And it certainly was insane.

In order to avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the show and the hordes of attendees, I focused on very specific areas and exhibitors. This enabled me to put together a list of the best and worst of the show, from a life and style perspective. Here’s the list – and for a little info on each, click through the gallery.

Top Picks for Life and Style

• Audio: Audio-Technica headphones
• TV/Video: Hopper from DISH Network, LG 55” OLED Display
• Cinema Tech: Dolby Digital 7.1 Audio
• Health & Fitness: Motorola MOTOACTV fitness tracker & music player
• Art & Design: Design Your Own Skin (iaPeel)
• Eco-Friendly: GreenZERO™ Technology charger by Osungo
• Gadget Accessories: driSuit Endurance, BodyDock
• Cameras & Photography: Canon PowerShot G1 X
• Smart Phones: Nokia Lumia 900
• Laptops/Tablets: Ultrabooks like Lenovo’s IdeaPad Yoga

 
Amazing or Promising technology – When Will Consumers Get To Experience These?

• LG Cinema 3D Smart TV
• Sony 55” Crystal LED Display Prototype
• TCL Smart TV
• Casio 3D Printing

 
Questionable, Needs Improvement, Silly or  Just Plain WTF

• Pink-Washing Gadgetry: girly packaging or design by Audio-Technica, Snooki-Endorsed iHip Headphones, Cellairis sparkly iPhone cases, Hello Kitty gadgets
• Polaroid Cameras
• iNuke Boom by Behringer – the 700 lb. $30K iPod Dock
• TOSY mRobo Ultra Bass music robot

Audio-Technica Headphones

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 19

I tested Audio-Technica's ATH-W1000x from the Audiophile line by listening to three songs from different genres. These headphones have pure American Black Cherry wood, giving everything a warm, deep sound. Lots of bass as well, and the noise reduction worked well on the loud show floor at CES.

Since 2002, this DC-based non-profit has provided online tools for social entrepreneurs and other non-profits looking to raise the money they need to improve their communities. So far, they have raised over $55 million from over 250,000 donors, supporting at least 5,000 projects. By embracing social media tools such as Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter, they offer various ways to donate. Once GlobalGiving receives your donation, you will receive project updates letting you know how your contribution is being put to use. They also have charity days where they will match donated funds by 30%.

We appreciate how quickly they respond to bring relief during natural disasters. Their incredible efforts to bring otherwise unknown non-profits attention and awareness makes them a vital part of our philanthropic goals.

We encourage you to learn more on Global Giving’s website, and you can also follow them on twitter (@globalgiving) for up-to-the-minute news on their activities.

-Kia

There, the weather was 80°F plus and the sun was out. For one week, the city accommodated massive youth congestion and the elderly went into hiding. Over the years I have found some great desert gems and wanted to share them, in case you were thinking about attending any upcoming trade shows in the Palm Springs area, such as AdMonsters Publisher Forum coming in March 2012.

LOCATION & HOLLYWOOD HISTORY

Palm Springs is located in the Coachella Desert Valley, within Riverside County. It is 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego. The sun usually shines here 354 days a year.

Since the 1920’s celebrities escaped the Hollywood hoopla by buying second homes in the Palm Springs desert hideaway. Steve McQueen had a home there. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Bob hope, Bing Crosby, Cary Grant, and even Albert Einstein hid out in Palm Springs.

HOW TO GET THERE

Palm Springs International Airport is located in the center of the city. The next closest airport is Ontario Airport (ONT) which is 60 miles away. Los Angeles (LAX), Sand Diego (SAN) and Orange County (SNA) airports are all a few hours’ drive away.

WHERE TO STAY

Ingleside Inn: an historic landmark and built in 1925, renovated in 1975. 30 rooms, Spanish-style inn. Albert Einstein stayed here.

Orbit In: retro cool, modernist. An eco-friendly mid-century style motel that celebrates the great architects. Saltwater pool included. Request the Albert Frey room —  it has an outdoor shower and a view of Frey’s great ship (Frey House II) home.

Hotel De Marcos: newly remodeled and originally designed in 1947 by famed architect William F. Cody. Click here to enjoy the music and book.

Viceroy: sister to the Santa Monica Viceroy. Beautifully landscaped with fruit trees surrounding the bungalows built in 1933. The interiors were designed by Kelly Wearstler — imagine Italy in the desert.

Movie Colony Inn: designed by Albert Frey with the Hollywood chic in mind.

Colony Palms Hotel: mobster Al Wertheimer owned this when it was The Colonial House.

Hotel Zozo: contemporary cool with comfort in mind. Has a touch of retro furnishings. A walk to downtown.

Parker Palms Hotel: was once home to both Gene Autry and Merv Griffin. Morocco-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland desert style. Jonathon Adler channels the 1950s-1970s era of Palms Springs. The spa is the Palm Springs Yacht Club.

