SXSW had plenty of hiptop users, and being among such a crowd was a nice change for me. It reinforced that not only is the device extremely useful, but also a lot of fun.
I kept track of the panels and events I wanted to attend with the Calendar. I used Notes to jot down thoughts, URLs, etc. during panels. I added new people to my address book easily. It was easy to check websites and emails as needed.
Naturally, it also helped keep me connected to people easily. I could make a call, send an SMS, send an email or look for someone on AIM, depending on what device(s) they were using to stay connected. I could even use Terminal Client to log onto IRC servers.
In our Moblog Nation panel, absolutely everyone was well-informed about the hiptop - and most people I met knew someone else who had one. Of the people I met who had hiptops, most of them had several friends who had hiptops as well.
It was also comforting to see that I wasn't the only one who has trouble letting my hiptop rest. People kept an eye on AIM and email at all times. At the bar Sunday night, I was sending email and sharing URLs with people right next to me, and we all laughed at some random AIM trickery.
Often, when limitations of the web on mobile platforms were discussed, I'd notice that these limitations didn't apply to the hiptop (thanks to the abilities of the browser, the presence of an IM client, the ease of sharing photos, etc.).
Naturally, a lot of people were interested in the prototype hiptop Danger was displaying in France a few weeks ago. Everyone was excited about the reports of an integrated camera with better resolution. I only wish I had one with me to show off ;)
Even though forgetting my charger cut down on the number of pictures I ended up taking, I couldn't imagine navigating SXSW without my hiptop :)
Appendix A:
hiptop thoughts
Appendix B:
more on SXSW 2004
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