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Just what were the best parties to be seen at and presents to be gifted during IBC 2008 (Amsterdam; September 11 – 16)?

A happy journalist is one that goes away with a story, a present, a coffee and/or a glass of wine. At this point we need to thank Telenor for supplying the banana that became Sunday breakfast. Telenor also had bags of sweets, but for once we went for the healthy option.

So the most enjoyable parties were those held by Globecast at The Dylan – you can always rely on the French to provide top class hospitality – and NDS on its return to the West-Indisch Huis. Let’s also mention the Latens Irish pub night for possibly the best atmosphere of any event.

ADB came up with a rather nice business card holder, to prevent your reporter from giving out a selection of other people’s cards, while NHK’s V9 Micro-Lenser & Free the Key UFO had the best name ever given to a key ring (and torch). Verimatrix were issuing ice cubes that glowed for no apparent reason.

USB sticks have become a useful substitute for paper and have developed into a useful economic indicator along the lines of the Big Mac Index. Top of the pile was Harmonic with a massive 4GB, beating the 2GB stick received by your reporter for his turn on the IBC conference stage.

But the stand out present was the Pace stapleless stapler, underlining the work the receiver developer has done in reducing its carbon footprint, and actually rather useful.