Imagine a trade show centered on computer hardware, like Comdex in Las Vegas. Subtract a touch of the panache that has made E3 the spectacle it is and add a thirteen-hour trip over the expansive Pacific Ocean. Affectionately referred to as Computex, this show is host to all of the major motherboard manufacturers in the world, the most influential chipset designers and both contending processor companies. A multitude of peripheral, networking, handheld and case vendors round out the package, making Computex an attraction well worth the 6500-mile journey. Although Computex 2001 did not boast the expansive layout of last November´s Comdex, the action was far more concentrated and featured several announcements from the industry´s most influential firms.