OVER 160 exhibitors will be showcasing the latest gadgets at the Sitex Show which opens today.

Organised by the Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF), Sitex 2007 is taking place at Halls 5 and 6 of the Singapore Expo, from today to this Sunday.

An expected 700,000 visitors will be visiting the show which is in its 19th year. There will be lots of ground to cover, some 20,000 sq m - equivalent to the size of four football fields.

Tons of technology products, such as high-definition LCD TVs and entertainment computers, will be selling at special prices - with gift bundles thrown in for good measure.

Besides the opportunity to buy the latest gadgets and gear just in time for Christmas, visitors can expect to be entertained and educated by all the exhibits on display.

Theming up

SITEX is laid out a little differently from most electronics and IT shows, with 13 segments that are defined by a specific theme, such as Gaming or Computers and Hardware.

So visitors with a specific goal in mind can make a beeline for the thematic zones containing the technologies or hot deals they are interested in.

For example, the Animation zone sounds like a fun themed attraction for Sitex visitors young and old - and you don't have to be a technology geek to feel right at home. It will feature animation merchandise including Japanese animated character goods and manga (Japanese comics).

Drivers should park themselves at the Automobile Electronics zone, where getting lost is not a problem - at least, not with the various car navigation systems with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology built-in. There are security solutions and in-car entertainment systems for car buffs to check out too, so expect some heavy visitor traffic at this zone.

And for a look at the future, there is the New Technology zone that will showcase prototypes and concepts of technologies that may - or may not - change the way we live, work and play. The 13 themes at the show are:

» Animation
» Automobile Electronics
» Business IT
» Camera and Camcorder
» Computer and Hardware
» Gaming
» Home Entertainment
» IT and New Media Education
» Kids and IT
» MP3 and MP4
» Mobile Communications
» New Technology
» Smart Homes

Go green and recycle

YOU can also do some good for the environment while shopping at Sitex.

In line with the growing awareness of environmental issues, Cash Converters and Clean Solutions have teamed up to help visitors recycle their unwanted electronics and gadgets.

Cash Converters will be offering a trade-in service - with instant cash - for visitors who bring their old or unwanted devices like computers and game consoles. Items that are not eligible for the trade-in promotion will be disposed off in large containers and cleared by Clean Solutions for proper recycling.

The proceeds generated by recycling these items will be donated to the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD).

But if shopping is more your focus at Sitex, take note that every $100 spent entitles you to a lucky draw entry for a shot at winning over $40,000 worth of prizes - including the top prize of a 50-inch Pioneer HD Plasma TV.

As this is the last major technology show for the year, this may very well be the last opportunity for techies to grab that cutting-edge HDTV or super-fast Wi-Fi router at bargain prices.