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Impressions from Mobius 2008 May 17, 2008 [General] | By Tadd Rosenfeld.  What makes Mobius special? Last week I represented msmobiles.com at my first Mobius event. It wasn't what I expected. Funded by Microsoft, and attended by thirty smartphone blog and print writers including some of the most widely read in the world, the conference could have been a typical public relations "dog and pony show" like countless others. I imagined lectures by Microsoft and hardware manufacturer executives about existing product line-ups, formal Q&A sessions, and writers taking notes and reporting like good robots. My preconceived notions couldn't have been farther from the truth. What was/is it actually? Mobius is a nebulous intersection of public relations and secret society that will some day be the subject of a Harvard Business School case study. It's a shining example of how big businesses should embrace the new editorial world. It's modern marketing at its very best. Organizers and participants are to be congratulated.  Started about ten years ago, Mobius was originally intended to spread awareness of Windows Mobile and as a way for Microsoft to receive feedback from well known pundits about how to improve the operating system. Feedback was (and remains) such an important component of the event that Microsoft included writers with backgrounds in a variety of wireless platforms, such as Symbian and Palm OS. Many smartphone companies are terrified of the blogosphere, which can broadcast trade secrets and powerfully amplify negative product feedback. Mobius is fearless embracing of writers. Microsoft and partners open proverbial kimonos wide and show off wares under non-disclosure agreements and embargo to journalists. Attendees are treated to software and hardware road maps. Traditionally reporters only know what smartphone companies are going to release a few months out. At Mobius you see what's coming two years from now. Subject matters range from environmentalism to form factor innovations. Attendees are encouraged to react and discuss openly their impressions of absolutely everything and anything. Everything said informally at the event is off the record unless explicitly stated otherwise. Everything stated as part of a formal presentation is on the record, unless explicitly stated otherwise.  The event is held once a year at a location only disclosed in advance to members. This year it was in Seattle. Previously it was held in Amsterdam, Bangkok and Paris, among other far reaches of the world. What results from this remarkable conversation? A meaningful sense of fraternity between participants. Yes manufacturers compete for sales and bloggers for traffic. But the information provided and level of talk is so outstanding about a subject matter everyone in attendance cares deeply about, that you leave feeling like close friends with everyone you have had this shared experience with. The atmosphere is along the lines of what you might expect from the open source world. Bloggers and journalists at this year's even were from: www.thoughtsmedia.com Companies presenting included (this is not a complete list): Microsoft (Windows Mobile & Vista groups) For coverage done live from this invite-only event, check out our twitters. For more extensive information about the event, check out today's 90 minute podcast!   Post your comment (free registration is required to post, but if you register you can edit your posts later) [ 3 Comments ]
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