Two Triple-Screen Laptops Were Stolen From Razer's CES Booth (theverge.com) 165
In a Facebook post, Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan said two of their prototype laptops shown off at CES 2017 were stolen. "We treat theft/larceny, and if relevant to this case, industrial espionage, very seriously -- it is cheating, and cheating doesn't sit well with us," Tan wrote. "Penalties for such crimes are grievous and anyone who would do this clearly isn't very smart." Both items were prototype models of a laptop, called Project Valerie, that has three 4K displays. The Verge reports: Tan says that Razer is working with law enforcement and CES management to investigate. He's also asking show attendees to email legal@razerzone.com with any info they might have on what happened. A company representative added that a $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to a conviction. The alleged theft occurred "after official show hours," says Allie Fried, director of global events communications for the Consumer Technology Association, which runs CES. "The security of our exhibitors, attendees and their products and materials are our highest priority," Fried wrote in an email to The Verge. "We look forward to cooperating with law enforcement and Razer as the incident is investigated."
Ironic (Score:5, Insightful)
Even though it was after hours, just how many cameras are there within sight of their booth? At the biggest electronics show in the US? The building itself probably has more than enough "footage" (bitage?) to at least pinpoint when if not who.
Re: (Score:1)
This *could* be a publicity stunt to keep "three display laptop" meme bouncing around in the `news'.
Re:Ironic (Score:4, Informative)
This *could* be a publicity stunt to keep "three display laptop" meme bouncing around in the `news'.
If this turns out to be nothing more than that, then good luck to Razer, as local city officials tabulate the bill calculating waste of law enforcement resources, along with facing punishments related to a fraudulent report.
And we should throw the book at them. Marketing is not a viable excuse here.
Re: (Score:2)
And we should throw the book at them. Marketing is not a viable excuse here.
It's a darn good thing those rules don't apply to politicians. The jails would be overflowing (even more).
What report? (Score:2)
What fraudulent report? Did it say they filed a report with the police? The news story said they were working with law enforcement, that's it.
And they gave you an email address from their domain if you have any information. (?!)
Sure, someone might have nabbed them, laptops get stolen all the time. Just somewhat interesting that this made the news feeds. Do I care? Not in the least.
Re: (Score:2)
Um, that's called "externalizing" your costs and is taught in all economics courses, a perfectly acceptable business practice.
Submitting a fraudulant report to law enforcement to consume valuable resources is not something that is "perfectly acceptable" no matter what legal wrapper (read: business) you want to excuse it with.
A new nightclub owner doesn't "invite" the fire department staff to the grand opening by pulling the fire alarm.
Re: (Score:2)
Submitting a fraudulant report to law enforcement to consume valuable resources is not something that is "perfectly acceptable" no matter what legal wrapper (read: business) you want to excuse it with.
Wrong. In a corrupt country, it absolutely is "perfectly acceptable". If you can do a thing and legally get away with it because the legal system in that country is corrupt or broken, then it by definition is "perfectly acceptable". And if you disagree, why should I take the word of some random person on th
Re: (Score:2)
Submitting a fraudulant report to law enforcement to consume valuable resources is not something that is "perfectly acceptable" no matter what legal wrapper (read: business) you want to excuse it with.
Wrong. In a corrupt country, it absolutely is "perfectly acceptable".
A corrupt country is far from perfect, and most of the time is not acceptable. If it was, we wouldn't look to segregate and punish those perpetuating corruption.
If you can do a thing and legally get away with it because the legal system in that country is corrupt or broken, then it by definition is "perfectly acceptable".
If you do something that is against the law, then it is by definition illegal, and you've done nothing but get away with a known illegal action. A system that is defined as corrupt or broken is by definition fucking broken.
And if you disagree, why should I take the word of some random person on the internet over that of the actual legal authorities in a place?
Because ethics exist. If a legal authority chooses to ignore the shit out of that relevant factor, it does not automatically
Re: (Score:2)
A corrupt country is far from perfect, and most of the time is not acceptable.
Show me one, just one, completely non-corrupt country in the world.
If it was, we wouldn't look to segregate and punish those perpetuating corruption.
We only do this so that the populace doesn't completely lose faith in the government. It's not like those efforts actually succeed in rooting out all the corruption, only the most obvious examples, and also the corrupt people who get on the wrong person's shit-list.
