#hacksoton 3
For the 2ND time tech lovers from the south coast descended on Southampton Central Hall, and it comes as no surprise that the results were epic.
A sell-out event, #HackSoton once again proved to be incredibly popular. A much larger crowd than previous events meant that the atmosphere in the hall was electric. Fuelled by free caffeine and bacon courtesy of Benefex, the tech talent in the room started plugging in and booting up, ready to showcase what they had brought with them. With no theme to the events, visitors are encouraged to bring whatever they’re currently working on – from building a website, designing the next-big-thing in the app world or even just a million dollar idea they want to bounce off of some likeminded people.
The community feel at #HackSoton is what makes it such a popular day. 23-year-old student Curtis said; “Although there are lots of different skill levels and projects in the room, everyone is really friendly and willing to help others.”
The Etch social wall, projected onto the big screen in the room, added an interactive aspect to this social side of the event, allowing people to use the hashtag #hacksoton and see everyone’s tweets on the day. The competition to win a Bloc beanbag by taking the best beanbag selfie proved very entertaining. Entries included everything from beanbag surfing to beanbag burgers - as you can see, we’re talking about some seriously talented individuals. Some of our favourites from the social wall include.
Danny Negus, from new indie game company Pixel Delusions, was a popular man at the event. A Southampton Solent University graduate, his work with 3D software and augmented reality was seriously cool. His Oculus Rift headset had gaming lovers lining up by his table, and his idea to make an asteroid game to go with the headset was definitely popular in the room.
A 3D printer, bought to the event by IOS Developer Andy Bennett, was another popular feature in the hall. Everyone wandering past stopped and became mesmerised by watching it work its magic. The free beer may have helped.
Once everyone had recovered from a burrito-induced food coma, the show and tell was a highlight of the day. Some of the incredible things on show included a maze controlled with an iPad with all aspects made during the 10-hour event, a DJ in a box and a device that reads and interprets data emitted from a wheelchair.
As a local agency, we are proud to host and run this event to showcase the vast array of skills available from people in the south. #HackSoton unites creative talent from a range of industries, encouraging diversity and creating a social atmosphere where people can learn and develop their ideas. With such a variety of projects coming to life in just one day, the level of creativity never fails to impress. As the event came to an end, visitors asked to describe the day in just one word came up with awesome, buzzing, informative and inspiring – among other particularly positive adjectives. A total tech takeover fuelled by bacon, beer and burritos – what’s not to love?
