Calendar: Technology Events 2021 Updates
The year 2020 has been devastating for industry and trade shows. MWC Barcelona was the first large conference deciding not to open its doors due to Covid-19. Soon after, all the conferences around the world were cancelled, with many of them offering an online alternative.
Now, already in August, many of us wonder what the future of conferences and exhibition shows in 2021 will be. One thing is certain, as we resume activities and meet again in 2021, most likely we will have to adhere to some basic new rules to keep ourselves and others safe.
Handshakes will not be part of introductions any longer, unless people start to wear fashionable gloves. Or, instead, we can opt for a Vulcan greeting, just like Mr.Spoke in Star Trek; or just a simply verbal greeting will do. More people may opt to wear gloves, me included.
This reminds me to how cool women look in older Hollywood movies, where gloves always were part of the daily attire. In that sense, past decades from the 1920s to the 1950s had not just glamour which is absent today but some social etiquette rules that protected people from certain virus and bacteria transmission. Such is the case of gloves.
Today, we wear masks. Oh, yes! The evolution of fashionable masks is inevitable. Who wants to attend a technology conference looking like a surgeon just coming out from the theatre? For this reason, I have purchased what I call my 'business mask'. Just something less colourful and fun than my other pink masks, or the one with daisies. Although, I might make an appearance on a pink mask as well!
Anyway. I bet many of us will find it interesting and exciting to get back to the shows. I can't wait to see what will be innovative and exceptionally outstanding in technology trends 2021.
UPDATE: APRIL 15, 2021
I have to say, that since the excitement of last August before pretty much the whole world saw new cases of Covid-19 emerging with even more lives lost, and in addition to having spent most of the months since then in quite a strict lockdown, I have decided I will not be attending any live tech show or conference, or any live performance of any kind for the whole year 2021.
That's right. I will only resume my usual tech show/conference attendance sometime in 2022. That will depend on how safe I believe that may be by then. In my opinion, the virtual shows have worked just fine and much better than expected. What's more, I have enjoyed the virtual shows much more without the hassle of the huge crowd, the stress of running around from hall to hall. I have especially enjoyed the virtual conferences when the weather has been not ideal. A good cup of tea available at all times is priceless.
I believe from now on, the future of trade shows, conferences, meetings, and anything else will take the blended format of adopting both virtual and physical worlds.
-Susan
UPDATE: JUNE 15, 2021
Two months later, I am more convinced that the world is not yet a safe place to be travelling around unless it is really essential. I confirm I will not be attending any live event of any sort, any crowded place either indoors or outdoors, and will voluntarily keep a minimum of two-metre social distance with the very few people I might meet for the remaining months of this year. So you know, stay away. :)
I have neither desire nor need to go hugging people or getting too close to anyone this year. :D
We are all free to choose how we want to deal with this pandemic, right? I am pretty comfortable self-isolating and see no need to expose myself to any possible infection.
In fact, this has been the healthiest year in my entire life: I didn't even catch a common cold. That, thanks to being in contact with no one. I might find a cave after this and become a hermit. Because, why not?
But this was an update about technology event attendance. Well, I think you got my point.
See you all somewhere, sometime in 2022. Perhaps.
-Susan
UPDATE: MARCH 11, 2022
Three months into 2022 I have not attended any in-person event. This makes 2022 the third consecutive year I didn't go to Barcelona for MWC (Mobile World Congress). The two previous years the event was cancelled due to Covid-19. This year, the show was back live in Fira Barcelona. But I have not decided to leave my cave-living yet. I might be leaving my "cave" to resume life in June. That will give me three months to get back to my fitter self after being pretty much in hibernation mode for two years and three months.
-Susan
UPDATE: JANUARY 31, 2023
One more year is gone. It's now about the time to start thinking about MWC Barcelona. I am not sure if I got comfortable not attending live events, or I just got lazy, or if the fear of being in a crowded place in close proximity with human beings who can potentially be infected or carrying the virus has not left me. The fact that I avoid human contact as much as I possibly can is real. I suppose this also plays a part in deciding if I will attend live events this year. So many of those events offer a virtual version, which is far more relaxed, comfortable, and safe. There is one thing I miss from the live events: The demos of the new, emerging, or improved technologies.
I see from my post above that not much has really changed. I am still living in my "cave." I still feel in hibernation. And I have started to wonder if I should actually start to worry about the fear I have developed since the pandemic started back in January 2020 when the virus conveniently escaped from an experimentation lab.
Anyway, I have not been to resume my life as it was pre-pandemic: A digital nomad, travelling and enjoying discovering new towns, small villages, and life in the countryside. That's the last I did until March 2020.
Will I resume my life as it was before? Will I attend live events this year? It's hard to tell. I feel three years of my life were stolen. That's three years of my life I will never get back.
-Susan