, Columnist
Yawn. Another Fawning Technology Product Event.
Let's try something different for a change.
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Here's an easy prediction: One day next month, Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook will prowl a darkened stage as part of the hype-building for a rectangular slab of glass and circuits. It will be a meticulously rehearsed event that's made to seem like a guy is casually talking to his buddies about a life-changing book he just read. Except with Keynote presentation slides.
Steve Jobs honed this pomp and circumstance, and now everyone is doing an imitation of the consumer electronics three-ring circus. Samsung Electronics Co. on Wednesday did one for its new Galaxy Note 8 smartphone. Expect more this fall in the high season for slideshow-filled gadget showcases.