Comdex, the world's largest electronics trade show and an annual coming out party for next-generation technology products, will limp instead of leap into Las Vegas this coming weekend.
According to the trade show's corporate owners, the Los Angeles-based Key3Media Group, this year's show is expecting a 25 percent drop in both exhibitors and attendance. Comdex kicks off today with a keynote speech by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.
The show's organizers blame both the continuing downturn in the technology market and the Sept. 11 attacks, which has prompted people to eschew travel and large gatherings.
"It's going to be one of our more difficult shows," said Amy Groden, a Comdex spokesman. "But those who do come will get a good show for their money."
The expected 150,000 attendees -- down from 200,000 a year ago -- will be treated to major displays by technology stalwarts as Microsoft and Intel. However, companies like IBM and Dell is opt for smaller one-on-one meetings with vendors and media.
"There are better ways for us to get the word out," said one IBM executive, who asked not to be named.
Besides the keynote speeches, which include Gates, Oracle's Larry Ellison, Cisco's John Chambers and Kunitake Ando of Sony, the 2,300 exhibitors will be showing off new wireless devices, faster computers and such gizmos as a keyboardless keyboard -- a magnetic device that tracks the movement of fingers tapping on any flat surface.
But no one expects any major technology announcements this year. In the past, companies like Intel and Microsoft rolled-out their newest chips or software. But with a technology downturn that has seen computer sales go flat this year, companies have been concentrating on preserving market share, not carving new ones.
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