“Make the planet smarter”, the key issue of IBM’s strategy and vision was even the outstanding topic of Jon Iwata‘s Keynote “ New Skills and Collaboration for a Smarter Planet”.

I’ve got the chance to ask for some statements, and we talked about the challenges of the next five years and IBM’s vision:

The HD version of “Future global challenges – IBM and a Vision” on vimeo.

• CeBIT Global Conferences — Connected Worlds
• webciety 2010

So, What next?

More photos, more quotes, interviews and for first time featured here: videos. It seems, Cloud Computing and Collaboration will become a main topic this year, but I’m open to anything.

My other special from CeBIT 2010, focused on design related topics, will be featured on my personal weblog in german language.

An small overview of handled topics:

• Scrum
• Autogenic training
• Usability Check (the linked article wasn’t named but is outstanding)
• Search engine optimization
• And finally — Rome wasn’t also built in a day — Google Wave (and there was just one!!! Session)

Ahm, yep the title of this post: Last Thursday was my first day with Wave and until Saturday I thought it’s nice to have but who one cares?!

Last Saturday (searching for words) I’ve got the Force — or something else that feels like it. I don’t know if it’s the dark or the good side or the Force, but it’s there. Somebody opened a new public wave and people started to post related stuff: The session board, cited feedback from a session and that what makes Google Wave so powerful in my opinion — links to related Waves there were created for single sessions or topics.

Some Wave users sitting together in a sessions collected stuff in it, together, at the same time. Amazing, it’s sounds so easy but it needs a tool like weave to encourage users to collaborate and to share their ideas and meanings.

Finally, they played some Tetris:

“ Design Rocks” was a amazing panel from Stefan Sagmeister, one of the most conspicuous Graphic Designers nowadays. Moments that made him happy, things he learned and Designers that makes him happy: True – the NYC M.T.A Project, Ji Lee – The Bubble Project and the Topsy-Turvy Bus Tour.

Stefan Sagmeister showed also some of his own Projects, one example is “ Urban Play“, an event installation in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

• Deutsche Telekom presenting the Trendforum 2009. Full featured program with some pretty interesting tracks.
• A full program is also present at Webciety.
• Featured from Webciety, 2nd Dresden Open Space will be held next Sunday, 8th.
• Enterprise 2.0 MeetUp, scheduled on March, 6th.

Looking forward to meet you there.

So, what’s different? At first some reworked UI-Elements, especially the Tabs. The Browser Tabs are placed now at the top of the application window and uses the complete width of the parent window. From the view of usability key facts that change is reasonable and traceable. A Tab is the primary browsing process of all user actions and instances. Is that needs getting used to? For sure… But a new shortcut for tab switching is now available: ctrl + tab

Okay, what’s also new: Coverflow like Bookmarks and Top Sites, proudly inspired by Google Chrome. The new Safari saves most frequent visited websites there, and announces website updates with a blue star at the right upper corner.

Not visible, but always present is the new JavaScript Engine called “nitro”. If you commonly stay on facebook, you’ll notice it.

It’s stable, it’s fast … so what are you waiting for?

The sessions are limited to 30 Minutes followed by a 30 minute break. 12 Rooms are scheduled. So far, I’ll prepare myself for this weekend and supply lots of resources.

Especially I feel confident to the collaboration and social networking functionality of SoundCloud. The User Interface and Usability is an exemplary manner of a well done conceptional work.

The implementation of Ajax/Java Script is inconspicuous well done. Active Feedback are given by elementary UI Elements.

Best way, give Soundcloud a try. If you’re interested in music, especially on a (semi-)professional basement, you’ll find a good home base for you actual or future projects.

You couldn’t walk just a few steps without meeting familiar faces, that was impressive. Main language of the whole event was English, only some sessions were hold in German. Berlin was also the BarCamp with the highest rate of international participants.

The good things:

• well done Organisation
• 30 Minutes scheduled Breaks
• stable WIFI
• good prepared gathering area with LAN Connection and power sockets and comfortable seating-accommodations
• Beverage Catering
• one sponsored Clip Board for every attendee

The less good things:

• Food Catering: Just Sandwiches and open Sandwiches for Lunch. But the Breakfast on Sunday was rather better.
• To less Power sockets in session Rooms.

And, sorry guys, the bad things:

• What the hell? Most of the Session Rooms were only separated by movable walls. The result: horrible acoustics. Sometimes it was easier to listen to the Session from one of the neighbors rooms, as from the speaker in that room where I’ve been.

At least, thanks for the great weekend in Berlin — it was fun.

Futher Information:

• Lots of Images at flickr
• Mashup at soup.io
• Collected Reports on the Wiki

Berlinblase covering all happenings around European Web Events.