CentoBlogging at the Future of Web Applications (FOWA) 07

Apparently microblogging is the term used now to lend some respectability to the flood of trivia that is Twitter , so here is a short "real blog" about FOWA - i.e. a centoblog.

(Or is it a miniblog, or a milliblog?)

Firstly, its a real schlep to get to ExCel - I had to do some stuff in town first, and usually its a quick 1/2 hour to Olympia or whatever - but to get to Far Docklands - Oh My! Worse still is the financial rapine indulged in by the coffee and sandwich purveyors. London is not cheap, but London + 50% is....

Result - missed first 2 sessions including the Om Malik/Mike Arrington show, got there in time for the session on "Future of Search", but it was more like a "Pimp my Punt" session, essentially a very mild interview Q&A with the CEO where he got to tell us about the Past of Sphere and why someone may want to buy it in the (near?) future. Interesting bits were the question of whether they will go to Ad funding (we'd prefer it if we don't have to), and how they managed to get media exposure throughout their lives way earlier than their size would have indicated.

Next session was by 3i on funding - fairly standard stuff, but honestly and genuinely presented. Some highlights were the tiny amounts spent to date by funders on Social Networking compared to Advertising, Media, Travel etc, and his views on wher the future opportunities lie (get into databases, young man.....)

Next exciting episode will be later this afternoon.....

(postscript - its blogged here)