Vectorliving » SXSW

SXSW Pilgrimage

allank — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 15:37:49 +0000

I am almost done packing my bags, I have secured most of the electronics I require to make it 5 days in a foreign city, and I have pressed and folded my most dapper of threads. Sometime Friday morning around 5 in the morning I will be on the first leg of my trip to SXSW. Waking up at 5′aught clock, securing my luggage and carry-ons, and heading to the airport. On the plane by 7, layover in Dallas/Fort Worth for an hour, back in the air by 9:30 and on the ground in Austin by 10:45. I’m traveling with a companion, the Multimedia Designer from Netcom, Nick. We will hit up Enterprise to pick up our economy sized Ford Micro-Spec or the next smallest car you can get for couch change. Fortunately we will both be rocking our own rooms; with king size beds at that. The best accomodations we could procure at the late date of our reservations slightly procludes us from walking. We will be lodge at the Holiday Inn – Town Lake which, thankfully, is only about 5 minutes from everything by car.

Questions that I still would like to answer before reaching the mecca:

Should I bring my laptop everywhere?
Is it ok to record audio/video?
Is it ok to re-broadcast sed audio/video?
How will I be able to see the 6 panels I want at the same time?
What is/are the etiquette/morays of SXSW?

So that is the ultimate idea. Though, that is also just the beginning. It would be great to find some Sherpa or mystical guide to aide my way finding on this SXSW pilgrimage. I am open to the advice of any and all folks the have been there or know something I don’t.

The Best Laid SXSW Plans…

allank — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 17:12:15 +0000

The pre-SXSW excitement is nearing a climax. For the past two week I have been plotting and scheming like a savant with OCD. I have color coded and highlighted the panels in order of interest based on hierarchy, meticulously planed checked and mapped travel plans, and have a a solid foundation of when and where I’ll be boozing it up every night at the after parties. In fact like most people I have been paying much closer attention to the newest parties that have been announced than the newest speakers or panels.

With out hesitation or delay I will be at the Molotov Lounge at 10 pm on Saturday the 10th, for a chance to me the venerable zefrank
Afterwards, you may be able to find me at the PureVolume Indoor for the Austinist Presents “Local Music is Sexy 3″, I hear there may be burlesque dancers there
And, at some Point I’d love to see Rocketboom at Red Scoot’s Inn Saturday as well
Sunday, quite obviously the Web Awards after party at the Club De Ville
Monday, I won’t be missing the Gawker/LifeHacker party at SideBar
Then most likely the South by Northwest party at Iron Cactus.

Friday is up in the air right now which worries me a bit, but I know a few of the other attendees and things will coalesce quite nicely I do believe. Unfortunately, I am flying out Tuesday night so I’m missing the big party, but I will have made my show by then. You think one of you could talk to my bosses and get them to let me stay at the conference well through the 18th? I promise I’ll be a good guest.

If anyone knows of anything that I’m missing please don’t hesitate to speak up, in fact, yell. Are there any better after parties that I’m leaving out? I’d hate to miss the soirée, and I can tell you I don’t disappoint. I’m no armature, but this is my first rodeo so I could use a little help getting in the groove. Studies have shown I’m the at the lease the social equal of characters played by Jeremy Piven or Vince Vaughn.

Anyways, Hope to see you there.

Oh The Shiny New Toys

allank — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:44:06 +0000

Oh Yes, this will be mine! $499 for a digital video camera that with take 16:9 aspect ratio HD video and 7.1 mega pixel still shots. You just cant beat that with a stick. Unfortunately, I have to pre-order or it will disapear from the shelves faster than the Wii. Here are some specs from the Canon’s TX1 page:

With the PowerShot TX1, Canon takes a futuristic wish-list and makes it a reality. This is an ELPH-sized camera with a whopping 10x optical zoom that not only captures 7.1 megapixel images, but HD movies, too! The stylish vertical design in stainless steel houses plenty of premium advancements including Optical Image Stabilizer Technology, DIGIC III Image Processor, Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction. And because you’ll want to take this compact wonder everywhere, it’s equipped with a built-in lens cover and tough new scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating on the LCD screen.

Putting up mad specifications:

ISO 1600
Face Detection Technology
1280×720 HD video at 30fps
1080i component video playback

Obviously, I will need some face time with this camera in person before actually pulling out the plastic. On first inspection this looks like exactly what I need for a price that I’m very pleased with. What I am hung up on, is the idea that I won’t be rocking this bad dog for SXSW.

SXSW Interactive Confrence

allank — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 22:34:10 +0000

I just booked my registration, flight, hotel, and rental for SXSW! My company is flippin the bill for the senior multimedia designer and I to fly out for the Interactive portion of the confrence March 9th through the 13th. I mean we may not be flying first class but I get my own room and the rental is in my name. The only way that I could be possible more excited about this is if I actually got to stay through the music portion.

Stay tuned for some updates and posts from the show.