Right now SXSW Interactive 2011, the largest technology/Internet conference in the United States is underway in Austin, Texas. During the day attendees can connect online or in person in the halls, at parties and while attending panels and talks about the convergence of technology with all facets of life.
Many companies are here vying for attendees’ attention with everything from free beer to mascots in costumes, and more. Meanwhile, the level of commercialization is at an all-time-high for a conference typically regarded for its indie feel.
One example is the ostentatious partnership between location-based check-in service Foursquare, resulting in a parking lot branded top to tail with Pepsi Max advertising. Hollywood celebrities (such as Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher) holding court in the Pepsi Foursquare lot seemed to have geeks shrugging shoulders at celebs’ tech trend chasing, rather than being impressed with their presence.
Perhaps the tragedy in Japan - which is heavy on hearts and minds of SXSW Interactive attendees - is keeping eyes open, rather than filling them with stars.
See the entire SXSW Day to Night gallery here.
Violet Blue is a Forbes Web Celeb, SF Appeal contributor, a high-profile tech personality and one of Wired's Faces of Innovation.
Disclosure
Violet Blue
I am currently freelancing part-time (only) for ReadWriteWeb for their general news blog and their Start (startup tools) channel; this was made in agreement that I would not write about anything that might conflict subjects in my blog (no sex content). I'm under contract to publisher Cleis Press for editing three more books (only) with the topics of women's/couples' erotica. I have been writing and editing books for Cleis Press for ten years on the subjects of erotica and human sexuality (guidebooks). I'm not under exclusive contract anywhere/to anyone/to anything, I have no investments.
Biography
Violet Blue
Violet Blue (tinynibbles.com, @violetblue) is a Forbes Web Celeb, SF Appeal contributor, a high-profile tech personality and one of Wired's Faces of Innovation. She is regarded as the foremost expert in the field of sex and technology, a sex-positive pundit in mainstream media (MacLife, Forbes.com, The Oprah Winfrey Show, others) and is regularly interviewed, quoted and featured prominently by major media outlets (from ABC News to the Wall Street Journal). A published feature writer and columnist, Violet also has many award-winning, best-selling books; her books are featured on Oprah's website. She was the notorious sex columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. She headlines at conferences ranging from ETech, LeWeb and SXSW: Interactive, to Google Tech Talks at Google, Inc. The London Times named Blue one of the 40 bloggers who really count.
