Friday, January 11, 2008
Update: CNET Reports Gizmodo Banned
Unsurprisingly the CEA (CES organizers) have banned Gizmodo and are looking at further sanctions.
CEA's take on CES Gizmodo prank: Banned!
This results from the earlier presentation-fouling pranks, Gizmodo CES horseplay reported all over the web.
Lesson learned for presenters & trainers, prepare for the juvenile-- turn off IR ports/devices/remotes you don't need or tape them over, or make sure they provide some basic security. Require pairing for BlueTooth devices, turn off the "Discoverable" setting, and so forth. Mac users should pair their infrared remote or even disable it if not used. Wired connections are preferred.
I'm almost surprised there haven't been widely-publicized incidents with wireless mics at conferences, yet. I guess we'll all need secured ultra-wide band wireless microphones soon.
Labels: events, rant, technology
I'm sure it's a matter of perspective, but in the context of that conference and the crowd that it draws, yes it was inevitable that pranks like this will emerge. By laying down the gauntlet on Gizmodo, it's like CES in inadvertantly *begging* some attendees to up the ante and become even more inventive with a newer, more intrusive prank.
One of the reasons why you probably never see something like this happen at a MAX conference (or a Plugfest, for that matter) is that in the context of those events with those attendees... it wouldn't be appropriate.
I don't think speakers and presenters need to prepare for the juvenile just yet... unless you're presenting at Macworld this week, like at a keynote. Then I'd be ultra-paranoid.
http://tinyurl.com/42xt6
I think it's good to be cautious, but I'd agree that there's less to worry about at most learning events. At CES many exhibit demo sessions and a Motorola PR conference were disrupted.
First, a learning event would do well to attract 2% of the 140K attendees that were at CES. With a smaller, focused audience there's generally better behavior and less anonymity.
Second, at many learning conferences attendees have been on both sides of the podium and are less likely to do it when they could be the next victim.
Third, learning conference or not, I think there will be a little bit of shoe-bomber syndrome-- if the screens go blank, the crowd will likely turn on the most-likely snickering perp at any conference or presentation.
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