The Ace Hotel: evoking an old Native American campsite, the Ace is hipster cool — organic and bohemian. Stumptown coffee provided.

Some of our Palm Springs photos…

WHAT TO DO

Palm Springs Air Museum: located off the Gene Autry Trail. Showcases the nation’s largest collection of vintage military aircraft within indoor airplane hangars.

Hikes and Trails: there are several hiking trails in the Palm Springs area. Palm Springs and Indian Canyons trails are good for beginner to intermediate and offer both an oasis of desert beauty and waterfalls!

The Living Desert: a zoo in the desert, but this is no ordinary zoo. The Living Desert showcases over 1,000 out of 1,800 acres in their natural state. Located 15 minutes from Palm Springs.

Golf: the Escena Golf Course has a mid-century modern-cool-meets-Jack-Nicklaus design. This course easily channels Sinatra and Hope. Opened in 2009. Dining at the Escena Grill is suggested.

Dunebuggy tours: Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here. Disillusioned? Sorry.

Tour The Architecture: Palm Springs has the largest concentration of mid-century modern architecture. Since the 1920s,  the desert allowed the great architects from Donald Wexler to Albert Frey to develop sleek indoor outdoor living spaces. Check out the Palms Springs Official Visitor Center (which was once the tramway gas station) designed by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers, then grab a map of the all the notable mid-century landmarks.

Each year, Palm Springs hosts Modernism Week. Modern architeture celebrated with tours, lectures and parties in some of the modern marvels.

SPAS

The best spas are in Desert Hot Springs, located just 15 minutes from Palm Springs.

The Spring Resort & Spa  in Desert Hot Springs
A retro motel sits on one of the top 10 hot spring waters in the world. Dubbed the “fountain of youth” with a covered grotto. Spa treatments include the Spring Buff which includes a mineral scrub, full-body clay mask and an Aloe Vera scalp massage. Takes three hours- spahhhmazing!

Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs
This is a 100-acre getaway with direct access to the Miracle Hill Hot Springs. Built in the 1920s for Al Capone as a hideaway. Stay in Bungalow 14, otherwise known as Al’s place!

WHERE TO EAT
 
Melvyn’s in the Ingleside Inn.  Old school glamour. Extensive menu with a continental touch, and piano bar. Steve McQueen missed this grand opening. He and Ali MacGraw were underdressed and turned away!

Mister Parkers in the Parker Palm Hotel. Dark, broody bistro with mirrors on the ceiling. The steak is amazing.

Norma’s in the Parker Palm Hotel. Comfort food. I suggest the Mango Lobster Salad and the smoothie of the day.

Copley’s. Cary Grant’s Former Estate. American cuisine with tropical flavor.

Spencer’s.  French American cuisine located near the tennis estates.

The Purple Palm in the Colony Palms Hotel. Mediterranean cuisine poolside.

Kings Highway at the Ace Hotel.  A Denny’s redesigned and coolified with Native American accents and hipster wait staff.

Sherman’s Deli. Serving Kosher since 1953. The locals dine here.

Zin Bistro.  American comfort food with a European twist. Fancy macaroni and cheese.

BARS & NIGHTLIFE

Parker Palms Mini Bar.  I suggest the lavender mojito. Fresh from the garden!

Ace Hotel Bar and the Amigo Bar Room. NY Hipsters transplanted to the desert.

See you in the desert!

-KIA

We also attended two pre-Dmexco events in Cologne –  UBERCLOUD, an international creative summit meeting, and OpsEurope, an AdMonsters conference on the future of advertising.

Irene and the King of Hohoe, Gbi Traditional Ghana at UBERCLOUD

UBERCLOUD was billed as “The visible mass of digital creativity…where the crucial top creatives, leaders, talents and digital rock stars will be presenting and discussing the new dimensions of the digital creative business.” Topics covered included branding in the digital age, data visualization and the convergence of media and creativity.  We also had an opportunity to meet the King of Traditional Ghana.

In terms of content, there wasn’t anything earth-shattering or hugely forward-thinking at UBERCLOUD. Much of what was discussed was covered more in-depth at The Future of Web Design (London) conference I attended back in May.

Kia networking at OpsEurope (Photo Courtesy Admonsters)

OpsEurope was a great networking event for publishers and agencies. It was a small and intimate event, with industry veterans offering their insights on the the future of digital display in the European market. The theme of the day was premium advertising, which drives about 80% of all online ad revenue. Topics covered included brand-consumer interaction, agency strategies, real-time bidding and social media.

Whenever I go to Europe, I always find inspiration from the artistic endeavors there. Dmexco was an impressive show from a design standpoint. Booth exhibits in this industry can be pretty conservative, boring and predictable. For the most part, the booths at Dmexco were anything but: almost every booth had a café (with baristas!), a bar (with bartenders!) and a huge lounge where attendees could sit and have a comfortable meeting with exhibitors. One booth even had an aquarium, and another award-winning space was set up like a park, complete with picnic tables, real trees and plants. (See the gallery for photos from the show) This sort of thing is not the norm at North American digital marketing or search trade shows.

