Top 10 reasons to come to Expand New York
In just a few days, our second Engadget Expand event will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. We're recapping the highlights of the show we have planned on November 9th and 10th right here, so you know exactly why this is a show you don't want to miss.
1) Brilliant Speakers on stage
Attendees will find themselves immersed in a weekend filled with amazing speakers from all over the technology space. Enjoy sessions with acclaimed director Spike Lee, CEO of Cheezburger Ben Huh, Pebble Technology CEO Eric Migicovsky, comedian and musician Reggie Watts, co-founder of rrkidz LeVar Burton, and many more.
2) Insert Coin competition
You helped us narrow down our Insert Coin: New Challengers competitive slate to 10 hopeful contenders. After crowning Ziphius our winner at Expand SF back in March, a new crop of semi-finalists will get to demonstrate their products on stage for a chance to win up to $25,000 to help move their projects forward.
3) Consumer electronics and beyond
We keep conference ticket prices low by having incredible sponsors showcasing their wares at Expand. Come and experience demonstrations from Chevrolet showing off its latest in-car technology. Get hands-on with the recently launched Lenovo Yoga tablet. Gogo will take a break from cruising the skies above us to show off its inflight wireless technology. You get all of this and more, including the opportunity to go to Expand as a VIP, courtesy of Microsoft and the Outlook.com team.
4) Raspberry Pi Make:Off
We're partnering with our friends at MAKE Magazine to hold the first-ever Raspberry Pi Kitchen competition. Two teams of four will be charged with assembling a new gadget built on the flexible hardware platform, with the winning team getting a profile in an upcoming issue of MAKE. Think of it as the TV show "Chopped," only without the food.
5) Workshops
We've got a number of workshops on the schedule that you can jump right into. Go hands-on with the 3Doodler, the world's first 3D printing pen or join the team from MAKE Magazine and learn how to build a simple breadboarded circuit. For those of you who want to light it up, SparkFun will show you how to construct a micro-controller circuit with animated lights!
6) Meet Engadget
We're bringing in the Engadget team from all over the country. In addition to hosting conversations with our speakers, we'll be mingling on the show floor, ready to chat about pretty much anything tech-related.
7) Play doctor
Intuitive Surgical will demonstrate its da Vinci surgical robot, which is used to aid in procedures all over the world. You won't just get to watch, you'll be able to use the robot for yourself in various simulations. Though you won't be able to perform an appendectomy on yourself, we're sure you'll love geeking out with your fellow technology fans as you witness all the incredible demonstrations taking place.
8) Free stuff
What event isn't complete without free things? Keep a close eye on our @EngadgetExpand Twitter account to learn when and where the bounty can be found. (And if you're not on Twitter, now's the time to get caught up in all that #hashtag madness.) We even hear MAKE might be giving away a 3D printer!
9) Reasonable ticket prices
One of the most important goals of our Expand conference is to make this completely unique experience as accessible to as many of you as possible. We've set the price for the entire weekend at $30. If you can't attend both days, you can score a "day pass" for $20. If you're a student with a valid student ID, you can get 50 percent off for either the weekend pass or the single-day pass. Buy your tickets here.
10) Be a part of the show
We're also looking for a bunch of volunteers to help us out. You'll not only attend Expand for free, but you'll be a part of putting on this monster production. Help us out and apply to volunteer at Expand. Think Expand NY is just too incredible to miss? So do we. Join us for an incredible weekend that you won't forget. Also, if you are a member of the press, we invite you to cover the show. Contact engadget at coynepr dot com to get registered.