If you do somethin
Re: (Score:2)
A corrupt country is far from perfect, and most of the time is not acceptable.
Show me one, just one, completely non-corrupt country in the world.
Perfection is subjective. It is also for the most part unobtainable due to the inherent flaws of being human. I never claimed any country or system was perfect, but there are systems that are FAR better than others. History has shown what systems ultimately work, and why they may have had to change significantly in order to survive.
Who made you the authority for determining what system is or isn't broken?
I am no more the authority than you are. That said, teachers like Wisdom, Experience, and Common F. Sense have significant relevance here. Those who refuse to acknowledge th
Re: (Score:2)
"That country", in this case, is the US. Knowingly filing a frivolous police report in the US is not "perfectly acceptable" or something you just "get away with".
why should I take the word of some random person on the internet over that of the actual legal authorities in a place?
You shouldn't! Of course, on the flip-side of that, no doub
Re: (Score:2)
"That country", in this case, is the US. Knowingly filing a frivolous police report in the US is not "perfectly acceptable" or something you just "get away with".
How do you know this? Can you prove that there have never been any cases of someone filing a frivolous police report, anywhere in the US, without punishment?
f course, on the flip-side of that, no doubt you can provide an on-the-record statement by the "actual legal authorities" of Las Vegas saying they consider wasting their time as a PR stunt jus
Re: (Score:2)
Wrong. In a corrupt country, it absolutely is "perfectly acceptable".
The fact that you can get away with X or Y in some terrible third world country is not the definition of "acceptable". Are you really wasting bits arguing that point? Sheesh.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Ironic (Score:5, Funny)
This *could* be a publicity stunt to keep "three display laptop" meme bouncing around in the `news'.
Until Gillette produce competition against Razer, with a 4 screened monitor next year.
Re:Ironic (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
It's not over until somebody puts a bucky-ball of displays around your head.
Re: (Score:2)
I know that was a joke article by the Onion, but they do actually sell 5 bladed razors... actually they're up to 7 now.
http://www.dorcousa.com/pace-7... [dorcousa.com]
Soon razors will be so big and have so many razors they'll be bigger than your face.
Re: (Score:2)
That's why that Onion article was so funny, in retrospect: at the time the article came out, Gillette wasn't yet making 5-bladed razors, I think they were only up to 4. Then, sometime after the satirical Onion article, they really did come out with 5-bladed razors, making the article now ironic (if I'm using my literary terms correctly; I'm an engineer, dammit, not a liberal arts major!).
It's a little bit like Arnold's 1986 movie "The Running Man". At the time, it was a not-so-serious and fairly humorous
Re: (Score:2)
The article was published after the Mach 3 (3 blades) was released. I don't know if the 4 blade razors (Quattro, from Schick) were on the radar at the time or not. The latest razors have 6 blades. There's a single blade on the top edge. Marketing says it's for precision. I say it's absolutely useless. The other 5 blades and the vibrating razor itself are pretty great. They lost a long damned time too, and replacements aren't very expensive online. They work out to be far cheaper than the dollar shav
Re: (Score:2)
I know that was a joke article by the Onion, but they do actually sell 5 bladed razors... actually they're up to 7 now ....
Ha. I laugh at those pathetic little 7 blades. Obligatory "mine goes to 11" [youtu.be]
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Great, now I'm imagining a laptop with multiple vibrating screens that ooze aloe gel when you touch them. Eww.
Re: (Score:2)
As long as it is screens that are vibrating and oozing stuff. There is another vibrating industry that I hope doesn't start oozing stuff.
Re: (Score:2)
This *could* be a publicity stunt to keep "three display laptop" meme bouncing around in the `news'.
An item like this *could* also be headed into a private collection, not to be seen to the outside world for at least seven years. Something as unique as "a very early example of a three display laptop" would be interesting to more than a couple of people with the means to do this.
Somehow I doubt the industrial espionage angle, triple display drivers are so common they are built into Intel integrated graphics units now.
Re: (Score:2)
Nobody would EVER steal laptops as a publicity stunt...
http://www.eonline.com/news/35... [eonline.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Laptops for sale (Score:5, Funny)
Would anyone like to buy a triple-screen laptop? The brand logo is scratched, but otherwise it's brand new.
Re: (Score:1)
It's a studid idea to steal those. (Score:3)
Usefulness: Debatable.
Uniqueness and recognizability: 100%.
