CES gadget show gets record number of exhibitors

(AP) -- The trade group that puts on the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas says it has hit a record number of exhibitors this year, as the industry continues its rebound after the recession.

The show is already the largest trade show in the Americas. It opened Tuesday and is expected to draw more than 140,000 attendees.

The Consumer Electronics Association says the show has more than 3,100 exhibitors, up from a pre-show estimate of 2,800-plus. The show usually has just over 2,700 exhibitors, but dipped to 2,500 in 2010.

The record number of exhibitors demonstrates the show's enduring relevance for smaller exhibitors, even as Microsoft Corp. will stop exhibiting and end its 15-year tradition of an opening keynote speech. Monday's appearance by CEO Steve Ballmer was the last.

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