Viva Las Comdex

It was that time of year again. All facets of the technology world descended on Las Vegas last November for their annual collective hug and show and tell: the Comdex 2000 trade show. Somewhere among the EDS cat-herding cowboys, Olympus product-wielding gymnasts and Sony robotic pets was a glimpse of some great new hardware for the home office. Even more exciting were the hints of what's to come. Digital paper, anyone?

This intrepid reporter braved the oversized hotel bathtub, the crowded shuttle buses, the excitable PR people and mazes of exhibition booths to squeeze some home office wonders out of the fray. I dove in Palm III-first. What follows is a parade of some of the most interesting hardware, gadgets and services-everything from the practical to the "ooh, neat." Then we'll open up the time portal and see what's coming down the line with a peek at the future of home office technology.