Boo! Did we scare you? Ha! We’re good at Halloween.
October wasn’t just the month of spooky parties and questionable costume choices, there were some pretty cool tech innovations too! Missed them? No problem. Team Noodle are happy to take a break from creating RFID badges for events to give you a quick rundown.
Facebook Launched a Standalone Events App
What is it? Facebook have launched a spin off app specifically for events listings. The app helps users to find local events and get information about what friends are up to. The app allows you to filter event suggestions based on time or location as well as by interest. There’s also an interactive map that helps you to locate interesting things to do in specific locations. To make life simple you can also import your own calendar so you can see any event clashes.
What make it awesome? Even more opportunity to take advantage of the huge social sharing patterns of Facebook.
Any downsides? Not really. Uptake numbers remain to be seen and if the app can’t prove itself then Facebook are likely to kill it off fairly quickly, but event organisers don’t need to do anything differently for now and there’s a greater potential for events to be discovered.
Why should #EventProfs be paying attention? There’s nothing radically new here compared to the events section on Facebook, but it keeps things neat and it could encourage more users to look to Facebook as an event listing tool.
Virtual Reality Music Venue
What is it? Boiler Room and Inception joined forces last month to announce the launch of the world’s first music venue set up specifically to create VR events that can be viewed online from anywhere around the world. Creating an online experience will be the venue’s first priority so any fans who come to watch live will have to play second-best to the cameras and sound equipment used for VR.
What make it awesome? You never have to lament missing a gig due to an event clash again! Watch the show when you want, where you want.
Any downsides? The reality is that you can’t replace the real-life experience of being present at an gig itself. An online experience might be convenient, but you won’t get the same atmosphere. We wouldn’t look at it as a replacement for going to a venue, but as a cool addition to your music calendar.
Why should #EventProfs be paying attention? This could be huge news for #EventProfs, and it could change the way we start to think about events. So far we’ve seen good attempts at including viewers who are not physically present in the space, but this concept takes it to a different level and represents an exciting new market for events.
DIY Programmable Drone
What is it? Airblock is a programmable, modular starter drone designed to be so easy that kids can use it when learning to code. It’s currently funding on Kickstarter where it has exceeded its target by 300%. Users are encouraged to unpack the drone and get creative with reconfiguring it into hundreds of different shapes.
What make it awesome? At the moment it’s only $99, making it a great gift for kids this Christmas. Get them in to coding early.
Any downsides? These drones are just for fun and play. Don’t expect them to do any heavy lifting or hard work just yet.
Why should #EventProfs be paying attention? It’s fascinating to see how widespread and commonplace drones are becoming. They represent lots of great opportunities for fun event tech. Why not take photographs of the event from above? Or fly in drinks on a drone-powered tray? This tech is changing and moving so quickly that it may not be that far-fetched.
Modular Shop Interior Could Open Up Hundreds of New Spaces
What is it? Need a more flexible space? Architect’s Bureau Spectacular could come to the rescue with their awesome modular designs. Created for the new Frankie store in LA these modular pieces can be slotted together to form a huge 28 foot-long staircase that creates a runway, but when pushed apart the elements become shelving, changing rooms, storage and more.
What make it awesome? It’s ridiculously function and practical.
Any downsides? This design was bespoke and is not available for general sale at this time.
Why should #EventProfs be paying attention? Is it just us or do venue spaces seem to keep getting smaller? We find these cool designs pretty inspiring when it comes to making the most of small spaces.
Unicorn Rides
What is it? Three Mobile weren’t about to allow their customers to battle the cold winter commute alone, so they launched a fleet of UniCabs, which seem to be sort of horse-drawn carts that were powered by two rainbow-dyed unicorns. Customers of Three could tweet to the company to book a ride or could hail the carriages when they saw them approaching.
What make it awesome? Unicorns.
Any downsides? It’s not really a unicorn.
Why should #EventProfs be paying attention? A cool experiential event that gave users a touch of magic to replace the most arduous part of their daily routine: the commute.
Forget Keys, Your iPhone Could Now Open Your Car
What is it? It wasn’t widely noticed, but buried deep in a Bloomberg report about Apple’s electric car program they stated that company execs “imagined an electric car that could recognise its driver by fingerprint and autonomously navigate with the press of a button.” So basically, you can unlock your car with your iPhone. In May 2016 Apple also patented the idea for a device that sends an activation message to open or start a vehicle.
What make it awesome? Mainly the idea that Apple might be working on something really exciting. It’s been a while since we’ve had any game-changing announcements from Apple HQ.
Any downsides? It may never happen.
Why should #EventProfs be paying attention? Unlocking your car with your phone is really just the tip of the iceberg. If Apple are working on remote security tech that could begin a huge wave of new uses for our smartphones. Noodle Live will be watching closely as we’re sure this could mean a whole wave of cool and useful new features for our event apps and RFID smart badges for events.
Thim Ring Helps Sleep
What is it? It’s a small ring that claims to help you fall asleep sooner and get a longer night’s rest. It also measures your sleep patterns and gives you feedback. Put the Thim ring on your finger as you go to bed. It can detect when you fall asleep and will wake you up 3 minutes later, before letting you fall asleep again and then waking you up after another 3 minutes. Thim’s makers claim that this will re-train your brain and make you better at falling asleep next time. Thim can also be set to power nap mode. It will know when you fall asleep and wake you up exactly 10 minutes later.
What make it awesome? There are loads of sleep enhancers on the market, but turning the tech into a ring makes it much more efficient.
Any downsides? Having to wake up again and again. Sounds annoying, but if it works, it would be awesome.
Why should #EventProfs be paying attention? Because most of us are pretty sleep deprived and could use all the help we can get.
Carbon Dioxide Turned into Alcohol
What is it? That pesky CO2 that is seriously damaging out planet and threatening the future of all humanity and life on Earth can now be converted into ethanol – yep, that’s alcohol. A group of scientists created the tech to make it work and everyone got super pumped up about it all.
What make it awesome? Save the planet whilst having a tipple. What’s not to love?
Any downsides? Yep, a couple of fairly massive ones sadly. The big one being that it takes quite a lot of energy to power the process and make this reaction happen, which makes it all, frankly, a waste of time. The other massive problem – it’s pretty difficult to grab CO2 from the atmosphere in any meaningful way. Buzzkill? You bet.
Why should #EventProfs be paying attention? It’s not likely to become big business yet, but it could make a great selling point for your next event.
Did we miss something whilst we were busy with out RFID badges for events ? Let us know about all of the cool tech you come across @NoodleLive and we’ll include it in next month’s round-up.
