This week we offer a quick recap from the 2015 South by Southwest Interactive conference in Austin, Texas. We also learn about a startup that enables anyone to try out the latest tech gadgets, and we hear how another startup is hoping to use mobile technology to transform democracy.
PART 1: SXSWi 2015 Recap
Intelligent robots, virtual reality, the Internet of Things, and the rise of a “maker culture” were among the big ideas driving the conversations at this year’s South by Southwest Interactive conference in Austin, Texas. We go over the major themes and piece together some of their potential impact.
Reporting by Reuben Stern and Rachel Wise.
[To skip directly to this segment in YouTube, click here.]
For more information:
Our friends at PBS MediaShift offer a more detailed discussion of media-related technologies and ideas spotted at the SXSW conference, including their take on the wide use of the new ephemeral live streaming app Meerkat.
PART 2: Gadgets from Lumoid
Inspired to get your hands on the latest technology but don’t have the budget? Lumoid makes it possible to try some of the latest gadgetry without having to buy it. Founder and CEO Aarthi Ramamurthy tells us how the service aims to help both consumers and journalists.
Reporting by Tim Leible, Reuben Stern and Rachel Wise.
[To skip directly to this segment in YouTube, click here.]
PART 3: Democracy via ThinkVoting
A startup called ThinkVoting hopes to use technology to improve the way voters get informed and participate in elections. Co-founders Joseph Santori and Jeff Cardenas explain their app-based collaborative approach.
Reporting by Gabriel Jefferson, Reuben Stern and Rachel Wise.
[To skip directly to this segment in YouTube, click here.]
Reuben Stern is the deputy director of the Futures Lab at the Reynolds Journalism Institute and host and co-producer of the weekly Futures Lab video update.
The Reynolds Journalism Institute’s Futures Lab video update features a roundup of fresh ideas, techniques and developments to help spark innovation and change in newsrooms across all media platforms. Visit the RJI website for the full archive of Futures Lab videos, or download the iPad app to watch the show wherever you go. You can also sign up to receive email notification of each new episode.
