CES 2018 (the Consumer Electronics Show) is rolling along in Las Vegas this week, showing off intriguing gadgets and– oops, the power went out. For about two hours on Wednesday, the massive conference (attended by 180,000 people last year) with tickets costing $300+ went without electricity due to heavy rainfall causing a flashover on a transformer at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The joke potential inherent to there being no electricity at an electronics show was not lost on Twitter, which lit up with jokes.
“I’m borderline impressed at this level of irony” is probably the quote of the week:
So the power went out at CES. An electronics show.
…It’s been out for a while. I’m borderline impressed at this level of irony.
Here’s a selfie at my favorite booth lol pic.twitter.com/P53wQ0P2ZM
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) January 10, 2018
How could this have happened?
This looks safe. pic.twitter.com/CzDKNuM4s6
— Brad Sams (@bdsams) January 10, 2018
CES: we have no idea why the power went out https://t.co/T2PiW5tdCM
— Brad Sams (@bdsams) January 10, 2018
It is a mystery, but some people identified the potential culprits:
https://twitter.com/clickbeeep/status/951198275721285632
Person of interest identified in the #CESblackout #CES2018 pic.twitter.com/fH62SLpS8H
— Jeremy Ross (@JeremyAdamRoss) January 11, 2018
aibo, did you trip over the power cord? #SonyCES #CES
— Sony (@Sony) January 10, 2018
Please somebody, think of the Sony Aibos. In the arms of the Angel…
If you are in Central Hall, please go save the Sony Aibos. Without power these guys will be dead in two hours. Sarah McLachlan has prepared you for this moment. pic.twitter.com/y6uxqDAZEo
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) January 10, 2018
Tragedies occurred when no one established a “pee corner”…
I pissed on some guys foot next to me in the bathroom by accident due to the #CESblackout. #peecorner pic.twitter.com/Bd6XBwMCvu
— DonnyGotDumpedbyJack (@GoofyPotus) January 10, 2018
… and when people couldn’t get to their phones, which were also *gasp* not actually charging:
Lol at all the phones being held hostage in this charging station that currently has no power and so no way of opening it #ces2018 pic.twitter.com/g7DBLeFDf5
— Mike Murphy (@mcwm) January 10, 2018
The real irony is that their phones are locked in a charging tower BUT AREN’T CHARGING. If you want to see people freaking out, lock their phone, slowly dying, a few inches away from them with no way of getting it back. #CESBLACKOUT #ces
— Drew Stearne (@drewstearne) January 10, 2018
The violin player at the Intel booth didn’t need no damn electricity. Score one for humans.
The human spirit never loses its power. #CESblackout @thisishaana pic.twitter.com/ECUcm0lGKE
— Intel (@intel) January 10, 2018
it reminds me of this scene during climax of Titanic 🎻 #CESblackout pic.twitter.com/bMQivU2veh
— No one (@sanmistryious) January 11, 2018
Intel also made a joke. Let’s see how that goes.
Introducing Blackout™: The biggest thing to hit #CES2018 since #5G. #CESblackout pic.twitter.com/xObxxxHvQe
— Intel (@intel) January 10, 2018
Uh uh. People still remember Meltdown and Spectre just happened.
https://twitter.com/Turbolence88/status/951189712626114560
https://twitter.com/photomodo/status/951197898552856582
Other companies poked fun at themselves:
Our booth looks a little bit different this year… #CESblackout #CES2018 pic.twitter.com/W7Wtjy3Pqy
— Texas Instruments (@TXInstruments) January 10, 2018
And a lot of people noticed the same sad reality:
This is America:
Outrage as tech toy convention in Las Vegas loses power.
Puerto Rico- half of population still without power after four months, and no one cares.#CESblackout pic.twitter.com/hAqxEjX7YX
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) January 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/Milan08300334/status/951255210269335553
While tech geeks are rightly outraged at #CESblackout, spare a thought for Puerto Rico where half the population hasn't had power for the last 4 months.
— Anirvan Ghosh (@anirvanghosh) January 11, 2018
This #CESblackout is (briefly) inconveniencing tech journalists and gadget connoisseurs who are letting everyone know about it. So, it's probably worth a reminder that 1.5 million US citizens in Puerto Rico remain without power nearly 4 months after Hurricane Maria.
— Daniel Medina (@dmedin11) January 10, 2018
Some pondered what they would have done at CES:
https://twitter.com/LamarrWilson/status/951191178887667712
And everyone wants one of these bad boys this year:
Hottest gadget at #CES2018 right now! #CESBLACKOUT pic.twitter.com/74JD77D59C
— ISPNtweets (@ISPNtweets) January 10, 2018
And the hot item for next year?
Next year's biggest technology to show off: working electricity! #CESblackout https://t.co/Deos0XYmTA
— Lindsay Cohen (@lindsaycohen) January 11, 2018
The official CES Twitter account even got a joke in once the power was restored.
We have confirmation that #CES2018 is indeed lit
— CES (@CES) January 10, 2018
(Via Buzzfeed, #CES2018, and #CESBlackout)