Ignite Skepticism will launch tomorrow at #DragonCon #Skeptrack in Atlanta

Back in June I wrote a post about innovative mixes of curation and crowdsourcing that I’ve seen skeptic events adding these days. I included some ideas that (to my knowledge) have not yet been tried at the end of that post.

At DragonCon 2014 in Atlanta on Monday, I am going to curate an attempt at one of those new ideas (previously mentioned in my schedule here)! It’s called Ignite Skepticism, and it consists of a series of 5-minute lightning talks.

I hope many of you who are attending the event right now will attend this session, which is in the Skeptrack room, 204 to 207 in the Hilton hotel. The session begins Monday at 10am.

But let me tell you a little bit more about what Ignite is all about…

WiFi and Internet guide to #DragonCon 2014

Update August 29: Hilton renamed their access points in the last two weeks.
Update August 30: AmericasMart has made WiFi free in 2014.

DragonCon 2014 in Atlanta is this weekend. It is a gigantic convention for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books and other pop-culture topics. For several years now it has had a dedicated track of programming for skeptics called Skeptrack, at which I again will be speaking. (You can see my schedule in an earlier post).

Dragon Con is so huge  – spread across six massive buildings in downtown Atlanta – that wireless communication is essential to keep in touch during it. For the fourth year running, I’ve gone to downtown Atlanta and personally verified what WiFi options are available around the DragonCon site so attendees can know what to expect. This post contains my findings for 2014.

The map has been updated with some new hotspots and to remove ones that are gone. Much of the hotel information is unchanged from last year, but be sure to check the hotel you are staying in to be sure. The devil is in the details.

Just some of the info in this post that can save you time or money or both:

• Every host hotel this year has at least some free WiFi – and the paid options in your hotel room now typically include from 3 to 5 devices. I’ve got details.
• Is the hotel WiFi overloaded, and you desperately need to upload something? I’ll tell you several places to go in the nearby area that offer alternatives.
• Would you rather use a less overloaded WiFi by logging in with your existing WiFi account? (e.g. AT&T, Boingo, Xfinity, etc.) I’ve found several places you can do that including many new Xfinity hotspots added since last year.
• Do you need some Internet access but are not bringing a device? I’ll tell you which two hotels have computers you can use for free.

All that and much more, after the jump…

Tim Farley’s #DragonCon 2014 Schedule

Updated Aug 26: added Star Party links.

The US Labor Day holiday is next weekend, which means it is time for DragonCon!

Once again I will be attending and speaking on several panels on both the Skeptrack and the Electronic Frontiers tracks – all in the Hilton hotel. Prior to the main festivities, a satellite event (pun intended) that I’m also involved with is the Atlanta Star Party.

And of course I will be out and about with the other skeptics who are attending. Please be sure to come up and say hello! I promise I don’t bite.

DragonCon itself is gigantic and you’ll want to check the entire schedule for other cool things to see. Fortunately there’s an app for that. I highly recommend you log in there and start marking things you want to see. In addition to the mobile-ready web version at that link, there are apps for the major smartphones that you can download via a button on that page. In addition, the Skeptrack has its own page on Lanyrd here (with its own smartphone app and other features).

Coming up next week I’ll post my annual WiFi and Internet guide for the event. But for now, below is my schedule for DragonCon weekend.

WiFi and Internet tips for Dragon*Con 2013

An updated version of this post for DragonCon 2014 is now available.

Dragon*Con 2013 in Atlanta is next weekend. It is a gigantic convention for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books and other pop-culture topics. For several years now it has had a dedicated track of programming for skeptics called Skeptrack, at which I again will be speaking.

Dragon*Con is a huge event, and wireless communication is essential to keep in touch during it. This is the third year that I’ve gone downtown and actually checked out what WiFi options are available around the Dragon*Con site so attendees can know what to expect. This post contains my findings for 2013. You can also see my previous guides in the DragonCon tag on this blog.

Just some of the info in this post that can save you time or money or both:

• Every host hotel this year has at least some free WiFi – I’ve got all the details.
• Is the hotel WiFi overloaded, and you desperately need some free WiFi nearby? I’ll tell you several places to go.
• Would you rather use a less overloaded WiFi by logging in with your existing WiFi account? (e.g. AT&T, Boingo, Xfinity, etc.)? I’ve found several places you can do that.
• Do you need some Internet access but are not bringing a device? I’ll tell you which two hotels have computers you can use for free.

All that and much more, after the jump…

LIVE Video from Dragon*Con 2012 Skeptics track (Skeptrack)

During Dragon*Con in Atlanta from Friday August 31st through Monday September 3rd, 2012, you should see Skeptic programming here:

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Thank you to Mark Ditsler of Abrupt Media for the huge amount of work he does to make this happen. You can also view it and text chat with other viewers over on the UStream.tv site here. If you are not in US Eastern time note that Atlanta is at GMT-4 when you see times on the screen.

Consult the Skeptrack schedule on Lanyrd for the full list of events. You’ll be able to see me on these two events, both on Monday:

Attracting a Mix: Skeptics and Believers
Monday 10:00am EDT (aka 7:00am PDT or Monday 14:00 GMT)

SCHEDULE ADDITION (Not in the paper program)!
How You Can Make the Internet More Skeptical With One Mouse Click
Monday 1:00pm EDT (aka 10:00am PDT or 17:00 GMT)

WiFi and Internet tips for Dragon*Con 2012

NOTE! This post is getting more and more out-of-date. An updated version of this post for DragonCon 2014 is now available, please read that one.

