March 25, 2014
HomeMicrosoftTechEd 2014 Countdown Show Ep. 13: The One about the Bag and Restaurants

TechEd 2014 Countdown Show Ep. 13: The One about the Bag and Restaurants

By  Microsoft, TechEd, Technology  0 Comments March 25, 2014

It’s finally here! Probably the most anticipated TechEd Countdown Show every year. This is the one with… the bag!

Rick Claus (@RicksterCDN) and Joey Snow (@JoeySnow) finally stop teasing us with close-up and censored pictures of the TechEd conference bag and give us the full tour.

But not before they highlight a discussion from the forum as they do each week. This week’s topic is about when you should arrive and leave Houston for TechEd. Joey recommends that you arrive early on Saturday to get settled in and acclimatized. Arriving on Saturday also lets you check-in at the conference center and get that out of the way. He also suggest leaving on Saturday or late on Friday to avoid the rush to the airport. Use that time to handle any paperwork you might have to prepare such as trip reports for your boss and co-workers. I agree with Joey and have done this, at least the Saturday arrival part, for several years now. The cost for the extra night in the hotel isn’t that much extra, and starting on Sunday well-rested and relaxed (and before the throngs of Sunday arrivals) is a great way to start. I like to spend some time exploring the conference center to get the lay of the land. That extra bit of preparation makes navigating the conference mush easier for the rest of the week.

But enough about the forum discussions. You came here to see the bag. The conference bag is a backpack again this year, and while this will disappoint the messenger bag crowd, I’m pleased. I like both styles of bag, but having a backpack all week works best for me. A few things to note about the bag:TechEd 2014 Bag

  • The padded laptop pocket will fit a 17in laptop. I don’t know who would ever want to lug a 17in laptop around TechEd, but if you’re that type, it’ll fit (as Rick demonstrates).
  • There is a separate pocket for a tablet. I especially like this feature because it means the tablet isn’t jammed up against other devices.
  • It is made of 100% Recycled Materials
  • It is TSA-friendly, unfolding to pass through the x-ray machine flat so that you can leave your laptop in the bag. If you have TSA PreCheck this feature isn’t that big of a deal but for those days when you don’t get picked for PreCheck, you’re covered.
  • Zipper and handle look pretty durable .
  • The main compartment looks quite roomy.

Moving on, the last part of the show covers dining in Houston. Yesterday Rick posted a dining guide on the TechEd blog. Check out his dining suggestions complete with links to each place. Rick and Joey visited many of these locations in their earlier shows, so you might want to rewatch those episodes too. Links are here as well as on a post at Rick’s personal blog RegularITGuy.com.

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You can always find The TechEd Countdown Show over at Channel 9, but why not just watch it here? Enjoy!

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