Ad:Tech London was not so impressive art-wise. It was also much smaller in scale than Dmexco and seemed like it lost a lot of attendees and exhibitors to Dmexco, since both were held on the exact same days. While the show was much smaller than previous years, there were plenty of attendees who were there looking to grow their business within the UK market.

Overall, our Euro whirlwind tradeshow trip was very productive. We made new key contacts in the display space, and got some valuable face-time with our existing clients and colleagues.

We’re looking to attend some different shows next year…any suggestions?

When my cab pulled up to the hotel, I wasn’t sure that I had actually arrived. The garden topiary façade at the entryway was deceiving. The dreamy and romantic enchanted garden entryway evoked an Alice In Wonderland-like feel. The interiors — including much of the furniture of the restaurant bar, hotel rooms and evening lounge — were designed by Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, who revamped both the Scottsdale and LA Mondrians. The powder blue hue-themed interiors throughout feature large vintage mirrors, rose vine carpet and Astroturf terraces. The overall design of the hotel design was inspired by Jean Coucteau’s 1946 French fantasy film “La Belle et la Bête” (“The Beauty and The Beast”).

The Rooms
The jewel box-style lofts have 10-foot ceilings and are mirrored throughout. Large floor-to-ceiling windows offer amazing views of the city — even in the shower! These showers are perhaps not so great for the self-conscious.

The romantic roses and French blue theme is reinforced by the custom-designed Noriega-Ortiz furniture in the guest rooms. Cool tech amenities include an iPad for hotel concierge services and local information, as well as a flat-screen LCD HD TV.

The Restaurant Imperial No. Nine
The indoor-outdoor modern sustainable seafood restaurant features whitewashed oak floors, marble tables, and a cluster of crystal chandeliers. The tables and bar areas are surrounded by potted plants and natural Ficus trees that sit beneath the glass roof.  More Noriega-Ortiz-designed furniture provides casual seating elegance in a dreamy garden glass house — double-sided cottage swing included. A hand-blown glass sculpture centerpiece designed by artist Beth Lipman further references  “La Belle et la Bête.”  Drinks by John Lermayer are labeled by easy-to-remember numbers. Try the signature No.9, which features 12-year-old Eldorado rum, Angostura Bitters, Demerara sugar and coconut water.

Chef Sam Talbot, of Top Chef fame (and still the executive chef of Surf Lodge in Montauk) offers a unique and delicious menu that features sustainable seafood medium plates. For starters, I recommend the cauliflower-ricotta fritters and organic beets. For a main, try the seared scallops and raw tuna infused with mustard seed and grapefruit.

For dessert, I tried both the Talbot Salty Carmel Popcorn ice cream (amazing) and the Banana Brioche Bread Pudding with rum and drizzled caramel (drunken delish).

Reservations are highly recommended. Imperial No. Nine is lively and therefore noisy. If you want a quiet restaurant this is not the place for you. Dishes are priced between $14-$32.

Overall, the hotel and restaurant service was great, the hotel ambiance was perfect. Luxury hotels should be dreamy and decadent but at the same time, functional. The Mondrian SoHo achieves that balance.

Next time? I still need to check out the nightspot Mister H. where I hear Chinatown chic meets a playful interpretation of the “Year Of The Rabbit.”

Here is the lowdown on the in-room amenities:

• High-Speed Internet access (for a fee)
• iPod Docking Station
• In-room spa services (and discounts at the nearest The Spa by Equinox)
• Room service
• Malin + Goetz toiletries

Hotel amenities include:

• Fitness Center
• On-site valet parking and limousine service (for a fee)
• Imperial No. Nine restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Bar inside the restaurant with cocktails by mixologist John Lermayer
• Gallery and Gallery Terrace (apparently a cool 2,500 square-foot meeting space)

Know before you go: even the superb service can’t bring cabs to this part of town easily, so give yourself time to get to your destination. Via subway: J, M, Q, R, W, Z at Canal Street.

Kia Tip: The Mondrian SoHo is a quick jaunt to the famed Balthazar Bistro and all the cool SoHo shops and boutiques.

I look forward to my return!

-Kia

The Mondrian SoHo
http://www.mondriansoho.com
9 Crosby Street
New York, NY
(212) 389-10013

Not to be confused with the film or music portion of the event, SXSW Interactive connects fresh startups offering what is new and what is next to geek consumers hungry for the next big interactive thing. Taking place in Austin, Texas, SXSW Interactive combines track sessions, startup showcases for investors and evening parties with contests for consumers.

