SXSW Interactive

I’ve only been hearing how great SXSW is since I started here in January 09. I’ve never been, so I’m glad that I’m going to get to experience it with the class next semester. I was a little overwhelmed at the amount of speakers that are on the past list so I decided to do some research on some of the websites. Here are some of the ones I thought were interesting…

TechSoup.com (speaker listed was Erin Denny) offers services for non-profit organizations so that they can get discounted technology products. The website says they have reach over individuals in 190 countries and have collaborated with 35 major technology providers such as Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco Systems, Symantec and Intuit.

Smartypig.com (speaker - Michael Ferrari) helps you create a saving account that’s social. It is a bit different from a regular savings account service in that it is a way to tell others about your saving goals using widgets, automatic emails and through your social network. Your family and friends can actually donate to help you reach your goal.

Strands.com (speaker - Trevor Legwinski) is the ultimate social network for athletes who want to log their workouts and connect with other athletes that might be training for the same event or others. The website allows athletes to trade routes, tips, their progress, etc. This site really looks at exercise positively and gives athletes the ultimate (and instantly portable) support system.