The Intel Mobile Software Development Team spent the week of July 10th in Mountain View, CA with 490 other enthusiastic software developers at Mashup Camp. This event is unique in that it uses the "Open Space Methodology" for a conference. Attendees determine the discussion content at event time to ensure relevance and timeliness. Discussions topics are proposed by moderators and everyone is free to contribute to the discussion. Speed Geeking, derived from Speed Dating :), is used to present demos. Developers show their mashups to small groups of attendees who move from one table to table every 10 minutes. But what's a Mashup? If you've seen a web application that integrates data from multiple sources such as Google Maps and Weather Information -- it's most likely a Mashup.

Intel Strategist Chris S. Thomas kicked off the week by introducing Intel's involvement in the mashup software community. C.V. Vick and Shawn Casey showed Intel's location-aware collaborative mashups, including a featured session with Amazon Web Services and Elephant Drive. Elephant Drive presented a real-life example of how their mashup, together with Intel’s Mobile SDK and Amazon S3 APIs, have improved their customers’ user experience for online back-up and storage. Interested in hearing more or asking these guys questions about the demo or the technology? Check out their blogs at the Intel Software Network.

Other members of the team used the camp to get to know more about what developers are looking for at the platform level. Aaron Tersteeg ran a session on the topic of developing mobilized mashups and mobile software development. He'll be bringing his findings back to the Intel Software group and the Mobile SDK team.

Jeff Barr from Amazon gave a brief presentation Amazon Web Services. You can listen to the audio podcast (2MB) to hear more Amazon's support for innovative mashups.

C.V. Vick gave a presention on mobile aware application development. Listen to the presentation (4MB) and the Q&A session to learn more.

Dr. Dobbs Journal and Intel also presented the follow-up interactive web cast: Making Mashups Mobile on August 8th. Topics will include: web technologies / techniques for mashups, mashup / web 2.0 apps for mobile users, and business quality mashups.

Fig 1. - Shawn Casey & C.V. Vick present the Intel - Amazon "Shopping Buddy" mobile mash up.


Fig 2. - C.V. Vick leads an engaging standing room only discussion on what developers need to make mobile aware software.


Fig 3. - Democracy in action using the "Unconference" format - developers and enablers propose sessions. Attendees select with their own two feet which sessions they want to go to.

Fig 4. - Intel partner ELEPHANT DRIVE delivered a well attended session on MASHDOWNS - Improving desktop / enterprise software

More Mashups: The ProgrammableWeb site contains one of the most comprehensive listings of mashups out there.

Event Blog: The organizers did a great job in organizing, facilitating, and providing the tools to document our discussions at the event. In case you missed it, here's the official blog for the event

Media Coverage: One indication that this event has gone mainstream is when it gets quoted in the popular media. Find out what the press (San Jose Mercury News) has to say about this event.