Google I/O conference registration opened at 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday and closed less than an hour later, showing once again that this is as hot tech confab as there is these days.
Last year's Google I/O, which brought us the Nexus 7 tablet and the eventually doomed Nexus Q social streaming media player, sold out in less than 30 minutes. The show used to take days or weeks to sell out, but starting in 2011 it filled up in less than an hour and that's been the routine since (we're awaiting official word from Google on the exact sell-out time). This year's show, which will accommodate 5,500 or so attendees, is slated for May 15-17 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
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The only other tech show that inspires a race to registration like this is Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, expected to take place in June in San Francisco (Apple keeps the details under wraps until it's good and ready).
Google I/O will undoubtedly be a hot spot this year thanks to trendy tech such as Google Glass, as well as anticipation regarding the latest on Key Lime Pie (Android Version 5.0), Google Chrome, Google+, App Engine and more.
#IO13 was the top-trending topic on the Google+ social network Wednesday morning, and could be sighted in posts celebrating the acquisition of tickets to Google I/O, lamenting getting shut out and more. One poster wrote that by not getting into Google I/O he can now afford Google Glass. Many complained about glitches with Google Wallet as they tried to register and pay. Mark Erickson wrote: "Nothing as frustrating as watching a system fail, with a countdown timer."
Google has invited those shut out of its May event to check out keynotes and top sessions online via Google Developers Live @ I/O from their computers and mobile devices. The company also coordinates with developers regionally for I/O Extended events that have a local flair.
[NOTE: Network World will have a reporter at the event, so we'll be bringing you live coverage come May. Let us know if there are any particular enterprise IT issues you'd like for us to explore while there.]
Bob Brown tracks network research in his Alpha Doggs blog and Facebook page, as well on Twitter and Google +.
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