Mac Live Expo in London

[Luis Ortega]

I have never been to one, so is it worth it?
The PC expos are usually free and this one costs £15 to get in.
What can you expect to find at the Mac expo? If Leopard is out, might there be a price discount for expo visitors?
Thanks for any opinions.

 

[Blue Velvet]

£15 to get in? They're not worth that at all... and in the past, I've received free passes from MacUser. Haven't been to one for a while and everyone I know who has been to one recently says they're a waste of time.

Apple haven't had a large presence at them in the past, so a discount on Leopard isn't likely at all.

Still, if coming away with a few carriers with some free magazines, lots of junk brochures, CDs of freeware and demos is your bag, give it a go.

 

[skunk]

Haven't been to one for a while, but I seem to remember that if you go on the last day a lot of the exhibitors would rather practically give away their unsold stuff than pack it all up again...

 

[OllyW]

£15 to get in? They're not worth that at all... and in the past, I've received free passes from MacUser. Haven't been to one for a while and everyone I know who has been to one recently says they're a waste of time.

Apple haven't had a large presence at them in the past, so a discount on Leopard isn't likely at all.

Still, if coming away with a few carriers with some free magazines, lots of junk brochures, CDs of freeware and demos is your bag, give it a go.

Sounds like that would be worth a 270 mile round trip

 

[hogmog]

I have found them useful for 3 reasons:
- you can sometimes get hold of hardware/software before it is in the 'shops'
- you can usually take what you buy away with you (and there are some decent bargains to be had)
- you can talk to reps from some of the big vendors inc Apple and many of the tutorials can be helpful and enlightening.

However, I have always got in free either through a deal with MacWorld or indeed Apple. I am not sure about going this year though - Apple is currently exceedingly conspicuous by its absence (unless I have missed something on the Apple website and Mac Expo Live website) and I have had no offers of free entry. Don't know what Apple is playing at - I would have thought it would have been an ideal opportunity to showcase Leopard (even if not for sale), any new accomanying hardware (we live in hope) and of course mustn't forget the iPhone. I feel somewhat as if Apple is on the path to being another Commodore (Amiga RIP) at the moment - but that is probably just because I am a little hacked off with the state of the Mac Pro but that is more than adequately covered in other threads.

I think therefore if you can get a freebie it is worth going, if not well...

 

[CortexRock]

I'm going up on 25 October... got work to pay for it, so it'll be a day out of the office if nothing else!

 

[weckart]

I went to the last one and that should be it for me. There are slim pickings to be had. Discounts were few and far between and usually from the bigger vendors, such as Macwarehouse, or the magazine publishers, so forget about getting things practically for free on the last day. You will have more chance of winning something on the prize draws they still seem to hold, if you can bear to stay the whole day for the results.

It may be worthwhile if you have a specific interest in a niche vendor attending as then you get to discuss things face to face. Don't bother bringing your laptop as there is no free wireless, either. If you have business accreditation, they may hook you up via ethernet upstairs.

Otherwise, as BlueVelvet said, it is all about brochures and demos in plastic bags. If you want to see a demo of Leopard on the day, the Applestore is free to get in, if it is not packed out.

 

[thworple]

Just so you guys know, for future years, if you check the website for updates in August/Sept., you can get free entry.... thats what I did.

 

[koobcamuk]

Just so you guys know, for future years, if you check the website for updates in August/Sept., you can get free entry.... thats what I did.

I was expecting to be emailed with a free ticket... no such luck.

My friend has two, one for him and a spare. I was planning on giving the spare to my girlfriend as we are both in London that weekend.

Does anyone have a spare they would be kind enough to donate?

If so, please PM me.

Thanks

 

[NoBob]

I used to go to the Mac Expo in Paris each year with a friend of mine. This year we decided to go the London expo at Olympia. Both very disappointed. Apple couldn't be bothered to be there, and on Leopard release day, too. On the Computer Warehouse stand they were selling leopard for £85 - as some kind of special deal! (You can get it from Amazon for £79.48. )

Adobe's budget was apparently stretched too thin to make it this year, so they just had a rep and a poster on a joint stand. If anyone's interested, was informed that the CS3/Leopard update patch will be out in perhaps 10 weeks. As someone mentioned, lots of plastic bags and magazine subscription offers. I wouldn't pay £15 to get in. Luckily we signed up for a free entry pass on the website in early September. Don't expect I'll go again. Will go back to Paris...

 

[speakerwizard]

rubbish