Reporter's Notebook: Final thoughts on MWSF – and Boston
January 9, 2004 - 03:23 PST   by Dennis Sellers - Today winds up Macworld San Francisco 2004. Although I've not heard the final headcount of attendees, the thing that has impressed me about the show is that the Moscone Center has seen a steady flow of traffic on Wednesday and Thursday (I'm not sure about today's attendance as I'm obviously writing this before the doors open on Friday.)

The big question mark is what will happen with the Boston show slated for July 12-15. Apple is still saying "no" to the change of venue from New York City and a lot of exhibitors are hedging their bets waiting (and hoping) that Apple changes their mind [see related story]. Let's hope that a final decision is made ASAP and that Apple and IDG can work out their differences immediately (if not sooner). The clock is ticking.

Now some final notes on the show …

Tucked away in a corner of the North Hall is a small booth by a Japanese company called Eclipse TD, which is showcasing an incredible line of speakers. The "time domain audio system" comes in various "flavors" and colors suitable for Power Macs-PowerBooks, iMacs-iBooks and iPods. The company is looking for a US distributor; I hope they find one (though it seems as if Dr. Bott may do the job). The 5.1 speaker system I saw seems like a perfect compliment to the Power Mac G5.

Speaking of speakers, I'm glad to see the new analog version of the SoundSticks speaker system by Harmon Multimedia. I've always thought they were an excellent combination of style and sound. I'm just sorry to hear that Harmon's 5.1 speaker system, the Encounter, is on hold.

The Insider Software gang looked spiffy with the red berets they wore at the show.

If you're in San Francisco for the show and have the time, visit Ghirdelli Square. Besides getting some great ice cream at the ice cream shop, you can also see how chocolate is made. (Hmmmmm … chocolate).

Laura (my wife) and I had a fine meal at the Crustacean on Polk Street at California. It was recommended to us by a cable car operator. I had the salmon, which was good (though I'm used to getting three times as much food for the price.)

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