Someone is asking for trouble.
Re: (Score:2)
But, why? If you believe the market is there to support competition, why would you even want to do three screens the same way?
Re: (Score:1)
Getting three screens to fold down into an efficient form factor, is either trivial or it will have been patented. In this case, the technology is freely available from the patent office, and unusable without paying royalties.
Re: (Score:2)
In which case, they are asking for a LOT of trouble.
Re: (Score:3)
Almost as stupid as the idea to make it in the first place. Portable and unwieldy... might be easier to ship 2 conventional flat screens wherever you are going and just connect them.
If anyone did steal them, it's to go in their private tech-person-cave until the statutes of limitations run out.
Re: (Score:2)
Almost as stupid as the idea to make it in the first place.
I respectfully disagree. I love the concept, the execution could use a little help. I think a business class type of similar device would be great. Triple 4k screens is a little excessive for business purposes, but if I could get a reasonably sized (not 12 pound) laptop with dual 1080 (or 1200) line monitors I would be all over it.
Re: (Score:2)
Portable and unwieldy... might be easier to ship 2 conventional flat screens wherever you are going and just connect them.
Not really, the laptop is pretty clunky, but looks like it's much easier to carry round than any of the monitors I have by a long way. Sometimes you need a portably desktop rather than a laptop, and this one looks like it fits the bill.
Re: (Score:2)
I completely disagree. I haven't seen this particular laptop, but conventional flat-screen monitors are not that small, because of the built-in stands and cases and all. Shipping 2 of these means now you have to lug around two rather large boxes, which have the monitors, their stands, their cables and power supplies, plus styrofoam to protect them. Setting it up will be a big PITA too: you'll need a power strip, you'll have to plug in a bunch of cables, set up the stands, etc., Conceivably, with a 3-scr
Re: (Score:2)
it up means just unfolding the displays and you're done
Deployment of the screens is completely motorized. No kidding.
Re: (Score:2)
Oh how the world has changed... back in the early 2000's when casemodding was the great geekfad - and we all had drawer-handles screwed to the top of our desktops for easy carrying, one guy who showed up at our local lan-parties (remember those) had actually built a case where one entire side WAS a flat-screen (which was still new technology at the time). So he could carry the PC and the screen as one unit. Just plonk it down, and game on the left side of the box.
While very ingenious - I gave it a go and de
Re: (Score:2)
The 4K part at laptop sizes sounds like something I'd be willing to sacrifice, but otherwise it's a pretty cool idea as far as I'm concerned.
If you need a super-portable laptop, maybe the extra weight would be a hassle but if your primary portability is just going from location to location with minimal concern for the weight from car-office-hotel type trips then it would be a huge win.
I do client projects out of hotel rooms sometimes and will haul a spare monitor with me if I'm able to drive to the project.
Re: (Score:2)
Usefulness: Debatable.
Uniqueness and recognizability: 100%.
Someone is asking for trouble.
Especially because one of the primary usefulness of a 3 screen laptop is portability and the portability is severely limited if you can't be seen in public with it therefore negating most of the usefulness of it. If it was a laptop that was already being sold then you could maybe get away with it but not something where only a handful even exist.
Re: (Score:2)
Completely offtopic, but as your signature asks to have mistakes pointed out you should capitalize English and German. I'm assuming you over-compensated for German's tendency to capitalize anything that could ever remotely be considered a noun?
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
I know this is marked minus one, but as somebody who uses a razor keyboard and mouse, their products work incredibly well for me, they fit my hands phenomenally well. I also legitimately have tiny hands, so the parent does have a point.
Re:It's a studid idea to steal those. (Score:5, Funny)
I know this is marked minus one, but as somebody who uses a razor keyboard and mouse, their products work incredibly well for me, they fit my hands phenomenally well. I also legitimately have tiny hands, so the parent does have a point.
Donald, is that you?
Re: (Score:1)
Offering reward? (Score:3, Interesting)
How typical and old-school. I'd bet half of my life savings this is an advertising stunt.
Re: (Score:2)
Oddly enough, I had the same thought... advertising stunt. We'll see....
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
I'll take that bet. Ten bucks is ten bucks.
Re: (Score:2)
Cleaning and security folks typically are making just above minimum wage. Occasionally you get a bad egg in there that sees a potential quick profit on craig's list and risks their job for a few hundred dollars. Our office has had things go missing during the evening. A few laptops were swiped. I h
Re: (Score:2)
Agreed. Keep in mind that you just read about it, though ;)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Linus (No, the other one)....
