Google I/O and DevFest Japan

I was asked by my colleague to write a blog post about the event we organized in Japan after Google I/O last year, so here we go!

[DevFestX Japan 2012 Summer, Tokyo venue photo by Yoichiro]

==Background==

Not everyone gets tickets to Google I/O- the annual developer event hosted by Google. Tickets sell out very quickly- in less than an hour in recent years. All of the videos of the sessions will be uploaded to YouTube after the event, but all of the sessions are in English so it is hard for non-English speakers to watch. Also, there are numerous session videos, thus difficult for developers in Japan to identify which videos they should select and watch.

==What we did in 2011==

In 2011, following Google I/O 2011, we organized a Google I/O report event in Tokyo. It was basically a series of lightning talks, and the contents were from Google I/O sessions. Several Googlers and Google Developers Experts (GDEs, non-Googler developers that are experts in various technology) that were able to join Google I/O selected several sessions that they thought were very important or interesting, and summarized the contents of 1 hour session contents into 3 minutes lightning talks. That way, developers in Japan were able to grasp all of the important essence from 2 day event in just 3-4 hours, in Japanese language. (Overview in 30 minutes, day1 & 2 keynote 10 minutes each, and 24 sessions * 3 minutes each = 72 minutes, and then we had Q&A sessions)

Here you can see what we covered :

Overview http://goo.gl/62HNl

[Android] Keynote Day1  

[Chrome] Keynote Day2  http://goo.gl/C68o1

[App Engine] Full Text Search http://goo.gl/pa5Tf
[Google APIs] An introduction to the +1 button http://goo.gl/B3Qlg
[Android] Fireside Chat with the Android Team
[App Engine] More 9s Please: Under The Covers of the High Replication Datastore http://goo.gl/8kP8W
[Chrome] Chrome Web Store Publisher Forum http://goo.gl/cIsIs
[Geo] Connecting People and Places http://goo.gl/Eu7hj
[Android] Android Market for Developers
[Apps] GoogleAppsScript
[Commerce] In-App Payment
[Geo] Designing Maps Applications for Usability on Mobile and Desktop  http://goo.gl/aUnrt
[Google APIs] Building Custom Client Libraries for Google APIs  http://goo.gl/oYIvv
[Android] Optimizing Android Apps with Google Analytics
[Tech Talk] Crisis Response 2.0 - Empowering Developers in Times of Crisis http://goo.gl/fwiVw
[Chrome] WebGL Techniques and Performance http://goo.gl/qq56I
[App Engine] App Engine Backends, Putting Task Queues to Work http://goo.gl/PyuO6
[Tech Talk] Python at Google
[Chrome] Super Browser 2 Turbo HD Remix: Introduction to HTML5 Game Development http://goo.gl/eSYli
[App Engine] Go on AppEngine  http://goo.gl/RXscj
[Google APIs] ClientLogin #FAIL http://goo.gl/hg6z5
[Android] Building Aggressively Compatible Android Games http://goo.gl/Q65bU
[Tech Talk] Building Web Apps for Google TV http://goo.gl/bEzQq
[App Engine] Leaving Preview and Pricing Change http://goo.gl/411bH
[Chrome] Chrome Dev Tools Reloaded http://goo.gl/W3Kd7
[Android] Other updates on Android

==What we did in 2012==

We hosted an event called DevFestX Japan 2012 Summer on a Sunday right after Google I/O.

Again, the purpose was to share the 3-day worth learnings from Google I/O in just 1 day, in Japanese language, for the Japanese developers.

We wanted to try several things in 2012- since we had 7 Google Developer Groups (GDGs) nationwide in Japan, so we decided to connect those local chapters via Hangout on Air. (One of the GDEs lived in US, so we added LA venue. Also, folks in Shinshu wished to do a public viewing, so we made Shinshu as venue as well. They loved the experience and actually founded GDG Shinshu after the event.)

Also, 3 minute per session / evening only event was too short in 2011, so we decided to make it an afternoon- night event. (We did technical rehearsals in the morning so it was basically a full day event.)

We also wanted to make it theme based, so we structured 1 hour dedicated to Android, the next hour to Chrome, the next to Cloud, and then Geo and social.

We wanted everyone in Japan to be feeling the sense of the "main venue" not satellite venue just watching, so we sent the speakers from Tokyo to all of the GDG venues nation wide. For example, the Android sessions would be first 10 minutes from Tokyo, next 10 minutes from Kyoto, next 10 minutes from Fukuoka, and then the next 20 minutes were Q&A- anyone in any venue can ask any question about Android, and GDEs will answer them if they can. We also had Google Moderator for each technology so that shy people who were unable to stand up and ask questions had a chance as well. 10 minute short break to switch the theme, and start the next 1 hour for Chrome, etc. 

