We have returned from South by Southwest (“SXSW”), an interactive festival combining technology, software and hardware, and all things that have made social networking a smash in recent years. It was where Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare were first promoted to the general public and this year, as John Biehler points out, software gave way to advances in hardware — making DIY culture the focus of trending technology.
Aside from a massive conference schedule, trade show, and a dance card full of company-sponsored parties, there are also houses and pavilions (think back to Vancouver 2010) that host celebrities, entertainers, and guests. All of this takes place over two weeks in Austin, Texas with Interactive leading into a Music festival and Film running somewhere in between.
A highlight for us this year was discovering the SONOS Studio SXSW that was located in a house just a few steps away from the Austin Convention Centre. It was there that we had some of our most memorable experiences of the entire festival.
SONOS Studio SXSW
SONOS (makers of wireless home music systems) rented out a house and through back-alley access, conference-goers (who RSVP’d in advance via the SONOS blog) could enjoy free tacos from a truck parked in the alley, free beer and beverages (from the ice-filled fountain in the backyard), entertainment on an outdoor stage, and several sound installations that were around the property. Flula Borg hosted a Fluncheon in the afternoons, providing hysterically entertaining commentary and creating songs on the fly.
Photo credit: John Biehler
The backyard shed was transformed into a demo for the SONOS Playbar that was controlled by your movements. John Biehler posted a video of the setup that included four projectors that were also in sync.
Inside the house you could play with a Theramin, a Moog synthesizer, catch live radio broadcasts on KCRW, and use arts and crafts materials to build your own speakers. On our first day there we caught Kat Von D and Deadmau5 (Joel Zimmerman) as they were given a tour of the whole setup. I even hung out beside them as they built their own speakers out of paper plates.
It was one thing to appreciate the chill outdoor atmosphere of the venue (free drinks and food were a bonus) but it was another to completely geek out with audio enthusiasts like my husband (the radio engineer).
SONOS PLAY:5 Giveaway
When a timely press release from SONOS found its way to my inbox, I knew I had to connect it with our fantastic experience at the SONOS Studio SXSW. SONOS is offering up a PLAY:5 and a Bridge to one lucky reader.
With a PLAY:5 and bridge from SONOS:
Stream all the music on earth wirelessly. Play your entire music collection stored on your computer or network hard drive. Or listen to one of the 100,000+ radio stations from across the world with TuneIn. Or stream millions of songs, podcasts, and stations from Songza, Rdio, SiriusXM, Deezer, Slacker, Wolfgang’s Vault, Aupeo!, Stitcher, and Dar.FM. You can even wirelessly stream music directly from your iPhone or iPad. PLAY:5 also has a line-in so you can connect even more music sources.
It has a simple wireless setup. Plug it in anywhere you want music.
Start with one, expand anywhere. After connecting a SONOS Bridge or your first Sonos player to a router, you can keep adding players to the rest of your rooms wirelessly.
Big HiFi sound in a compact size, thanks to 5 integrated speakers/5 dedicated digital amps.
Wireless control from your Android smartphone or tablet, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, PC or Mac with free apps. Search for songs, choose the music, and control the volume in any room from anywhere.
The PLAY:5 is available for $449.99 in Canada and the Bridge sells for $59.99. In the Vancouver area, they can be purchased at HiFi Centre or at Future Shop and Best Buy stores (or online).
It’s called “the original, bigger room, bigger sound, all-in-one wireless music system” and you can experience it for yourself by entering the contest:
Leave a comment on this post naming the first song or album from your library that you would play with the SONOS PLAY:5 once you got it home (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win a #PLAY5 & Bridge from @SONOS & @Miss604 http://bit.ly/SONOS604
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Friday, March 29, 2013. Follow SONOS on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter for more information about their wireless systems and technology.
If you’re looking for something fun to do this upcoming Spring Break, consider checking out Science World’s Machines and Me weekend events programming where 3D printing will be showcased.
