360iDev – The Speakers – Noel Llopis

If you attended 360|iDev Denver, you know Noel was the mastermind behind the Game Jam, which will be back in San Jose, sponsored by Touch Arcade! Which means it’s gonna be even better than last time!

Noel and I went out for Pizza the other day and had a chance to chat about 360|iDev

Me: Haven’t you been at all 360|iDev’s to date?

(We take a seat at a booth, each with two slices of pizza. Me double pepperoni, Noel some kind of pizza with chicken, artichokes, and sardines… to each their own)

Noel: I was there from the start. San Jose 2009, baby! :-)

(We high five, then wipe grease off our hands. Pizza, yummy, but messy)

Me: What do you think people who attend your session will be most surprised by/about?

(Noel takes a bite of his chicken, artichoke thing)

Noel: That UIKit actually mixes quite well with OpenGL. Apple has been quietly improving how the two interact and it’s totally reasonable to use them both unlike the initial warnings from the 2.0 days when Apple warned against mixing UIKit and OpenGL.

Me: That’s good to know! Glad Apple’s been working on that. What session are you most excited about, besides your own of course :)

(I order another slice as the waitress walks by, Noel does too. This time he asked for a slice with anchovies, onoins and rosemary)

Noel: The parties, of course! OK, if that doesn’t count, then I’m going to have to go with Owen’s Improv Prototyping session. I have this thing for prototypes (and I can never do as many as I want).

Me: It’ll be good to see Owen! We missed him in Denver. I need more polar bear stories. I hear they walk the streets like people where Owen lives.

(Noel laughs and drops his slice)

What are you most looking forward to at 360|iDev San Jose?

Noel: Can I say the parties now? Seriously, the thing I’m most looking forward to is seeing all the other iPhone devs in person again, and meeting a bunch of new ones. A lot of them I already “know” through Twitter, but I’m definitely looking forward to meeting them in person. The parties are a great setting to mingle and get to know everybody.

Me: (Our slices arrive) The parties will be off the hook that’s for sure. What would you tell someone that was on the fence about attending 360|iDev to convince them to come?

Noel: That 360iDev is a conference like no other. Top-notch content, but small enough that you get to know everybody, including the speakers. If you can only do one iPhone conference, this is the one to go to.

(Raising my slice in a toast)

Me: Damn straight!

(We chat some more, talking about iPhone development, Android phones, smurfs, you name it, we’re heading opposite ways to our cars, when I ask)

So who’d kick ass more, Lion or Vehicle Voltron?

Noel: Neither. Mazinger Z would fly in and kick both their butts (that’s Tranzor Z for you yanks)

Me: I dunno, without Aphrodite A, I’m not sure he could take them both.

Join Noel and all the other awesome community leaders who’re speaking and attending 360|iDev. Register Now before the last of the early tickets is sold out! Don’t miss the best iPhone conference in the world!