Uh, so you mean that kid from the Snoopy comics, then?
No lock? (Score:2, Funny)
I guess with 3 screens there was no room for a Kensington Security Slot to lock them down.
Nice publicity stunt (Score:1)
Every news outlet is covering this story. Millions of dollars of free advertising for Razer.
Re: Nice publicity stunt (Score:1)
But you've heard of it now, haven't you? Case in point
Re: (Score:2)
The people most likely to be interested in a triple-screen laptop are people who hang out on tech forums like this one, not people reading TMZ. Guess which places are reporting this story the most.
Looks like the publicity stunt worked.
Leading to a conviction... (Score:2)
I know criminals are not supposed to be that smart, but if you read between the lines here, nobody is getting any money for information. It could take 1-2 years to convict someone of this theft. By the time someone is convicted, Razor will conveniently forget about any reward money.
Offer a reward leading to an arrest.
Re:Leading to a conviction... (Score:4, Funny)
For $25k, I'd implicate all 3 of my kids and my wife. If you could take her dog too I'd appreciate it but leave the goldendoodle, he's mine.
Re: (Score:1)
For $25k, I'd implicate all 3 of my kids and my wife. If you could take her dog too I'd appreciate it but leave the goldendoodle, he's mine.
Hell, I'll give you twice that if you could implicate my (ex-)wife.
You know what the definition of a successful man is? One who makes more money than his ex-wife spent.
I am not a successful man.
Re: (Score:1)
Sorry, I was with your wife that night, she has a rock solid alibi.
Re:Leading to a conviction... (Score:5, Funny)
Sorry, I was with your wife that night, she has a rock solid alibi.
... and I was with the Goldendoodle.
Re: (Score:2)
Plot twist; this isn't Reddit.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
I'm pretty sure that the 25K will be sitting in escrow from arrest to conviction. I'm not a lawyer, informant or criminal, but that's usually how such conditional payments are handled in areas of my life where I do have experience, to prevent exactly what you describe.
Jokes on them! (Score:5, Insightful)
These weren't even real prototypes. The whole thing is vaporware at the moment. You won't see this thing for another 5 years at least. Find me a graphic card capable of driving three 4K displays, now explain how you're fitting that inside a laptop.
Re:Jokes on them! (Score:4, Informative)
Many graphics cards can drive 3 4k monitors, including those using the NVIDIA 1080 GPU
If you were really asking how many can do it for gaming to your personal satisfaction, that's an entirely different question.
To explain how you can fit one inside a laptop, buy one of the several laptops on the market that have teh NVIDIA 1080 GPU inside, tear them apart and you'll see how they fit them inside.
Re: (Score:2)
There are already laptops with two desktop GeForce GTX 1080s. If you're willing to put up with the weight of a cooling system, I don't think tri-SLI presents an insurmountable problem.
And if you're looking at a three-screen prototype, weight is certainly not a problem.
Of course, they might not have gaming-grade GPUs in them at all. Driving three 4k screens in 2D isn't that difficult and that's all you'd need for a demo unit.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Not only do Nvidia and ati both support this, but they are also comfortably able to do 3D gaming on them. Please try and keep up with technology.
Re: (Score:2)
So why a mockup if the technology is there?
Re: (Score:2)
So why a mockup if the technology is there?
Because it's CES? Or did you think MS was being held back by technology when they had their Xbox demonstrations running on a PC in the first place?
I mean a Matrox has been able to power multiple monitors at 4K for a good 2 years now (If you don't care about 3D performance), their latest C680 can do 6 monitors at 4K at a time, and multiple can be put into a PC. The single GTX1080 mobile chipset supports 3x 4K monitors, and they can be teamed with multiple in a PC reverting to SLI in gaming for even more moni
Re: (Score:2)
No really.... we made these super cool laptops with 10...errr..4k! screens... 2 of.. err. no, 3 of them that would fold out. They were super portable and played Crysis on full settings! .... THEY WERE REAL! but somebody stole 'em so I can't show 'em to you....
Re: (Score:2)
WTF?!? (Score:2)
Every $399-and-up iPhone at the Apple store is held in place with a cable. And these crazy-expensive prototype laptops weren't because...?
