SIC 2011 just wrapped up yesterday, and I spent the day going to talks by speakers from the worlds of UX, SEO, marketing, and branding. Like any convention, there were a lot of great talks going on simultaneously--it was hard to choose which ones to go to!

I've summarized some of what was talked about below, spanning mobile, design, SEO, and networking. Hopefully you get something out of it!

Check out this slick video for Battles' new single 'My Machines ft. Gary Numan'.

Siri (may be NSFW) fascinates me. It amazes me how fast she has become a meme, a character and a tool. Sites are popping up (such as STSS), to highlight the personality given to this computer program. In addition, across the web, people are refering to it as 'her' and contextually talking about it as if it were a person.

One month ago, I was more than happy with my Windows Phone using TellMe to hear and respond to text messages. I was a little jealous of the widespread use voice recognition had in Android, but I was still content. With the coming of Siri, I've gone from happy and content, to envious, and intrigued by the direction this could take the tech and mobile industries.

As I progress in my career as a software developer I often think about how I can continue to develop and enhance my skill set.  I’ve realized that staying sharp and improving with regard to the basics - algorithms and problem solving - as well as learning and remaining proficient in different languages and frameworks can be a daunting task.  It’s humbling to realize how much there is to know but it’s important to remember that even the best software developers don’t know everything and that we must always be willing to learn what we don’t know and re-learn what we haven’t used in a while.  In fact, keeping a sense of curiosity and discovery may be one of the most essential things in a career where the landscape of technology and the skill sets needed to get the job done are continually changing.  Not too long ago I began to investigate the concept of the Code Kata as a way to become a better developer. Learning on the job from day to day is valuable and necessary but for many reasons, it is not the optimal place to practice.

The overall economy may be in the doldrums, but things are hopping in Tech. Here’s a rundown of the new, shiny, things.

New tablet

All hail the Amazon Kindle Fire

New rumor

I'm a big fan of old wood type, and unfortunately while I have a decent collection at my disposal, they are mostly just scans of actual blocks, saved out in rasterized format. That's why I couldn't be more excited about stumbling across this site: Wood Type Revival! Not only are these available for an incredibly low price and as an actual font, but they are also available for use online through typekit!

Spotify, a well-known and liked streaming music service in the UK has finally made it to our shores, and I was lucky enough to have signed up early and just got my invite over the weekend. I only have the free service, but I am impressed. Not only does the program pull all your itunes music, as well as from other sources on your computer, but you can search for a ton of albums and have it instantly streaming in it's entirety, in decent quality. While there are some advertisements and commercials, the interruptions are minimal, especially considering you don't have to pay a thing for it.