I’ll be bringing a bunch of 3D printers (along with their owners from 3D604) down to the Dyson Innovation Lab to demonstrate the technology on March 16th to March 17th and March 23rd to March 24th from 11:00am until 5:00pm each day.
Photo credit: John Biehler
We’ll also have 3D scanning demonstrations as well and will be printing all weekend at Science World. So if you’ve ever wanted to see a 3D printer up close and in action, this is your chance.
Photo credit: John Biehler
If you are unfamiliar with the world of 3D printing, check out my previous post “What is 3D Printing?” and follow our local 3D604 group.
Join Y.E.S. members and newcomers at Incendio Pizzeria in Gastown (103 Columbia St) on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Admission is $25 for Y.E.S! members and $35 for non-members.
Tickets include three Craft Beer tastings from Copper & Theory Artisan Beer Supply Co., unlimited Incendio wood fired brick oven pizza (paired with Craft Beer tastings and features), and a presentation by Adam Henderson, certified Cicerone and Founder of Copper & Theory. Adam’s company imports beers from around the world, such as Cantillon, Gigantic Brewing, Upright Brewing, and Ninkasi.
Y.E.S! Vancouver is a group of professional women who enjoy fun and stylish networking events that make a difference. All funds raised by Y.E.S! directly support Dress for Success Vancouver, an international charity that helps low and no income women to transition into the workforce by providing professional attire and career support.
Follow Y.E.S! Vancouver on Facebook and Twitter for information about the organization and their events. Follow the tag #YESBeer2013 on Twitter for more updates about this event.
It’s a new tradition: The first day of spring in Vancouver means that you can take part in a public pogo bounce challenge in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery and raise funds for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. The annual Boink Day – “Boinking For a Cause” campaign returns on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 to usher in the new season and support a great local cause.
The event works by having participants (anyone who stops by and is up for a bounce) hop on a pogo stick and Spring Advertising will donate $0.10 to the Food Bank for each bob. Pogo sticks will be available on site or you can bring your own, just be sure your bounces are counted.
Every $1 donated enables the food bank to purchase $3 of nutritious fresh fruit, vegetables, and eggs. The public can also make a cash or non-perishable food donation on-site.
Visit Boink Day from 7:00am to 7:00pm on Wednesday, rain or shine, and follow Spring Advertising on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about the campaign.
Green tea in Vancouver is a way of life. Prepared in clear tea glass containers, on the go at your favourite cafe, or even mixed up into delicious recipes or ice cream treats. In fact, 27% of Canadians now consider themselves primary tea drinkers, and it just might be green tea leading that charge.
Drinking green tea has wellness benefits like increased hydration, for better everyday living, and a quick moment of down time and relaxation. Green tea contains flavonoids and consumption of one cup of also increases antioxidant capacity in the blood.
Tetley Glow Green Tea Plus (with grapefruit, aloe vera and hibiscus)
Tetley Figure Green Tea Plus (spice blend plus cinnamon, orange peel, ginger and matcha)
Tetley Aware Green Tea Plus (fruit blend plus blackcurrant, ginseng, guarana, and matcha)
Tetley Canada has over 50 different varieties of teas — herbal, specialty flavoured black teas, red teas, orange pekoe — and a variety of pure and natural green teas. To celebrate and promote their refreshing green teas that have offered up a gift basket valued at $150 for one lucky Miss604 reader. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment here listing how you drink/prepare your tea (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win a #TetleyCanada tea prize pack from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/iVJqp
Tetley’s green tea line-up is 100 per cent pure and natural using ingredients such as matcha, guarana, aloe vera and hibiscus — and they contain zero calories. To learn more you can visit the Tetley “Better U” Facebook page to ask questions about the benefits of tea and their three new green tea blends.
I will draw one winner of the prize pack at random from all entries next Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 12:00pm. Update The winner is Katie B!
