Spent yesterday at Future of Web Apps Expo (to give it it’s full name) down in Docklands. Some great presentations with the traditional FOWA sprinkle of corporate sponsor sales pitches (although kudos for Adobe’s stressing of third-party applications to develop AIR apps). Leisa Reichhelt explained her concept of Ambient Intimacy (something to which I tend to feel very remote given my lack of understanding/interest in Twitter or it’s imitators). And Erika Hall‘s case for copy being part of the interface was an amusing reminder of how important a part of user experience your tone is.

Only a couple of slight problems – the rather miniscule dimensions of the Business track ‘room’ made it a not entirely pleasant place to be and the shortage of power points made space on the back row of both rooms rather premium. Also being a lazy Londoner, Excel was quite a distance to get to – particularly when my natural ability to find the correct tube line and train under any circumstances let me down.

Also, pity anyone who headed for Google Maps’ fictional location of the defunct Shoreditch tube station in search of the Excel centre.

If nothing else, the immediate future of web application may be one prone to these little data glitches. Web 2.0 – check it twice ^TM