Where 2.0, a New O'Reilly Conference, Showcases the Promise of Location-Aware Technologies

"Geospatial and location technology will cross the chasm in 2005 the way peer-to-peer did in 2001," predicts conference co-chair Nathan Torkington of O'Reilly Media, Inc. Torkington and co-chair David Sonnen of iSpatial, a seasoned veteran of the geospatial industry, are building a program that allows participants to quickly grasp both the current state of affairs and the far-reaching effects and implications around these transformational location-based technologies and services. Specific topics to be explored at the conference include:

- The killer apps that will drive the mobile platform in 2006
- Available, viable technologies vs. empty vaporware promises
- Problems that location-aware technologies can solve, and the pitfalls to be avoided
- How open source and open data fit into the technology ecosystem
- Best practices and patterns behind effective Where 2.0 apps
- How the various pieces of the location puzzle fit together
- Radar on a chip, signal triangulation, and sensor mesh networks
- The latest from research labs and grassroots hackers
- Localizing the online experience in local search
- Building communities of consumers around the mobile experience
- Balancing technology with privacy

Where 2.0 brings together decision makers and infrastructure players in the mobile, location-sensing, mapping, and geospatial fields with IT executives, top-level marketing managers, and investors across a broad spectrum of industries. Conference participants will learn how vendors, application developers, and consumer web companies are connecting customers, products, and enterprises in real time. Notes conference co-chair Sonnen, "The unique strengths that O'Reilly brings to this event are their close ties with the developer community and the ability to build user communities capable of open exchange of ideas and practical solutions. The geospatial industry really wants and needs both of those capabilities."

The conference features sessions, on-stage conversations, and panel discussions with leaders of some of the most important initiatives in the location space, including:

- David Rumsey, president of Cartography Associates
- John Frank, founder and CTO of MetaCarta
- Udi Manber, CEO of A9.com
- Michael Frumin, Eyebeam R&D Fellow
- Jeremy Kreitler of Yahoo! Maps and City Guides
- Perry Evans, CEO of Aptas
- J. Kim Fennell, Telcontar's president and CEO
- Chris Couper, IBM Distinguished Engineer
- Tim O'Reilly, founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media

Where 2.0 also features another first: the Where Fair, a science fair-style event that gives participants a first-hand look at a few of the intriguing location-aware technologies lurking just below the radar. Fair-goers can discuss the ideas behind the demos with the creators, and learn how these unconventional new technologies can be adapted into existing business strategies. Where Fair projects are being selected from research labs, academia, and yet-to-be-discovered entrepreneurs. The Where Fair complements the conference's exhibit hall, which will showcase state-of-the-art systems, tools, and services in the location space.

Every consumer, product, and retailer is somewhere. Even in e-commerce, where conventional wisdom had the transaction occurring in the nowhere land of Cyberspace, the addition of location has unlocked the door to innovation. Whether you're incorporating location into your business or blazing a new geospatial trail, Where 2.0 pinpoints the people and projects opening this new frontier.

The O'Reilly conference line-up also includes ETech, the O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference; the O'Reilly Open Source Convention; Web 2.0, co-hosted by Tim O'Reilly and John Battelle, and co-produced with MediaLive International; and the MySQL Users Conference, co-presented with MySQL AB. O'Reilly conferences bring together forward-thinking business and technology leaders, shaping ideas and influencing industries around the globe. For over 25 years, O'Reilly has facilitated the adoption of new and important technologies by the enterprise, putting emerging technologies on the map.

For press related inquiries, contact Suzanne Axtell at ( 707 ) 827-7114, or suzanne@oreilly.com.


For information on exhibition and sponsorship opportunities at O'Reilly conferences, contact Andrew Calvo at ( 707 ) 827-7176, or andrewc@oreilly.com.


To become a media sponsor, contact Margi Levin at ( 707 ) 827-7184, or margi@oreilly.com.

About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media is the premier information source for leading-edge computer technologies. The company's books, conferences, and web sites bring to light the knowledge of technology innovators. O'Reilly books, known for the animals on their covers, occupy a treasured place on the shelves of the developers building the next generation of software. O'Reilly conferences and summits bring alpha geeks and forward-thinking business leaders together to shape the revolutionary ideas that spark new industries. From the Internet to XML, open source, .NET, Java, and web services, O'Reilly puts technologies on the map.

CUSTOMER INQUIRIES
Sales/Customer Service
( 707 ) 829-0515
order@oreilly.com

PRESS QUERIES ONLY
Contact Suzanne Axtell
O'Reilly Media
( 707 ) 827-7114
suzanne@oreilly.com