close menu

Adventures at CES: In Which Nerdist Channel Wins an Award and Things Get Replicated

iawtvawardslogoPOSTHow was Official Opening Day of the 2013 International CES? Oh, nothing much, just AWARD-WINNING.

Yes, at the International Academy of Web Television Awards — that’s the IAWTV Awards to you — the Nerdist Channel won Best Online Channel. Tweet your congratulations to the channel crew at @NerdistChannel; Chris gave a poignant speech that ended with his deliberate attempt to get played off the stage, beginning a yarn about his Poor Old Meemaw and talking until the music swelled. It was one of the biggest laughs of the evening, which also saw Friend of Nerdist Felicia Day and her channel Geek and Sundry win a bunch of awards, and Friend of Nerdist Shira Lazar winning one, too, and I forgot to mention earlier but Shira’s What’s Trending is streaming live from here at CES and you should go to youtube.com/whatstrending every day of CES from noon to 3 pm Pacific to see Shira and whichever luminaries drop by her set at the Samsung SMART Lounge right there in the Central Hall.

A panoramic Panasonic Keynote. Big room.

A panoramic Panasonic Keynote. Big room.

williamonpanel2013

That’s will.i.am on the right, in business mode and outlandish shoes.

But the day wasn’t just about awards. No, it was about speeches and panels and lots and lots of stuff happening on the floor. There was the Panasonic keynote, which had a million people in the audience and which I don’t remember, because it was early and because it was about a TV thing similar to other TV things I’d seen and I missed Newark Mayor and rising star Cory Booker making an appearance at the speech (he tweeted that he wouldn’t take my bailing on him personally)

Let's marinate!

Let’s marinate!

because I had to race to another panel. The bus was delayed. I missed the panel. But I did see the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am appear on a panel of innovators, so there was that.

And I did get a chance to hit the floor a little. Most of it was industry stuff about which you wouldn’t likely care (HD Radio, anyone? Aftermarket car stereos? Didn’t think so.) I did drop by our sponsor Speck’s booth to look at their iPhone cases, of which they have a lot of cool ones (gratuitous plug? Maybe, but they do have some very cool-looking cases and they had someone who was apparently a famous dancer of some sort performing, and I noted the signs saying No Video, so I’ll keep that clip to myself). I saw a gadget called Mr. Marinator, which is exactly what you think it is. (Maybe not. I don’t know what you’re thinking. I’m scared) I saw a lot of Hello Kitty licensed stuff. And I dropped by Friends of Nerdist Makerbot’s booth, where they were showing the Replicator 2X in action. I couldn’t elbow enough people out of the way to get a clear shot, but here’s the previous model, the Replicator 2, in action, and you’ll get the idea:

I’d never seen 3-D printing up close, but this was just flat-out cool. It can print in two different colors and two different plastics, PLA and ABS. They handed out little plastic nuts-and-bolts combos made by the Replicator, and, well, at that small booth tucked off to the side of the South Hall, they were showing off the future. I looked at a bunch of 4K Ultra HD TVs and OLEDs and they were great (and I want them all), but gotta love that Replicator….

Wednesday, for me, is shaping up to be a mixed bag- I have a couple of chats/booth tours set up, but I also have to go hear all the FCC Commissioners speak, and I wouldn’t call that exciting. (Bureaucrats on Parade!) Later, though, might involve Ke$ha. (I’m not kidding) I’m not sure what that’ll do to the evening, but at least it’ll be something to talk about.

Blind Competitor Plays Magic: The Gathering with Ingenious Use of Braille

Blind Competitor Plays Magic: The Gathering with Ingenious Use of Braille

article
Patton Oswalt and More Audition for Teen Dumbledore

Patton Oswalt and More Audition for Teen Dumbledore

article
THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES Boss Talks New Character Bandon

THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES Boss Talks New Character Bandon

article

Comments

  1. erik2690 says:

    Nice turn around time on this post. Happy for Chris, Nerdist and Felicia.