TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The best part about Computex exhibition is that it is here in Taiwan, where life and philosophy intertwine in a very unique way.
For example, this statue outside the Nangang Exhibit Hall on the outskirts of Taipei City depicts the connection between humanity and the heavens. It also avoids emphasizing the ephemeral nature of technologies and devices on display at Computex and instead focuses on a timeless concept which will outlive any event or technology.
Click on image to enlarge.Which brings us to what I call “The Last Computex”-- maybe not this year, but based on history, even this successful annual event will inevitably come to an end. As with some of its predecessors like COMDEX, Computex will lose its luster. There were signs during this year’s event that the demise of Computex might come sooner rather than later.
As the Taiwan-based PC industry grapples with the disruptive impact of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, there was little if anything on the show floor that was new, different or disruptive. These days, disruptive technology tends to reside in software. The challenge for Taiwan’s ODMs is bringing competitive value to the ultrabook form factor that is now over four years old. Whether or not the release of Windows 8 (translated into Mandarin, 8 means “prosperity”) will redirect consumers away from the hand-held devices also is a stretch.
Still, attendance on Day 1 of the Computex show was high.
Click on image to enlarge. Next: Big promises