Aug 21, 2008 02:59 PM
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Tech reporters are often caught in tradeshow gridlock: Just as one is ending, another is beginning. This year, the load is lightened a bit by one of them, the Ziff Davis publishing group's own DigitalLife, getting cut at the last minute. We asked why, but in the meantime, we can only guess the reasons:
Primarily, we think it's lack of serious newsdraw. Last year's highlights were mid-level at best: iRobot's Looj gutter cleaner, Palm's Centro and Gateway's One. September is already late for companies introducing stuff for Christmas, and two big electronics shows—IFA and CEDIA—already provide far too much expo space just before it.
It may even be that trade shows are no longer that big a deal: A combination of the internet and FedEx is all that online pubs really need to bring you a nonstop stream of gadget news and in-person impressions throughout the year.
I for one will miss seeing all the company reps and catching up, but I won't miss the vast tradeshow floors, booth after booth after booth of stuff we already covered. [DigitalLife]
Update: I must've overlooked Caroline McCarthy's explanation of the cancellation, but my guesses were pretty close to the truth—they just couldn't put together a compelling enough show. Ziff's chief blamed "poor economic conditions," but I'm not sure if he means the country's, the industry's or just his own.
Send an email to Wilson Rothman, the author of this post, at wilson@gizmodo.com.
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