If it were my prototype laptop, I"d've specced it with not just one but two Kensington slots. And it'd go into a substantial locking box after hours, or into the hotel room of a trusted rep.
Re: (Score:3)
...If it were my prototype laptop, I"d've specced it with not just one but two Kensington slots...
Because two zip ties are better than one?
Give me a break. If a thief wants your multi-thousand dollar laptop bad enough, they're going to use a $5 pair of wire cutters to defeat your pathetic attempt to secure it with that sales gimmick of a solution.
Re: (Score:2)
Every iPhone at an Apple store relies on a store employee being nearby when someone snips the cable.
Two Kensington slots means it takes someone 20 seconds to cut two cables instead of 10 seconds to cut 1.
So does the booth (Score:2)
Every iPhone at an Apple store relies on a store employee being nearby when someone snips the cable.
The same is true of any CES booth. I've been there after hours on a vendor badge - there are a TON of people wandering around, as you'd expect with so many people working each booth... just because it's after hours does not mean you can walk away from any valuable equipment for a second. Any computers or cameras at the vendor I was at were put into a locked closet for the night before the booth was left una
Re: (Score:2)
Why? Two cases without the locks - It's not stolen, the locks would have been extra cost and expense; It is stolen, excellent PR. Adding locks is a lose-lose (well, except for the city and expo people working to solve the crime.)
Happens all the time (Score:1)
I've exhibited at these big shows - security is very lax, there's loads of people milling around after hours and the risk of getting caught is minimal. Anyone who leaves anything of any value unattended on the stand (whether in a cupboard or on display) is asking for trouble. I'm amazed these guys were so green - especially if they thought there was the slightest risk of 'industrial espionage'.
Industrial spionage? (Score:2)
BS. It was the flight-simulator gang.
Re: (Score:2)
BS. It was the flight-simulator gang.
No, three displays is "innovatious". The only folks driving serious "innovatious" tech are in the porn industry. So look out for porn that is filmed simultaneously from three angles, which can be displayed on three screens . . . and you have found the culprit!
We Know Who It Wasn't (Score:4, Funny)
Grievous, eh (Score:2)
Guess they don't want their prototypes back, then.
The three screens are great and stuff ... (Score:2)
... any thoughts on embedded GPS?
Re: (Score:2)
If they were running Windows 10, the telemetry would be able to find them....
Seriously though, there is a "Find My Device" thing in Windows 10.
Re: (Score:2)
My desktop does not have this feature.
Uh... Anyone check security? (Score:1)
I've heard of security personnel *filling* hotel rooms with stolen gear from booths, and I know someone who stopped a theft-by-security-guard after hours a couple of years ago at CES. Those guys are about as trustworthy as a hungry bear.
At least you know its portable... (Score:2)
At least you know its portable...
It was..... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Unions have long ago left their first purpose of protecting labor though collective bargaining and landed themselves squarely in the political game. They have become what they initially despised and no longer protect the little guy and his job, but now have become a barrier to employment, collect usurious "dues" and have parlayed the representative power from representing labor to management to engaging in political campaigns which many in their membership oppose.
It's time for unions to go back to what th
Re: (Score:2)
Depends on the union and "union culture".
Bad union: Cashiers at grocery stores in Canada and Japan - successfully prevented their duties from being expanded to bagging groceries. Result: self checkout is actually easier and faster than using a human (you can take the item out of the cart, run it across the scanner, and put it in the bag in one motion. Versus unloading the cart onto a belt and then loading things from a different belt into bags). And soon Amazon's system which simply electronically charge
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
regardless of how you feel about Unions, if you've ever worked at a trade show, you'd agree that trade show unions are the epitome of lazy idiots living off doing nothing.
"um, you can't move that rolled up carpet yourself, you'll need one of us to come over with a forklift, that will be 2 hours from now, oh, and you have to rent the carpet from us too".
Re: (Score:2)
Oh oh! Someone stole the first post.
Not at all surprised (Score:2, Funny)
I'm not at all surprised this happened. The United States is in the midst of a major - probably the most major in it's history - crime epidemic. Probably the most major in the history of any human society.
We read in the news every week about brazen robberies and burglaries: People literally driving vehicles into store front windows, grabbing items, then speeding away. Gangs of gorilla thugs invading stores and collectively stealing everything in sight. Car break-ins are so prevalent that police do not e