By ncolwell
By Nicole Colwell
The RaceTalk Blog has gotten an injection of West Coast flavor! With multiple clients heading to CES this year, I’ll be reporting from the show, kicking off my stint as the West Coast correspondent. Vegas better watch out; here comes Racepoint Group!
In preparation for my trip, I’ve been researching a few “tips and tricks” for surviving the show… an astounding, albeit grueling, “Nerd-vana.” Below you can find what I will consider my lifeline for the next week:
- Remember to wear comfortable shoes, and if you do not want to wait for the long taxi / bus lines, consider renting a car. It’s easy to park at the free parking lots at any of the hotels / casinos.
- As anyone who has attended CES in years past can attest to, the showroom floor can be quite overwhelming. Check out this interactive floor map from CES veteran and Mashable editor-in-chief Lance Ulanoff for “14 Essential Stops to Make on Your Tour of CES 2012.” Click on the map image to check out the interactive version on the Mashable Website.
- Of course, don’t forget your tech. Smartphones and tablets are becoming increasingly integrated into the show, from QR codes to applications. Make sure you grab your chargers before you dash out to make your flight. And remember to bring a wireless card for your devices, as connections in and around the show can be spotty.
- If you’re wondering if you’re allowed to use cameras, yes you can, although some exhibitors may restrict camera use on occasion. One good tip to avoid long lines is not to carry bags when possible as they are subject to search.
- Don’t forget about the CES Follow Me App, the official mobile app which enables you to build a schedule, plan your time, see interactive real-time floor maps, get late-breaking CES news and more. Details of app are at this CES link.
- Give up your New Year’s resolution until January 15th. Trust me on this one.
I hope you enjoy CES 2012 whether you’ll be with us on the ground in Sin City or following news announcements closely. Check back on the RaceTalk Blog for updates on CES news and be sure to leave your “tips and tricks” for CES 2012 in the comments below!
January 6th, 2012
By Guest Author
This is a guest post by Emily Matthews, who is currently applying to masters degree programs across the U.S. She loves to read about new research into health care, gender issues, and literature, and lives and writes in Seattle, Washington.
The folks at Facebook seem to always be tinkering with their formula, and within the last couple weejs, Facebook introduced a new type of profile: Timeline. It’s quite a change from the old type of profile, with your picture in the left-hand corner and your wall covering the majority of the page. Now you can essentially chronicle your entire life, from birth to the present.
The first most obvious change is the cover photo that spans across the top of your profile. This seems to be a change that makes your profile more like a blog with a header image. Your cover is to “fill this wide, open space with a unique image that represents you best. It’s the first thing people see when they visit your timeline.” You can choose from photos you have already uploaded in your albums or upload a new image from your computer. For my cover photo, I decided to go with a Wordle image that I created from one of my pieces of fiction. Perhaps use an image from Flickr as your cover photo if you’d like something artistic. The cover allows you to customize your profile to a greater extent than Facebook has allowed before.
The next most obvious change is the wall. The wall has disappeared and been replaced by your stories, with staggered boxes on the left and right with your status updates, photos, friend activity, and everything else that was normally posted to your wall. It’s a little busy in its layout; your eyes bounce from one side to the other, trying to figure out what should be read or looked at first. Facebookers dislike change, and messy change is often the first to frustrate.
The third most obvious change is the timeline itself. Facebook has always fallen short in its ability for a user to go back to older posts. Now you can click on the year you want (right-hand side) and go back to posts from years ago. Enjoy déjà vu when yuo read status updates and friends’ posts from five years ago or more (depending on how long you’ve had a Facebook. I have had my Facebook since my senior year of high school, so reading posts about dinner reservations for prom brings back great memories. The timeline feature also allows you to post “life events” within the timeline, such as moving to new places, attending schools, getting married, having children, earning a degree, etc. You can post photos to accompany these events. Your timeline even includes a post of when you are born! Although I would, perhaps, stay away from posting an actual photo of your birth.
The new Timeline profile is available now if you would like to play with it, and it’s a rather fun new entry in Facebook’s incessant tinkering. Some days I rather wish for the old school profile and news feed (remember when the news feed didn’t even exist?), but the Timeline is interesting enough to play with that, hopefully, not too many people will complain once they are forced to switch over.
January 6th, 2012
