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BABIES in prams, grandfathers on crutches and courting couples were among the jostling crowds at the weekend's IT Show at Suntec City.
Over 100 security guards and Suntec City staff were deployed to manage the hordes streaming in.
As at 9pm on the last day of the fair yesterday, 735,000 people had been to the three-day event to pick up bargains or just to check out the latest gadgets.
They spent $54.5 million in all - 13.5 per cent more than last year's $48 million.
There are at least three other consumer electronics fairs here, but each packs them in - Singaporeans' appetite for all things hi-tech seems bottomless.
Yesterday, the pedestrian bridge linking Citylink Mall to Suntec City was so packed that crossing it took more than the usual five minutes. Many others headed for the fair simply jaywalked across Raffles Boulevard instead of using the bridge.
Financial consultant Melvin Wong, 25, a regular at such shows, usually spends a good two to three hours just browsing.
He said: 'I attend every single one because I love to check out the latest gadgets.'
Others like housewife Jevi John Amali, 26, were there for the bargains.
She said some big-ticket items like flat-screen TVs were going at $500 to $600 cheaper than in the shops. She bought a computer keyboard, some thumb drives and a printer.
And she is already planning a similar bargain-hunting spree next year.
'Maybe, I will get a TV set the next time,' she said.
Flat-screen high-definition TVs were the hot items, with retailers slashing prices to clear their stock ahead of the arrival of newer models.
Printers were also a popular buy, along with digital cameras, laptops and home entertainment systems.
Outside the exhibition grounds, the battle-weary were seen sitting amid their purchases. Some had even fallen asleep.
The general manager of fair organiser Eastern Directories, Mr Melvin Koh, noting the strong consumer sentiment, said: 'People are picking things up like there's no tomorrow.'
weichean@sph.com.sg
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