Comdex Fall 2001: Picks and Pans

Check Out the Stage Shows

Jungle Fever: No Comdex would be complete without a lame stage show. National Semiconductor's effort featured a guy wearing safari clothes, the inevitable Indiana Jones hat, and a false muscle chest (complete with latex "abs"). The show was themed around getting through the high tech "jungle," but the only good thing one could say about this mess of a production, which also had people running around in "native" outfits, was that it wasn't another Matrix knockoff. Note: this is National's Semi's third year to win notice from us. Perhaps it's time to retire their crown? --Ramon G. McLeod

Sign of the Times: Honda showed off its latest generation of mobile generators. After all, there's no need to let a blackout slow down your Web surfing. But aren't jokes about California's power crisis passe yet? --Tom Mainelli

Send in the Clones: LG Industries, which produces several interesting consumer products including a very cool videophone, should have stuck with their pretty-good Austin Powers impersonator. Instead, they stunned the crowd into silence by bringing on a Britney Spears impersonator who couldn't lipsync in a shower and a Pamela Anderson clone who couldn't manage one of Ms. Anderson's best assets: her bee-stung lips. (You thought we were going to say something else, didn't you?) --Ramon G. McLeod

Scene and Be Seen

So Ab Fab!: What every well-dressed techno-dweeb needs: a 15-pocket vest with space for every conceivable gizmo you own. I wandered through the exhibit floor with my cell phone, pager, notebook, camera, and a bottle of water all tucked into the Scott E-Vest. My phone's headset wires slipped unobtrusively through small passageways in the vest. --Steve Bass

Security, Get That Wand Over Here: Think a vest's too ostentatious? Try a pair of Dockers with a hidden zippered pocket to store your PDA or cell phone. (For you world travelers, it's a terrific spot for hiding your passport.) --Steve Bass

Random Thoughts

You From Out of Town? In addition to finding hundreds of smaller vendors once relegated to the basement of the Sands Convention Center now residing on the main show floor, the biggest surprise was Korea's huge presence. More than 70 companies filled a well-organized pavilion to show off everything from vendor wares such as power supplies and desktop cases to end-user stuff like LCD monitors and input devices. --Tom Mainelli

Osama Would Approve: Security for the media was supposed to be tighter than for the public. That's because we alone could bring in briefcases and bags. Not for me, it wasn't. On three visits, guards didn't ask me to open my bag's side pockets. --Steve Bass

Uh-Oh, Henry, It Won't Fit: Intel showed off its first Mobile Pentium 4 processor in a demo with a prototype motherboard. Despite its ultimate notebook destination, Intel was cooling the chip with a sizeable heat sink and fan. Good luck getting that bad boy into a thin-and-light notebook. --Tom Mainelli

Ouija Board of the Future: Input-device manufacturer Qtronix touted its keyboards with the tagline "Contact the Unknown World." Wow, digital seances? --Harry McCracken

Most Expensive Comdex Ever: The crowds were small, room rates were down, and cab lines were nonexistent. But my Ford van blew its lid (and a head gasket) to the tune of $3500. Call me if you know a good mechanic in Pasadena, willya? --Steve Bass

This story was compiled by Anne B. McDonald from reports from Yardena Arar, Steve Bass, Michael S. Lasky, Tom Mainelli, Harry McCracken, Ramon G. McLeod, Melissa J. Perenson, and Tom Spring.