Comdex Virtual
3:30 PM -- Comdex is back!
The show that became the bane of every technology journalist is being revived, only this time as a more tightly focused virtual tradeshow, Comdex Virtual, being held Nov. 16 and 17.
It's happening courtesy of United Business Media (parent company to Light Reading), which acquired the Comdex rights in 2006. The show's being trimmed back to focus on the technology sales channel, rather than trying to please a scattershot mainstream crowd.
The introductory video on the Comdex Virtual site promises keynotes, conference sessions, and exhibits -- against a Las Vegas backdrop but with "no crosstown traffic, no unruly crowds, no taxicab lines, and no gambling losses."
Oh, come on. What kind of Comdex would that be?
Here are some suggestions for how our parent company can bring back the true Comdex experience:
The virtual housing game! Attendees will have to pick a virtual hotel before signing up. The later you do it, the "farther" from the venue you'll be -- leading to long delays as your avatar tries to work its way to the auditorium.
Virtual cab lines!
This one comes, in part, courtesy of Light Reading Cable's Jeff Baumgartner. Comdex Virtual could throttle down your broadband connection, at random times, to make sure you don't miss the thrill of unexpected delays. Maybe it's a cab line; maybe it's an overcrowded hallway that's too skinny. The result is the same!
Useful stuff lying around on the ground! Taking a cue from video games, Comdex Virtual could help you arm yourself via tokens found on the floor. Rollerblades would help you speed through the exhibit hall unimpeded. Bonus health points could help you recover from that last PowerPoint session. Water bottles could replenish your avatar. (Did I mention the idea of hunger and thirst meters?)
What else are we missing? File your own suggestions in the message board, below.
— Craig Matsumoto, Director of Rejected Event Plans, Light Reading
The show that became the bane of every technology journalist is being revived, only this time as a more tightly focused virtual tradeshow, Comdex Virtual, being held Nov. 16 and 17.
It's happening courtesy of United Business Media (parent company to Light Reading), which acquired the Comdex rights in 2006. The show's being trimmed back to focus on the technology sales channel, rather than trying to please a scattershot mainstream crowd.
The introductory video on the Comdex Virtual site promises keynotes, conference sessions, and exhibits -- against a Las Vegas backdrop but with "no crosstown traffic, no unruly crowds, no taxicab lines, and no gambling losses."
Oh, come on. What kind of Comdex would that be?
Here are some suggestions for how our parent company can bring back the true Comdex experience:
What else are we missing? File your own suggestions in the message board, below.
— Craig Matsumoto, Director of Rejected Event Plans, Light Reading
