Home Truths at the World Mobile Congress 2012
Truth #1: If you’re not napping at the world mobile congress you’re meeting someone. If you’re not meeting someone you’re trying to set up a meeting with someone. If you’re not trying to set up a meeting with someone, then you’re the guy making smoothies at the Android stand.
Truth #2: Why compete with Android. Seriously. Their stand had a slide. And free smoothies.
Truth #3 Eric Schmidt is a brilliant and visionary speaker. “Avoid the rise of the digital caste system.” While 1 billion people currently have smart phones, 6 billion people don’t. We forget that some people have never done a Google search, never experienced the cloud let alone an ice-cream sandwich.
Truth #4 You saw a tablet or iPhone get dumped in water. Or a fish tank. And it survived. Hello nano-technology.
Truth #5 You’re a guy. It’s hardly an overstatement, the WMC pulls a crowd of about 67,000 delegates from 205 countries and the vast majority of them are male.
Truth #6 Your tag didn’t give you access to something. A party. A keynote. Something. The conference is a shining beacon of hyper efficiency reminding delegates what they paid for. And what they didn’t.
Truth #7 If you’re woman at the conference you’re most likely a booth babe. Just shy of an 80s shoulder pad, see the girls in pink hotpants and tight black mini skirts. It’s both opportunistic and uninventive.
Truth #8 If you’re interested in the power of mobile technology for social good then you’re in Hall 2, at the back, in the corner. If you’re looking for programme details flip to the back of the conference booklet, to the bit without speaker names. Welcome!