In looking through the RSVP lists last night, I realized there were several "regular" attendees who had not mentioned they were coming. So, I sent out the following email:

You are invited to attend the annual Tablet & Touch Community Gathering during the 2009 CES. The gathering is hosted by Tablet PC MVPs. Enthusiasts, OEMs, ISVs, IHVs will come together to share information about new products (Tablet PCs, UMPCs, MIDS, Netbooks with touch, etc.), tips on current products, and enjoy meeting people in the community.

Date: Saturday, January 10
Time: 3PM - 6PM
Place: CntrStg suite at the Wynn

Please RSVP by one of the following methods:
1) reply to Lora at ljheiny at hotmail dot com with full names, titles, and email address of attendees
2) Facebook http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=42206546540
3) Upcoming.yahoo.com http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1405832/

Happy holidays and best wishes for a successful CES.

And what do you know -- so far, twelve people have replied that yes, they are planning to attend. Great news.

If you know people who may be interested in joining us and haven't yet sent in an RSVP, go ahead and use this email note or pass along the Facebook & Upcoming links.

Around 60 people have confirmed they are coming, with an additional 20 maybe. This is slightly higher than the number confirmed on the eve of CES for the last several years. Typically, as people run into each other during the trade show the number of attendees grows. I hope this happens this year too. Please pass along the information.

Thank you to those who have sent notes saying how much you have appreciated attending in the past and are unable to come this year. Everyone understands that circumstances - particularly financial - are different this year.

The good news is that you can attend virtually. We will set up a webcam and stream the event. This way you'll be able to see people, products, and chat. We'll post that live link on Saturday as we're setting up for the event.

We've streamed the gathering in the past - and let's just say the idea was good. We'll be at a location with more reliable internet access this year and that should improve the experience.

Hundreds of vendor press releases are already rolling out as the 2009 International CES show opens this Thursday. Excitement continues to build around concept designs and upcoming products. It becomes easy to think of CES as an overwhelming trade show floor with miles of products, which it is on the surface.

Actually, it is the key industry event for Consumer Electronics in the U.S., including consumer PCs and devices. Distributors, VARs, system builders, resellers, retailers, and partners will be evaluating what trends they can count on to sell to their clients for the next year. Press will be scouring for products that their readers will want to dream about, and hopefully buy soon. Fundamentals will be evaluated: Will customers like it? Will customers value it enough to buy it? Is it affordable? Can it be profitable?

Exhibitors will be watching for what products catch people's attention and what products are criticized despite their sales pitch. Hopefully, they'll be measuring ROI in addition to traffic. Interest does not always equal sales viability. Activity around a campaign stunt does not equal sales potential either.

Though I'll be tempted compare some booths to the last recession Comdex bomb shelter style exhibits, I expect this year to be less hype and more focused than recent years. I'll also be looking for answers to questions, such as:

• Will vendors show their 12-month roadmap, or will they only offer insight into the next quarter or two?
• Are PC and device vendors going to innovate and take risks or hold in 2009?
• How much diversity exists across manufacturers or are they all offering the same thing?
• Are marketing pitches over reaching or can they really deliver?
• Are vendors ecosystem building or shutting themselves off?
• What needs do attendees express?

Ultimately, CES is a great networking event with opportunity abound for forming new partnerships, ways to share and communicate critical information to help companies through economic downturn. I hope to see considerable interaction between companies vs retreating. I hope to see openness about product plans and consideration for feedback.

Of course, I'll also be looking at what chipsets and microprocessors are selected, what products have great consumer design, what products exhibit great use of natural interaction - like Tablet & Touch Technology. Afterall, it is CES :)

What trends will you be looking for?

If you're going to CntrStg during CES, the presentation schedule is now posted. Couple of topics you'll want to check out: Mobile PC Day on Thursday, HP discussing Touch technology on Friday afternoon, and of course you shouldn't miss the Tablet & Touch Community Gathering on Saturday afternoon.

If you still need to register for CntrStg @ CES 2009, you can do so at http://cntrstg.eventbrite.com/.

