called a bird.... and my god did I just have an experience with it....
too much to post about it ... comin back later.... company who makes it is called Leonardo....

EDIT:  i can't explain it better than they do...  head on over...  http://www.leonar3do.com/

i was playing around with solids  in a "mock" designer, wearing 3d glasses....  and essentially pushing my hand into the model, and making modifications by moving the bird around (i hollowed it out, then started pulling surfaces).  it felt like it was shit straight out of a movie (aka, make believe technology)...

while somewhat unpolished - i got all giddy... thanking the guy for taking the time to show me what it was.

absolutely mind blowing stuff. the "bird" has a set of differential sensors attached to the monitor which behave much like a wiimote (yet much more accurate)...  xyz axis, etc...

while 3d tv has pretty much always been a joke to me...  modeling solids in 3d is absolutely bad ass...  (especially for the content creation industry.  i can imagine this tool - coupled with the right modeling package (maya, 3dsmax, softimage, etc...) would aid in rapid development unlike anything i've seen....

... hell - maybe i'm just sheltered.  i do have to assume that from time to time... :)

it tracks your sneaky peepers while you play

ever control a video game with your eyeballs? me either...

watching the guy play was really something else.... having a good 'death glare' is the key to success...

really an awkward way to play.... but it works quite well...

whew.... time for a break....

initial lap nearly complete (excluding health/auto/Asian showcase at Hilton.

I'm not gonna lie.... I might be a little sweaty...

bet you didn't know I knew Japanese

Roughly translated: 'I fuck up spine, while give you cancer.... ha!'