CeBIT America, Part 2: A Tour Of The Show Floor (Page 3) [Archive]

Janak Parekh

06-27-2003, 11:26 PM

Go back to page two by clicking <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,14876">here</a>. Casio Exilims Casio's <a href="http://exilim.casio.com/">Exilim product line</a> has been extremely popular since the diminuitive yet full-featured cameras came out about a year ago. Casio has been actively expanding and improving their product line, and this time around they've introduced a pair of three megapixel cameras: the EX-S3 and the first optical zoom camera in the lineup, the EX-Z3. The Z3 is one of the thinnest zoom cameras on the market today, and they manage it by having a tripart collapsing lens. And even more, both the Z3 and the S3 feel noticeably lighter than the S2. Both take SD cards, so they're ideal compact companions to many Pocket PCs. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Casio-Exilim-Z3.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Casio-Exilim-Z3.jpg" /></a> Front view of the EX-Z3. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Casio-Exilim-Z3-2.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Casio-Exilim-Z3-2.jpg" /></a> Back view of the EX-Z3. Check out the size of that LCD! <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Casio-Exilim-Comparison-Small.jpg" /> Thickness comparison of the EX-S3 and EX-Z3. Unfortunately, macro mode didn't seem to kick in, so I've omitted the (very blurry) large version. While the Z3 is thicker, it lens covers itself up, so you can carry it "naked", and it's still very compact. Computer Cases As always, there were a few manufacturers with nifty-looking cases... in this "case", we've got ThermalTake and Cooler Master. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/CoolerMaster.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/CoolerMaster.jpg" /></a> One of Cooler Master's "cooler" cases. Check out that blue light! I'm sure those of you who are case enthusiasts know about it, but this is for everybody else. ;) <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/CoolerMaster-2.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/CoolerMaster-2.jpg" /></a> One of the "Cooler" drive bay-sized control panels I've seen. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Thermaltake.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Thermaltake.jpg" /></a> ThermalTake now offers an off-the-shelf water-cooled solution. This machine is quiet! <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Thermaltake-2.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Thermaltake-2.jpg" /></a> Close-up of the water-cooled setup. No huge CPU fans to fail. Keynotes There were a number of keynotes throughout CeBIT, but I attended what I thought were the two most interesting: PalmSource and PeopleSoft. PalmSource's was during the first evening, and it was sparsely attended. (I apologize in advance for the blurry nature of these pictures, but I was taking them without flash and without a tripod.) <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Keynote-Hall.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Keynote-Hall.jpg" /></a> Yes, that's probably less than half-full. Not many more people came after this shot. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Keynote-Palm.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Keynote-Palm.jpg" /></a> David Nagel speaking. David Nagel, CEO of PalmSource, did a good job overall in delivering his message: Palm means business -- the keynote was an opportunity for Palm to make a number of business partnership announcements. While I believe they have some ways to go, they're finally starting to wake up and make inroads. I'll discuss this a lot more in part four, and we can have a flamewar then. :lol: As for PeopleSoft the next morning, it was considerably more populated, but even then, only about 60-70% of the seats were taken. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Keynote-Conway.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Keynote-Conway.jpg" /></a> Craig Conway, CEO of the embattled PeopleSoft. Sadly, Craig Conway delivered a fairly generic lecture on PeopleSoft's and the computer industry's promise. He only referred obliquely to the Oracle takeover bid once, and he didn't even explicitly cite Oracle's hostile takeover attempt. He did make one interesting point during the talk, though: he strongly believes that a bad economy is good for technology -- as companies suffer financially, they can leverage technology to lower their costs. He also had an interesting proposal considering the current ERP business market: he proposed the end of all middleware, and the promulgation of standards between Oracle, SAP and PeopleSoft. Ha! As if that's going to happen anytime soon. Miscellany And finally, some pictures that didn't fit anywhere else. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Boat.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Boat.jpg" /></a> A boat. That's right, a boat. I'm assuming they were advertising OceanRowing.com. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Car.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Car.jpg" /></a> My colleague, Suhit, modeling a sports car. It was right near the boat. Two out-of-place items in the otherwise expected CeBIT. <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/Janak.jpg"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/parekh/features/CeBIT-2003-2/small/Janak.jpg" /></a> Last and least, yours truly, trying to close some frantic business deals on my oh-so-l33t Pocket PC Phone. :lol: That's all, folks... Until part three, that is... when I get to the interesting interview of Mike Wehrs, where I hit all the main questions (Smartphone, Pocket PC, ActiveSync vs. SyncML, etc.) Stay tuned... and I hope you're enjoying the ride so far. :) <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14869">Discuss this story here</a> (and not the link immediately below)