I am at NAB 2012 this year.

I had a scheduling conflict last year and was major bummed I couldn’t go. I am only at the show for 2 days so will try to see as much as I can here.

As an amateur filmmaker and short video creator, I’m sure a lot of what is here is going to be professional, but I want to see what I can look forward to as I expand my video production skills. One of the must see stops is Adobe Premiere CS6, a rival to Final Cut Pro. Also, the new Canon 4K cameras and any other video production coverage for this Final Cut user.

Speaking of Final Cut, I won’t be going to the Final Cut Supermeet as that is Tuesday night, so will have to catch up on how it was later in the week.

I will post later with a summary of my experience.

Day one of CES 2012 was packed.  Hard to walk anywhere most of the day, but I fought the crowds and made some nice discoveries in the ultrabook category.

Ultrabooks are one of the most talked about gadgets this year and there was no shortage of them.  Lenovo has a strong contender with the U300S.  Just under 3 lbs, it’s a light and speedy portable that make for an easy to carry anywhere.

Don’t confuse the name HP chose for their ultrabook. This is not anything close to the DOA Palm netbook from a few years ago. First off, the spelling is different (smart move, HP) and it’s running Windows not an OEM operating system. This sturdy lightweight has got a dual core processor, 4gb of RAM and a bright screen and had a soft rubber backing on the bottom for easy handling.

Samsung’s 900 series ultrabook is an all aluminum case, a comfortable keyboard and a clear display that’s easy on the eyes for the 7 hours of battery life this portable gives out.

Toshiba’s ultrabook is 2.5 lbs - one of the lightest of the bunch - and with a 13-inch screen that appears to be flimsy, but it’s not… just thin and clear and built tough.  The keyboard and trackpad were one of the better ones of the bunch.

As a Mac guy, I don’t see myself switching to any of these ultrabooks (my heart is set on the MacBook Air), but if you are a Windows person and need a capable laptop to take with you pretty much anywhere, I highly recommend these models, based on my time with them at the show.

I will have more coverage of all that I saw at CES once I return home both here and over on Banal Leakage.

It’s that time of the year and while I didn’t post much from the 2011 CES show, I am going back again this year to see what’s new and exciting in the world of consumer electronics.

Cameras and ultrabooks are my main focus this year and I hope to post at least a few updates here of what I find that I consider useful and cool.

The show is Tuesday Jan 10th thru Friday Jan 13th.  I will be attending the first 3 days, plus a few events at night.

We had wanted to be at the National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas April 11-14, but prior commitments and scheduling conflicts prevent our attendance.

We will be keeping an eye on the press releases and announcements surrounding the show, hoping to hear some news on HD cameras and a rumored update to Final Cut Studio.

More walking, more booths.  This was Day 2 at CES.

Panasonic was my first stop to see their video cameras.  After navigating through a sea of 3D TVs and 3D cameras, I found something that caught my eye.

Full HD video recording in a handheld device. But I wanted to see something in the professional line, specifically the AG-AF100. Alas, it wasn’t there.

But Canon did have their full line of professional cameras on display. And the XA10 caught more than just a glance.

Like the intro to the professional line, it comes in at under $2,000 and offers XLR mic plugs and a bevy of recording options.

I took other photos and videos that I will compile over on Banal Leakage for a summary post of the show.

My thoughts on the first day of CES 2011.

Tablets were everywhere.  From the major companies like Samsung to the throngs of “me too” gadget companies.  Almost all of them run some version and form of Android, which has developed into a stable and thriving competitor to Apple’s dominance.

But one standout was Blackberry with their Playbook.  I didn’t get much time with it as there was a line to get into just to see it.  But I was patient and it was very well done for a product that still has a while before it ships.  Responsive, great screen and easy to use.  The downside? No details on how to sync any non-Blackberry data to it.  I’m sure they will find a way to work that out.  They have to for it to be successful with the non Blackberry users, IMO.

Since this was my first time back on the CES floor in 10 years, I wanted to break in my sea legs by wandering the halls and getting to see the many booths that were hacking their wares.  Form and style stayed the same.  Just the products on display were different.

Day 2 is now and I’ll be reporting later on some cameras and other products that caught my interest.

For the first time in 10 years, I will be going to CES in Las Vegas.  I first attended CES in 1992 during one of my publishing business ventures.  I last attended CES in 2001 and have missed being a part of the industry.  Now for 2011, I will be back on the show floor and scouring the latest and greatest of technology.

My main focus is video - cameras, lighting, production tools and opportunities.  I will be posting daily reports from the show on this site, as well as a recap of cool products - both video and otherwise - over on my personal blog, Banal Leakage.

Welcome to Penguin Bytes Productions.

Starting in 2008 with the launch of my personal blog, Banal Leakage, I started a process that would allow me to publish my ideas, rants and thoughts into posts that covered everything from my favorite music and movies, political stances, travel summaries and shared parts of my life in general.

As I started my interest in filming, both Scooter Sunday and Snowy Sunday were created.  These 2 - 5 minute videos allow me to explore by growing skills in film and editing that show my humorous, yet creative side.

In late 2010, Scooter Sunday moved to it’s own domain, allowing me to dedicate a site solely for the two-wheeled videos.

I have several more ideas in the works, including a new site: Change Your Commute, which will make its debut in 2011. It’s focus is on alternative forms of transportation.

I will make updates here when I have updates to my sites and projects.  Stick around and see what happens.