Impressions from WiMax World:

* Last year's keynotes took place in the historic , 4,200-seat Arie Crown Theatre, which hosted some of the most legendary names in rock 'n' roll. (For example, the Rolling Stones' first U.S. tour in 1965.) It's in the oldest, easternmost, lakeside building of the McCormick Place complex, the part that's about the same size as Detroit's Cobo Center. This year's keynotes are in the newest, westernmost part of the building, in the Skyline Ballroom, where you cannot, of course, see the skyline.

* During the keynotes the room is kept virtually pitch black, lit mostly by the soft glow of open laptops. The sound of tickety tickety blankets the air. Sorry, Bill Gates, your dream of a world of tablet computers has not yet come to pass.

* Clearwire's CEO Ben Wolff actually used the phrase "the growthiest part of our business" during his talk. DAMN YOU STEPHEN COLBERT!

* I'm told that preregistration for this year's show exeeded last year's 8,500, and included more than 70 journalists. The 150-plus exhibitors is also a record. The show floor seems much bigger than last year's and includes bigger, spiffier displays by some of the biggest names in telecom and tech. (There's a companion story up on my show floor tour, or soon will be.)

* Did I mention that this place is freakin' enormous? Its four buildings total 2.2 million square feet, which for those keeping score is a little more than three Cobos. I mean, I'm staying in the hotel that's connected to it, and it's still a 15 minute walk to the show!

* I wondered why the streets around McCormick Place were so empty Wednesday night, but then I happened across it on cable TV -- the Cubbies in Game 1 of the National League Divisional Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The White Sox, who won two straight elimination games earlier this week to claim the 2008 American League Central division title (well, one of them was against the Tigers so that couldn't have been much of a worry) start Thursday afternoon in Tampa Bay. People here are really pulling for an El Series, and who can blame them?