The melding of businesses and consumers in a veritable playground of an environment allows businesses to truly see their products in action. The show is very spread out, from the parties to the track sessions. I relied heavily on following people and SXSW trending topics through Twitter. Other than running into colleagues, I found communication beyond my social media tools hard to come by. I even resurrected my Foursquare account! It is no surprise then that the geo-location apps/startups were the highlight of the show. Some you may not know about:

• SCVNGER: a location-based mobile game
• Tweetsii: allows you to connect with nearby tweeters and check in/check out of places
• Localmind: lets users ask questions to people who are checked in nearby

Group services also showcased well at SXSW. Cool apps such as…

• Beluga: a group messaging app that allows you to plan, share photos, update and check in/out with friends. Beluga announced on March 1st that it was acquired by Facebook.
• Groupme: group texting with ease.

With so much emphasis on social media , I found my best conversations were one-on-one with conference goers who happened to sit by me when I was charging my phone.

The interesting part of the show for me was the Bizspark/Microsoft Accelerator Showcase where VC’s sat in a Gong Show-like “speed dating”-mode looking for the next big thing. Hipmunk was a standout — this app allows users to choose flights according to their travel pain threshold.  I also liked PopVox, which meshes real-time legislative data with users’ personal stories and sentiment. I found a really useful web app in NeighborGoods, a place designed for friends and neighbors to easily borrow or share items with each other.

The show was definitely high energy, all walks of life about, with bands playing at most of the interactive events. A personal highlight: we were fortunate to have the Foo Fighters crash our closing party.

All in all, SXSW is filled with buzz and activity, but it’s almost too noisy to focus and somewhat difficult to navigate. Great for consumers, a requirement for startups making a name and looking for investors. It’s pretty much an option for everyone else.

South By 2012? Maybe..

-Kia

The first event Kia and I attended was the Original MOONSHINE presents Shine & Swine hosted by Master BBQ Chef Adam Perry Lang at the W Hotel South Beach. We went more for the swine than the moonshine. It’s a good thing we ate a light dinner beforehand, since they were short on the swine and heavy on the moonshine.  We expected “deliciously crafted pork dishes created by top notch chefs from all over the country” and we had a total of three different dishes (if you can even call them that), and two of them weren’t all that easy to get.  The first dish we sampled was Cochinillo Confitado – slow-cooked suckling pig terrine with farm fresh beets, shallots and raspberry reduction — by executive chef Michael Gilligan.  Having Pacific Islander blood, slow-cooked suckling pig is hardwired into my DNA, and growing up in Canada made me an ardent fan of beets and berries, so this dish was right up my alley. It was the best thing we had at the event.

The two other things we tried were a Cuban grilled cheese and a pulled pork sandwich. I’m not sure if Perry Lang created both, it was hard to tell since there was no real booth with information on either. These tiny sandwiches were just being passed out by servers walking around the pool, and those servers were being out-shined by the moonshine shot waitresses in short shorts and tall boots. We skipped the moonshine, whiskey and shots entirely.

The second event we attended was the one we were super-excited for: Sobe’s 10th Anniversary Party “Let Them Eat Cake” hosted by Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart.  I was able to meet both hosts, who were all smiles and really very sweet.

It was Kia’s birthday on the day of this event, so cakes from 13 bakeries and Godiva chocolate were perfect (and very convenient!) ways to celebrate. Even before we got into the actual event, which was held at the work-of-art parking structure at 1111 Lincoln Road, Sweet Street Desserts was serving cupcakes from their cake-mobile. It was a nice taste of what was to come.

Some of the country’s best bakeries and pastry chefs were there: Jacques Torres, Charm City Cakes, Georgetown Cupcakes, Ron Ben-Israel, and David Funaro from Godiva Chocolatier. We had a sample from them all, which sounds easy, but let me tell you — eating cake and chocolate all night is much harder than it looks!  Each piece of cake was delicious, most were very rich or decadent, and all that buttercream frosting or fondant was sweet. It was a lesson in overloading tastebuds with sugar. And then there was the champagne by Moët & Chandon (Moët Hennesy USA was the main sponsor), cocktails by brands in the Moët Hennesy portfolio (Grand Marnier, Belvedere Vodka) — and the evening was rounded out by burgers and shakes from the Shake Shack. Yes folks, that’s right: cake, champagne, cocktails, burgers and shakes all in one three-hour event.

We had a great time at Let Them Eat Cake and plan on going again next year. We also hope to try out other events, maybe the Burger Bash or the Best Thing I Ever Ate At The Beach?

Here are some photos from the events and our time in Miami. Enjoy!

Back in the Nineties, when I worked for Sony, I spent most of my time at or near 550 Madison in the heart of Midtown. When I was not there, I was either home in the Upper East Side (63rd and 1st) or watching a gig at one of the Lower East Side venues  like Brownies, Mercury Lounge, Under Acme, or Fez.

Going down to Tribeca was an escape and a retreat from Midtown madness and my rocking  job. At the time, Tribeca consisted only of a few bars and lofts. Bubby’s was there and still is, thankfully,  as was the Tribeca Grill, along with famed Nobu. The wide streets and quieter neighborhood of Tribeca gave me a sort of odd comfort and I felt more connected to my family in California.

