After the experience of IDF San Francisco, and memories of the flashy tech demos and incentive systems put into place in the Technology Showcase there, I was a little surprised at the low-key nature of the IDF Beijing version.
The familiar faces, like Texas Instruments, Microsoft, and Lenovo, were there, as well as vendors showing off 3D technology, gaming, data center optimization, and a lot of embedded.
I am impressed by the restraint of the vendors in the showcase when it comes to paper and swag. At both IDF San Francisco and IDF Beijing, there is notably less stuff that people carry away in their hands–instead, they gather it in their heads. Of course, Intel provides great backpacks to attendees for anything they may collect, like white papers and the smooth MeeGo laptop sleeves that were handed out after each MeeGo session. Come to think of it, MeeGo may have been the exception to the rule, as they embraced their whimsy in the trade show setting–literally offering Free Hugs from a line of cute young people. The return was a MeeGo USB adapter in the shape of a little person, arms outstretched as though offering a hug.
The expectation of MeeGo–as a single platform that allows developers to focus on UI changes rather than code changes for various form factors–is exciting, and it will be great to watch the progress of this platform.
Some segments had their own small rooms for their demonstrations, like the embedded healthcare demo, which had set up a mock regional clinic, showing the netbook that clinicians would use to gather and access patient data.
There are two streams of data–the patient’s full medical history and the medical condition records–that help streamline healthcare. There are operating room devices that had no open ports so they could be sterilized and used to monitor and diagnose issues during complex procedures. These will help physicians and nurses provide better, faster care. In addition, there were the advancements in CT scan image processing technology on display in a keynote and in the main Technology Showcase.
The patients aren’t left out, either. There is a hospital bed device that connects patients to TV and the Internet, provides games, and lets patients see their medical records and course of treatment. This is going to change the way people experience a hospital stay, and provide them with a better understanding of their health and prognosis–as well as keeping them entertained.
Speaking of entertainment, the Advanced Technology Zone drew quite a crowd with their 3D capabilities demos, which also emerged on the Technology Showcase floor. It’s great to see people with 3D glasses on, crowded around a screen, completely engaged in what they are watching. Of course, if anyone is able to crack the nut of getting rid of those glasses, we’ll see a rapid shift in 3D viewership. I know most people don’t want to wear a pair of glasses just to watch TV.
Things are changing rapidly, and IDF gives us a glimpse into the future, but is always grounded in the practical application, with proof-of-concept demos that seed ideas for designers and engineers, sparking innovation.
Intel doesn’t just help plant those seeds, they water and nurture them through their partner programs and resource centers. I can’t wait to see what new innovations and evolutions of technology we’ll see at IDF San Francisco in the fall.
