• PC World
• » Consumer Advice

Wireless devices and small-business services are expected to take center stage at Comdex Chicago 2001, which opens its doors next week.

More than 70,000 people are expected to attend the show at McCormick Place, which will feature a variety of institutions and companies from EDS to the U.S. House of Representatives. But unlike the fall Comdex Las Vegas, major PC hardware and software vendors like Dell, IBM, and Microsoft won't make an appearance at this spring edition.

"You will see a lot of wireless devices and Web tools more positioned for the business marketplace," says Bob Bierman, vice president and general manager of Comdex Chicago, run by Key3Media Events.

Wireless communication tool provider Motient will show off its clip-on modem for the Palm V or Vx handheld models. The modem offers a 19.2-kbps data rate, a vibrating capability for notifying a user of new mail or messages, and a single cable to charge batteries and sync with a PC. Motient's clip-on modem is scheduled for release in the third quarter of the year; no pricing information is available now.

Scheduled to make keynote speeches are top executives Larry Augustin, chief executive officer of VA Linux Systems; Brian Halla, president, chair, and CEO of National Semiconductor; and David Peterschmidt, president, chair, and CEO of Inktomi, Bierman says.

In addition, U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican from Illinois, and other congressional representatives will take part in a public forum on Monday, April 2. Discussions are planned on legislative issues such as Internet taxation, privacy, and intellectual property rights, he adds.

Technology for Small Companies

While wireless initiatives will be a key focus of the show, there also will be an emphasis on small businesses, Bierman says. The show will seek to educate businesses about integrating the latest technologies and strategies into business models, he says. A special program called "E-Business for Small Business" will educate participants about optimizing the use of technology to better run their small-business operations.

"What is unique is that we are trying to reach out to groups we have not reached out to before," he says.

Software development company 2ce will demonstrate its CubeEye three-dimensional browser application for Web sites and corporations, which will be released in May.

Meanwhile, EDS is expected to announce plans to form a Web hosting alliance with Microsoft and three other companies. EDS will provide the managed services, while the other companies will provide the operating system and hardware. National Semiconductor is expected to announce a partnership on Tuesday, but did not disclose details in advance.

Many Big Vendors MIA

Noticeably missing from the show are top IT names like IBM, Dell Computer, Gateway, and Microsoft. IBM, Gateway, and Dell have skipped the spring show for quite some time, Bierman says. Microsoft has attended the show in recent years, but chose not to come this year, he adds.

The Comdex Chicago 2001 conference begins April 2, while the expo begins April 3. Both the conference and expo run through April 5.

• See more like this:
• Spring Comdex,
• Wireless,
• Small Business,
• comdex chicago