Macworld 2010
If you follow my Twitter account, you know that I attended Macworld 2010 yesterday. I had a fun time, and got to meet various conference attendees and people working the booths that I had previously only known by Twitter handles. Despite Apple pulling out, there were still large companies exhibiting at the show – Microsoft, IBM, etc. – as well as smaller “indie” developers.
But visiting booths wasn’t the only part of my day. I also attended the iPad special event, where – obviously – there were beach balls bouncing around the audience. Because what confrense doesn’t have beach balls? I did find it rather ironic that beach balls, the digital form that most Mac users dread, were bouncing around before the event started. I snapped a photo because something told me not everyone would believe it.
The actual event was pretty interesting. I, unfortunately, did not win an iPad, but I got to hear the opinions of various “celebrities” in the Mac blogging world with regard to the iPad and its future. They brought up some interesting points about iBooks, closed platforms, and how regular people may choose it over a net book. One of the points that I particularly enjoyed was that kids may shape the future of touch technology. Because back when GUI was still a new trend, younger people thought that people were crazy for having to deal with command lines. When young kids are attempting to learn how to use the computer, there is a “total disconnect” between where they move the mouse and what happens on the screen. As shown by the various YouTube videos with toddlers using iPhones, it is easier for them to interact with touch screens as the see instant results (they touch an icon, something happens). And when kids grow up with something, it is pretty hard to steer them in a different direction.
After the discussion ended, I bought a shirt, walked around the booths a bit more, and headed for home. I hope to attend the conference again next year, in which case – I’ll see you again next year Macworld Expo, it was a ball.