All Blog Posts from Tech Talk

I joked with people during CES that I'd need a week to really get perspective on the overall tone and tenor of the show. Now I think I'll need at least a month. Exhausting, yes, but everyone says that about CES. It has more to do with the lack of major crowds and the evolutionary vs. revolutionary nature of many of the products. In the meantime, I will say it was great to see many of my sci-tech colleagues and contemporaries and talk shop for a while or catch up on personal stuff. Even with fewer people in attendance CES is still an overwhelming experience and it's always nice to share the experience (commiserate) with those who can understand the pain from things like walking the seemingly endless halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center and Sands Expo. Maybe sleep will give me some clarity -- I think I've gotten about 20 hours all week. Was it worth it? Read on.

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The announcement hit the tech world today like a ton of iPhones: Steve Jobs will not be appearing at MacWorld 2009 in early January and Apple is pulling out of future MacWorlds going forward. Everyone has an opinion on what this means and why it's happening. Theories range from the Apple company line (non-Apple trade shows are no longer necessary or relevant), to Jobs being unwilling to front a relatively newsless event, to a sign of the economic downturn, to a slow transition of power within the company to someone like Apple VP Phil Schiller, to (of course) the rumors about Jobs' health. Whatever the real reason(s) it's clearly a changing of the landscape. MacWorld has historically been THE place to witness Apple's big announcements and the most visible platform for its iconic CEO. It certainly leaves one scratching one's head. I'll try to post more thoughts on this tomorrow but in the meantime I'm curious to read people's comments.

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After a week of taping the show I co-host for Discovery's Planet Green network (G Word, with me and SuChin Pak) I'm back in action here at CBS. But as I return to one job, Microsoft's co-founder Bill Gates is leaving his. Well, sort of. Friday is his last day as chief software architect, but he'll still remain chairman of the board and the company's largest shareholder. Plus, I'm sure he'll keep Steve Ballmer (Microsoft CEO) on speed dial.

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Describing CES is like a vacationer trying to describe Europe. You can’t see it all in one trip. Still, I was able to pick up on some trends including wireless video, increased use of touch interface, tech going green and the emergence of affordable high-end digital cameras.

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Daniel Sieberg and producer Alec Sirken sample the products at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.Among the gadgets: motorcyclists can now rock out safely when they put on a helmet. And science-minded kids have a new exploratory tool.

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What do you get when you combine elements of the Super Bowl, Mardi Gras, and TV's "Get Smart"? Well, the Consumer Electronics Show or CES 2008, of course, which is now in it's 41st year. For me, it's number six. Yeah, there'll be big crowds all fighting for the first look at the most coveted devices to contain a microchip. (By the way, is a gadget more desirable if it's "cool" or if it's "hot"? Discuss.) Once the show starts Monday morning there's very little wiggle room anywhere; prepare to queue up for everything from food to taxis to bottled water to getting your hands on the flashiest doodad.

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News out of San Francisco rocked the gadget world today when Apple’s black-turtle-neck-and-jeans billionaire leader Steve Jobs announced the long-rumored iPhone.

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New ways to store and access digital media, new tricks for the Xbox and Vista, and a partnership with Ford Motor to give cars a digital makeover - Bill Gates shared a bit of his vision for the future as he sat down for an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

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I’m off to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) tomorrow and madly trying to corral some cool products to show you on Monday morning’s Early Show. It takes place in Las Vegas from Jan. 8-11, and this year marks the 40th anniversary. But you won’t find many people waxing nostalgic for 8-track cassettes or VCRs. This massive gathering showcases the future of what we’ll all see on store shelves in the coming months and years.

Stay tuned for my interview with Bill Gates ...

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I was tempted to open this blog with a clever quote about technology or about introductions in general, maybe something from Einstein or Wilde or Marconi, but then I thought the best way to introduce myself is simply to say, “Hey there, fellow tech talker.”

I’m the new science and technology correspondent at CBS News, and I’d like this blog to be a transparent dialogue of ideas and opinions. I’ve spent the last 15 years covering science and technology in some form, working for places like The Vancouver Sun, CTV, and CNN. For more you can just click here. But in all my years of being plugged into the digital world I’ve never maintained a blog, so I hope I can do justice to this one.

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