There were a few things I found invaluable while attending.
- My Snooz white noise generator to replace a fan for sweet slumber at Hyatt Place. It kept me from needing to pack an actual and unwieldy proper fan.
- Anker 20000 portable USB charger. I used it a lot when I wasn’t near an outlet in hall 1. I used it on my planes, outside, an in session. I brought two but only needed one.
- I didn’t bring my laptop to the conference but rather coded in my room a bit. It saved a lot of weight and bulk.
- Talking with engineers is the best thing you can do at the conference. Trust alone was worth the price of admission.
- Don’t try to take copious notes in session. They are mostly 40 minutes and the presenters fly through them. Review the video and source code later.
- My Apple watch was a key pieces of kit. My favorite sessions were always a glance away and kept me sorted. Boarding passes in wallet were key too.
- Bose QuietControl 30 headphones kept me out of looping ambient beats at the conference. Very light and I could easily turn noise cancellation way down for conversations.
- Most everyone is open to opening developer remarks and you can easily connect with people even if you’re on the shy side.
- Lyft and Uber are amazing. A great user experience and great drivers! I met a group of people and within 4 minutes we were of to Apple Park and 2 Infinite Loop. Super easy and effective. Loved it. This was my first time using either. My hotel booked me a taxi but instead of waiting an hour, I was at my ticket counter dropping off my bag in about 20 minutes.
- I brought too many clothes. If your going to get any Apple shirts you’re about set already. Two pairs of shorts is fine.
- There was good food in San Jose. Easily walkable or take a Lyft.
- Down the halls near the labs on the top floor were refrigerators stocked with Odwalla that were full, as they were not ransacked as hard. Almost guaranteed beverage.
- There needs to be coffee all day long. At least somewhere. Even outside.
- You don’t need to be up front. The screens in the larger halls are just as good and you don’t need to queue so hard and get out quicker.