raven.me » Event

iPhone Intelligence Party @ Macworld 2009

Raven Zachary — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:31:18 +0000

I’ll be hosting an iPhone party in San Francisco during the week of Macworld. You can read more about the event on the event site.

The focus of this year’s event is iPhone gaming. We have four great sponsors that represent some of the best iPhone games on the market today – ngmoco:), Demiforce, Aurora Feint, and MotionX (by Fullpower). We have one more sponsor to add to the list in the next few days.

Meet some of the leading iPhone game developers and publishers. Network with iPhone users, entrepreneurs, and developers. See demos of new iPhone games. Compete in iPhone gaming contests. Celebrate the success of the iPhone platform. Although this party is free and open to the public, guests will need to register to attend.

I hope to see you there!

Macworld Expo loses one more thing

Raven Zachary — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:54:25 +0000

Today, Apple announced that it would cease participation in Macworld Expo after the 2009 event and that Steve Jobs will not be present for the keynote address. In his place will be Phil Schiller, senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. In 2010, Apple will be absent from the show altogether – no keynote and no expo floor booth.

I was planning to do a longer write-up about this announcement, but I will point you towards Rob Griffiths’ excellent coverage instead – “The end of an era for Macworld Expo.” He makes many of the same points I would have – Apple’s reasoning makes business sense, but there are some ramifications for the community here that are disappointing. I will miss the annual opportunity to connect with Mac and iPhone users, vendors, and my friends. While developers will continue to have WWDC as the summer anchor event, the same can no longer be said for users, vendors, and the press. Whether IDG World Expo is willing to admit this or not, Macworld will not survive as a conference of this scale past 2009. A 2010 event, in fact, may be its last. The company is likely already locked into a 2010 facilities deal with Moscone Center.

I will be at Macworld 2009 all week to meet with clients, vendors, and my friends who are also making the trek. I may even be back in 2010, assuming the same can be said for the people I would be traveling to meet. 2007 was the best Macworld for me, with the announcement of iPhone. And while the content of the 2008 keynote is often critiqued, the MacBook Air was a pretty phenomenal addition to the product lineup. I am sad to see this era come to an end.

iPhone: The New Gaming Platform at SXSWi

Raven Zachary — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 01:20:15 +0000

My iPhone panel idea for SXSWi was selected. This was the first year I proposed a panel for South by Southwest and am excited that I will have the opportunity to participate in the 2009 event. Here’s a quick summary of the panel:

iPhone: The New Gaming Platform

With the launch of iPhone 3G and the App Store, Apple has created a marketplace for developers to innovate with native applications. One of the greatest successes has been with gaming and entertainment titles, and even Apple has been marketing iPhone as a portable gaming device. Will iPhone and iPod touch rival the dominance of Nintendo DS and Sony PSP? Hear from gaming experts who have embraced iPhone as the new gaming platform.

I have not announced panelists yet – this will come later in the process. If you’re planning to be at SXSW Interactive 2009 and have an interest in this topic, I hope to see you there!