Michael Cole and Adrian Le Mans, inspect product experience rooms.

Michael Cole has helped prepare Microsoft’s booth at Consumer Electronics Show for 15 years. “Today’s always one of the tougher days,” Cole says to no one in particular, while watching his crew busily prep for opening of Microsoft’s massive, 16,000-square-foot booth at 2010 CES show at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, its mere hours until Steve Ballmer keynotes. Cole and his crew Adrian Le Mans, London-based contractor who designed the booth, and Catherine Meljac, are hustling. It takes a village creating the Microsoft Booth, while touring entire Microsoft booth:

• On first floor a hallway is lined with product showcase rooms. Cole trots through product experience rooms, designed to show products used in real life.
• Living room feels like a pleasant place to play Xbox for an afternoon.
• Upstairs, Cole strides purposefully into media hub, an open space for journalists to work.
• Downstairs, group tours gaming area.
• Just past gaming area are rows of new laptops splashed in red, blue and black. They’re all running Windows 7. “Nobody wants a beige box. That’s just not us anymore,” Cole says. “These’re meant to highlight the breadth and depth of Windows ecosystem, which Steve (Ballmer) will be highlighting in his keynote.”

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