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Night into daytime: behind the scenes with The Verge at CES 2017

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Photo by James Bareham

The Consumer Electronics Show can be broken down in numbers a billion different ways. 177,000 attendees. 2.47 million square feet of exhibitions. One extremely dubious electric car startup.

For The Verge? 240+ posts. Three Twitter Live shows. Seven nights and six days in the desert. Thirty-something twenty-something and thirty-somethings. One, and only one, production trailer.

CES is where we preview the future, even though it’s hard to see through the noise

Look, we hate to love and love to hate the madness of CES. The reason we come back every year is because, with the right mindset, you can find good ideas in that madness. It can be really hard to find sometimes, but that’s part of the fun. It’s like mining in the dark. And you forgot your tools. And also it’s your first time mining. (Okay that metaphor sort of petered out.)

The point is, a lot of amazing people did a lot of really crazy things and put in a lot of hard work to help us all make a modicum of sense of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. And we did it because, if there’s one thing CES is good at, it’s that the show exposes what the companies we cover think it is that we all want as consumers.

So here’s to everyone who made it through last week. If you’ve been around The Verge for a while, you know things at CES can get a little weird. If you’re just joining us? Hoo boy, do we have a story to tell you...

Thomas Ricker, commander of the Starship Verge.
Thomas Ricker, commander of the Starship Verge.
Photo by Dieter Bohn
“I feel like a Ghostbuster” — Verge audio engineer Andrew Marino.
“I feel like a Ghostbuster” — Verge audio engineer Andrew Marino.
Photo by James Bareham
Dan Seifert basically never left the trailer, but it was because of him (and his real life Trello board) that anything got done.
Dan Seifert basically never left the trailer, but it was because of him (and his real life Trello board) that anything got done.
Photo by Sean O’Kane
Not a lot of room in The Verge trailer
Not a lot of room in The Verge trailer
Photo by Colin Campbell
How To Take A Selfie In Front Of Your 250-Foot Billboard, a book by Dieter Bohn.
How To Take A Selfie In Front Of Your 250-Foot Billboard, a book by Dieter Bohn.
Photo by Dieter Bohn
CES is essentially the The Line Ride from South Park. So we make the most of it.
CES is essentially the The Line Ride from South Park. So we make the most of it.
Photo by James Bareham
If you’re not making the most of your time in line, this is the look Thomas Ricker will give you. (It’s really a look of love.)
If you’re not making the most of your time in line, this is the look Thomas Ricker will give you. (It’s really a look of love.)
Photo by James Bareham
“Wait this show goes out to how many people on Twitter?”
“Wait this show goes out to how many people on Twitter?”
Photo by Dieter Bohn
Casey Newton occupying valuable workspace, or testing out the newest smart couch?
Casey Newton occupying valuable workspace, or testing out the newest smart couch?
Photo by Dieter Bohn
Nilay gets some tour guide reinforcements from the resistance: The Verge’s Helen Havlak and Vox Media’s Jill Dehnert.
Nilay gets some tour guide reinforcements from the resistance: The Verge’s Helen Havlak and Vox Media’s Jill Dehnert.
Photo by Fernanda Pucheu
I don’t know if you know this, but Nilay has A Thing for limos. Vox Media’s new head of video, Gavin Purcell, doesn’t see any problem with that.
I don’t know if you know this, but Nilay has A Thing for limos. Vox Media’s new head of video, Gavin Purcell, doesn’t see any problem with that.
Photo by Dieter Bohn
Transportation reporter Andy Hawkins takes a moment to video call his family at his first CES. Wait... did he just blink SOS?
Transportation reporter Andy Hawkins takes a moment to video call his family at his first CES. Wait... did he just blink SOS?
Photo by Jordan Golson
Sam Byford, James Bareham and director Marc Leonard survey the impressive landscape in the Valley of Fire
Sam Byford, James Bareham and director Marc Leonard survey the impressive landscape in the Valley of Fire
Photo by Vjeran Pavic
Director Vjeran Pavic in the Valley of Fire
Director Vjeran Pavic in the Valley of Fire
Photo by Sam Byford
The end of the week dinner, aka the meat parade at Fogo de Chão.
The end of the week dinner, aka the meat parade at Fogo de Chão.
Photo by Dieter Bohn
James Bareham tells Sean O’Kane all about cameras.
James Bareham tells Sean O’Kane all about cameras.
Photo by Dieter Bohn
Casey Newton has questions. So does Chris Welch.
Casey Newton has questions. So does Chris Welch.
Photo by Helen Havlak
Adi Robertson remains skeptical that this IS a VR headset
Adi Robertson remains skeptical that this IS a VR headset
