Today, I attended by my first MobileCamp Boston.  This is a 1-day conference that is based on the barcamp concept.  This is also the first conference that I've been to that is based on this concept.  The structure allows very fluid discussions and could be considered the most democratic way to hold a conference.

Today, I attended by my first Mobicampbos - MobileCamp Boston.  This is a 1-day conference that is based on the barcamp concept.  This is also the first conference that I've been to that is based on this concept.  The structure allows very fluid discussions and could be considered the most democratic way to hold a conference.

The conference structure

I came into this conference a little hesitant - I wasn't sure what the conference would be fully about and how I could benefit or add to the agenda.  After registration, the first hour was an introduction by the conference organiser and how the conference would operate.  In short, the rules are as follows:

I attended a few sessions and it was quite a bit more interactive than other conferences I have attended.  The format made the speakers more approachable and allowed the discussion to flow based on what the audience were seeking.  Generally, each session had between 20 to 50 participants.

The conference content

The first session I attended discussed the falling usage of Skype and then continued onto Voice User Interfaces.  The session was facilitated by Nitzan Shaer, from Mobivox.  Nitzan had some very interesting points on what made Skype successful and his thoughts on why it hasn't been growing in recent times.  Skype's focus, technology and good viral marketing were key to its initial success.  Unfortunately, Skype has reached a "glass ceiling", according to Nitzan, where subscriber growth has reached a plateau (although revenue is increasing).  The main reason given is that PC/desktop market is saturated with Skype users and so the only opportunity is mobile.

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