SXSWi 2010 Recap
It’s a little late, but I thought I’d give a brief summary of my SXSWi experience. This is now the fourth SXSW that I’ve attended (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010), and it seems that every year there tends to be a buzz towards a specific topic or technology. In 2005, it was all about web standards. In 2007, the big buzz was around Twitter. In 2008, almost every discussion was related to virtual worlds and Second Life. And now, in this years conference, the main focus tends to be around location-based tools (Foursqaure, Gowalla, etc.), HTML5, and augmented reality. So, it only seems right that I discuss those three topics.
Location-based Tools and Games
Currently, the two most popular location-based tools are Gowalla and Foursqaure. I have both apps installed on my iPhone, but I must say that I prefer using Foursquare more. Gowalla has a stronger design emphasis and is available in a lot more cities compared to Foursquare. But foursquare has a much more simplified interface and is quicker to load up. For a more detailed comparison of the two, see the article entitled Foursquare vs. Gowalla: Location-Based Throwdown. Another interesting tool that was introduced at the conference was the Foodspotting app. Foodspotting allows you to find and share the best foods. The way that it works is that when you spot a food, you take a picture of it, add a description, and then post it to the app. It will then Geo tag your location, so the next time a person is in the area, they can find your picture along with others that people have spotted. I think this app can be handy, especially if you are traveling and going to a foreign area or restaurant. I’m actually going to NYC this weekend, so I’ll definitely give this app a try.
The final use for location-based technology is in games. The two games that stood out to me were Seek ‘n Spell and SCVNGR. Seek ‘n Spell is basically playing Scrabble while getting an exercise. The goal of the game is to grab as many virtual letters in a limited amount of time and create words out of them. The game uses GPS to spread these virtual letters all around you, and the way to get to those letters is to run as fast as you can to the letter’s location. I’ve played this game a few times, and it’s quite addicting. The only drawbacks is that you have to be in a wide open area where there is no moving cars in the vicinity. Also, I found the GPS to be a bit inaccurate where I’m actually at in relation to the map, and it also lags in updating as well. But I don’t think the fault lies in the programming of the game, rather the issue is more on the iPhone’s GPS capability. SCVNGR is "a geo-gaming platform that allows anyone to quickly and easily build location-based mobile games, tours, and interactive experiences that can be played by anyone on any mobile device". I think the idea of allowing users to build their own games is brilliant. Also, it runs in not only smart phones ( iPhone, Blackberry, etc.), but it’s compatible to any phone that will send SMS. I haven’t gotten the chance to build any scavenger hunts yet, but am definitely interested in tinkering around with it. Google funded $4 million for this company to continue to do what it’s doing, so I’m pretty sure more cooler things will come out of this project.
HTML5
HTML5 is the next major version of HTML which is the core markup language of the web. I would say the biggest change is the addition of the <canvas> element. Canvas opens a lot of doors to creating sophisticated graphics, animations, and interactivity. Phpguru has some great canvas examples. There’s been some argument that HTML5 is the next flash killer. On one of the panels (Is Canvas the end of Flash?), the speakers discussed the advantages of both Flash and HTML5. The biggest advantage for HTML5 is that it runs on iPhone and iPad and has better performance. Flash’s advantage is that there are more pre-existing tools (components, drawing tools, classes, etc.) that makes creating much quicker and easier. Also, the latest flash player (version 10) can run on over 90% of computers and the majority of mobile phones. The biggest drawback of HTML5 is that canvas doesn’t work in IE, and the resources and tools are limiting. The biggest drawback of Flash is that it can be process-intensive and doesn’t perform well on a Mac. Personally, I think Flash is the better tool for most situations. But I’m very exited about the potential for HTML5. As a designer and technologist, I’m always exploring the latest toolsets and experimenting the possibilities. But in the end, it all depends on what works best for a given project or idea. A List Apart has a really good article on this topic. Perhaps in a year or two when HTML5 is more mature, we can re-visit this topic.
Augmented Reality
The first time I was really exited about the potential of augmented reality was when I saw the GE site. Since then, it has really taken off and I’m seeing a lot more uses with this technology. In one of the panels, the panelist gave some great examples of good uses of augmented reality. Below is a list of a few examples:
- Lego Virtualbox – before you buy a lego set, hold it up on one of Lego’s digital box screens, and a fully completed version will appear on top of the box.
- USPS Box Simulator – allows you to complare the size of the stuff you want to ship to the size of the virtual box on the screen.
- Google Skymap -discover the night sky ( planets, stars, constellations, etc.) by pointing your android phone to space.
- Bing – very cool augmented reality maps example on Ted.
- Cannon Ballz – an augmented reality game that uses ZugMo Motion Capture Technology.
- Track my Tees – allows users to trace the journey of their t-shirt, from how it was made to how it becomes sold.
- Augmented Reality Magazines – Esquire was the first to do it but Popular Science and I’m sure many others are beginning to join the revolution.
- Educational uses – Zugura is creating a lot educational potential with ZugStar. Here’s a video that demonstrates it’s potential.
I think augmented reality really resonates more people than virtual world (Second Life, e.g.). With virtual world, everything is virtual and you are living in a virtual environment. But with augmented reality, you’re in the real world with virtual components. This is a powerful tool for advertising, entertainment, and education. I’m current exploring all of these areas using flash and the FlarToolkit. There’s great potential, and I’m exited to see these ideas grow and come to life.
Summary
Overall, I had a good learning experience at SXSWi. I met a lot of old friends and colleges and a few new connections. The thing that’s unique about SXSW is the diverse culture of talented people. From entrepreneurs, to marketers, to designer, to developers, to musicians, to filmmakers, and to idea thinkers, there’s is vast amount of brilliance that’s gathered in one area, learning from one another and being a part of a single experience.
I’m looking forward to attending the 
It’s my first trip to Chicago, so I’ll be hitting the tourist spots. If anyone knows any cool spots to go to, let me know. Oh, I’m also looking forward to riding one of these bad boys! Let’s see how many people I can run down … it’s going to be sweet!
