Author Archives: Jill Adler

PCSKIGAL in Vegas: CES 2012 Is All About Lifestyle

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The sheer number of companies attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas is dizzying. The gal at the press desk dropped that this is the second largest show in in history. More than 140,000 thousand attendees, 3000 exhibitors and 1.8 million square feet between the Convention Center and the Venetian.

Health and lifestyle gadgets have leapfrogged over the tablet craze this year. Although we still saw a fair share of wafer-thin notebooks set to compete with Mac. Including those with touchscreens.

From Roomba or one of the other robotic vacuums to heartrate monitors with built-in MP3/GPS/calories-burned counter, looks like it’s no longer about making life simpler. Be prepared to read a lot of instruction manuals. One thing that shouldn’t require too much thought are headphones. The only question next year will be what color. Fighter Floyd Mayweather and 50 Cent drew a sizeable crowd signing autographs and pimping his new earcups from SMS Audio.

There were a zillion different styles of buds as well, including waterproof models for swimmers. The Motoactiv from Motorola showed promise for fitness junkies. The iPod Nano sized smart device has a built-in GPS that will track time, distance, speed, heart rate, and elevation change, then sync with your computer or WiFi Cloud. The touchscreen is protected by rugged Gorilla Glass, and the entire unit is sweatproof and water resistant. It’s also a radio and Mp3 player that determines which songs boost your energy and creates a workout specific playlist. IF you have a Motorola phone or tablet you can also get texts and calls.


Finally, the proliferation of POV cameras continues. There are cases that turn your iphone into one, GoPro introduces a remote control and Oregon Scientific is out to buck those negative quality reviews by introducing two new cameras this fall. One – The Chameleon- has two separately adjustable lens so you can record you and your journey at the same time then play back simultaneously on a split screen.


Off to check out more stuff!

PCSKIGAL GOES TO VEGAS: CES 2012

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I entered the Consumer Electronics Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center with one mission last year. To find a pen that would record my strokes so I could write in a hardback journal (blog) without having to be logged into a computer or without having to type it all in after. The only company that came close was Yifang.

The Asian group had purchased the technology from an Israeli company and got the ball rolling. There were other electronic pens at the Show but they were either wired to the computer, needed special paper, or worked with a touch screen. Nothing for regular paper, away from any computer. But even Yifang was limited- I told them so. Until now.

There they were! Pens that could write on any paper, anywhere. Granted you needed their clip and software but so long as the clip fits over your paper or book you can write and upload it later. Think about it. I could be at a tradeshow, taking notes on a pad and upload them when I got home. Beats carrying around my laptop, recorder or tablet. Not to mention if you have a tablet, you can use the pen as if you are writing on paper. No typing. Take notes old school. Bravo! 2012 CES opened with a bang in my book!

Sundance ‘s Townie Tuesday Is A Wait For Locals

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Get ready for this one- Locals have yet another chance to stand and wait in line to get tickets for Sundance Films before they stand in line again to get in! Don’t cha just love how organizers think we have nothing better to do with our time? At least with this marketing push the tickets are free…if you can get them.

 

Townie Tuesday presented by the Sundance Institute will offer a free screening for Summit County residents (with proof of ID), January 24, 2012. Films show at both the Library Center Theatre in Old Town and the Redstone Cinemas at Kimball Junction. But, to be frank, Redstone has more seating, better seats and better sound.

 

 

It’ll be tricky to get those coveted tickets. Be one of the first in line, Monday Jan. 23, 2012, at 6 p.m. at the main Park City box office to collect your tickets. You’ll need a local Utah ID and proof you’re older than 18. Limit two tickets per person.

 

Your Sister’s Sister will show at Redstone at 7 p.m. and Monsieur Lazhar starts at 8:30 p.m. at the Library Center.

 

The Detes:

 

Date: Jan 24, 2010 

Time: 6 p.m.

Phone: 435-655-9696 

Sundance Ticket Office: 136 Heber Ave. , Park City, 84060

 

MRI NEXT WEEK!!

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It’s been two years since my docs at the Huntsman Cancer Center gave me a scoot on the butt and sent me on my merry way. But I come back- every six months. And every six months my reserve is tested. I’m given a mammogram or MRI, then asked to sit in a room. If you’ve never had a cancer scare, the best way to describe this wait is – remember when you went to took your first HIV test and the clinic called to say your results are in but that you had to see them in person? You couldn’t get the news over the phone. That time between the phone call and the chat. That’s what it feels like to have an MRI or Mamm now. Before 2009, a mammogram would have been routine. Like getting a flu shot or blood test. Now there’s always that ‘what if?’ And judging from tales of relapses, the ‘what if?’ never goes away.

I read a post on my FB page today. Longtime Salt Lake City news anchor Mary Nichols was recently diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. I felt like I had to respond personally. When it happened to me I knew NO ONE with cancer. My aunt had died of pancreatic cancer in 2002 so I couldn’t talk to her. My colleague Joni heard through the grapevine and reached out to me. I had no idea. Like me, she showed the cancer card on a need to know basis. It helped to just hang out with her for coffee. We would breeze in and out of the subject but mostly it was nice to sit awhile with someone who knew what I was going through.

