DESPITE a smaller footprint this year, Asia's largest tech show kicks off today with a showcase of technology, such as super-fast broadband Internet, glitzy cellphones with bells and whistles, and dazzling display platforms.

About 14,000 people have indicated that they will attend the Infocomm Media Business Exchange, or imbX, now in its fifth year. About 60,000 or so trade visitors attended in previous years, of whom about a quarter pre-registered.

They will be coming to buy or sell new technologies, learn about trends in their industries, or launch snazzy new products on the Asian market.

Those who pre-registered have indicated that they are likely to spend about US$3billion (S$4.4billion) buying technology, still a sizeable amount in this economic climate, a spokesman for the show said.

There are 1,952 companies exhibiting this year, about 15 per cent fewer than the 2,300 last year.

But even with the recession taking its toll, there is still no other tech show in the region 'giving us a challenge', said Mr Stephen Tan, chief executive of Singapore Exhibition Services, which organised the event.

It starts today with the iGov Global Exchange, a forum on e-government technologies.

imbX has several components, including the highly popular CommunicAsia exhibition of the latest in telecommunication and Internet technologies, as well as BroadcastAsia, where exhibitors show off more devices and ways of using Internet TV, high-definition broadcast technology and delivery of content onto mobile devices.

With ultra-high speed broadband networks being built in various countries, including Singapore, the organisers have included a forum on the business opportunities and usage of such networks.

The Infocomm Development Authority is also putting up an exhibition of how Singaporeans can use such broadband speeds - from getting doctor consultations through their TV sets to monitoring home security via wireless cameras.

Read the full story in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.