D8: The conference bag

A look inside the goody bag at this year's D: All Things Digital conference. Short version: no iPad.(Credit: Ina Fried/CNET)

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif.--While the biggest question on the minds of D8 attendees is what Steve Jobs will say later tonight, perhaps the second biggest question for some was what would be inside this year's goody bag. The bad news is that this year's bag is less chock full than in past years, which saw goodies ranging from Guitar Hero III to Flip cameras and more. This year's biggest tech item is an Insignia-brand electronic child locator tucked among the usual assortment of books, pens, notepads, and the shirt that, without directly saying so, says "See, I was at D and you weren't." A card inside also promises that whatever student-aimed gadget Kno unveils this week, attendees can be first in line to order one--but it sounds like they will be paying for the gadget. Last year, attendees were promised a free Plastic Logic e-reader, though its Que still has yet to hit the market. (After several delays, the Que is now slated to ship starting at the end of this month.) The upside for those at D8 is there is still some potential for additional giveaways--Microsoft is promising a free gift after tomorrow's demo of Project Natal. While I wouldn't expect the Natal unit itself--since it's not scheduled to be released until fall--one could hope for an Xbox 360 to get everyone ready for its debut. Also, those willing to put in a workout, as part of a new Bootcamp feature, can also get a new Bluetooth headset from Aliph. For a complete look at what was in the bag, check out this quick video that I shot.
Source: CNET News (http://cnet.com/)