So I went on Mary’s blog to write this:

Hi Mary- We don’t really know each other but we have a bunch of mutual friends in the industry. I often forget that I have a breast cancer story. It’s the occasional weird look of concern and the way someone asks “how are you doing” that reminds me; or seeing a post like this on FB.
I’m so sorry to hear that you’ll have to go through what I did. It was quite an excruciating process. As a reporter, I too dug and dug, did all my research, even spoke personally with Doctors outside of Utah. 
I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast cancer in 2009, had a lumpectomy and there was no spreading to the lymph nodes (they can’t know until surgery). They say they got it all with surgery but I still went through chemo and radiation based on results from what’s called an oncotypeDX test (developed here in Utah!).
Now, I go in every 6 months for either a mammogram or MRI. So far, still clean. I have my next MRI next week. Anyway, I just want to say that your journey will be personal to you. No matter how hard you search for similarities. So don’t let ANYONE tell you stories of people in their life that have had cancer unless it has a positive outcome. You don’t need it. 
Here is the chronicle of my bout with breast cancer.

Coming Out

If you need someone to talk to, I’m here. I get it.

X-DANCE Says NoDance to SUNDANCE

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It’s a well-known tactic to create a festival to piggyback the marketing machine that is the Sundance Film Festival. Over the years there’s been Slamdance, Tromadance, Slamdunk, and X-Dance. For the first time ever the GoPro X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival will fly solo. Get ready and get your tickets for the (pretty much) only action sports fest in the world, January 12-15, 2012. “X-Dance has reached the point where we can stand alone and not run during Sundance,” said X-Dance’s Ann Wycoff. “We wanted to have the festival over the long weekend as the timing was better to celebrate these terrific films.”

Filmmakers and athletes from around the globe will arrive at the Depot in downtown Salt Lake City (13 North 400 West; 801-456-2800 www.depotslc.com) to showcase and celebrate the best of the best in sports like skiing, surfing, mountain biking and more.
 “It truly is the best of action sports. Nowhere else will you find all of the top athletes and filmmakers under one roof,” says surfing legend Laird Hamilton, a long-time X-Dance supporter.


This year’s line-up features athletic talent like speed demon snowboarder Shaun Palmer, extreme skier Seth Morrison, aloha surfer Jamie O’Brien, snowboard medalist Scotty Lago, and downhill mountain biking madmen Gee Atherton and Sam Hill. Curt Morgan, the director/producer of That’s It, That’s All, has a new epic film this year called The Art of FLIGHT that follows snowboarder Travis Rice around the globe as he conquers new terrain. The film’s cinematography is said to be mesmerizing, shot with a Phantom and a Cineflex, the same cameras used to shoot the Super Bowl and “Planet Earth.” Top wakeboarder Danny Harf will also attend the festival to present his film, Defy. Legendary filmmaker Jack McCoy will be busy getting the Lifetime Achievement Award at X-Dance 2012 and the same time premiering his film A Deeper Shade of Blue, which explores the roots and soul of surfing from the perspective of this legendary action sports filmmaker. He’s also produced a music video called Blue Sway with Paul McCartney that will be screened as well.


Tara Dakides at X-Dance. Photo courtesy of X-Dance

The top 30 accepted films from the hundreds of submissions will be screened for the public starting Thursday, January 12. The producers, directors and many of the athletes will be on hand for Q&A sessions after the film screenings. Park at the Gateway Mall, in the lots nearby, or on the street. Tickets are available through SMITH TIX and The Depot Box Office for
$8 per film, $5 for students, $15 for a day pass, $30 for a 3-day pass, $25 for students. For a detailed list of films and events go to www.x-dance.com. They are constantly updating the site as plans evolve so please be patient.

Don’t Forget the Parties

The Opening Party on Thursday, January 12 features live entertainment and is (unlike those for Sundance) open to everyone. Tickets are also available at The Depot Box Office. Same goes for the X-Dance Awards Ceremony and Closing Party on Sunday, January 15 at 7 p.m.
Industry stars and celebrities join bands and DJs while the extraordinary VJ transforms the enormous room into a mesmerizing, wall-to-wall montage of action sports imagery. And finally make sure you stop by Swag Town at a special area at The Depot for action sports swag, the latest products and sampling from X-Dance’s favorite action sports brands.


Trailers for “Must See” X-Dance Films:

The Art of Flight: Brainfarm Prods.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh29_SERH0Y

All. I. Can. : Sherpas Prods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQD5gEr76y4

Solitare: Sweetgrass Prods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKUhGwGM3fA

Drop, My Life Downhill: Orangefist Prods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0gbjy7CvoA

Frontier, River Roots Prods: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVT6QsRDt_M

3 Minute Gaps: Clay Porter Director: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMUfvNqKQdw

Boardroom, Markus Davids Dir.: http://vimeo.com/7643212

Walls of Perception, Poor Boyz Prods. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvXt7YSDkT8

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