Updated Friday August 31: Most hotels now have some free option, I’ve updated this post and the map to reflect that. I’ve also included more details in the map.

Dragon*Con 2012 in Atlanta is this weekend. It is a gigantic convention for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books and other pop-culture topics. For several years now it has had a dedicated track of programming for skeptics called Skeptrack, at which I will be speaking.

Dragon*Con is a huge event that spans a big hunk of downtown Atlanta. Making good use of wireless communications to stay in touch during the event is essential. With social media, you can keep up with what your friends are up to elsewhere at the convention, and even see photos and video of what is going on elsewhere.

But all of that means staying connected, and mostly it means staying connected to the Internet. Since the event spans several hotels, each with their own wireless systems, this can be a bit of a pain.  There are also some gotchas with simply relying on your 3G or 4G coverage via your mobile device.

This blog post will help you sort it out.  Just some of the info in this post that can save you time or money or both:

• Do you need some Internet access but are not bringing a laptop? I’ll tell you which hotel supplies computers you can use for free.
• Are you staying at the Marriott Marquis? I’ll tell you how to save at least $5 per day on WiFi charges.
• On a tight budget and desperately need some free WiFi near the con? I’ll tell you several places to go.

All that and much more, after the jump…

Content Roundup: September 2011

Time for another monthly roundup – links to all the content I’ve been involved with in the last month. It includes this blog as well as the stuff I post on other blogs, my podcasting activities, my best posts on Twitter and so on.

So if you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to during September, here’s your handy way to catch up.

Click through to read more.

LIVE Video from Dragon*Con Skeptics track (Skeptrack)

During Dragon*Con in Atlanta from September 2nd through 5th, 2011, you should see Skeptic programming here:

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Thank you to Mark Ditsler of Abrupt Media for the huge amount of work he does to make this happen. You can also view it and text chat with other viewers over on the UStream.tv site here.

Consult the Skeptrack schedule for the planned events. You’ll be able to see me on the following two panels:

Great Superhero Skeptics! The History
Sunday 8:30pm EDT (aka 5:30pm PDT or Monday 00:30 GMT)
Many of us know some names, but who have you missed and who should we know? A roundtable discussion on great authors, thinkers, past and present.
Moderator: Desiree Schell
Panelists: Phil Plait, Benjamin Radford, Eugenie C Scott, Kylie Sturgess and me.

How to be a REAL LIFE superhero
Monday 2:30pm EDT (aka 11:30am PDT or 18:30 GMT)
Things you can do to help save thousands of lives.
Moderator: Maria Walters
Panelists: Derek Bartholomaus, A Kovacs, Rebecca Watson, Elyse Anders, Amy Davis Roth and me.

If you are not in US Eastern time note that Atlanta is at GMT-4. Click through to the full post for the broadcast start and end times translated for you into GMT and PDT, a list of programming that will not be on the feed, and a couple other tips.

Digital Guide to Dragon*Con 2011

An updated version of this post for DragonCon 2014 is now available.

Dragon*Con 2011 in Atlanta is next weekend. It is a gigantic convention for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books and other pop-culture topics. For several years now it has had a dedicated track of programming for skeptics called Skeptrack.

The purpose of this blog post is to be a clearinghouse for all things digital related to the meeting. The particular focus is on Skeptrack, but there are a bunch of resources and tips here that will be useful to any digitally connected attendee.

Just some of the info in this post that can save you time or money or both:

• Do you need internet access but are not bringing a laptop? I’ll tell you which hotel supplies computers you can use for free.
• Are you staying at the Marriott Marquis? I’ll tell you how to save at least $5 per day on WiFi charges.
• On a tight budget and desperately need some free WiFi near the con? I’ll tell you several places to go.
• Would you like to put the pocket program on your Kindle, Blackberry or other portable, but don’t know how? I’ll show you a site that can do it for you.
• Want to rent a 4G modem during the show? I’ll tell you how.

All that and much more, after the jump…

Digital Guide to Dragon*Con 2010 & Skeptrack

An updated version of this post for DragonCon 2014 is now available.

Dragon*Con 2010 in Atlanta is this weekend. It is a gigantic convention for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books and other pop-culture topics. For several years now it has had a dedicated track of programming for skeptics called Skeptrack.

Dragon Con logo

The purpose of this blog post is to be a clearinghouse for all things digital related to the meeting. The particular focus is on Skeptrack, but there are a bunch of resources and tips here that will be useful to any digitally connected attendee.

Please note: I’m personally responsible for only one or two of the resources listed below. Most were created or published by the convention organizers or other attendees.

That having been said, there’s lots of great info in this post that can save you time or money or both.

• Are you staying at the Marriott Marquis? I’ll tell you how to save at least $5 per day on your WiFi charges.
• Do you need internet access but are not bringing a laptop? I’ll tell you which hotel can hook you up for free.
• Would you like to put the pocket program on your Kindle, Blackberry or other portable, but don’t know how? I’ll show you a site that can do it for you.
• Want to stay connected to the Skeptrack chatroom using your own IRC client? I’ll tell you how.
• Want to rent a 4G modem during the show? I’ll tell you how.

All that and much more, after the jump…