I've just returned from a month-long absence from TechEffect due to my wedding and honeymoon, this October we will make up for lost time. This Thursday, October 5, I will be blogging live from The Deal's Silicon Valley Summit in Mountain View, Calif. A forum which will bring together the Valley's elite to discuss where the most acquisitive technology companies are headed and how entrepreneurs and venture capitalists can best position their companies for profitable exits.

From October 12-15, I'll be at the DigitalLife conference at the Javitz Center in New York City. DigitalLife is the biggest consumer technology conference on the East Coast, and if the Press Preview was any indication, there will be some noteworthy technology on display.

I plan on attending a few other events in the coming weeks, so check back here often for dispatches from the technology conference circuit as well as commentary on consumer technology news. — Brian Ward