Isn't it about time and hasn't Android gained enough fans and followers to have our own event similar to MacWorld? Think about it. A gathering of Android fans gathering to celebrate Google/Android? Yes there is Google I/O, but unless you are developer or press you are not "invited" Developers could exhibit what they are working on in the app store or showcase existing apps. OEM's could show the newest phones and tablets. Speakers and breakout sessions with Google execs, android/product engineers, celebrities, etc... What say you? Would you as a fan attend such an event? Help with grassroots efforts? I could make this happen if the support was there.
1) Need to get a gauge of people's willingness to travel to an event as an attendee. It wold most likely start as an annual event in one city. But with growth, you could do a Fanfest West and a fanfest East, etc... 2) Generate buzz in the android community (developers, users, OEMs) about the event. If you are a developer, or know one tell them about such an event and see if they would support it by taking demo/exhibit space. 3) Attend!
can we wear our starfleet command attire and speak Klingon. Also, is the standard "no pretty girls allowed" rule still stand. pass, I'll just plan on having a date that weekend....
The internet/free flow of information has made trade shows a REALLY bad idea(monetarily/timewise) for most developers. Macworld used to be huge(worked for a Mac software developer) and we used to plan our product releases for it...so did Apple. With the Internet, you talk about your product as soon as you are comfortable, get it to reviewers to help build groundswell, and then ship it as soon as you can. Apple does not even attend Macworld anymore(and it has been derogatorily called iPod world for several years now since half of the booths are filled with iPod accessories. I believe our "little" company used to spend $120k per show(10 years ago). That money goes A LONG way towards advertising/development/headcount.
Understood. We are running into that at my existing show. It's rough since I am in the tradeshow industry. All these "mainstream" companies taking huge percentages of their budgets and devoting them to social media. But there will never be a more timed and true method to demonstrate your products than face-to-face and America industry as a whole is losing their intimate communication skills because of what you exactly described above. Hell, I call on companies all the time that wind up emailing me back. Normal conversation, just done in type instead of spoken word.
Back in the day, there were user groups for Commodore 64/Amiga. Perhaps there can be Android user groups all around the country, set up like this famous one Champaign-Urbana Computer Users Group (CUCUG) Get to know users, see apps in action and maybe there would be someone to fix any problems you might have.
