At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas, possibly the hottest topic is the new tablet technology revealed by brands such as Dell, Lenovo and HP, with Apple set to release their tablet later this month (Update: Check out the $499 tablet here!!). Essentially the product is somewhere between a cell phone and a laptop; the current products being revealed range from anything like a sophisticated cell phone to a very small laptop. Affordable price point, touch-screen functionality, extended battery life and the ability to stream in HD are some of the characteristics of this new technology. Toting around a laptop could very well be much like how the general public currently treats their mobile or smart phone.

Sooo…where would this technology fit in at a meeting or event?

1. Think about the potential for supplying these tablets to attendees (either at low or no-cost). From there you could do the following:
2. Tablets could be pre-loaded with vendor and sponsor information, educational materials, tradeshow maps, the list goes on.
3. As hard as it is to obtain sponsorship dollars, consider further that if an attendee taps on certain information (such as a sponsor’s link to information), their preferences could be tracked and valuable tracking data supplied to sponsors for improved ROI.
4. The environmental implications could be massive for reducing the need for paper at all, and without complicated distribution systems.
5. Unlike existing technology (ie Kindle) video and multimedia can also be incorporated into these devices.

Attendee goodwill could reach an all-time high!

From a logistical perspective, though, if you thought social media usage was prevalent now, well whoa! Imagine how this might transform the connectivity needs of your audience. Events that don’t offer wifi would most likely be scoffed at…as attendees tap-tap-tap their scorn with angry thumbs (resorting to using their phones due to no Internet connectivity).

What else could a person do with such fun technology??

Although it wasn’t the first time seeing a variation of the topic, I recently saw a post on LinkedIn that I found fascinating. A group discussion centers on the idea that almost all LI discussions are really just shallowly masked sales pitches. The author states that he’s seeking more technical knowledge and tips, tricks, etc. He even suggests some of the tips and topics he’d love to discuss…

Is anyone else getting the irony here?

This gentleman just created that content which he wishes to see!

Obviously, this frustrated social networker hasn’t quite grasped the concept of co-creation. And judging by the long string of posts agreeing with his sentiments (six is quite a lot for a LinkedIn discussion), it appears that many others identify themselves as “users” or “viewers” rather than “creators” and “participants”. There seems to be a disconnect between the multitude who post conversations, questions and ideas and the thousands of others who obviously have not absorbed the idea that there is no “they” in web 2.0!

If we look at the structure of our culture, we’ve long been forced into sitting in a classroom, listening to a teacher or professor – with major repricussions for speaking out of turn. And how many years have we spent sitting on a couch, passively being entertained by a television program? Imagine if you shouted at the screen and the coach actually listened! Well, social networking and web 2.0 is the way for us to really become that armchair quarterback…

From an event perspective, I have a couple of ideas on how to repair these deeply ingrained behavioral patterns and create a meetings 2.0 experience suitable for the majority.

1. Strategize. Assess your marketplace. You MUST know your audience and make use some strong deductive logic to understand what’s preventing them from participating. Is it technology that’s baffling? Then do some pre-event, basic learning webinars and maybe have on-the-ground team members doing informal training in a lobby or opening reception (more tips on making it easier to join here). Are they missing the value? Give them MEASURABLE data to support the reasons why they can benefit from participating and co-creating. In my “Twitter in Twenty” presentation, my goal is to spark one “aha!” moment so that I might convert a social naysayer to a champion social networker!
2. Respond. Quickly. If you have any feedback whatsoever, acknowledge it immediately. If you get a request for more coffee during the afternoon break, answer that request. And then make lots of noise about what you just did. Have your keynote mention it. As other attendees notice, their joy and awe at being able to produce results and understand someone is listening should stir up that many more active participants.
3. Display, Display, Display. As an audiovisual firm, I recommend that you utilize as many visual displays as you possibly can of the social networking activity that is occurring. This might include flat panel monitors in hallways, lobbies, breakout rooms, general session rooms (even embedded in tables if you want to go ultra high-tech and impactful) and anywhere else attendees will grasp the third dimension of the event around them. My favorite concept is to use interactive touch screens, which offers the added benefit of capturing marketing data for the meeting organizers and sponsors alike, while also serving up the immediate gratification of interactivity. (Daniel Gerson of Cisco has a brief discussion on this topic here.)

As is often mentioned, ensuring there is allotted time for attendees to capitalize on the many more connections they can make through social networking (perhaps using an Illumination Gallery to create a conversation place) and providing appropriate gathering space will also ensure much happier and engaged attendees (or even incorporating some of Jeff Hurt’s Purple Cow ideas). Ultimately, you can be the trusted resource that helped them use their newfound voice and finally silence the noise of “they.”