TECH BLOG
Shipping Off to Macworld

The bags are packed, the batteries are charged, and in a few hours I'll be on a plane to San Francisco for Macworld '08.

All eyes will be on the Moscone Center Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. when Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs takes the stage to present the company's latest lines of products and services. Whatever he has in store will probably dominate the headlines in tech news circles, but there's more to Macworld than his 90-minute speech.

Here's what you can expect MacNewsWorld to cover at the conference:

The Products

Live From Stevenotes: According to Macworld's organizers, since the expo does not coincide with CES this year, it's going to be jam-packed, especially for Jobs' keynote address. The San Jose Mercury News expects 50,000 people -- that's 10,000 more than last year -- and about 800 of them will be media reps.

I've secured a pass that gets me into the auditorium (or at least the overflow viewing area), and I'll keep in constant contact with the editors in ECT's newsroom. We'll have all the presentation's big announcements live on the site within minutes of the address.

Gadget Gulch: Part of registering for a press badge for events like this one involves deciding whether to make your e-mail address available to the army of PR reps vying for attention. It's a guarantee that your inbox will get stuffed, but it must be done.

There are always a few truly interesting gems in the pile, and the more planning that can be done, the better. After the keynote, I'll begin roving the show floor looking at hardware, software and accessories to find the most unique, useful and intelligent offerings in the Apple universe. Reviews and roundups will be forthcoming.

The People

Sessions Are in Session: Macworld offers meetings, classes and conferences to suit almost any Mac user, from a novice looking to get the most out of a new MacBook to an IT admin out to network with colleagues.

Right now, I'm planning to check out "Make Your Business Stand Out With iWork," "Macs and the Media: Behind the Scenes at the Washington Post" and "Getting the Most Out of .Mac," among others.

Exclusive Interviews: Throughout the expo, I'll meet with leaders in the industries that Apple touches and conduct exclusive interviews that you can find here at MacNewsWorld in the coming days and weeks.

The day draws to a close, and the hour draws near. I'm off to fight the throngs and masses of Mac maniacs. To everyone else who'll be there: Good luck.

Click here to e-mail Paul Hartsock.