Screenmedia Expo 2011 was held in London last week. Ooh-tv was there and here are our thoughts:

- New ‘majors’ appear: even though screen manufacturers, the traditional heavyweights of our sector were absent, other ‘majors’ have popped up to replace them – such as Intel et HP (more about HP’s ambitions in a future edition of Ooh-tv)

- Integrated concepts: regular visitors find trade shows an endless series of identical stands without any distinctive flavour. SMB exhibitors went out of their way this year to do things differently, investing more than ever in their stands and in some cases, proposing integrated concepts which made the visit more entertaining.

Arsenal Media was there to present its BuzzWall (in preparation for a European launch), Intel showed its concept stores with its Adidas Virtual Wall, Mediazest had its ‘virtual mannequin’, and Eyetease media had a Black Cab on their stand.

- The entry of Digital Signage into the Digital Media Village : the digital media eco-system was well represented. Blue Apricot, the UK & Ireland distributor for the Californian Insteo (integrating digital signage with social networks) was there. ScreenReach, which publishes a solution enabling two-way interactivity between a digital screen and a mobile phone, was also present. Incidentally, we were the first to write about this company, as early as last September. Since then, the company has signed a deal with RMG in th USA, and has opened a New York office run by the excellent David Weinfield.