Shows usually have separate days for the trade and the public. If you can attend, I think it's a fun way to spend an afternoon for the reasons noted by Mrtennis. It's great to get a chance to talk to people who know a lot about products and new, emerging technologies and design. There will be few people who are all talk and marketing hype, or who have an attitude that fails to recognize who the real customer is; however there will be an equal number of nice, approachable, knowledgeable people who can provide a lot of valuable information. That fact alone may give you insights into what the better brands might be.
