Robots, space navigators, and filter coffee?

The day before the start of CeBIT, the fair looked as if it was opening in a week. Journalists from around the world hoped to see something before the hordes of visitors descended on Thursday. However, they could only see a pile of unfinished booths, nervous workers, and scattered packaging.

Therefore, they had no choice but to attend numerous press conferences organized by well-known  companies with large enough budgets to rent space in the grand conference center. We hadn’t even picked up our accreditation yet, and hostesses were already swarming us with invitations to various conferences. After half an hour, our pockets were either full of invitations, and our hands too. We had no choice but to sit down for coffee and sort out which ones to skip and which to attend…

Sorting was not easy, but the look at the clock dictated that we dedicate our time to proven brands. Among them was certainly the IT giant NEC, which we have become accustomed to presenting a new “model” in the form of a robot each time. We were not mistaken; the home robot Papero presented NEC’s innovations in the field of 3D technology, telecommunications, and laptops. Thus, we saw the Shield Pro laptop for the first time, which they literally showered from all sides, and then turned it on and worked on it.

The presentation of Hitachi and their ALchemy application was also quite interesting, which gives sound an additional dimension. Truth be told, everything remained just words; the sound in the hall remained the same even when they announced the activation of the ALchemy application. Certainly, the most attended was Logitech’s press conference. In hall number 3 of the conference center, around 200 journalists gathered. Among the numerous peripheral gadgets, for which they are known as the best global brand, the Logitech Chillstream controller for PS3 attracted special attention. The innovative cooling system of the Logitech Chillstream controller keeps players’ hands cool and dry and is the only PS3 controller that offers that exclusive, patented technology.

On each side of the controller, there are three narrow openings through which air blows directly onto the fingers and palm of the player. This Logitech controller will be available on the European market immediately after the launch of the PlayStation 3 console at the end of March, and it will cost around 300 kuna. After the conference, attendees were ‘fighting’ not only for the Chillstream but also for the Space Navigator, an advanced model of a mouse that is almost half the size of a tennis ball. The navigator features a ring resembling a rubber (navring) and a circular touch-sensitive disk (tool tuner). Using the multidimensional navring, the user easily navigates images and documents while enjoying a simultaneous 360-degree view and zoom option.

Google Earth users will spend even more time browsing satellite images from a completely new angle with the Space Navigator. Although exhibitors had not yet set up their booths the day before the opening, it was already clear that Hannover thrives on this fair. It is impossible to find a hotel room, not even in the suburbs, and prices that are usually 60 euros per person per night jump at least 300 percent during the fair, while some two to three-star hotels shamelessly charge up to 450 euros per night. Food prices at the fair are comparable to Tokyo or Zurich, the most expensive cities in the world. You will pay up to 100 kuna for a sandwich, and up to 30 kuna for a cup of filter coffee, which contains more water than anything else. We won’t even mention a meal in a restaurant, a glass of beer, or wine…