RSVP to the Tablet & Touch Community Gathering on Facebook or Upcoming.Yahoo.com

Save 3pm - 6pm on January 10, 2009 on your calendar for the annual Tablet PC & Touch Community Gathering at CES 2009. I've set up two ways for you to save the date:

1. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=42206546540&ref=mf
2. http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1405832/

Once the location is confirmed, I'll update the event information.

Jim Vanides from HP attended WIPTE and our panel via VSee. Prior to the sessions, Ed Evans from Purdue University and I spent time setting up two microphones and two webcameras so that Jim could see the group and the group could see Jim. It took us about a 1/2 hour to set up both Tablet PCs and I think worked fairly well.

Equipment used:

• Fujitsu Tablet PC with integrated webcamera: The screen was swiveled so the webcamera faced the screen during Jim's intro. During the Q&A portion of the session, Ed carried the Fujitsu Tablet PC with a microphone attached to each person asking a question, so Jim could hear the person clearly and see the individual with whom he was speaking.
• Lenovo Tablet PC with Logitech webcamera: The Lenovo Tablet PC rested on the podium with a Logitech webcamera pointed at the audience. The viewing angle was wide enough for Jim to see about 2/3 of the room and it was easy enough to move and point another direction when necessary.
• Room speaker system & projector allowed the audience to listen and see Jim.

In the last few weeks, I've received several inquiries about the annual CES Tablet PC & UMPC Gathering. Correct, it'll still be actually at CES in January and it's only September. However, the feedback continues to be so positive and long lasting that people are already looking forward to the event! I'm pleased that it's continued to be so successful.

The industry is advancing and I want to make sure that the product interests represented are forward looking. Yes, I'm sure there will be plenty of Windows 7 chatter and hardware comparisons. A couple years ago we expanded the gathering to include mini-Tablet PCs more commonly known as UMPCs. Last year people interested in MIDs attended. My observation is that the common connection is an interest in natural input. Do you agree?

Following that logic, what do you think if Surface is included? What about... yep, I'll ask (gulp) -- iPhone? (Of course, Macworld may overlap, as the gathering has most recently been on the 3rd day of CES. So, it might just be like '08 where people are welcome to pull out their iPhones.)

And yes, then the gathering will need a new name...suggestions?

Previous sponsors of the annual Tablet PC Gathering include (in no particular order): Microsoft Tablet PC & UMPC teams, Microsoft DPE Channel 9 (compliments of Robert Scoble), Motion Computing, TabletKiosk, HP, Lenovo, Fujitsu, VIA, Mobile Demand, OQO, abletFactory, Etymotic, OtterBox, TechSmith, CaseLogic, Diskeeper, JKontheRun, TabletPC2, GottaBeMobile, TabletLawyer, Chris Pirillo Show, ActiveWords, ProvoLabs, and of course TuxReports & all the Microsoft Tablet PC MVPs.

(Steve at Boston Pocket PC posted photos from the 2008 gathering, if you'd like to take a peek at all that was given away.)

After Loren's recent medical news that he needed to go back to chemotherapy, Loren declared that he wants to go to Disneyland this weekend. So, I'm going to call the park tonight to find out about hotel reservation for Loren & friends, Layne, the girls, and myself. Linda Epstein from TabletPC2.com is up for it too. Want to join us? If you'd like to meet up with us while we're in southern Calfornia, let me know at ljheiny at hotmail dot com.

Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition bean bag chairs returned from MEDC today. Guess where they all got stacked? In Frank’s office. When I left Building 32 today, Frank was testing one of the chairs out – in the middle of the hallway. Personally, these chairs are preferable to desk chairs that never quite fit. I wonder how many will still be around when TechEd is over, or if these bean bag chairs will replace office furniture.

I’m on my way to Arizona for a quick hello to family and my dog before I go to Florida to attend TechEd. TechEd begins on Monday and I’m very excited about attending. I plan to attend the Mobile PC and Tablet PC sessions. I’m also working in the Microsoft exhibit booth and Hands on Lab. Stop by and say hello.

If you’d like to meet up with Loren and me, send an email to LJHEINY at hotmail dot com. We can meet up for lunch or dinner.