I’ve concluded this thing is extremely cool and worth owning!

At first, I thought it would be too small and light to be a serious computer. How could this nearly paper thin thing keep up with the heavy tasks I’d throw at it? As I studied it and read more reviews on it, I’ve come to realize that it’s not the “bulk” that makes a powerful computer powerful. It’s the technology inside. And this thing has everything I need.

One million exhibitors. Sixty million attendees. Four trillion booths spread across an area the size of Rhode Island.

and the brutal traffic in Vegas, my hope in humanity was restored (however briefly) when someone found and turned in my iPhone.

I was making my way to the John Lennon bus (seen here in this video), and had my iPhone, in a pouch, attached to my belt (I’m over forty, so I wear belts). I made a call and a few minutes later noticed it was gone. First panic, then a high-alert status as I looked, searched, and fretted about what would happen to it. I retraced my steps, looked for anyone using an iPhone (found one guy, and later gave him the thumbs up, when I found it), and waited. Repeatedly returning to where it most likely fell off my belt, eventually a nice woman asked me if I had lost a phone? “Yes!” I said, an “iPhone.” She told me she had it and kindly handed it to me.

The most interesting thing about the recovery was my good friend Marcus emailed with the subject “your phone:”

Lupe from the exhibitor registration tent called me to let me know that she has your phone. Just go to the tent and ask for her.

I called him amazed and he said, “your phone called me over an over again. It was weird.” When the iPhone dropped, it must’ve called Marcus — I think it was sending for help. I’m glad I found it and thanks to whoever turned it in.

Later, I told the iPhone Karma story in the Intel@CES booth.

We had a team positioned with the silicon cores of an Intel Core 2 Duo microprocessor. As we saw on the Las Vegas Strip… showing this technology up-close is awe-inspiring:

The demo, enabled by Intel® Centrino® mobile technology with built-in 802.11n wireless capability and a HAVA Wireless HD* box from Monsoon Multimedia, was just another great example of why CES is the place to be for the coolest technology in the world!

Gizmodo praised the “humongus and helicious helix” of laptops in the center of the booth. The “spiral”, as we called it, featured 52 of the latest laptops based on Intel(R) Centrino(R) processor technology. The sprial was surrounded by other displays of innovative notebook form-factors and interactive games about silicon technology.

Unfortunately, I’m a tiny bit disappointed I didn’t find the killer solution or technology that will bump my digital home up a notch. Yet, I didn’t go home without something fun to envy. Actually, I found three things to envy!

There is a very colorful ridge of mountains just to the west of the city w/ beautiful red and orange strata, demonstrating the powerful tectonic forces at work on the North American plate below. Snow has fallen on some of the higher peaks.

I’m beaming. What a fantastic show. The energy and excitement in and around town was physically felt. I’m so proud of our bloggers who covered this event. Everyone demonstrated and personified why social media is so critical at large events like CES. It extends our booth and our technology offerings virtually to customers and users all around the planet. It becomes a chronicle of events; an archive of time and place.

It’s inclusive, it’s open and it’s colorful… like the mountains below.

I hope you’ve found or find value in this blog. I hope that the passion we have for technology, the zeal and enthusiasm we have for our jobs at Intel comes across through our entries.

We brought some smart folks to the table. Our goal was to simply provide perspective on technology and consumer electronics for those not in attendance. To contribute our unique voices to the widening social web. (The picture is a shot of the “Blog Central” room upstairs in the Intel booth w/ a few of the crew).

Please let me know if you think this goal was met and thanks for coming along.

All my best,

Bryan Rhoads

(P.S - Intel just won “Best Booth” from Gizmodo for CES 2008 - Way to go Victor and team!!!)

I’ve often wondered how far we could take immersive media. I experienced a cutting edge application of surround sound and HD video right in our Intel booth here at CES 2008. The area was called the High-Def Lounge and the audio and video experience really took me by surprise.

Let me tell you a little bit about this experience. I was seated in a chair that looked sort of like a big bubble, a bubble covered in gorgeous white leather. When I sat down I had speakers all around me - above, below, and to the sides - built into the chair. They were sound controls similar to those on a home thearter to my right, allowing me to adjust the volume and bass levels. In front of me was one of the latest 45nm Intel(R) Centrino(R) processor-based notebooks from Lenovo.

Do you share that rock star fantasy with me? The one that has you on center stage, blasting music out of your guitar in front of thousands of screaming fans? The one where you’re wearing those cool sunglasses that Bono wears, even though your in a dark stadium, just because they look so darn cool?

OK, I admit it. Like a lot of mid-30 somethings that grew up on Rock N Roll, I have these fantasies. If you do as well, then the new Guitar Hero III for the PC is for you. We were lucky enough to have a notebook computer based on the newest Intel(R) Centrino(R) processor technology set up with the new game and the Intel booth has been rockin’ here at CES all week long. In fact, as I’m sitting here in the back of the booth, I can hear a little “Hit me with your best shot” coming through the walls and it’s taking me back to … well, an early time in my life.

I probably shouldn’t date myself by telling you that I was weaned on the Jetsons, and feed a steady diet of futuristic tech via the whole Star Trek series. My discovery of Panasonic’s Life Wall told me the future is here.

UPDATE: I’ve now posted a video of the demonstration.