The dawn of the “New Era” of the conference previously know as Macworld Expo has caught the attention a whole lot of people, if the pre-show traffic at Moscone West is any indication.

Local news crews were out in full force to cover the re-branded Macworld|iWorld in numbers not seen since the days of the Steve Jobs Keynote. But the real difference is that the media aren’t here to report on Apple — they’re swarming the independent developers, hardware and accessory manufacturers, and conference staff. That has to be a welcome change for those groups used to living in the long shadow of Apple’s presence at the show — groups that are now basking in the full glow of the media spotlight in a venue that’s at once both more compact and more diverse than in years past.

Rather than covering the speculation over what Apple might announce, the media is spending a lot more energy reporting on what’s already being shown — an impressive assortment of innovative tools to expand and extend the capabilities and fullness of iOS devices and Macs, as well as galleries that illustrate what can be done with those devices — from digital art to video to music. This show also seems to mark the return of traditional media to the show, with camera crews from local and network affiliates virtually taking over the first floor and meeting rooms set up within Moscone West.

The Mac Observer is here in full force to cover all the announcements, introductions and events. Stay tuned for what looks to be a week jam-packed with lots of new products, software and presentations.  If day one is any indication, it’s going to be a wild ride.