Less than a week after CES, tech fanbois and fangirlz are already talking about SXSW, the Austin, Texas-based festival that combines movies, music, and all things digital.
Analysts are especially looking forward to SXSW this year, especially after many said that CES is a commercial waste of time. But will it live up to the hype?
Every year the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas brings in everybody who’s anybody to celebrate all things tech. However, this year industry insiders seem to share the same sentiment that CES was…well, a bust.
An event completely catering to unrestrained consumerism, the giant neon show pulled in major celebs including 50 Cent, Lady Gaga, and Adrien Grenier of Entourage fame to plug products and make appearances.
Blackberry even hired Stone Temple Pilots to serenade fans of the Playbook at its exclusive event.
Everyone seemed to introduce a tablet of some kind, while pushing the idea of mobility and media consumption.
Kind of like all those punk kids who try to dress “differently” but all end up looking the same, CES dragged on and on while leaving visitors with a serious gadget hangover.
Then we have South by Southwest.
Just sayin’ – even the name itself seems more casual, more relaxed.
First of all, it’s in Austin, Texas. No flashing lights, gogo dancers, and absolutely no Liberachi. So, can it live up to the same hype of CES?
Well, it depends.
The event is not focused solely on technology, but rather movies and a media consumption in general. Yeah, Conan O’Brien and Mel Gibson will be there, and you’ll certainly see celebrities – but they will probably be plugging movies rather than consumer products.
This event is more focused on projects rather than products. Sure, movies, music, movies and trends will be born out of SXSW. Still, there is no doubt that the amount of new consumer gadgets are are likely to be fewer.
Is that a bad thing? Most say no.
Because South by Southwest is the home of networking, social media, and Internet celebs. Oh, and don’t forget queso!
