Gizmodo: Schwag

Schwag Sucks: Why We Aren't Doing a CES Schwag Giveaway

Adam Frucci — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:18:05 EST

Last year at CES, we rounded up schwag every day to show you what crap people were handing out. This year, we didn't do it. We're also not doing some schwag giveaway. Why? Because schwag sucks, and we don't want to give free publicity to companies just because they had the bright idea to slap their logo on a cheap flash drive. Flash drives are so 2003, and we're pretty sure sending out a bunch of 256MB flash drives wouldn't be worth the cost of postage. We save our giveaways for things that are worthwhile. We hope you'll understand.

Vista Launch Party Schwag Bag: Add It Up

Noah Robischon — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 22:52:46 EST

I wish I could tell you that there was some kind of surprise announcement at the Windows Vista launch party tonight. But everything unfolded exactly as expected, like a PowerPoint presentation in the flesh. And everyone walked away with this large bag o' schwag, which was one of the main topics of conversation. –Noah Robischon

P.S.: We're giving away this swag bag now.

Schwag Competition: AVN Edition

kthompson — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:30:00 EST

If you thought CES was the only expo giving away freebies this week, you were wrong. A short scouring of the Adult Entertainment Expo yielded a mound of goodies, most of which you (can't) see above. You'll find a full breakdown and uncensored goodness after the jump.

• Two tees, one of which may be useful in trashy bars (or Vegas)
• Enough DVD "samplers" to load up a four course menu of debauchery
• Various trial cards for services both online and off
• Silly putty (consult your local Kama Sutra for explanation)
• A syringe-shaped pen to ease you off your heroin addiction or prank your diabetic roommate
• Packets of personal lubricant (yes, the 40oz. jumbo tub of KY is not the only means of distribution)
• Dog tags for your comrades who fall in battle
• A pill to help you rise to the occasion
• Stickers that remove all doubt of your perverted nature, including the foreboding "Jerk Off Zone" warning sign

Get the full, uncensored, not work safe version of the loot picture containing photographic depictions of real human breasts by clicking here! – Karson Thompson

Schwag Ideas: Ball-point Pen Chandelier

Travis Hudson — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:03:20 EST

With every damn booth at CES giving out a cheap pen, I think this pen chandelier by artist En Pieza would be the best use for all of them.

Check out all of the schwag goods from CES here. –Travis Hudson

Ball point pen chandelier [MAKE]

Schwag Competition: Wednesday's Best

kthompson — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:14:56 EST

My multiple bags were already overflowing after Monday and Tuesday's treasure hunts, but I pressed on. See my handfuls of schwag from today, including gems from Alienware and Samsung, after the jump.

Total Crap: Plush cuteness aside, I can't fathom why anyone would ever use this creation. Then again, I watched a fellow blogger insert his Treo, clip it on his belt loop and wear it all afternoon before asking me if he could keep it...

The QuikPod is every MySpacers dream come true: a telescoping monopod with a swiveling joint on the top. Perfect for obese child molesters who need to find their "photogenic" angle, not so useful for those of us not obsessed with self-portraits.

Woah! Are those replacement Wiimote straps? Hell no, but we thought they were when we grabbed a handful from the Opera booth. Turns out they're just Nintendo DS straps. Crap.

Honorable Mentions: Wrapped and boxed like a valuable oriental treasure, this 1GB thumb drive comes courtesy of Samsung. The drive itself would have been nice, but this box is a welcomed addition.

Alienware knows their consumers are serious about their computer hardware, so they were dishing out these handy multi-tools. The LED is a great touch, this thing is bound to be useful the next time I crack open my case.

Acquired by random chance, the Aviator laptop stand found a home underneath my machine today. The slant eliminates the "hunch" stance so commonly seen in the press room, and any relief from pain is welcome after a grueling week in Vegas. Many thanks to the nice gentleman who dropped it off at our table.

Today's Winner: From some genuinely excited boothsters, this Lightsnake podcasting kit provides the necessary tools for you to get your podcast on. The mic seems decent and they even include tutorials on where and how to make your voice heard. – Karson Thompson

Schwag Competition: Tuesday's Best

kthompson — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 22:45:58 EST

Another day at CES, another bag filled with stuff. If you missed Monday's loot, be sure to check it out now. Plenty of goodies including some sweet Vista love after the jump.

Total Crap: Unlike his parent company, this little parrot beanie toy doesn't deliver Bluetooth. Instead, he delivers a Bono-esque message about saving the rainforest and protecting mother earth. Who knew Parrot was so eco-friendly?

Honorable Mentions: Simple and functional, the official bag of CES 2007 is missing the oh-so-unpopular wheels it gained last year. Unfortunately it came virtually empty, but beggars can't be choosers. If you ask nicely, the booth reps will even repair things like broken zippers for you.

I thought this gaudy cell phone bracelet was sure to be a bust, but in the chaos and noise of CES, I would have unknowingly missed a call from the boss had I not seen the flashing lights coming from the bracelet on the table. For your dedication and service, I salute you, hideous blinking wrist accessory.

Today's Winner: Vista! Well, sort of.

Microsoft's box o' goodies walks away the winner today for providing:

• A Vista media DVD with demos, tools and info about the upcoming OS
• A 128MB thumb drive
• A windows logo mouse pad
• A Belkin link tool for transferring old account settings to a new Vista machine
• A free one-day trial of T-Mobile's WiFi service
• One random Games For Windows title, in this case Company of Heroes (score!)

– Karson Thompson with video by Richard Blakeley

Schwag Competition: Monday's Best

kthompson — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 22:32:26 EST

For some of the more serious journalists, CES is about emerging technologies, hands-on demos and social networking. For me, it's all about the schwag, the mountains of junk companies spend thousands of dollars on in order to draw innocent passersby in. I'll be showing you the best of the schwag I get my hands on each day, with a crowning award ceremony at the end. See the best of what Monday had to offer after the jump.

Total Crap: Sony pulled out all the stops in order to outfit me with a notepad and a lanyard. I'll be flipping them on eBay next week due to the limited quantity.

A pink-and-white themed nano skin, also available in black-and-white (AKA 'cow'). I don't know who gave me this thing and I don't care. I'm betting you don't, either.

Honorable Mentions: I thought Pioneer was pulling a Sony when I sat down to a notepad and pen, but then I found my 256MB pod-shaped flash drive.
Hitachi distributed a decent schwag bag today including an enormous "I Heart Plasma" tee, a folding info cube, an LED pen and a nifty slide-extending 256MB thumb drive. The goodies almost made up for the fact that I had to carry an enormous, shiny shopping bag around the show floor.

Today's Winner: SanDisk takes the cake today for handing out 1GB Sansa C240 MP3 players outside their press conference. They're almost as cool as the Sansa Express cordless players that were announced inside. The mayhem the giveaway created was hard to watch, but the schwag was well worth it. – Karson Thompson