I don't think a major show has ever taken place in an economic downturn as bad as the current decline. So nervous exhibitors constructed their stands at Embedded World on Monday wondering if any visitors would show up.
Now, one small caveat. Never underestimate the German electronics engineer's enthusiasm for attending exhibitions. That said, it was still encouraging on the first two days to see busy stands, at times, crowded aisles, and certainly, that buzz, which tells you a decent show is happening before your eyes. And so on to a few random thoughts on Embedded World.
1. As I wrote in a post earlier today, Intel ands it's Atom processor teammates have absolutely plastered the show with the brand and the products to go with it. If ARM didn't know it already, they know now they are in competition with one of the world's most relentless and ruthless competitors.
2. The top broadline distributors all made it. Avnet dominated the sector boasting stands for EBV Elektronik, Avnet Embedded, Avnet Silica and Avnet Memec. The EBV stand was a beauty featuring monitors for virtually all the company's major embedded product suppliers. Spoerle flew the flag for Arrow and pushed its Embedded Platform Concept. Future Electronics, Nu Horizons, Glyn (another impressive stand) were the other international representatives, while MSC, Rutronik and Spezial Electronics flew the flag for the home team. All pretty much agreed it had been a good show.
3. Intel launched its latest low power ATOM processor on the opening day of the show. Talk about confidence in the product. It's so good, decided Intel, they staged the same press conference twice, and filled the room both times.
'4. On the basis you never let a good idea go to waste, German magazine Elektronik Praxis took up the free football mantle held by Digi-Key at electronica. Considering you could pick up the same ball at a local store for about 3 Euro I'm always amazed visitors bother to pick them up and carry them home. Then again while waiting on the Spoerle stand a visitor stopped by and scooped up five pads of post-it notes!!
5. What were they thinking of? I'll not mention the company staffed by a bloke wearing a policeman's uniform with shorts, and sunglasses. Looked like he'd just failed an audition for Village People.
6. I missed my afternoon ice cream treat ate electronica in November. The Movenpick company carts which have been regular at the exhibition didn't show up last year. So three cheers from me for the Nestle carts at Embedded World. The ice cream not quite as good as Movenpick in my humble opinion, but welcome nonetheless.
7. And finally a beef about hotels who ask you to pay for a lousy Internet connection service. Heard numerous complaints at the show about connections which at worst didn't work at at all or at best took five minutes to produce a page. Absolutely not good enough.
8. So thanks to Nuremberg Messe for their free Internet access for journalists - worked a treat.
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