@ CES 2006: Keynote: Larry Page, Google; Parts Blacked Out

ces2006Work in progress: Got to a spot on the floor in the intel Concierge booth just in time after a mad dash from the utterly impossible lines for Larry Page’s keynote. I’m sitting right by a speaker in front of three plasma screens; maybe the audio will turn out this time. Page walked out on the stage in a Google Labs white coat accompanied by robotic car Stanley. Can already see the difference between the bookend keynotes for the day.
Connectivity: Google continues to add non-search elements. Page is talking about connecting multiple devices, sharing photos from camera to camera, etc. He wants standards for device connectivity. “That’s just sort of a personal passion of mine, We want to have adaptors, we want have standards … we don’t really have those things yet. We have things that can be adapted. … I just thought I’d throw this out and get people thinking about it.” The free WiFi project in Mountain Vew is an example of what Google is trying.

Google Talk: Interoperability is key. “We’re really, really excited abnoiut the possibilities there.”

He’s jumping all over the place, almost in a very absent-minded professor. Page obsviously is ecited about a lot of things.

Google Pack: “Really an amazing product. Makes having the right software on your computer as easy as going to Google Home Page…. How much does this cowst? It’s free. (applause; the audience is loaded with Googlers.)”
ces2006
No applause from the overflow room just now: we’ve been cut off.: “Due to the proprietary nature of the content in this presentation we must tempoirarily suspend the video and audio portion of this broadcast. Normal transmission will resume in a few moments.” Perhaps someone from Google can explain in the comments how this is compliant with SEC rules governing access to publicly stated information. Do people who made it into the auditorium have to sign NDAs? Just before the break, Page mentioned Sergey Brin’s dream of Google Brain, with a picture of a helmet.

Google Video: Nine minutes later we’re allowed back in Google-topia so we can hear about updates to Google Video. We’re supposed to like it because it’s international and “an amazing tool” to share video. But content providers who spend a lot of money to produce media want to charge for it. That’s why the Google Video Store is now open for business. Now, from the audience — “who the heclk are you? from Page — former roundball star Kenny Smith — to ask about downloading NBA games 24 hours after they’re played, one of the new features.

Les Moonves, president and CEO of CBS: CBS and Google, Goolge and CBS. Who’d have thought those two brands would be on stage at the same time? … CSI, Survivor, whenever you want it on a PC.” Also for the first time, Paramount and CBS library shows including Star Trek and the Brady Bunch.

– Non-copy protected content can be downloaded to iPod or PSP.
– You can buy it while you’re watching it.

But we’re offline again … Robin Williams, who I think did the earlier blacked-out presentation, came back on and the sign went back up.

Just talked to someone who was there and I think the real problem here may be Google’s language — it may actually have been a requirement for Robin Williams. Maybe he didn’t want Steve Jobs to know. Not handled well at all.
Update: It was a requirement by Williams, according to a CEA official. Google had control during the broadcast and CEA wasn’t aware of the length of the blackouts or how they would be handled.

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