[Macworld]

Post your comments for What should Macworld Expo do next? here

[kennethfcooper]

As has been stated, the big guys don't need Macworld Expo any longer. One can easily go to the Apple, Adobe, or Microsoft web site to see their latest products. And, they are sure to be mentioned in the press.
The small companies can still use Macworld Expo to get attention, in fact, that would be their main motivation for attending. It can also be a rewarding adventure for a customer to find that gem that he would not otherwise know about.
So, emphasize and facilitate the adventure. Maybe rating buttons at each booth and screens that give instantaneous results. Online tools that let you search for different genre and provide you with booth numbers or floor maps.

[RunNGunVideo]

Other than holding the next expo at the Apple Campus in Cupertino... It's tough when you are going head to head with CES, where MS has a big presence. My guess is that MS will pull out of MacWorld too, which leaves Adobe as the big vendor and they have their show in FL already. I might look into making an Apple wing in the CES show. Trade show attendance is down in general, and the MW conference has a lot to offer, though without its namesake the future is questionable. I think it is a mistake for Apple to pull out of the one time a year Macphiles can count on some face time with the "man". We might not be shareholdes, but we have a lot of stake in the company.

[dreyfus]

Well, on the (hopefully) constructive side...
I would seriously reconsider the date of the event. Getting companies to exhibit no new products after everybody has spent the money is certainly not helping. This would make sense if the majority of products would be targeting enterprises, but most products in the Apple universe target individuals and small businesses. Late autumn, before the back-to-school season or at/around WWDC would seem to be more obvious choices and be more in line with most product releases.
Coinciding (same city/time) with other trade shows that draw a high percentage of Mac users (design, broadcasting, education come to mind) might be another worthy idea - this would allow exhibitors and attendees to significantly reduce the cost involved...

[cv]

Tradeshows are dinosaurs. If Macworld is committed to 2010, that's fine, but they should seriously think of winding down operations after that.

[dougster]

Well, lets face it. The times are a changing. Sure its sad that Apple won't be at the MW Expos any longer, but it still should be exciting for the other vendors to show up. Heck, not all can get into the keynote speech to see Jobs anyway. There are just too many Mac people. When I was at MW Expo many moons ago I just felt super vibes from all the Mac folks haning out. Its NOT the end of the world. This is a great opportunity 'still' for vendors to show off Mac stuff. Apple will survive and I'm not going to switch to PeeCees just because their commentment has taken a little turn in San Francisco.

I wouldn't stop going to the NHRA drags if John Force retired. Not a great analoy, but you get the picture. :D

[Schneb]

Work with Apple in streaming a live video feed to speak about possible direction and coming exciting products. Just because they will not be there, doesn't mean they can't still participate.
Be more application-centric rather than Apple-product-centric. Give a great voice to the little guys creating some interesting new apps.
Post videos of some of the tech sessions. Create a library of how-tos and trouble-shooting.
Partner with Apple on a new and inexpensive way to promote new hardware and software offerings. Perhaps the renting of a theater near Cupertino and providing a live feed to everyone online. I agree with Dreyfus on his point that these announcements are useless post-Christmas and should be done in November.

[Nanosound]

The Apple keynote has always been an important event and great way to kick off the expo. I think the keynote should be there for next year as well, although without Apple, it will be hard to keep it as grand. It would be great if Apple would be involved, even without a booth, but perhaps it becomes a venue for other third-party product announcements. Many years back, there was a celebrity roundtable with Douglas Adams, Thomas Dolby, etc. (maybe that was at Seybold?). Or bring in some bands and celebrities, make it an entertaining evening to kickoff MW--make it a party.

I do like to see products and this is a great venue for this. I hope that doesn't change. I am looking for a color laser printer, and this will afford me the chance to see and compare many of the better brands together which is not always possible at the office supply stores.

I don't attend the conferences, although I've been to some previously. These days, I get my information and learning elsewhere (mainly online) so I wouldn't miss these.

I regularly attend and enjoy the Final Cut User Group meet which (appropriately) happens during Macworld. Would no MW mean no FCUG meet?

I agree with rethinking the date this event happens. Maybe push it out a month or two so it is not right after the holiday spending period.

[chgodon]

It is going to be a tough road in the best of circumstances, but they are going to have to radically and definitively shift the emphasis away from Apple's participation.
They are obviously going to have to concentrate on developers, and as noted, probably the smaller ones. I would think that with all the developers for iPhone as well as the base platform this could still be a viable show.
It would be great, however, if they could continue to get someone from Apple to do the keynote address specifically addressing future directions that developers need prepare for. At least in OS and other software if not hardware. Presentations by developers addressing issues with the OS, might also help.

[reifer]

I agree with the comment that the date is wrong.
I'd guess that is part of why Apple doesn't want to be there. Why announce hot new products just after the holiday shopping season? Ridiculous to expect big announcements in early January.
WWDC might be a good marriage? Have it and then MacWorld immediately after, back to back. One for developers and one for the rest of us. Apple might even agree to having a (smaller) presence.
I do think that there is value in having a chance to see all of the support cast for our Apple addiction. But without an "anchor"tenant" it will be tough.

[dflax]

While the meat and potatoes of the show has always been the major players - Apple, MS, Adobe - the dessert has always been all of the smaller vendors who have great products that are interesting to the show attendees. (The Keynote not withstanding)
Without the anchor tenants, it will be difficult to attract attendees and then in-turn those same small vendors.
Bringing the show to Las Vegas and merging it into CES would continue to provide a venue for those smaller Apple centric vendors to show their wares and give the attendees a strong motivation to continue attending.
Also, the costs of trade show booth space for the smaller vendors at Moscone is quite high (large vendors too, but they might not be so $$ sensitive). LV might afford better pricing and might be able to continue to attract vendors when times are tight.

[cv]

Apple already has their own highly successful developers conference (it sold out for the first time last year); there is no way Macworld can duplicate that.
Apple has already indicated that they want more control over events and disseminating information. They have total control running the WWDC (controlling content, presenters, non-disclosures, etc.). Third-party event producers simply can't provide that.
Groups like the aforementioned FCUG should consider moving their meetings to the WWDC.

[AnubisIV]

Yeah, if Apple isn't there, the things we'll want to hear about the most are third-party products.
Speaking for myself, I'm not so interested in software at the expo (although big announcements are always interesting), since software can be reviewed anytime and really doesn't gain much at an expo, aside from a little publicity. I can just look at screenshots and demos throughout the year and have a pretty good grasp of how the software works, usually. It's rare for me to need to read firsthand accounts of someone's experience with software before I begin to grasp how it works.
Hardware, on the other hand, really shines at expos, since pictures and text descriptions from the manufacturer rarely do justice to new hardware products. Expos are oftentimes the first places where people can get their hands on the product and see how it works for themselves, and hearing your guys' firsthand reviews is one of the best ways for us to get a feel for what the product is like. The PowerMate comes to mind as a great example, but there are plenty of other cool products that really came into the public's view when people were able to actually touch and use them for the first time.

[SlotcarBob]

Apple is gone, and I say it's good. For Apple, no more January announcement pressure. I think we all agree on that (even though the past few Expos have been only previews of items to come).
You know what, though. I stay away from the Apple area when I go. No deals. Rather go into an Apple Store to preview things. Always crowded beyond belief.
The rest of the Expo was a lot of little guys jammed into a booth the size of a tenement bathroom. Maybe it's time these guys got a little more room. I never went for Apple, it was always for the other guys. Help these people get more creative in their presentations, give us teasers of their stuff online, weeks before the show, and set the booths in some order where they are easier to find, please.
Bottom line, I think things can improve.