COMDEX


COMDEX was a computer expo trade show held in the Las Vegas Valley of Nevada, United States, each November from 1979 to 2003. It was one of the largest computer trade shows in the world, usually second only to the German CeBIT, and one of the largest trade shows in any industry sector. COMDEX exhibitions were held in many other countries from 1982 to 2005, with 185 shows altogether. The first COMDEX was held in 1979 at the MGM Grand, with 167 exhibitors and 3,904 attendees. In 1981, the first COMDEX/Spring was held in New York City.

History

Organizers

The Interface Group

COMDEX was started by The Interface Group, whose organizers included Sheldon Adelson, and Richard Katzeff. In 1995, they sold the show to the Japanese technology conglomerate Softbank Corp. In 2001, Softbank sold the show to Key3Media, a spin-off of Ziff Davis. After entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2003, Key3Media resurfaced as Medialive International with a cash infusion from Thomas Weisel Capital Partners, which had previously invested in the company. In November 2006, Forbes magazine reported that United Business Media PLC had purchased the events assets of MediaLive International Inc.

Northeast Computer Faire

Personal Computer Faire in San Francisco, the Northeast Computer Faire in Boston, and Southern California Computer Faire were presented by Computer Faire Inc., Newton, Mass., a subsidiary of Prentice-Hall.
Northeast Computer Faire 1988 was presented by The Interface Group and Boston Computer Society in Boston.

Attendance

COMDEX was initially restricted to those directly involved in the computer industry. It was the one show where all levels of manufacturers and developers of computers, peripherals, software, components, and accessories met with distributors, retailers, consultants and their competitors.
Colloquially known as "Geek Week", COMDEX evolved into a major technical convention, with the industry making major product announcements and releases there. Numerous small companies from around the world rose to prominence following appearance at COMDEX, and industry leaders sought opportunities to make keynote addresses. They discussed the computer industry, history, trends and future potential. The first COMDEX Conference, attracted 4000 paying attendees and grew to over 100,000, becoming a launch platform for key technologies. Bluetooth and USB had conference programming and associated exhibition floor pavilions to help these technologies and start up companies be seen in such a large event and marketplace. In 1982, Microsoft founder Bill Gates attended the conference and saw a demonstration of VisiCorp's Visi On, a GUI software suite for IBM PC compatible computers. The development of Windows 1.0 began soon thereafter. In 1999, Linus Torvalds attended the exhibition to talk about the Linux family of operating system. A Linux conference and exhibition hall was a co-located event, helping elevate the open source products.
In the late 1980s, COMDEX was opened to the general public, causing an explosion in attendance, but diluting COMDEX's wholesale industry focus. Retailers and consultants complained that 'leading edge' customers, upon whom they relied for early adoption of new technology, were buying products at 'show specials' and then expecting the dealers to support those products.. The broadening of audience criteria came about as IT departments decentralized and purchasing of technology products shifted from a central corporate IT budget to departments and company divisions, mirroring the shift from mainframes to decentralized networks and local area networking, and later the Internet as the corporate backbone.

Cities other than Las Vegas

After the Spring 1981 show in New York City and 1982 in Atlantic City, COMDEX began regular spring shows in Atlanta, Georgia from 1983 through 1988. Then alternated sites between Atlanta and Chicago. The final Atlanta Spring COMDEX was held in 1997; the last Spring COMDEX was planned for Chicago in April 2003 but cancelled.
The first COMDEX show outside the US was held in Amsterdam 1982. In the record years 1998 and 2000, 21 exhibitions were arranged yearly all over the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and other parts of America. 69% of the 185 shows took place outside the US. Even when the US shows were cancelled, they kept on for a short time, e.g. Gothenburg and São Paulo 2004 and the last in Athens in November 2005. The decline occurred globally: the 2000 show in Basel with 1400 exhibitors drew 79000 attendees, but 2001 17% less.

