Priscilla Chan, Spatial Audio And A ‘Garden Of Earthly Delights’: Highlights From SXSW Tech

Omar Gallaga says the nature of the tech portion of SXSW is changing in some ways, away from just a place to debut the latest app.

By Laura RiceMarch 14, 2019 12:33 pm,

People wearing badges have taken over downtown Austin during the annual event known as South by Southwest. There’s the music and movies, of course, but some forget this is the festival where Twitter got its start several years ago.

Technology expert Omar Gallaga has been keeping an eye on all of the tech happenings at SXSW, and says a session with pediatrician and philanthropist Priscilla Chan, who also happens to be married to Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, was a highlight, though he says not many people knew about her appearance.

“She’s one of the nation’s richest women, married to one of the most influential people in our lives,” Gallaga says. “I was really curious to hear what she had to say.”

Chan’s appearance was just one part of a packed festival lineup.

What you’ll hear in this segment:

– How the nature of the SXSW tech conference is changing

– How so-called spatial audio changes the listening experience

– How media companies are commandeering entire city blocks to promote their latest shows

Written by Caroline Covington.