So it is no surprise that when Bobby and his friends decided to open up a hotel, I made a point of staying there. In April of 2008, developers Ira Druker and Richard Born of the famed Mercer and Bowery Hotels teamed up with Robert De Niro to create The Greenwich Hotel. The 88 rooms are full of artisan creations and antiques from here and there. Located on Greenwich Street, the hotel is just one block from the Hudson River Greenway and near the Chambers Street subway station. It sits between the Tribeca Film Center and Locande Verde and took over six years to perfect before it opened.

Structure: The building itself used to be a single-story parking garage. Samantha Craysco of Grayling Design pulled together raw materials that give off an “Old World” style — red bricks from Pennsylvania, and floor-to-ceiling reclaimed wood from defunct factories.   Reclaimed antique mirrors from the Flatiron building give the place an eco edge, among other refurbished furniture pieces. Hand-crafted terracotta tiles are showcased in the courtyard and entrance.

Antique silk rugs and Buddha figures supply a Zen vibe on each floor. The restored American pine woodwork continues through the hallway and the doors themselves, but with a twist — an electronic key entry. A little reminder that De Niro and friends want you feeling at home but with all the modern comforts available.

Rooms: The smallest room is 325 square feet. The largest is over 2,000. The rooms feature brass lamps and antique beds with modern mattresses to give guests comfort. 42″ Phillips flat screen plasmas mixed in with antique wood furniture create a time warp of confusion.

It all seems so familiar, so much like a home and not a hotel. Antique Moroccan mosaic tiles cover every inch of the bathroom and Red Flower bath products supply the aromatherapy.

The Courtyard and Drawing Room: Only guests are allowed in these areas — no Papparazzi!   American abstract expressionist paintings by Robert De Niro Sr. (Bobby’s father) are adorned throughout, along with antiques from Bobby De Niro’s travels. A wonderful fireplace gives the drawing room a more living room feel. The courtyard is ridiculously private. You cannot hear a sound.

The Spa: The Shibui Pool and Spa designed by Mikio Shinagawa both sit underground and below a 250-year-old wood and bamboo Japanese farmhouse roof. It took 13 Japanese craftsmen to re-assemble the 18th-Century wood structure, since it was built without nails or screws. (yes, you read that right) The concrete floor is heated, which makes you relax instantly, so it is handy that there are lounge chairs throughout the pool area. Spa Director Thuyen Nguyen offers treatments inspired from his native Vietnam. I recommend the deep tissue massage!

The Gym: Located next door to the Shibui Spa and features latest cardio machines and free weights.

The Restaurant: Andrew Carmellini’s Locande Verde opened next door in May 2009, replacing Ago. I recommend the Ravioli! The hotel guests have 24-hour room service from Locande Verde and the drawing room has a mini-menu from Locande. For breakfast I recommend the donuts!

The Staff: All went through intensive butler training before the hotel opened. The Concierge and front desk are one in the same. Make no mistake, the staff know their way around town. Ask them anything! Cookies on arrival and just about anything you wish for is yours. If they can make it happen, they will!

Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, guests have use of pool and spa and gym with no extra charge. (Kia Tip: Non-guests can use the spa. New Yorkers, take a spahh break here!)

Price: Well, you get what you pay for. This hotel is an experience. Prices start at $400 and work their way up, way up!

Enjoy your stay!
-Kia

The Greenwich Hotel
377 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10013
www.thegreenwichhotel.com

The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas opened December 15, 2010 with a lot of fanfare and hype.  The $3.9 billion hotel has 2,995 rooms, many of which were supposed to be condos.  We stayed here in early January while attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and Affiliate Summit West, coming a little too late for the $25 million New Year’s Eve party at Marquee.

Just driving in to the Cosmopolitan’s covered front entrance is impressive even though the design is really quite simple and understated. The minimalist pathway looks to be made of smooth poured concrete, and it curves wide in a seemingly Feng Shui-like flow. Bright white columns serve as lighting and traffic flow. The hotel’s logo flanks the entrance in giant steel lettering, so there’s no mistaking which hotel you’ve just arrived at.  I also like the fact that the Cosmopolitan’s logotype is DIN Schrift Engshrift, a German industrial font that we use a lot in the Chix Creative brand.

We knew we’d be in for a treat when we got inside the hotel since the outside entrance made such a great first impression.  Hotel CEO John Unwin describes the Cosmopolitan’s target market as “the curious class” — adults who “enjoy travel, are open-minded, like adventure, like to explore, enjoy foreign food and enjoy interesting hotel concepts.”   I would go even further, since I’m not the CEO, and say that the Cosmopolitan is a hotel for cool people (in temperament and social perception) who are tech savvy and want the adult side of Vegas brought back in a classy and glorified way.