Early 2000s and closing

Following COMDEX Fall 1999, organizers made major changes to their criteria for admission of mass media, adjusting criteria to accommodate bloggers with significant market reach, but also restricting simple and open access to anyone declaring themselves 'media'. It offered regular public attendance for the general public.
In 2000, major companies such as IBM, Apple, and Compaq decided to discontinue their involvement with COMDEX to allocate resources more efficiently, usually through their own corporate events or other direct-to-consumer selling, and the bursting of the dot-com bubble caused a decline on the IT market. To reduce costs following the market downturns after the 9/11 attacks many would-be exhibitors stopped renting out or scaled back official COMDEX booths on the convention center floors, and set up invitation-only suites in various Las Vegas hotels. This also allowed exhibitors to concentrate their efforts on industry attendees rather than the general public.
COMDEX/Fall 2001 organizers at Los Angeles-based Key3Media Group Inc. said they expected attendance to fall from the previous year's 200,000 to 150,000. They also expected the number of exhibitors to decline from 2,350 to 2,000 and the square footage of exhibitor space to slide from just over 1 million to 750,000.
The last Las Vegas show in November 2003 attracted only 500 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors.
In June 2004, COMDEX cancelled the 2004 exhibition in Las Vegas, effectively making the Consumer Electronics Show its replacement in Las Vegas. By 2004 the personal computer had become a commodity item priced at levels individual departments and consumers overall could buy without needing much corporate oversight, so "computers" became just one of many products in the consumer electronics channels and the Consumer Electronics Show.

COMDEXvirtual

A COMDEX event originally designed to exist only on the internet without a physical meeting location. It was announced to commence during November 16–17, 2010. The COMDEX website was operated by TechWeb, a United Business Media company.
Everything Channel and sister company UBM studios partnered to deliver COMDEXvirtual to the global IT channel community in November 2010. Nearly 5,000 attended the event over the course of the two days, making COMDEXvirtual the largest independent virtual tradeshow in the IT industry. The agenda featured more than 100 speakers and nearly 50 sessions on topics ranging from cloud to mobility and virtualization, to address the event's theme—New Business Solutions: Embracing Disruptive Technologies & Changing Delivery Models. In addition to educational sessions, there was also an Expo Hall with nearly 30 exhibitors including IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Symantec, Panasonic, and D&H. COMDEXvirtual 2010 was available on-demand through May 17, 2011. The event returned on November 15 and 16, 2011, with 4,300 attendees, and ultimately in 2012.

