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LAS VEGAS -- CES is nuts. It’s a circus atmosphere that only gets crazier each year. This year is no different. Case in point. I went looking today for what I thought would be one of the few, new robot innovations at the Consumer Electronics Show. Instead, I met teen pop sensation Justin Bieber. Here’s how it went down.
TOSY, a Vietnamese toy company sent me an email some weeks ago promising that they’d unveil a very entertaining robot at the event. If you know me, you know I love my robots. I wanted to know more, but there was precious little they could tell me in advance of the event. What I did learn, however, was that Justin Bieber would be there to introduce the robot. Now, what Justin Bieber has to do with robots, toys or Tosy still eludes me. No offense to the Vietnamese company, but I would’ve expected to find Bieber (who was actually discovered on YouTube) on Sony or Panasonic’s stage, unveiling the latest 3D innovation or cloud music service.
But no.
Bieber was there to introduce this mysterious robot. I really wanted to go — not so much for Bieber, but to see the robot. Alas, I had another appointment and decided I’d cover the robot later. Then I ran into another journalist who also likes robots, and happens to have a special affinity for Bieber.
And so our adventure began. Forty-five minutes before the scheduled start of the event, hundreds of people, journalists, tradeshow attendees and even the teen daughters of attendees and exhibitors were packed like sardines around the smallish Tosy booth. Tosy had clearly achieved its objective. We joked that this had better be “the best robot ever.”
Those assembled crowded together and passed the time making idle robot and Bieber jokes (“BieberBot!”) While standing there, I got a look at Tosy’s press release. The robot, mRobo Ultra Bass, is really more of an unusual speaker system that can “grow” appendages and dance to whatever music you upload onto it. Now, at least I sort of understood the Bieber connection.
Bieber arrived at 1 p.m., but spent more than 45 minutes signing autographs. I thought about leaving and then a PR rep plucked a few of us from the crowd and walked us over to the incredibly young-looking crooner. In the face of all that star power, I suddenly forgot my purpose. There was no robot to be seen, but I didn’t really care.
As I got closer I tried to pull myself together. “Ask him about something tech!” I told myself. Finally I decided to ask him about Mashable. He didn’t know about us (though he does now!). However, Bieber seemed fascinated by the tiny external microphone on my iPhone. I told him it was good, but could not remember the brand or name (curse you, celebrity blindness!).
Bieber said he wanted a microphone like that and I said I had an extra. He asked if he could have it now. I laughed but I don’t think he was joking (could this be a celebrity thing? “Ask and ye shall receive”?). Finally, I handed him my card and told him to email me and I would send it to him.
Interesting, though I’m not sure it beats meeting Justin Bieber on the floor of CES. You be the judge. By the way, have you ever heard of emails getting “lost in the mail?” Just curious.
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