360iDev – iPhone Dev Conferences Compared

Posted on | July 31, 2009 | 274No Commentshttp://www.360idev.com/blog/2009/07/360idev-iphone-dev-conferences-compared360iDev+-+iPhone+Dev+Conferences+Compared2009-07-31+14%3A55%3A41John

With a few alternatives to 360|iDev coming up, we thought it might make sense to talk about the options available to the community. This way those, who haven’t decided, can make the most informed decision.

You basically have 3 choices: iPhoneDevCamp, 360|iDev, and Voices That Matter. (in Chrono order)

Name	iPhoneDevCamp	360|iDev	VTM: iPhone Conf.
Dates	8/1 – 8/2 Party (7/31)	9/27 – 9/30 (Parties 3 nights)	10/17 – 10/18 (No party listed)
size (capacity)	500	400	unknown
speakers	33ish	40+	14
Price	$50	$499 (First 100 were $360)	$699 (Early bird $495 thru 9/13)
Audience	Hobbyist/Developer	Developer/Business	Developer
Location	Silicon Valley, CA plus satellite locations	Denver, CO	Boston, MA

So what makes sense for you?  Well, let’s go through some of the driving reasons for attending a show and find the one that best fits you.

Travel: If travel is not an option, then go to the one that’s close enough to walk or drive to.  If travel is an option, then flying to iPhoneDevCamp or 360|iDev are the best options since you get more bang for you buck.

Attitude: By this we mean, the attitude of your fellow attendees towards the iPhone platform.  If you’re a hobbyist that just wants to see what the hype is about, then go to iPhoneDevCamp.  At $50, you’re gonna find yourself surrounded by a bunch of hobbyists.  If you serious about making a living on the iPhone Platform, then 360|iDev is the best as we talk about the business side as well as the development stuff, have hands-on sessions (for free) and almost twice as many dev sessions as VTM.

<armsInAir>Supah-Stars!</armsInAir>: If seeing some big names from the Mac and iPhone world is your goal (and really, for some it is), any of the 3 will give your opportunities to “see” some superstars.  We’ve never been to the other two, so we can’t speak for them.  However, at 360|iDev, the superstars also party with you on 3 nights so you can meet them, chat with them and (if you really want to) get their autograph!  If you do get autographs, give a token bone to the organizers and ask for theirs.  We want to feel special too.  LOL

Timeliness: If you can’t wait, get your butt over to Yahoo HQ (or one of the satellite locations) for iPhoneDevCamp since it starts tonight (well a party does, the real meat is Saturday).  Next up would be 360|iDev at the end of September and then VTM in mid-October.  Ask your boss when would be the best time to go and run with that one.

Community Vibe/Action: Again, we’ve never been to iPhoneDevCamp and the VTM show has yet to go down.  We were told though by those did attend IDC and 360|iDev last time that our show had a stronger community vibe.  People wanted to interact and get to know each other.  The interaction was so good that the idea for App Treasures was born at our conference.  You gotta admit, that’s pretty cool. New ventures formed from the connections made at 360|iDev

History: By this we mean show history.  iPhoneDevCamp is on rev 3 and it shows.  The camp has changed quite a bit from what it was the first time.  360|iDev is on rev 2.  It was built on a tested formula and it showed.  Attendees loved the show as you can read here.  VTM is on rev 1, so will be a new experience for all involved.  If a track record is important, then definitely weigh your options carefully.

The purpose of this post isn’t why you should be at 360|iDev. We do want you there, but having you know your options is more important to us.  We want everyone to attend the event that makes the most sense to them.  Hopefully, the competition feels the same, but again, we can’t speak for them.

That being said, if you read the chart and made us your choice, click here and reg now!  We’ve sold out the first 100 cheaper tickets and sales hasn’t really slowed down since.  Get in before it’s too late!

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