THURSDAY, 5.48pm

EARLIER today, a man was walking around the crowded halls of Suntec City’s convention centre looking for a specific mobile phone to buy.

He was holding a copy of my article, which featured a simple-to-use phone with big buttons targeted at the elderly, and was asking around if they knew where to get it at the PC Show.

The phone debuts at the show from today, and costs $78. Among its features is a special SOS emergency button which the owner can press when he is in trouble. An emergency message and call goes out to pre-programmed numbers when he does that.

It was too crowded, he could not find it — and his employer, a reader who only wanted to be identified as Grace, 55, called The Straits Times to find out where to buy it.

She said she had been searching since last year for a phone like this for an elderly family friend.

"It's good to have one of these in your pocket around the house, in case you fall and can't get up," she said, referring to an elderly person. "It's good for the handicapped too."

In fact, she spent the next hour hunting around Lucky Plaza, in case they were sold there too, passing around the article in case anyone knew where to find it.

"I think I must buy a few more, to keep around just in case," she said.

When I got her message and returned her call, she sounded very grateful on the phone.

As a journalist, it always spurs me on when I know I’ve helped someone out, even if it is to give directions to someone as to where the booth inside the convention hall is.

THURSDAY, 11.40am
AT THE time of writing, it is 11.40am, 20 minutes before shopping season begins at the PC Show, which opens today at noon.

But already, people preparing to suss out the best bargains have headed online to do their research.

Exhibitors, brands and even the temporary promoters hired to push the sales of gadgets have gotten more tech-savvy.

Even before the show opens, they have uploaded digital versions of price lists, brochures and flyers onto websites where people can download them to make a comparison.

As of June 11, 11.32am, there were 144 of these digital brochures uploaded already on one website www.bootstrike.com, hosted by a user named Ganesh. Submission to his website is free.

Forums like Hardwarezone and VR-Zone, which have a tech slant, also have many pricelists and comments from members who have visited the show.

In the past, it used to be simply a "service", where fellow users helped one another out by posting what they found out, from the kindness of their hearts.

But today, it’s really about business.

Temporary promoters who put up such information, even news about whether certain models or colours of the gadgets are selling out fast, also post their cellphone numbers – and ask forum members to look for them when they head down to the show to buy.

The promoters are usually paid commission when they make a sale.

Brands that submit their pricelists are also signalling to customers that they have taken a booth there. It is another means of marketing, and it comes at little or no cost.

But for seasoned electronic fair shoppers, these lists are simply a guide.

As the show goes on, the prices or number of freebies are usually adjusted as exhibitors check out the competition and price themselves better.

New leaflets are usually printed too – which may not be uploaded onto the websites.

The amount of "noise" from too many discussion threads from the show also needs navigating.

And of course, there’s the fine art of haggling – unfortunately, one I have not mastered.

So beat the heat and crowds and monitor the prices and deals from the comfort of your own home first – then swoop in and bargain. Happy shopping.

WHERE TO FIND ONLINE BROCHURES:

www.bootstrike.com/itfairsg/pcshow2009

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg

http://forums.vr-zone.com

http://my.ocworkbench.com/bbs/forumdisplay.php?f=80