We livestreamed the whole event, so those who could not come to the physical venue could join online, and all of the video archives were made available later, so those who missed on the event day could watch later.

The other great thing was that the GDEs brought the devices they got at Google I/O to all of the GDGs, so people were able to touch, try the newest devices such as Nexus7, NexusQ, Android ADK 2012, etc.

Also, since the speakers (GDEs) went all around Japan, they had the opportunity to meet various developers outside Tokyo, and the local developers were able to meet speakers from Tokyo in person so it was a great networking opportunity.

One of the nice comments from the audience:

"Everyone in all of the venues felt they are the center of the event, not a satellite or remote venue. DevFestX Japan was a game changer event for conferences. "

==Overview==

I was in Tokyo, and opened up the event, explained what GDGs are, who GDEs are, what DevFestX are, introduced various programs such as Google Developers Live (GDLs), Google Developers Academy, etc. We also had a mingling time in the beginning so that the attendees are comfortable spending the day together.

Then, we switched the main camera to Kyoto, where Yukio Ando gave his overview of Google I/O 2012- about the venue, event app, sandbox, party, Google Glass and Sergey's keynote, lots of visuals for those who could not go can imagine what it was like.

You can see the slides here:



And the video here:




==Android==

As for Android, we had 3 speakers travel to 3 different venues, and gave speeches from there.

Topics covered were as follows:

• Google Cloud Messaging for Android
• What’s new in Android Developer Tools
• Doing More with Less: Being a Good Android Citizen
• ADK 2.0
• Android Fireside Chat
• Making Good Apps Great
• Android Design Success
• Google Play

Then, 20 minutes for Q&A on Android.

People lining up for questions... looks like there are more people queued up than those sitting? ;)

Slides:



Video:




==Chrome & HTML5==

As for Chrome & HTML5, we had 2 speakers travel to 2 different venues, and gave speeches from there.

Topics covered were as follows:

• Chrome
• Chrome Extension & Apps Manifest Version 2
• Chrome Extension’s new features
• Chrome Apps
• Developer Tool’s new features
• HTML5
• Web Components
• Web RTC
• Web Intents
• Web Audio API
• Sublime, Yeoman
• Advanced CSS/HTML5 Features & Tools
• PvP Gaming w/ HTML5

Then, 20 minutes for Q&A on Chrome.

Slides:



Video:





==Cloud==

As for cloud, we had 3 speakers travel to 3 different venues, and gave speeches from there.

Topics covered were as follows:

• Google Compute Engine
• Google App Engine
• EndPoints@GAE
• Google Cloud Storage
• Google Apps Script
• Google Drive
  
  

Then, 20 minutes for Q&A on Cloud services.

Slides:



Video:





==Social & Geo==


As for social and Geo services, we had 3 speakers travel to 3 different venues, and gave speeches from there. One of the GDEs was in US (Los Angeles) but he joined to speak despite the time differences.

Topics covered were as follows:

• Geo
• Maps API V3
• Places API
• Google Maps Engine
• Google Maps Coordinate
• Social
• Google+ Events
• Google+ History
• Google+ Tablet App
• Google+ platform for Mobile
  
  
  
  

Then, 20 minutes for Q&A on Geo and Social.

Slides:



Video:



==Closing==

After the closing, of course all the venues went out to party- some of them had lightening talks, some had pizza party, etc.


Google+ events
Tweets

We also created nice swags- Google sandals- if you walk on beach, you can leave footprints of Google logo :D

This is a cute Android USB memory we created as swag.

==Preparation==

In order to prepare for this DevFest, all of the GDG managers went to negotiate with the venues, prepared for the event, we did many rehearsals so that Hangout On Air will work.

All of the GDEs who went to Google I/O created a spreadsheet so that they know who will be going to which session, so that they can avoid overlaps, and each night after I/O sessions were over, we got together to have a meeting to share what each person learned, which session was interesting and worth sharing at DevFestX, to the Japanese developers who could not come to San Francisco.

...and sometimes make Google logos....

... or end up playing with Google cushions...

I tried to search for us having serious meetings at I/O venue but all I could find was fun ones ;)


==GDG DevFest Japan 2013==

So what are we doing this year?

Of course we are doing something similar- all of the GDGs are preparing their venues, all of the GDEs are preparing their contents, and Japanese developers are going to be united again to share, learn and discuss about Google's developer facing technologies.

GDG DevFest Japan 2013 site is up... registration is now open! (And Tokyo venue is already fully booked).

https://sites.google.com/site/devfestjapan2013/

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are my own, and do not reflect those of my employer. -Fumi Yamazaki