Gadget lovers and gaming fans will be able to do one-stop shopping this year, as the Taipei Computer Association (TCA, 台北市電腦公會) announced yesterday it had decided to put the Taipei Multimedia Computer Show and the Taipei Game Show under the same roof.
The combination should ensure a better turnout and increase sales, Sally Tsai (蔡宇橞), TCA's project manager in charge of the events, said during a phone interview yesterday.
"Though both shows have a different target audience, the line between hardware and computer gaming has blurred," Tsai said.
PHOTO: CHUO YI-CHUN, TAIPEI TIMES
Both shows will open from 10am to 6pm from Thursday until next Monday at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall I.
Last year, the association held the game show one week before the computer fair, which forced the expos to compete for attention and split visitors.
Hardware and gaming companies such as Micro-Star International Co (微星科技) and International Games System Co (鈊象電子) will work hand-in-hand to showcase their offerings at the same booth to entice consumers, she added.
"Schoolchildren are now enjoying the winter holidays and office workers are going to get their bonuses soon. The shows will attract these crowds and they will spend," Tsai said.
The TCA has promised consumers that at least 20 items on display at the computer show will be the latest models, keeping them abreast of what is new in the first quarter.
Offerings will include personal computers incorporating the Windows Vista operating system as well as other popular gadgets such as MP3 players, global positioning system devices, digital cameras and flat-panel TV -- all sold at a competitive prices.
The computer show will involve 100 vendors occupying 400 booths, while 40 game vendors will give gamers an eyeful with 430 booths, the TCA said.
Game show entrance fees for adults and students will be NT$200 and NT$150, respectively.
Admission for the computer show will be free during the week and NT$100 during the weekend. Visitors to the computer show wishing to go to the gaming show at a later time will be required to cover the difference.
The combined turnout for both shows is expected to reach 300,000, compared to approximately 260,000 for the game show and 200,000 for the computer show last year.
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