An eager crowd awaits the opening.

The IT show is back again this year, bigger and meaner than ever, with 700,000 visitors expected over four days from March 8 to 11.

How big? The figures speak for themselves: All exhibition space at Suntec City has been taken up, spanning three floors comprising a total area of 9,000 sq m ? that's five football fields. At this size, it is 11 per cent bigger than last year's event.

Occupying a floor all to themselves are software and electronics titans, Microsoft and Sony. Their strategic head-to-head arrangement hints at a fierce rivalry in the gaming market, of which both companies have a stake in - Microsoft with its Xbox 360, and Sony's more recent PS3.

For Microsoft, this is also a chance to showcase its new, highly touted OS, Windows Vista. As part of a promotional blitz, the company gave away a $99 voucher for Vista Home Premium or Office, home or student 2007 upgrade packs to the first 100 early birds.

Response was good, with a snaking queue eagerly waiting outside Microsoft's booth even before the exhibition officially opened. The crowd comprised a mix of people, from students to the middle-aged.

Some had been queuing since 8am, even though the show only opened at noon yesterday.

Says Gary Lee, 34, who is self-employed: "I was just strolling by when I noticed the offer which was quite a bargain so I decided to queue."

On the higher floors are huge halls exhibiting a myriad IT products and consumer electronics.

The Straits Times reported that the impressive range of IT and electronics is indicative that the line between this two tech categories is blurring even more.

Integration of technology means one can synchronise a media home system where the TV is used to watch videos from the Internet and also play MP3s.

IT is no longer limited to computer geeks.

Mr Melvin Koh, general manager of show organiser Eastern Directories, says there is a richer range of products on display for everyone.

IT Show 2007 opens from noon to 9 pm daily, at levels 3, 4 and 6 of the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

(All photos: Kheng)