ODTUG Announces the First Annual GeekAThon!What Is a GeekAThon?

A GeekAThon is a contest in which players compete by building something using technology. The idea for ODTUG to host a GeekAThon comes to us from the great minds of ODTUG Board of Directors members Danny Bryant and Opal Alapat. What Technology Is ODTUG Featuring? BEACONS!  Beacons use a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology that sends signals to receivers. Their sole purpose in life is to transmit the message "I am here" to some type of receiving object. At Kscope16, attendees had beacons attached to their name badges that provided room counts for sessions and exhibit hall traffic. The question was then raised, "What else can we do with beacons?" That is where you come in and the fun really begins!  ODTUG's GeekAThon  The team decided to keep the format open for this first year, so we're opting for aMaker Faire approach. Contestants will use the Kscope16 beacon to solve a problem of their choosing. You can hack the beacon, repurpose the BLE signal, and/or build a new object of your choice. Beyond a few ground rules, the biggest limiting factor will be time. Maker contestants will get at least six weeks to build their solution and can work by themselves or in teams. You don't need to have attended Kscope16 to participate; a beacon can be provided to you.  How Do I Participate? For more information on eligibility, guidelines, and how to enter ODTUG's GeekAThon, see our blog post and stay tuned for the launch of the competition website. Bragging rights and prizes will be awarded, so you should take the plunge and enter. Need More Info? Join Danny and Opal this Friday, July 29, at 1:00 PM EDT for our first in a series of GeekAThon lunch-and-learn webinars. Register today and get your questions answered! We can't wait to see what you come up with!