Can't make NAB this year? You are not alone. Some of the largest companies in our industry have made the same decision this year. Avid and Apple have traded their show foot print for offsite hotels and "a new approach" to relating to their customers. Thomson/Grass Valley has pre-released their booth layout www.thomsongrassvalley.com/tour. Could this be the new NAB?

While the raw information presented at trade shows has been replaced by online websites and RSS feeds, meeting face to face and doing the hands-on evaluation of equipment is still very real. If you're looking for a one-stop experience - NAB is the place. 

In the near future, expect NAB will continue to be the big dog. However, down the road a bit - expect more manufacturers to option for local events and even virtual experiences to replace the huge resources and investment required by trade shows ($5M-$10M typically for larger companies). See you at the big show soon!