Tomorrow I’m flying out to Austin, TX this year to speak again at SxSW 2010! I’m proud to be having a Core Conversation on
Your Online Identity After Death and Digital Wills. Before heading out though it’s important for me to be armed with the proper mobile tools to get around easily and quickly. SxSW will be busy, huge, and exciting. There won’t be time for a lot of things and tons of changes will be made. As I pack and double check my mobile weaponry, I thought I’d share some tools you can use to keep up with all the hype.
So you’re getting ready to go to SxSW 2010. You can expect to be mobile 90% of your time. So you need tools that can keep up with you and the pace of SxSW. Here’s what I’m packing on my iPhone and wearing during the day:
Do you just hate when you meetup with a friend for a panel and you don’t know where they’re sitting? Sitby.US solves that problem
and lets you keep track of what panels you’re interested in going to. You can even subscribe or export your schedule to Google Calendar. iCal, and Outlook. Sounds like a time saver to me!
If you haven’t signed up for Plancast and you attend a lot of events, you’re missing out on a world of opportunities. Everyone is here and tons of events are added everyday. It’s the new “Upcoming” with a larger tech focus. A lot of members will be at SxSW so this is a perfect meet and greet app for your online connections on the go.
You can’t escape location-based services. If you’re not using 1 of these apps, you can look forward to some awkward conversations at SxSWi. Everyone will be talking about what’s going on with these tools and you’ll want to be in the loop. Don’t be afraid to participate Have some fun and check-in with everyone. I’ll be hanging around
Foursquare and
Brightkite this year.
If you’re using an iPhone you need to have the official app. It features a wide range of content that covers the entire event which includes film and music. It features live message boards, scheduling functionality, an easy way to exchange contact info with others, and more. If you didn’t bring business cards,
or you run out of them, this would be a great backup tool to have.
Comfortable Shoes
SxSWi takes place inside of a huge
HUGE convention center and a few hotels. You’re going to put some miles on your feet and your shoes will be your only hope for keeping up. Dress comfortably and bring comfortable shoes with you. I usually grab a pair of
Converse sneakers. They’re designed to handle the wear and tear.
A Watch
Your mobile device is going to run out of juice because you’ll be doing a lot with it in-between panels. A common thing is to turn your screen on and off checking the time or scheduling alarms. These things can take a toll on your battery life. You’ll need all the juice you can get. Investing in a watch for keeping time will save your phone a few more minutes of battery life. I’ll be wearing a black
Casio G-Shock Mini (
Amazon Affliliate) courtesy of Casio. My favorite celebrities wear them and the Mini line is just for the ladies. It also has an alarm so I won’t be missing a thing.
A Camcorder
There will be moments that you’ll want to capture on video at SxSW. A camcorder always comes in handy and there’s plenty of camcorders out there that won’t break your pockets. The
Flip UltraHD is a popular choice. I’ve been using a
Creative Vado HD (given on behalf of Creative) because of Chris Pirillo’s
Best Video Camera comparison post . The wide angle recording and long battery life is what sold me on the Vado compared to the Flip. Choose one that works well with the events you plan to record.
A Computer
I need your help on this one. I’d rather bring a netbook to lighten my load. Again, there’s a lot of walking going on at SxSW. However, you never know how much computing power you’ll need. I just can’t decide. Let me know what you’re bringing below in the comments. Go on, don’t be shy.
Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate links in this post and my flight to SxSW 2010 is provided by Intel. I thank all of the companies that continue to support the endeavors of SheGeeks.net.
