PCWorld - Sad, but true: Even the red-hot mobile telecom business isn't immune to the economic downturn.
CTIA, normally a super-lively gathering of thousands in a still-evolving tech sector, was unusually subdued this year. Here are the top 10 signs of the times we observed while covering North America's biggest wireless telecom show.
10. Big-name Las Vegas Strip hotel rooms that cost hundreds at the Consumer Electronics Show were available for $70. (Technologizer Harry McCracken, former PCW editor-in-chief, was upgraded to a fancy suite at the MGM Grand for free.)
9. The only people on hotel taxi lines were regular tourists (unless CTIA attendees now routinely wear Bermuda shorts and tank tops while toting hurricane glasses filled with what looked like super-sweet tropical drinks).
8. Honey-baked ham and pretzels instead of shrimp and sushi at press parties. (I'm not complaining, just observing.)
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