Android faithful head to Austin for annual barbecue
Fans and developers come together for homemade BBQ, apps, and gadgets during the first weekend in October in Austin, Texas.
Hundreds of Android enthusiasts and developers from around the country are watching the calendar, anxiously awaiting the first weekend of October. The reason? It's not the Nexus Prime and the debut of Ice Cream Sandwich, although that would certainly be welcomed. No, these Android faithful are anticipating the arrival of the second annual Big Android BBQ.
Taking place over three days, the Big Android BBQ has become the unofficial gathering of the Android-loving masses. The event is hosted by multiple Android blogs and developer forums and has garnered sponsorship from the likes of Verizon, Samsung, LG, and Texas Instruments.
The festivities begin on Friday night with a pool party hosted by AndroidGuys. The get-together will also give fans, developers, and users a chance to meet other Android bloggers and include plenty of Android giveaways.
Following on Saturday are sessions for Android developers in all areas of expertise. Coding duo MobiCartel (Coding Green Robots) will be on hand to help new and aspiring developers, while XDA Developers will take things to the next level with a more advanced coding session. Later in the day, an HTC developer panel will discuss its OpenSenseSDK, commitment to bootloaders, and more.
The hacking and modding community will be represented by one of the biggest names in the area, CyanogenMod. This panel will be a great opportunity to learn the latest status of the custom ROM and perhaps gain insight as to what lies ahead.
Then there are also some hands-on opportunities with companies like Sphero, Swype, and others. Finishing up the day is a bar crawl hosted by AndroidCentral.
Come Sunday morning, early risers will participate in a Google Places scavenger hunt before the big event, which begins early that afternoon. Ray Walters and a team of volunteers will be on-hand, serving homemade barbecue in the form of beef brisket, pulled pork, and more. In between eating attendees will be able to play with the latest gadgets.
Organizer Aaron Kasten said the barbecue offers a little something for everyone. "We have developer tracks for beginners and advanced developers on Saturday, as well as some nondeveloper sessions, games, and prizes for all attendees," he said.
Though early-bird pricing is no longer available, a special discount code has been created for CNET readers. If you're interested in attending the Big Android BBQ, entering the "CNETBBQ" code knocks $10 off price of admission and also includes a commemorative T-shirt.