What developers can expect at Google I/O 2012
Since when does a vendor-sponsored developer conference sell out 5,500 seats in just 20 minutes? That's what happened when tickets for Google I/O 2012 went on sale this week. It beat last year's record of an hour, which had also raised eyebrows.
One easy answer is that Google I/O sells out because of the swag. Tickets aren't cheap, but each attendee gets a gift bag with a street value that typically exceeds the price of entry. Last year's goodies included a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet and a Chromebook. Previous years' attendees received Android smartphones.
This has led to lots of grumbling that too few ticket buyers are "real developers" anymore. Others claim the event's rising ticket price and limited supply have made it undemocratic or "too corporate." That hasn't been my experience. In years past, Google I/O has attracted a diverse range of developers. That's largely because the conference features some of the best developer content available from across Google's increasingly diverse developer ecosystem, from the Web to Android and beyond.
