With the first posting of this Comdex web site done, I packed a daypack with a few things and left the hotel to go to the Convention Center to register. I took a cab. Sitting between the two front seats was a TV, running ads:



We took the fast highway (I-15) that goes parallel to the Strip. We sped by the new Paris hotel:



I was dropped off in front of the Convention Center:



I wandered around until I found the registration area and entered the Exhibitor part. It wasn't very crowded, but it's ready for the big crowds tomorrow morning:



Instead of dictating your name, address, etc., to a typist there were dozens and dozens of Toshiba laptops:



Here's my badge:



Badge in hand, I could now enter the hall. Exhibits were still being set up:

   

I found the Trellix "booth". Actually, it's a meeting "room" (i.e., cubicle):



Well, it was time to go to the Venetian hotel to hear Bill Gates' keynote. Into a shuttle bus (almost no wait):



The Venetian replaces the old Sands hotel that was bought by the person who used to run Comdex. It is very impressive:



There is a canal with gondolas in front:



Inside there are many, many shops along a canal, also with a gondola. It was lit up like midday, and the ceiling was painted to look like the sky. The color of the lighting was very realistic. Each time you moved to a new area you were sure you went outside into the sun:



Julianne of Trellix tells me that the old Sands building served a special purpose before being demolished: It was used (in simulated slow motion that took forever to film) in a crash in the movie Con Air.

Finally, I had to walk through the casino on the way to the area where Bill was going to speak:



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