Well, what I meant is - this is not like I was sitting and hacking a network or something. This qualifies as a hack because I had to overcome a significant hurdle.
If you continue to imagine that hacks can be performed only on computers and networks. Then this may not make sense as a hack. Hacks can be social and/or real-world hacks too.
Well, hacks can be social too. I know quite a few social engineers, in fact I've had them speak at my security conference[1]. However, it seems that overcoming a significant hurdle (which isn't something to be sniffed at) isn't really a hack in the grand scheme of things. To put things into perspective, you've faced a pretty big challenge, but that's what it is - a challenge, not a hack. In fact I'd say to call it a hack is to undersell what you've overcome. I think some might underestimate how hard it is to get into CES. I understand that. I also think you calling getting in a hack demeans the concept of hacking not because it wasn't 'good enough' to qualify, but because your situation was so displaced from what would normally qualify as a hack. It doesn't mean you haven't made an effort - clearly a herculean effort was made, but does that constitute a hack? I'm not convinced.
I do think, "How I shipped a product from the far far FAR east of the (indus, not silicon) valley to CES for a demo" would've been a better title, but that's a job for marketing people IMHO. Hack, it is not, it underplays the effort you put in. Effort, it certainly is, for that you've given in spades and more.
If not in the truest sense of the world, then in what sense does this come under the term hack?