Daniel P. Dern: December 2010 Archives

Sadly, despite previous plans, I won't be at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this year.

But, via email, the web, and on-site agents, I will be doing my best to keep up with the vendors, products and technologies I follow and write about.

(And yes, I'll happily honor all embargoes and NDAs.)

Here's more on what I will be doing, and how you can help!

(In case you've lost track, I'm a freelance technology and business writer, covering products and topics from consumer/prosumer through SOHO, SMB and enterprise, including notebooks, storage, cameras, WiFi, power/UPS, mobile, gadgets/accessories, virtualization, cloud/Saas, Open Source/Linux... and, well, most anything I get assigned to do.  See here for fuller lists and samples. I also write some science fiction -- not enough -- and my not-yet-sold Dern Grim Bedtime Tales, Few Of Which End Well, And Other Stories.)

I send myself to CES -- this would have been my fifth, I think -- to see what's recent, new and coming in the way of products; to meet and schmooze with PR folks for the vendors; and to hobnob/schmooze with my fellow journalists (including looking for assignment opportunities, of course -- but many of the journalists -- and PR folks -- are friends, as well, of course.)

Although I file at least one show report, like to TechRevu.com, most of what I see and do at CES (including CES Unveiled, Lunch at Piero's, Pepcom and ShowStoppers) is grist for the rest of the year. Examples: my ComputerWorld reviews of five USB turntables, and of "fast non-Windows notebook boots," my IEEE articles on fuel cells and liquid-cooled PCs, and my CIO.com article on the business uses of Second Life.

I'd pre-registered as press for CES 2011, bought my plane tickets and made my hotel reservation. I had pre-registered for the multi-vendor press events that make CES manageable and more valuable: Lunch at Piero's, PepCom, and ShowStoppers. (CES Unveiled is part of CES, so we don't have to pre-register for it.) I'd also pre-registered, as press, for Storage Visions (which is a CES partner event), and for several CES press conferences.

So I've already got a healthy pile of announcements, appointment requests, press releases, and invites.

But things change, often at the last minute, so alas! No CES 2011.

But I plan to be there in spirit (and by proxy) -- and to get as possible out of CES as I can without being there in person. I don't want -- or plan -- to miss CES 2011 just because I'm not there.

Here's how you can help:

1) PROVISION MY PROXIES: I've asked one of two of my colleagues who are attending to pass along my regrets and requests on my behalf, along with "building me an info-goodie bag to go." (Tchotchkes welcome, too of course!) I'll be sending some some of my business cards (so don't be surprised it if looks like I stopped by when you weren't looking).

If they ask on my behalf, give them a press kit (flash drive, CD, or NTE 2 sheets paper), your business cards (PR agency folks, please make sure to write the vendor name). Don't hesitate to contact me if you need my shipping address for something.

2) KEEP MY NAME on your CES and general press mailing list(s).
 
3) MAKE SURE WE CONNECT post-CES, especially if you've got something in an area I've been covering or we've otherwise been schmoozing.

4) LET ME KNOW if you hear of anybody looking for post-show news, product reviews or write-ups, feature articles, etc.

5) HAVE AS GOOD A TIME without me as you can :-)

6) EXPECT TO SEE ME NEXT YEAR!

And I'll be following up directly with as many vendors as possible who have or will be contacting me, based on my having pre-registered as press.

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

Again, have a good, productive time!

-- Daniel P. Dern

According to  "Taking Another Byte: Legendary Tech Brand Revived," CMP is reviving the "BYTE.com" brand, with a fresh website.

Who'd'a thunk it?

According to the BYTE.com home page (as of December 2011): "Coming in Q2 2011, BYTE.com will serve as the professional's guide to consumer technology. Gina Smith, renowned author, journalist and network TV correspondent, will lead the coverage."

BYTE magazine was started in the 1970s, and at its peak was a thick magazine full of in-depth articles on computer technologies and products. Science fiction writer Jerry Pournelle (e.g., co-author with Larry Niven of RINGWORLD, THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE, etc.) became the computer industry's first regular columnist, with his Chaos Manor column (which Jerry has continued to run through his own site.)

I had the honor and pleasure of writing one or two articles for BYTE magazine, on the Internet, in the early 1990s, which led, among other things, to my becoming the first editor of INTERNET WORLD magazine (the first magazine all about the Internet), and also author of  THE INTERNET GUIDE FOR NEW USERS, one of the first end-user (but a little too geeky for "consumers") Internet books.  

The venerable BYTE magazine was shut down in 1998, shortly after being bought by CMP, along with Data Communications and LAN Times, from McGraw-Hill.  (See former BYTE editor Tom Halfhill's Tom's Unofficial BYTE FAQ: The Death of BYTE Magazine.

But in 1999, CMP revived BYTE as BYTE.com, a web-only publication, with my friend Paul Schindler as editor.

When Paul got also put in charge of Windows.com, I was hired by CMP, reporting to Paul, and was editor of BYTE.com -- assigning articles, managing the columnists and freelancers ("Keeping Jerry happy" was the unwritten fifth bullet point in my job description), organizing Comdex and CES and CeBIT show coverage squads, writing editorials and some articles -- happy fun!

We even got, as tchotckhes for one Comdex, BYTE.com pocket protectors!

...until 2001, when budget cuts and re-orgs and such throttled BYTE.com's budget, turning BYTE.com into a sub-site of the equally venerable Dr. Dobbs' Journal site. (See Daniel bids farewell to BYTE.com.)

And, over time, even that BYTE.com became moribund.

But huzzah! BYTE.com, like Barry Alllen, Jean Grey and Hal Jordan, lives again!

(See Harry McCracken's blog post on Byte's past and future, Good Grief, BYTE is Coming Back!)

And if the new BYTE.com is looking for somebody with proven track record to wrangle and herd contributors and articles, this Barkis is willing! (Meaning me, in case they no longer force you to read Charles Dickens' DAVID COPPERFIELD in junior high school.) Our operators are standing by!