List of all COMDEX events

EditionStartEndVenueCityCountry
COMDEX '79MGM GrandLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX '80MGM GrandLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Spring '81New York ColiseumNew YorkUnited States
COMDEX '81MGM GrandLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Spring '82Atlantic City Convention HallAtlantic CityUnited States
COMDEX/Europe '82RAI Amsterdam Convention CentreAmsterdamNetherlands
COMDEX/Fall '82Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Spring '83Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Europe '83RAI Amsterdam Convention CentreAmsterdamNetherlands
COMDEX/Fall '83Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Winter '84Los Angeles Convention CenterLos AngelesUnited States
COMDEX/Spring '84Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Europe '84RAI Amsterdam Convention CentreAmsterdamNetherlands
COMDEX/Fall '84Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Winter '85Anaheim Convention CenterAnaheimUnited States
COMDEX in Japan '85Harumi Exhibition CenterTokyoJapan
COMDEX/Spring '85Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Europe '85RAI Amsterdam Convention CentreAmsterdamNetherlands
COMDEX/Fall '85Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX in Japan '86Harumi Exhibition CenterTokyoJapan
COMDEX/Winter '86Los Angeles Convention CenterLos AngelesUnited States
COMDEX/Spring '86Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Europe '86RAI Amsterdam Convention CentreAmsterdamNetherlands
COMDEX International in Europe '86Nice Exhibition CenterNiceFrance
COMDEX/Australia '86RAS ShowgroundSydneyAustralia
COMDEX/Fall '86Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX in Japan '87Harumi Exhibition CenterTokyoJapan
COMDEX/Spring '87Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX International in Europe '87Palais des ExpositionsNiceFrance
COMDEX/Australia '87RAS ShowgroundSydneyAustralia
COMDEX/Fall '87Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX in Japan '88Harumi Exhibition CenterTokyoJapan
COMDEX/Spring '88Atlanta convention centerAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Fall '88Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Spring '89McCormick PlaceChicagoUnited States
COMDEX/Fall '89Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Europe at SICOB '90Parc des Expositions de VillepinteParisFrance
COMDEX/Spring '90Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Classic '90Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Spring '91Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Fall '91Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Spring '92McCormick PlaceChicagoUnited States
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP South America '92Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Fall '92Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Spring '93Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Canada '93Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP South America '93Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Fall '93Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Sucesu-Rio '94RiocentroRio de JaneiroBrazil
COMDEX/Spring '94Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Canada '94Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP South America '94Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Fall '94Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/PacRim '95Vancouver Convention CentreVancouverCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-Rio '95RiocentroRio de JaneiroBrazil
COMDEX/Spring '95Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Canada '95Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP South America '95Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Fall '95Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/PacRim '96Vancouver Convention CentreVancouverCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-Rio '96RiocentroRio de JaneiroBrazil
COMDEX/UK '96Earls Court Exhibition CentreLondonUnited Kingdom
COMDEX/Spring '96McCormick PlaceChicagoUnited States
COMDEX/Canada '96Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP South America '96Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Asia at Singapore Informatics '96Singapore International Convention & Exhibition CenterSingaporeSingapore
