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Comdex Canceled For 2004

Posted by timothy on from the who-moved-the-cheese dept.

Stephen Shankland writes "Comdex is canceled -- at least for 2004. The once-imposing tech event lost out to trade shows for specialized niches and consumer electronics, but the Comdex organizers want to bring it back in 2005, according to an executive quoted in our story at CNET News.com."

11 of 185 comments (clear)

  1. Smart move by kneecarrot · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I for one think this is a good move. Regroup and try to make it better than ever for 2005. I've attended the last 3 or 4 and have see it slowly losing the spark it once had.

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  2. Wow by Ag3nt · · Score: 5, Interesting

    That is interesting, it was cancelled 2 years ago, but was brought back almost a month after its cancellation. I have always looked forward to Comdex and are personally downtrodden that it is gone(for now anyway). Budget issues are always a problem when it comes to huge conventions such as Comdex, Networld Interop, and Brainshare. Renting out a convention center and providing programs and conferences for the attendees can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Especially with times being as they are, I can understand why this event might have been cancelled even though the press release did not cover the reason...

  3. Re:WHHHAAAATTTT!!!!!!!! by OcabJ · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The last Comdex I went to was in 2002. The free swag was non-existent. No hot booth girls. Same old product, different year.

    I ended up hitting the tables for the rest of the week.

    YEEEEEAAAAH!!!

  4. Hmmm by Otter · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I've got to think the Internet must have played a huge role, too. There isn't nearly as much need to fly across the country and spend thousands of dollars to learn about new products and demo them. Anyway, Las Vegas won't be missing the biggest bunch of cheapskates to tie up tens of thousands of rooms every year.

    Since we now have a Comdex story topic and now Comdex, maybe this is a good opportunity to revamp? Adding a Gentoo topic, for example, or a casemod topic?

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    1. Re:Hmmm by swb · · Score: 2, Interesting

      But how much interaction and hands-on can you *really* get at a trade show? At the few that I've been to, the best it might get is a backroom at a booth or maybe a hotel meeting room with a more in-depth setup.

      Even then, you're unlikely to be buying from the trade show rep, there's likely a sales office/person that represents your geographical area, or maybe you even have to go through a reseller.

      Sometimes you get weird inspirations at trade shows simply because there's so much to see, but often it just seems like an excuse for an all-expenses junket on the company dime.

      And as we all know, those aren't part of the new economy.

    2. Re:Hmmm by doormat · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "Anyway, Las Vegas won't be missing the biggest bunch of cheapskates to tie up tens of thousands of rooms every year."

      My dad sells food to the casinos and when I told him he wasnt too happy, even 50,000 people eat a lot of food. At least Defcon is still around.

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  5. Saw this coming by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Comdex was more than a place for tea and crumpets, it was a place where average Joe IT could come, check out the babeage, get the toys, drool at the pundification, and check out all the cool techtoys to recommend to their bosses. It was the engine of the soul of IT.

    About the time of the .dotcom kabloom, Comdex bosses thought they were finally in the uppity ranks, and closed it all off except to 'vips' and other fortune50-exclusive folks. No more parties, just drivle from the big guys. They took out all the reason to go.

    Then again, they were innovators in showing the rest of the industry how to commit suicide by banning their customers and throwing away their products. Too bad there's nothing left to part out.

  6. Macworld / WWDC by tirefire · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I don't care what happens as long as I can get my webcast fix of keynotes at Macworld and the WWDC. Anyway, doesn't admission to these kinds of things cost ~$1500? I can see why, at this price, no one would want to go...

  7. Eh, not like we didn't see it coming by CarrionBird · · Score: 2, Interesting
    The IT business is quite fond of eating its young.

    In other news, check out the interview with Boucher linked on that page. At least he seems to actually be thinking about these things, instead of just following orders.

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  8. So Much for "Windex!" by Spencerian · · Score: 4, Interesting

    My problem with Comdex was that it wasn't a particularly attractive show. Because most tech on display was heavily influenced, in my opinion, by Microsoft work, the show got the nickname of Windex. As a result over the years, the less creative Microsoft became, the less interesting the shows became. Fewer people and exhibitors attended, and you see the result.

    Sorry, as a Mac tech, I don't do Windows, primarily. Today, in this world where viable alternatives to MS tech are plentiful, other companies are considering Linux, Mac OS X and other UNIX-derived tech and not looking back.

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  9. I am not surprised. by changa · · Score: 3, Interesting


    Last year I worked tech at some of the press shows around Comdex and since I hadn't been to Comdex in years I just HAD to make it to the show.

    Nothing went right... Time was not in my favor but I managed on my last day to make it to the main show.

    With only 6 hours left to my trip I went into the show and saw it all in 2 hours.

    At least I had Vegas to check out for the rest of the time.