Android Open Conference

Sifteo cubes: Hands-on Interactions, Intelligent Play, and SDK!

Humanity has been playing games such as chess, Mahjong, dominoes, and various card games, in some cases for thousands of years. These games are fundamentally social and tactile and have stood the test of time. David Merrill, President and Co-founder of Sifteo, proposes a new chapter in social games that he believes maintains human community while making full use of cutting-edge technology.
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Dion Almaer, Ben Galbraith - Apps vs. Web

An 'app-in-store' model is a dramatic shift from the bulky but comfortable advantages of a big corporate website, where large, constant refreshing or redeployment of the site's entire content happens up to 30 times everyday. Dion Almaer, Ben Galbraith expound on how Android technology is influencing big retail, including Wal-mart.
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The African Laptop Killer: Android And The Developing World

No infrastructure, no electricity. No electricity, no cable lines. No cable lines, no coaxial Internet connection. No coaxial Internet connection, no problem, because this is how, on the continent of Africa, Android and cell phones become the solution, according to Claire Hunsaker. Her mission is to cultivate consumer market within poverty-stricken areas of Kenya by focusing on access to practical data, developing payment systems, and efficient networking utilizing Google's Android operating system.
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Will Marshall - Android in Space

Can a phone function as a satellite? This is the thoughtfully revolutionary question expounded upon by Will Marshall. Cell phone technology seems to have everything necessary to function successfully in earth orbit but what are the drawbacks, and vulnerabilities? Will Marshall, Staff Scientist at USRA/NASA, talks about them.
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Bob Lee - 10 Innovations in 10 Minutes

Presenting ten key features of the Android in less than ten minutes, Square Inc.'s Bob Lee discusses key innovations that Android has had since the beginning. With themes from individual multi-tasking to global corporate use, as well as some background into the creation of the platform, Bob Lee quickly and clearly summarizes the best of what Android has to offer.
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Massimo Banzi - Arduino and Android, Infinite Possibilities

Skills that were thought to be old fashioned relics of the 20 century, such as sewing, stitching, or needle point are still relevant in the 21st century thanks to the Arduino LilyPad. Massimo Banzi, co-founder of Arduino, talks about and displays some of their fascinating developments, which include the LilyPad, an electronic component made to be sewn into fabric with needle and thread, rather than soldered, to facilitate the embedding of circuits.
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Context and Connection: New Approaches to Mobile Ethnography

A primary goal for developers has been to attract eyeballs and create "addictive" experiences. Kelly Goto advises against encouraging addictive behavior in development and innovation. According to Goto human-to-machine communication is presently the standard. As machine-to-human communication and innovation becomes more common, Goto wonders if this will begin a new phase for enhancement of the user experience.
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A Conversation With Robert Stephens

Google's acquisition of Android Inc. in 2005 silently marked the inception of a powerful mobile software ecosystem consisting of tens of large companies and thousands of application developers. Robert Stephens, the CTO of Best Buy and Founder of Geek Squad talks to Marko Gargenta, the founder of Marakana at O'Reilly's recently held Android Open Conference. They discuss the exciting but challenging days ahead for Android, not just in smartphone and tablet space, but also in home automation as Google's projects like Android@Home gain momentum.
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Wendy Seltzer - Leveraging Openness

While other mobile device companies depend on a closed software development system that gives them near total control, Android uses an open source model that could lead to more innovation. Attorney and open source expert Wendy Seltzer discusses the issues of allowing developers more freedom and what Android can gain from a partnership with other stakeholders that allows both sides to succeed from openness.
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