Interactive
- Austin the new mobile software hub? The Austin American-Statesman’s Lori Hawkins and Kirk Ladendorf write: "[E]ntrepreneurs have generated a wave of startups that are helping establish Austin as a hub for mobile Internet. … [T]he vast majority of Austin players are in their infancy. They include eight-person CanWe Studios, whose founder, Brooke Braswell, raised $1.5 million from private investors and moved from Indianapolis to Austin this year to create a smartphone app for business networking. … 'Austin is like an approachable Silicon Valley. People are open to having coffee and talking about their own business and helping you connect,' Braswell said. 'Even though everyone is fighting for the same talent and in some cases the same customers, there's a genuine desire for you to succeed.'"
- What SXSW Interactive stories are currently trending on Google News? Unfortunately, the story about "Homeless Hotspots" isn't really a positive one. (It isn't just me, right? The subject title "Homeless Hotspots" just reeks of questionable taste, no?) Slate's Rachael Levy: "[T]he homeless individuals hawking the service were recruited from a local shelter and are walking around carrying MiFi devices (techspeak for mobile WiFi hotpots) and wearing t-shirts with this: 'I’M [FIRST NAME], A 4G HOTSPOT, SMS HH [FIRST NAME], TO 25827 FOR ACCESS, www.homelesshotspots.org' Those who wish to connect to the 4G network offer a donation that goes directly to the homeless person. BBH Labs recommends a $2 donation per 15 minutes of use—which can be paid through PayPal—but leaves the ultimate payment up to each Internet user." Naw, that's not bad taste! Yeah ... neither was bum fights.
- The New York Times' bloggers appear to be immersing themselves in all that SXSW has to offer. In this update from SXSW Interactive, the Times touches on the important side activities of brunch and partying, but also offers up this story which to me is so very "Austin": "The folks behind the Austin-based start-up Mifft didn’t feel like shelling out thousands of dollars for a mere table in the South by Southwest exhibit hall. So they spent $3,000 on an ancient schoolbus and turned it into a mobile briefing room and taxi service." There's also a 22-minute video. Go check it out.
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| Credit: bits.blogs.nytimes.com/ |
- Is blogging a girl-thing? Austin360 food blogger extraordinaire Addie Broyles went to a panel on just that, and had a few "takeaways" to report back, including this theory: "Women traditionally have been storytellers, and blogs are just another way for them to tell stories. (We’re good at social media for this reason, too.) It’s in a public space, so sometimes this makes them think twice about exactly what they blog, but in general, telling stories in an open space should be the same as in a closed space. Be heartfelt and honest."
- Rock gods and movie stars aren't the only celebrities in town for
SouthBy. Green policy biggie and former VP Al Gore was in town, and he
thinks our "democracy has been hacked" in describing the trouble with
special interest money and bipartisanship. ABC News'
Jake Coyle sums it up like this: "To fix what he called a no-longer
functional U.S. government, Gore urged the audience to begin a new
'Occupy Democracy' movement. He pushed for the creation and
implementation of digital tools and social media to 'change the
democratic conversation.'"
- Switching over to SXSW Film, Austin360 put out its picks for the film fest last week. They narrow down the many panel and movie offerings to 35. Flick picks are grouped into features, docs, Texas-related, and music, including one event we were really excited about but sold out for non-badge holders quickly, Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (Work-in-Progress): "Never-before-seen footage, in-depth interviews and musical performances by bands they inspired help round out director Drew DeNicola's portrait of power pop pioneers Big Star. An all-star cast — including Big Star drummer Jody Stephens, Mike Mills and Peter Buck of R.E.M., Chris Stamey of the dBs — will perform Big Star's legendary, enigmatic album Third (aka Sister Lovers) after the screening. Austin's Tosca String Quartet will also participate." If you're lucky enough to be going, or you think you can sass your way in the doors, its March 15 at 7 p.m. March 15, at the Paramount Theater. If not? Well it isn't much, but below is Big Star's "Blue Moon" from the aforementioned Third/Sister Lover. And here's the Austin360 preview of the Big Star documentary.
- The Austin American-Stateman’s Farzad Mashhood: "13-year-old Justus Williams … is an expert chess player and one of the stars of Brooklyn Castle, a documentary about New York Intermediate School 318's chess team that premiered Sunday at the South by Southwest Film Festival. Throughout his nearly three hours of play at Brush Square Park downtown following the film's screening, he held a calm, almost expressionless demeanor. … Ethan Schaffer, 11, a sixth-grader at St. Stephen's Episcopal School, came to face one of the world's best scholastic chess players in Justus and watch a film about one of his hobbies. 'Any thoughts any person had about winning were extinguished within 10 minutes,' Ethan said. 'He had me picked apart in minutes.'"
- Here's a pretty cool one from SXSW news. Per the vote of the masses, tugg.com is presenting re-screenings of seven films that were deemed to be giving off the "buzz" thing: Charles Bradley: Soul of America; TCHOUPITOULAS; King Kelly; WONDER WOMEN! The Untold Story of American Superheroines; Electrick Children; God Bless America; and Beauty is Embarrassing. Special screenings start tomorrow and run through Thursday.
- As noted above, Austin360's just released its picks for SXSW Music. Various staff members list their picks by day, along with "who they could share the bill with" to give the unfamiliar an idea of what the artist is like. Joe Gross includes one of my favorites, Screaming Females: "The key to this, one of the best punk rock trios currently active, is, of course, singer/guitarist Marissa Paternoster, whose shredding, shrieking and soloing can raise the dead. A fifth album, Ugly, is due in April (Could share a bill with: Wild Flag, Ted Leo/Pharmacists)."
- Todd Martens of the LA Times' Pop & Hiss blog presents his music stories to watch, including one potential break-out that I agree with: "Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar may be a SXSW veteran, but look for the forthright youngster -- and Dr. Dre protege -- to come home from this year's Austin shindig with a few more fans. He has three official showcases, and he'll also speak at a Thursday afternoon panel on the importance of branding."
- I felt obligated to post this one -- SXSW: Boston bound for Austin lists one Bostonian's music hit list. "Showing some hometown love, I'll also be keeping tabs on bands with local ties, including Debo Band, Quilt, and Providence's Brown Bird. I'll drop by Berklee College of Music's day party on Saturday. And in keeping with our city's pride, both The Dig and local music blogger Ryan Spaulding's Outlaw Roadshow will be hosting their showcases on St. Patrick's Day. You can take the Bostonian out of Boston, but...."
- Before skinny jeans and indie rock took over a good chunk of the scene, Austin (so I'm told) was something of a country rock town. For people still looking for that thing, the twang might be harder to find than in the past, but it's still lurking. CMT News has ten SXSW country music ideas, among them the local trio The Carper Family, whose members sometimes join in with a small bluegrass combo at the Austin Downtown Farmers Market: "The Carper Family are quite intriguing, although its members aren't actually related. These three gals mix old country, old-time, bluegrass and swing tunes into their original catalog. Their harmonious blend recalls a simpler time, yet one of their numbers is titled 'Who R U Textin 2nite.' Get dialed into their sound on Saturday at 11 p.m. at Stephen F's."
The Carper Family doing "Together Baby" in a music store
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