By Nitasha Tiku 1/14 12:10pm

Blog Lords

dish-hopper-joey

CNET Journalist Resigns Over Concerns About ‘Editorial Independence’ After CBS Meddling [UPDATE]

This morning, The Verge published a damning report on an apparent conflict of interest in CNET’s “Best of CES” awards.

The post claimed that CNET’s editorial staff, which votes on the award, crowned Dish Network’s Hopper set-top box device the winner. But before the staff could reveal its decision, CBS–CNET’s parent company–interceded because of litigation filed by CBS and other networks over the Hopper’s ability to skip past commercials. Read More

By Kelly Faircloth 1/09 2:12pm

Visiting Dignitaries

(flickr.com/marcn)

CES? DGAF! Bill Clinton Turns Samsung Speech Into Cry for Gun Control

Just when you thought CES couldn’t get any randomer than Qualcomm’s “Generation Mobile” atrocity, guess who showed up? Bill Clinton, who stopped by to speak in the middle of Samsung president Stephen Woo’s presentation. Not only that, but according to CNET’s liveblog, in the midst of his remarks he digressed and started talking about gun control.

The man used to be the leader of the free world; you really thought he’d get on stage at a trade show and stick to the subject? Child, please. Read More

By Jessica Roy 1/09 8:26am

Linkages

This nerd would go to CES and ENJOY it. Nerd. (Photo: IMDB)

Booting Up: Is CES Cool? (No. Yes. Maybe?)

CES is so uncool that it has magically transformed into cool. Cool? [TechCrunch]

Over 2 million people pledged close to $320 million for Kickstarter projects in 2012. [Kickstarter]

Apple is reportedly working on a less expensive iPhone to help reassert its dominance in the smartphone market. [Wall Street Journal]

The average salaries of Silicon Valley will launch you into a fit of despair. You’re welcome. [How to Write a Business Plan]

There’s a mystery complex in Western China and even the CIA analyst who spotted it on Google Earth can’t figure out what it is. [Wired]

By Jessica Roy 1/08 12:32pm

Ballmer Time

Here is a GIF of this amazing moment.

Steve Ballmer Does His Best Steve Ballmer Impression at Surprise CES Appearance

Steve “Sweaty” Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, was not slated to give the preshow keynote this year at CES. So fancy our surprise when he came running out, pointer fingers dancing wildly in the air, to join Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs on stage. Mr. Ballmer did his best goofy Steve Ballmer impression, waggling his tongue as he placed his outstretched and no doubt moist hand into Mr. Jacobs’. Read More

By Kelly Faircloth 12/07/12 12:20pm

YOLO

Is that a beret, or a wig? (Photo: screencap)

Dude Takes to Indiegogo in a Michael Jackson Costume To Raise Cash for CES Party

The last time we checked, the Consumer Electronics Show, while quite the get-together, isn’t exactly known for its raging party scene.

But it seems we may have underestimated Sin City: One local man is currently attempting to raise $30,000 (via Indiegogo, natch) to rent the mansion where Michael Jackson used to live and throw an enormous rager featuring Grammy nominees. Hell, he even created a YouTube video featuring his best Michael Jackson impression to promote it. Unfortunately, it is a terrible Michael Jackson impression.

YOLO, baby. Read More

By Adrianne Jeffries 1/05/12 1:51pm

Vegas Baby

Mr. Bieber

Justin Bieber Coming to CES to Promote Robot Toy

Teen heartbreaker Justin Bieber will be on hand at the Consumer Electronic Show from 1 to 3 p.m. on January 11th, pimping out some robots. Specifically: a BRAND NEW ENTERTAINMENT ROBOT by Vietnamese electronics maker TOSY Robotics, to be unveiled at the show.

“TOSY Robotics produces 4 types of products: Gigantic robots, Service robots, Industrial robots and High-tech toys,” Robonexus reports breathlessly. There is also a tiny robot. TOSY robots can play ping pong and bartend.  Read More

By Adrianne Jeffries 1/04/12 3:19pm

the startup rundown

makerbot industries

Startup News: Startup Crawl and CES

STARTUP CRAWL. Hosted by out-of-towner Zaarly, Adaptly, Spotify, Unigo and Vayner Media are on the agenda. “It’s like a bar crawl, but with startup offices instead of bars.  Each startup will host our group of developers, designers, entrepreneurs and other startups in their office for 45 minutes or so until we move on to the next stop.” Tomorrow starting at 5:45 p.m.

WINNING. Skillshare is giving away a year’s TED Live membership ($995)! “You get… Virtual seats at both TED and TED Global conferences. Year-round online community access. TED Books yearlong subscription & a new Kindle Fire,” says Skillshare. “This is the warmup for all the stuff coming out over the next couple of months,” said CEO Mike Karnjanaprakorn, a 2012 TED fellow.

VEGAS BABY. New York is headed to CES, and Makerbot, at least, is going to be alllll over it. “MakerBot Industries, creator of the Thing-O-Matic 3D printer and Thingiverse.com will be there showing off something extra awesome, and we’d love for you to stop by our booth and check it out!” MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis is scheduling interviews now for the full-court press; the 3D printing startup is also hosting a party on Jan. 11. Read More