IDF - Final Thoughts

Belated wrap up on thoughts of the IDF '07 jamboree...

Final day marked a change in atmosphere at IDF - Justin Rattner made a radical switch from blue to Hawaiian shirt and even began his key note from Second Life. His talk centred on the 3D Internet and raised some really interesting issues about how and why we would be using this medium in the future. It was a pleasant relief from the barrage of product announcements (and nice to have a speech that did NOT include another shiny 30inch wafer) . It showed Intel clearly have an appetite to track user behaviour and determine where their products have relevance. Based on other keynotes - they have already identified security, mobile working, form factors and power management as key themes driving user demand - now they are looking further afield.

However - I was left underwhelmed by some of the examples - Qwaq (www.qwaq.com) - the enterprise version of second life looks rather like an application in dire need of a user need but I would love to be proved wrong when they are purchased by Google for $xx billion.

So - first time visitor view of IDF?
Very impressive event, choreographed to perfection and executed to a very tight set of objectives. Intel's pedigree and investment in technology genuinely commands respect. However I would have loved to have seen more user involvement (not just bland testiomonials up on screen), more recognition of markets outside the US and my experience with the striking cleaning workers makes me think Intel need to work a little harder to shake off their 'paranoid' tag...

Finally - thanks to zdnet for sending me out there!