If you don’t know, SMAU is a computer and technology exhibition which is held annually here in Milan. Being a bit of a geek, I usually go.
Now, I have to say that this exhibition has been going downhill over the years and this year it just about hit rock bottom. Why? Well, it was tiny and poorly organised. Oh, it’s never been fantastic, but it has been much much more interesting. However this year it was entirely closed to the general public and has become aimed at those who work in the technology sector, in theory. In fact, there just was not much to see for that many business people and nothing new, with the possible exception of 3d tv, which looked promising, but has to undergo plenty of development before we would want to have it in our living rooms.
I went to SMAU with a friend of mine and he too was unimpressed to say the least. A shame really, because this was the first year that the event has been held in the new exhibition centre outside Milan, at a place called Pero.
Stop reading, start speaking
Stop translating in your head and start speaking Italian for real with the only audio course that prompt you to speak.
I was spolit before because the exhibition centre used to be within walking distance of my house. This is no longer the case, and even though the new complex is impressive, not to mention huge, I found myself having to walk about as far from the underground station to the exhibition hall as I would have walked to get to the old exhibition centre. At least there are mobile footpaths and it is all under cover.
If you actually have to pay to get in to Smau this year, then let me say that it is not worth the 15 Euro entry cost.
There used to be so much more, and I believe that the consumer technology exhibition has been hived off into a separate event, leaving the business oriented event purely to business – in theory.
I’m not all that sure I’ll bother going to SMAU next year. SMAU seems to have lost its way.
