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By Nils Hitze, GTUG Munich Founder, with Katie Miller, Google I/O Team
Google I/O 2012 is fast approaching, and to help energize you for three packed days of demos, announcements and developer fun, we chatted with a few attendees to see what excites them about this year’s agenda, and to get some tips on how to make the most of the event.
Today’s conversation is with Nils Hitze, the founder and leader of
GTUG Munich, and organizer of this year’s I/O Extended event in Munich. Nils attended Google I/O in 2011. With the upcoming arrival of his fifth child, he’ll be attending the 2012 event from afar, and in the process offering a customized, community-oriented experience to local developers, complete with a BarCamp, Android Hackathon, and perhaps some beer! We asked Nils about the value of
I/O Extended events, and what Munich’s attendees in particular can look forward to. Here’s what Nils had to say:
Why is it important to you to host I/O Extended?
I enjoy organizing events for people who are eager to learn. Plus, people think better and work better and are more creative when they are together in a room with fellow nerds (and maybe pizza, some beer, some Jolt Cola).
What's on the agenda for I/O Extended Munich?
In Munich we will cover days one and two of Google I/O. We will let people decide for themselves which sessions they want to watch. Usually it comes down to HTML5 and Android.
We add value to the public viewing by holding a
BarCamp on Day 1 and an Android Hackathon on Day 2. The BarCamp is something I've done so often that I simply know it works. Bring together people that are passionate, give them a session plan and let them talk about the things they love. Of course we will have some limiting focus so we don't get "
introduction to coffee roasting" as a session. Although that might be interesting too.
The Android Hackathon decision was based on the never-ending demand for Android Hacks/App/Developers and more.
What are you personally hoping to hear about this year?
Personally I want to learn more about ADK and Project Glass.
ADK, or more specifically
Arduino, is such a cool project that I come across all the time. Either in QuadCopters, 3D printers, home automation - everywhere I look, Arduino is already there.
Project Glass, oh this is the easiest question to answer. It is the next level of UI and I need my hands free while cycling or when I play with my kids but I don't want to be disconnected from the Web. Plus one million cool things I could think of that would make life better/easier.
What's unique about I/O Extended Munich?
It is public viewing for nerds that is following the trend of public viewing for sports events. Also, maybe our beer steins...oh I already told too much.
You've got another big life event right around I/O Extended. Why is it so important to you to attend I/O or an I/O Extended event?
For one, in comparison to any other tech conference I’ve attended, it's bigger. Skyscraper vs house bigger. And the amount of smart people that attend is incredible. Have I mentioned the cool robot stuff that I saw? No? That stuff was epic. Plus, I’ve never seen a party like this before.
Where on earth can you meet the guy who invented Hashtags & BarCamps? Yes,
Chris Messina, I am looking at you.
Not coming to Google I/O 2012 in person? Not a problem. Watch the keynote and dozens of other sessions streamed live at developers.google.com/io.
Nils Hitze is a Lvl 50 Nerd Dad of four (almost five) kids and founder of the GTUG Munich, Germany's second GTUG. In his free time he is saving the world by evangelizing 3D printing, helping open source projects, translating MMOGs and organizing BarCamps/CloudCamps/GameCamps & TechTalks. He has a serious LEGO Problem which he doen’t want to get rid of. You can follow Nils at I/O Extended Munich at @kojote and gplus.to/gtugmunich.
Edited and posted by Katie Miller and Scott Knaster, Google I/O Team
