Marlins Park did indeed turn into a Field of Geeks Friday night during the 3rd annual TigerDirect Tech Bash. More than 17,000 registered for the free event -- about double last year's attendance -- and the field and upper level areas were buzzing with interactive entertainment, brand activations and emerging technology. About 120 vendors exhibited their products; many of them also took part in an all-day Innovation IT Conference & Expo that TigerDirect held for businesses before the bash.
Gamers young and old were in geek heaven trying out the latest gaming computers from Alienware and other manufacturers, and all could find programs, portable computing devices, gaming rigs, consumer electronics and home theater setups.
In addition to gigantic TV screens, several companies were showing the latest smart watches, and the Oculus Rift booth was again a crowd-pleaser. There were new product introductions, too, like ImmersiON VRelia’s “The Go” virtual reality headset, compatible with most smartphones. There was quite a line to try out the new $89 device, but the patient folks left satisfied with the experience.
Miami's startup scene was well-represented with booths by eMerge Americas, WebCongress, The LAB Miami, Wyncode, AdMobilize, Rokk3r Labs, Katana, Public Reputation, Venture Hive and others. "TigerDirect is proud of its roots in the South Florida community and strives to empower the local tech ecosystem to grow and prosper," said Steven Leeds, director of corporate marketing for Miami-based TigerDirect.
New this year: People could also shop till they dropped, either through concierge stations or at the XPress shop. Judging by the lines at the shop, many people did just that. Besides the tech, the event had a carnival like feel, so I leave you with a few more images. Check out the Zane and Heath's Vine videos, too. Leeds of TigerDirect says the company plans to grow the event every year.
Photos by Steve Viti.
See coverage here of the Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary, who headlined TigerDirect's Innovation Expo for businesses earlier in the day.
Posted Nov. 8, 2014