Yes, folks, there was a Networld+Interop show this week at the Las Vegas Convention center. Smaller, perhaps humbler than in past years, but happening nonetheless. Despite the reduced size of the show (very comfortably housed in half of the LVCC's Central Hall - with lots of room to spare), there was plenty to see and write about, which I'll get to in a moment.
My key impression from touring the show floor is that the consumer networking folks appear to be hunkered down in their bunkers, with Netgear, Belkin, and Actiontec as the only representatives of that part of the market. Granted, N+I has never really been a consumer-focused show, but the absence of Linksys -- okay, they have an excuse having been swallowed by Cisco -- SMC and D-Link from the show floor is, to me, not an encouraging economic sign, especially given that the consumer has reportedly been the only one with money to spend on anything these days!
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