COMDEX/SCIB '96Palais des CongrèsMontréalCanada
COMDEX/Fall '96Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/HispanoAmerica '96Miami Beach Convention CenterMiami BeachUnited States
COMDEX/IT India '96Pragati Maidan Convention CenterNew DelhiIndia
COMDEX/PacRim '97Vancouver Convention CentreVancouverCanada
COMDEX/IT Forum France '97Paris Expo - Porte de VersaillesParisFrance
COMDEX/China '97China International Exhibition CenterBeijingChina
COMDEX/Mexico '97Palacio de los DeportesMexico CityMexico
COMDEX/Japan '97Makuhari MesseTokyoJapan
COMDEX/Sucesu-Rio '97RiocentroRio de JaneiroBrazil
COMDEX/INFOCOM Argentina '97Predio Ferial de PalermoBuenos AiresArgentina
COMDEX/Spring '97Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
COMDEX/Canada '97Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Korea '97COEX Convention & Exhibition CenterSeoulSouth Korea
COMDEX/SCIB '97Palais des CongrèsMontréalCanada
COMDEX/Asia at Singapore Informatics '97Singapore International Convention & Exhibition CenterSingaporeSingapore
COMDEX/Fall '97Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/IT India '97Pragati Maidan Convention CenterNew DelhiIndia
COMDEX/Miami '97Miami Beach Convention CenterMiami BeachUnited States
COMDEX/PacRim '98Vancouver Convention CentreVancouverCanada
COMDEX/France '98Parc de Expositions de ParisParisFrance
COMDEX/Mexico '98Palacio de los DeportesMexico CityMexico
COMDEX/China '98China International Exhibition CenterBeijingChina
COMDEX/Sucesu-Rio '98RiocentroRio de JaneiroBrazil
COMDEX/Japan '98Makuhari MesseTokyoJapan
COMDEX/Spring '98McCormick PlaceChicagoUnited States
COMDEX/INFOCOM Argentina '98Predio Ferial de PalermoBuenos AiresArgentina
COMDEX/Egypt '98Cairo International Conference CentreCairoEgypt
COMDEX/Canada '98Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP Brazil '98Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Korea '98COEX Convention & Exhibition CenterSeoulSouth Korea
COMDEX/Enterprise West '98Moscone CenterSan FranciscoUnited States
COMDEX/Miami '98Miami Beach Convention CenterMiami BeachUnited States
COMDEX/Asia at Singapore Informatics '98Singapore International Convention & Exhibition CenterSingaporeSingapore
COMDEX/Enterprise Frankfurt '98Messe FrankfurtFrankfurtGermany
COMDEX/Enterprise Frankfurt '98Messe FrankfurtFrankfurtGermany
COMDEX/UK '98Earls Court Exhibition CentreLondonUnited Kingdom
COMDEX/Quebec '98Palais des CongrèsMontréalCanada
COMDEX/Fall '98Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
IT WORLD '98/COMDEX INDIAPragati Maidan Convention CenterNew DelhiIndia
COMDEX/Enterprise East '98Javits CenterNew YorkUnited States
COMDEX/Canada West '99Vancouver Convention CentreVancouverCanada
COMDEX/IT France '99Parc de Expositions de ParisParisFrance
COMDEX/China '99China International Exhibition CenterBeijingChina
COMDEX/Spring '99McCormick PlaceChicagoUnited States
COMDEX/Egypt '99Cairo International Conference CentreCairoEgypt
COMDEX/Mexico '99World Trade CenterMexico CityMexico
COMDEX/INFOCOM Argentina '99Predio Ferial de PalermoBuenos AiresArgentina
COMDEX/Canada '99Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP Brazil '99Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Korea '99COEX Convention & Exhibition CenterSeoulSouth Korea
COMDEX/Miami '99Miami Beach Convention CenterMiami BeachUnited States
COMDEX/Quebec '99Palais des CongrèsMontréalCanada
COMDEX/Japan '99Makuhari MesseTokyoJapan
COMDEX/Fall '99Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Israel '99Expo Tel AvivTel AvivIsrael
IT WORLD '99/COMDEX INDIAPragati Maidan Convention CenterNew DelhiIndia
COMDEX/Canada West 2000Vancouver Convention CentreVancouverCanada
COMDEX/Greece 2000Helexpo MaroussiAthensGreece
COMDEX/Paris 2000Paris Expo - Porte de VersaillesParisFrance
COMDEX/Asia at Singapore Informatics 2000Singapore International Convention & Exhibition CenterSingaporeSingapore
COMDEX/Saudi Arabia 2000Jeddah International Center for Conferences and ExhibitionJeddahSaudi Arabia
COMDEX/Spring 2000McCormick PlaceChicagoUnited States
COMDEX/China 2000China International Exhibition CenterBeijingChina
COMDEX/INFOCOM Argentina 2000La RuralBuenos AiresArgentina
COMDEX/Mexico 2000World Trade CenterMexico CityMexico
COMDEX/Egypt 2000Cairo International Conference CentreCairoEgypt