The lobby of the Cosmopolitan could best be described as a creative geek’s dream. It was designed by David Rockwell, whose work you might be familiar with if you have ever dined at any of the Nobu restaurants, watched the Academy Awards at the Kodak Theater, or watched Broadway musicals like Hairspray or Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. The first thing you see when you walk through the front doors are massive columns that on first glance, look wallpapered with bright floral artwork. Then the flowers start to move — subtly at first, like they’re swaying in the breeze. Then a few buds start to bloom. These massive towers are giant LED screens and the live wallpaper changes throughout the day. When I snapped out of the trance caused by the mesmerizing blooming flowers, I started to notice all the other slick, modern elements in the lobby:  glittery Terrazzo flooring, an ultra-hip bar lounge housed by the grand centerpiece of it all– a three-tiered chandelier encased in two-million crystals, that seems to go skyward three  floors.  Of course there’s a casino just past the lobby, deeper inside the hotel. The best thing about the casino was that it was all sparkly and new, and hasn’t been ruined by years of cigarettes and drunken partying yet.

The check-in process was a little slow, but that sort of thing is to be expected in Las Vegas. There were people around us while we were waiting, and some were throwing fits because they had to wait 10 minutes for a staff member to serve them.  First of all, this is a brand new hotel. It hadn’t even been open a month when we got there, and clearly the hotel staff were still learning all the systems and routines. Secondly, again, it’s Vegas. You just have to expect that you will wait for a lot of things, even if you are on time or it’s during a “slow” period of the day, week, or year.

But back to the check-in: the cute front desk guy was clearly happy to be working there, and he cheerfully checked us in early and had rooms ready for us, even though he seemed unsure of the technology he had to use to get all that accomplished.  There were iPads embedded into each reception desk, which I thought were just for show. Those of you who know me and have read my iPad review know that the device doesn’t impress me much.  So I was even less impressed when the cute front desk guy asked me to sign paperwork on the iPad. How? There’s no stylus and your fingertip just won’t cut it as a pen on this screen. Apparently you have to use a fingernail, which poses problems if yours are short like mine. So, while the inclusion of the iPad at reception was great for show and cute in theory, it is not a work device! You shouldn’t ask hotel guests to perform functional, legal tasks with it. Minus one point for the Cosmopolitan here. Just one point though.

iPad blip aside,  we made our way though the lobby and casino, noting every single funky design element all the way to our rooms. Overall the design is Art Deco glam mixed with 1960s modernist touches: pink chandeliers, metallic foil damask wallpaper, retro mirrors that reminded me of  something that Jonathan Adler would have put inside the Malibu Barbie Dream House.  The tower elevators interiors were also covered in video screens displaying live wallpaper, and the music piping through the sound system was not elevator muzak. No sir, like it was in the lobby, we were treated to a playlist that could have come from my own music collection: Beastie Boys, Marvin Gaye, some vintage Aretha Franklin… just good music.

We got very cool terrace suites, and we got into them early. Remember what I said before about wanting to have the adult side of Vegas brought back? Well, the rooms at the Cosmopolitan are pretty much a reflection of that sentiment. There are no Bibles in the bedside tables here — instead you’ll find art history books and Japanese erotica, all of which you can take home with you (for a minor fee, charged to your room bill of course).  More Jonathan Adler-inspired elements and ’60s modernist pieces fill these spacious retreats as well.  It seems each piece was carefully considered to fit within the very contemporary luxe and glamour theme of the hotel.

Each room comes with modern techy amenities, so it is also a geek dream. I could hardly contain my excitement. Rooms are equipped with two flat-screen plasmas which also serve as your entertainment system, environment controls, concierge and reservation/front desk — that is a lot for one system to do, and while it was great in theory, we experienced a lot of glitches with the system. Towards the end of my stay, the whole thing just failed and didn’t work at all. During the times the plasma system worked, I could dim the lights, set some music, and choose the room temperature then save it all as a “room theme” to be recalled again later.  Theoretically I could also check-out and request a bellhop using this system, but that didn’t work for me either. The in-room phones were the latest in telecom technology (they looked to be VoIP phones)  but sadly, those were glitchy and failed as well during certain points of our stay. Minus 5 points for the Cosmopolitan here, because when the technology failed, it failed big time, with no backup or redundancy.

Aside from the technology, the rooms treated us to a great view of the Strip and had a great terrace with comfy lounge furniture. The mini-bar also had a microwave, dishwasher and sink — so you could make drinks and snacks then soak in the view. The bathrooms were nicely oversized and quite open, though there were plenty of ways to make them more private should you need to. The shower in my room was huge (probably designed to fit two nicely) and there was also a tub with jets. Some lucky folks get rooms with a Japanese soaking tub and wrap-around terraces.  The free CO Bigelow toiletries were an unexpected bonus.