Photo by Alan Smithee
Chaim Gartenberg is completely underwhelmed by whatever this is.
Chaim Gartenberg is completely underwhelmed by whatever this is.
Selfie photo by Chaim Gartenberg
Video team rockstars Sarah Bishop, Tyler Pina, Mariya Abdulkaf, and William Joel take part in an annual tradition.
Video team rockstars Sarah Bishop, Tyler Pina, Mariya Abdulkaf, and William Joel take part in an annual tradition.
Photo by Alan Smithee
Fremont street madness.
Fremont street madness.
Photo by Alan Smithee
“Time is money, money is power, power is pizza, and pizza is knowledge, let’s go!”
“Time is money, money is power, power is pizza, and pizza is knowledge, let’s go!”
Photo by James Bareham
Helen Havlak and video producer Sophie Erickson keep The Verge running.
Helen Havlak and video producer Sophie Erickson keep The Verge running.
Photo by James Bareham
Paul Miller is excited about gadgets.
Paul Miller is excited about gadgets.
Photo by James Bareham
Nilay (most likely) laughing at one of Dieter’s dad jokes.
Nilay (most likely) laughing at one of Dieter’s dad jokes.
Photo by James Bareham
Alix Diaconis and Sarah Bishop in search of a really BIG drone
Alix Diaconis and Sarah Bishop in search of a really BIG drone
Photo by Mariya Abdulkaf
While Natt Garun plays the really BIG Nintendo
While Natt Garun plays the really BIG Nintendo
Photo by William Joel
Meanwhile, back at base camp, Ross Miller concentrates on Vergecast prep
Meanwhile, back at base camp, Ross Miller concentrates on Vergecast prep
Photo by Andrew Marino
The crew of the Twitter Live show looking professional.
The crew of the Twitter Live show looking professional.
Photo by James Bareham
William Joel, Tre Shallowhorn, Sophie Erickson and James Bareham engage in some passionate creative brainstorming on the set of the Vergecast
William Joel, Tre Shallowhorn, Sophie Erickson and James Bareham engage in some passionate creative brainstorming on the set of the Vergecast
Photo by Colin Campbell
The Return of the Hype Desk
The Return of the Hype Desk
Photo by James Bareham
Lauren Goode takes the pre-Vergecast selfie with Paul Miller, Ben Popper and Ashley Carmen
Lauren Goode takes the pre-Vergecast selfie with Paul Miller, Ben Popper and Ashley Carmen
Selfie photo by Lauren Goode
And the showrunners who made it all happen.
And the showrunners who made it all happen.
Selfie photo by Colin Campbell
I asked Casey Newton to describe what it was like to meet Nick Offerman. His answer? “It was one of the most profoundly erotic experiences of my entire life.”
I asked Casey Newton to describe what it was like to meet Nick Offerman. His answer? “It was one of the most profoundly erotic experiences of my entire life.”
Photo by James Bareham
Nilay and Dieter give a rousing end-of-the-week speech while the staff at Fogo de Chão run through the room with meat.
Nilay and Dieter give a rousing end-of-the-week speech while the staff at Fogo de Chão run through the room with meat.
Photo by Natt Garun
Panoramas can make any room in the trailer look spacious.
Panoramas can make any room in the trailer look spacious.
Photo by Stephanie Ellis Meehan
Paige Bethmann, Twitter Live show hero, questions things.
Paige Bethmann, Twitter Live show hero, questions things.
Photo by Stephanie Ellis Meehan
Social reporter Dami Lee helping one of us come up with a headline that’s not awful.
Social reporter Dami Lee helping one of us come up with a headline that’s not awful.
Photo by Vlad Savov
Sam Byford’s bemused by our American tendencies.
Sam Byford’s bemused by our American tendencies.
Photo by Vlad Savov
Mark Linsangan misplaces his water bottle
Mark Linsangan misplaces his water bottle
Photo by Andrew Marino
Vlad gets another selfie with perennial video freelancer Wes Reel, with a photobomb by Wes’ beard.
Vlad gets another selfie with perennial video freelancer Wes Reel, with a photobomb by Wes’ beard.
Photo by Vlad Savov
Vlad Savov nabs a selfie in the trailer with Jordan Golson, complete with a Nick Statt photobomb.
Vlad Savov nabs a selfie in the trailer with Jordan Golson, complete with a Nick Statt photobomb.
Photo by Vlad Savov
Sarah Bishop’s lunch
Sarah Bishop’s lunch
Photo by Mariya Abdulkaf
Ashley Carmen and Dami Lee write their own caption.
Ashley Carmen and Dami Lee write their own caption.
Selfie photo by Dami Lee
“Stairway to Heaven”...denied.
“Stairway to Heaven”...denied.
Photo by Mariya Abdulkaf
Andrew Hawkins traveling in style
Andrew Hawkins traveling in style
Photo by Phil Esposito
Helen Havlak telling a great story about [REDACTED] at the final dinner.
Helen Havlak telling a great story about [REDACTED] at the final dinner.
Photo by Dieter Bohn
How do you end CES? Party bus.
How do you end CES? Party bus.
Photo by Vlad Savov
Well, two party buses.
Well, two party buses.
Photo by Alix Diaconis

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