COMDEX/Canada 2000Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP Brazil 2000Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Korea 2000COEX Convention & Exhibition CenterSeoulSouth Korea
ORBIT/COMDEX Europe 2000Messe BaselBaselSwitzerland
COMDEX/Israel 2000Tel Aviv Exhibition GroundsTel AvivIsrael
COMDEX/Miami 2000Miami Beach Convention CenterMiami BeachUnited States
COMDEX/South Africa 2000Gallagher EstateJohannesburgSouth Africa
COMDEX/Sydney 2000Sydney Convention & Exhibition CentreSydneyAustralia
COMDEX/Quebec 2000Palais des CongrèsMontréalCanada
COMDEX/Fall 2000Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
IT WORLD 2000/COMDEX INDIAPragati Maidan Convention CenterNew DelhiIndia
COMDEX/Greece 2001Helexpo MaroussiAthensGreece
COMDEX/IT France 2001Parc de Expositions de ParisParisFrance
IT 2001/COMDEX SydneySydney Convention & Exhibition CentreSydneyAustralia
COMDEX/Canada West 2001Vancouver Convention CentreVancouverCanada
COMDEX/Spring 2001McCormick PlaceChicagoUnited States
COMDEX/China 2001China International Exhibition CenterBeijingChina
COMDEX/Asia at Singapore Informatics 2001Singapore International Convention & Exhibition CenterSingaporeSingapore
COMDEX/Saudi Arabia 2001Jeddah International Exhibition CenterJeddahSaudi Arabia
IT 2001/COMDEX BrisbaneBrisbane Convention & Exhibition CentreBrisbaneAustralia
COMDEX/Mexico 2001World Trade CenterMexico CityMexico
COMDEX/Egypt 2001Cairo International Conference CentreCairoEgypt
COMDEX/INFOCOM Argentina 2001La RuralBuenos AiresArgentina
COMDEX/Canada 2001Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Korea 2001COEX Convention & Exhibition CenterSeoulSouth Korea
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP Brazil 2001Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
IT 2001/COMDEX MelbourneMelbourne Exhibition and Convention CentreMelbourneAustralia
COMDEX/South Africa 2001Gallagher EstateJohannesburgSouth Africa
ORBIT/COMDEX Europe 2001Messe BaselBaselSwitzerland
COMDEX/Israel 2001Israel Trade Fairs & Convention CenterTel AvivIsrael
COMDEX/Fall 2001Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX Quebec 2001Palais des CongrèsMontréalQuebec
COMDEX/Greece 2002Helexpo MaroussiAthensGreece
COMDEX/Nordic 2002Swedish Exhibition & Congress CentreGothenburgSweden
COMDEX/Spring 2002McCormick PlaceChicagoUnited States
IT COMDEX Sydney 2002Sydney Exhibition CentreSydneyAustralia
COMDEX Vancouver 2002Vancouver Convention CentreVancouverCanada
COMDEX IT France 2002Paris Expo - Porte de VersaillesParisFrance
COMDEX/Saudi Arabia 2002Jeddah International Exhibition CenterJeddahSaudi Arabia
COMDEX/China 2002China International Exhibition CenterBeijingChina
COMDEX Egypt 2002Cairo International Conference CentreCairoEgypt
COMDEX/Canada 2002Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoCanada
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP Brazil 2002Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Korea & INTEROP 2002COEX Convention & Exhibition CenterSeoulSouth Korea
IT 2002/COMDEX MelbourneMelbourne Exhibition and Convention CentreMelbourneAustralia
COMDEX Atlanta 2002Georgia World Congress CenterAtlantaUnited States
ORBIT/COMDEX Europe 2002Messe BaselBaselSwitzerland
COMDEX Montreal 2002Palais des CongrèsMontréalCanada
COMDEX/Fall 2002Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Scandinavia 2003Swedish Exhibition & Congress CentreGothenburgSweden
COMDEX/Greece 2003Helexpo MaroussiAthensGreece
COMDEX/China 2003China International Exhibition CenterBeijingChina
FIHT COMDEX 2003Paris Expo - Porte de VersaillesParisFrance
COMDEX/Saudi Arabia 2003Jeddah International Exhibition CenterJeddahSaudi Arabia
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP Brazil 2003Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
COMDEX/Korea & NetWorld+INTEROP 2003COEX Convention & Exhibition CenterSeoulSouth Korea
ORBIT/COMDEX Europe 2003Messe BaselBaselSwitzerland
COMDEX/Fall 2003Las Vegas Convention CenterLas VegasUnited States
COMDEX/Scandinavia 2004Swedish Exhibition & Congress CentreGothenburgSweden
COMDEX/Saudi Arabia 2004Jeddah International Exhibition CenterJeddahSaudi Arabia
COMDEX/Korea 2004COEX Convention & Exhibition CenterSeoulSouth Korea
COMDEX/Sucesu-SP Brazil 2004Pavilhão de Exposições do AnhembiSão PauloBrazil
ORBIT/COMDEX Europe 2004Messe BaselBaselSwitzerland
COMDEX/Greece 2004Athens Metropolitan ExpoAthensGreece
dte-COMDEX/Greece 2005Athens Metropolitan ExpoAthensGreece