When we weren’t relaxing in the rooms, we were eating at one of the fine restaurants downstairs or lounging in the Sahra Spa. Of course some of the best chefs du jour have restaurants in the Cosmopolitan. We ate fabulous Italian at Scarpetta, owned and operated by celebrity chef Scott Conant; breakfast or lunch were at LA chef David Meyer’s Comme Ça; the sushi was exceptional at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill, owned by chef/restauranteur brothers Bruce and Eric Bromberg.

The Sahra Spa & Hammam was apparently inspired by desert oases, and had a very organic feel to it. No cold steel or Art Deco glam in here, it’s all wood and other natural elements that create the Zen atmosphere.  Other than the Hammam (an experience unto itself) the coolest part about the spa was the “monsoon cave” — a pool area in between two Jacuzzis (each with different strength jets) whose falling water created rain sounds and another level of serenity. Unfortunately, some elements of the spa were not working or working well while we were there, namely the steam room which was closed off completely and the sauna which really was warm at best. We chalk this up to the newness of the spa.

I think that the Cosmopolitan will find its technological rhythm and groove as time goes on. It’s an extremely modern and tech-heavy hotel, and those who work there might need a bit more time to figure it all out and fix the bugs.

On a ride down the elevator, one woman remarked, “This hotel is a shrine to pussy.” We had to laugh because even though she was more crass than me, she was absolutely right. Everything about the Cosmopolitan appealed to a feminine sense of aesthetic, beauty, glamour and taste. From the sleek décor to the gastronomic paradise and down to the eco-luxe spa, the Cosmopolitan could easily replace silly diamond baubles as a girl’s best friend. I’ve found my preferred Vegas home base.

In 2010, all that optimism was eroded by every new Apple iPhone announcement, an unsuitable lack of replacement options for the iPhone, and my new phone’s complete unwillingness to cooperate.

Now it’s a brand new year, the mobile space competition is heating up and things are getting exciting. We’ll be attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to see what’s new and notable.

I was going to do a whole post reviewing the HTC incredible vs. the iPhone. I wrote a list of all the reasons why I ditched the iPhone (they mostly had to do with Apple and AT&T, not the device itself) and then went into detail about how great a device the HTC Incredible was.

Then I had to ditch the Incredible too. But if it’s such a good phone, why did I replace it?  One reason: CDMA. For those of you who are not up on your geek-speak and/or don’t travel outside the USA very much, let me fill you in: CDMA is a digital wireless technology used in the US by Verizon and Sprint.  CDMA networks operate primarily in the Americas and Asia. Not Europe.

In  my rush to get a new phone before an upcoming business trip to London, I missed the fact that the HTC Incredible was a CDMA-only phone. So much to my chagrin, I wasn’t able to use my new fancy-pants device while in Europe for any cellular functions. It made for a great little wi-fi powered web browser though!

Having a phone that I am very familiar with while I am abroad is a BIG deal for me, especially if I’m travelling alone.  I need to know that I can rely on my phone to save my life, if necessary. Unfortunately, the HTC Incredible was an epic fail in this regard.  This CDMA-only deal was a major inconvenience.  Although Verizon was pretty decent in their customer service, supplying me with a Samsung Saga Windows Mobile phone to use instead of the Incredible,  the Saga turned out to be an unreliable piece of crap and the usage charges were completely outrageous. It was just a frightening experience trying to work alone abroad using this device.  It was like going from Windows 7 back to Windows 95.

I returned the HTC Incredible to Verizon when I got back, but with a lot of hassle of course. Verizon assured me while I was a customer that I could return the phone easily and without incurring an early-termination fee, provided I return the device within 28 days. Even though I did just that, a month later they charged me $350 in early termination fees anyway, and I had to spend hours on the phone and wait 6 weeks in order to get that money back.

Had it not been for this CDMA debacle, I would still own this phone. I travel frequently, and the network modes are now a deal-breaker for me.

So I wanted another Android phone that could travel and work with me. At the time, my only option really was to get the Nexus One by Google. It seemed to fit the bill: it was a quad-band phone that operated on GSM and WCDMA – which meant it is technically useable all over the world. It was also getting good reviews by both professional techies and regular users alike.

I seriously don’t understand what all the great reviews are about because I have not had the same experience at all with this device.  This phone has a 1 Ghz Snapdragon processor (called “lightning fast” by CNET editors) but every task I tried to perform on this device was painfully slow. I thought I got a dud, so I sent it back to Google and had it replaced. The new one is only marginally faster and seems to have the same slow 3G connective issues that the first one had, despite the updates that Google released earlier in the year. It also has some serious touch-screen alignment issues, which I’ll talk more about later.

Pros and Cons of the Nexus One: Android OS, User Interface and Apps

I am currently using Android version 2.2.1, codenamed Froyo (following Google’s alphabetized dessert naming convention). Instead of going in-depth about the features and specs of this device (I’m not Engadget), I’m just going to cover the pros and cons as I see them.

