NEW YORK – DigitalLife 2004, which runs all weekend at the Jacob K. Javits Center, aims to get the latest technology in the hands of the consumer. Jim Hasl, executive producer and creator of the show, envisioned an event to take the geek out of technology, making it accessible to the masses.
Whether he's succeeded remains to be seen. But Hasl is expecting 25,000 visitors over the weekend, so organizers have packed in the products, with more than 100 companies vying for attendees' time. New laptops, games, home-networking equipment and even Google applications are making their public debuts at the show.
"It's allowing companies to talk directly to the people who buy what they sell," said Hasl. "Surprisingly, some haven't actually talked to their customers in the past."
DigitalLife is also trying to educate the public and help people decide how to make the smartest purchasing decisions. The show is hosting how-to sessions on digital photography and movies, communications, networking and security.
But in the end, it's mostly about conspicuous consumption as the holiday season approaches.
"We want to inspire consumers to put products for the digital home at the top of their holiday shopping lists," said Mark Simons, general manager of the Toshiba Mobile Products Group at a morning keynote session with Best Buy.
Fortunately, there's some cool tech to consume. The DigitalLife show floor is open to the public all weekend, closing Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the show.