PROS of the Nexus One:

• Thin, light, curvy body. The thickness of the phone is 11.5mm and it measures just 59.8mm and 119mm across and up and down.
• A bright 3.7” AMOLED display, with a 480×800 resolution
• 5 megapixel camera with a flash, that takes sharp, detailed images in/with good lighting.
• Memory card storage: the phone came loaded with a 4 GB microSD card, and you can expand it up to 32 GB. That’s a ton of storage space for a phone!
• Cool features in the OS like live wallpaper, gallery scrolling animations, and menu home screen “deck of cards” display that shows thumbnails of home screens.
• Google apps rock: speech-to-text is pretty accurate, the new 3D maps are amazing, and the driving navigation is very handy (although a total battery drain).
• Great apps from the Android Marketplace.
• Flash content is viewable, unlike on the iPhone.

Photos taken with my Nexus One:

CONS of the Nexus One:

For starters, there are some major touch-screen alignment and registration issues.  I’ll press something at the top of the screen, and it would trigger something at the bottom of the screen. I have often pressed on icons at the bottom of the screen, and the status bar at the top comes down.  The alignment issues are most noticeable using the default keyboard – typing on this is a painful and slow-going process, and it’s not like I have giant fingers or mash multiple buttons at once. I always have problems with the delete and enter buttons, which are one on top of another. I press delete, but enter is triggered. Turning the phone into landscape mode helps slightly.

I also have a problem where the screen doesn’t even sense that I am touching or pressing it. This happens especially when I am trying to answer the phone by sliding the unlock button, turn off my alarm, and scrolling vertically through screens.

I continue to be amazed at what actually gets pressed when using this phone. Below are two videos that give you examples of what I’m talking about…

Nexus One Screen Test Using MultiTouch Visualizer 2:

Nexus One Screen Test Using Touch Test:

See what I mean?

While the function buttons (back, menu, home, search)  at the bottom of the screen are handy, since they are not raised or textured, they can easily be pressed inadvertently. This is annoying while in a game (like Angry Birds) or while you are trying to use a camera app (like Vignette or FxCamera) that uses virtual buttons instead of the physical scroll wheel to take the shot, or whose virtual buttons are right next to the function buttons. These function buttons are often more in the way than they are useful.

Even though there was an over-the-air update to correct 3G reception issues, the problem persisted. Some users blame Google, others T-Mobile. I’ve had to force the phone to use 3G only using a crazy numeric testing screen sequence on the phone dialer. Google stopped investigating this issue last April, telling users to change their location or the orientation of the phone in order to get better 3G reception.  So I put the blame squarely on Google for this one (the spotty reception issues are another issue altogether and are T-Mobile’s fault).  Until the force fix, everything was painfully slow. Short email messages (using the built-in mail app) would not load, or would take 5 minutes to display text. Applications like Facebook would sit and spin, then error out. Ultimately the phone would win. In frustration and anger, I simply gave up trying to accomplish whatever the task at hand was.

While the bright AMOLED display is nice indoors, forget about trying to look at it or use it outside in bright daylight – and in California, that’s pretty much an issue most days of the year. Taking pictures outside is like doing so with your eyes closed.

I have a few minor issues with the phone, but I don’t think they’re persnickety by any means:

• The device did not come standard with a world clock, stopwatch, a timer, or a nice big clock like HTC put in the Droid Incredible. Why not, HTC?
• The one-color, ugly default clock also has the weather, the music player and the ability to run a slideshow — why? Seems a bit bloated for a a simple, essential application.
• The number and quality of options for live wallpaper is pretty poor. There were only ten preloaded, only three of them were interesting, and the rest you have to find in the Android Marketplace.
• The device itself is very slippery and is hard to keep a hold of. It has slipped out of my hands several times. Unfortunately, the phone didn’t break like I hoped it would.
• Unlocking and answering the phone by sliding the icon horizontally is awkward and somehow unintuitive. Combine that with the touch-screen issues and it becomes really annoying.

The saving graces for this device are the apps and the integration with Google. Doing anything Google-related is fast and easy. Android apps have taken leaps and bounds during the past year, and they keep getting better. Some of the best ones I have (other than the Google apps mentioned above) are the Car Locator, TripIt, Vignette (which puts Hipstamatic to shame), Evernote, Bump, Amazon, Google Goggles, Google Translate, WiFinder and Photoshop Express.

Travel note: it’s very important to me that my phone travel well, as I mentioned before. I went to Canada with this phone and didn’t want to incur data roaming charges, so I turned off my phone when not in use and turned on wi-fi to check my mail and do other web-related tasks. Well, when I got home, I discovered that the phone still data roamed anyway, and I was charged $15/MB for it. Apparently I did not turn off data roaming explicitly and when I used wi-fi it switched over to Edge when the signal was weak. The moral of the story is to explicitly turn off data roaming while travelling, or you will find yourself with a $600 phone bill for checking your email a few times.