The program of Lift Asia 08 is built around one main theme: beyond the browser. We will discuss the upcoming changes that the internet, now moving past the browser and into objects, cities or robots, will soon generate in our society.

Thursday Sept. 4

Unless specified, all events happen at the Jeju's International Convention Center (ICC), 2700 Jungmun, Seowipo, Jeju, Korea, 697-120. Tel +82-64-735-1000. More info on the venue on the practical information page.

[9:30 Barcamp Jeju!]
Our friend Channy Yun, an organizer of Barcamp Seoul since 2005, is organizing an unconference right before Lift! Meet with Korean web expert in free style, join Barcamp!

[13:00 Main conference doors opening and coffee]

14:00 Welcome Speech by Laurent Haug (Lift) and Soh Yeong Roh (art center nabi).

14:15 Session: Beyond the web we know
What can we expect from the web in the near future, what comes after web2.0?
Laurent Haug will explain the vision behind the main theme of the conference, and what a mature web will mean for our society.
Then Eric Rodenbeck of Stamen Design (USA) will share his perspective on the evolution of the web towards a "richer" media through the use of information visualizations. Chang Kim of TNC will close the session and talk about the future of the social web.

[15:30 Break and Lift Experience]
The breaks will be dedicated to networking and inspiration, with comfortable sofas, warm coffee and the various art installations created by the art center nabi. Meet other lifters, take a break, think, write, get ready for the next session! Welcome to Lift Experience!

16:30 Session: Virtual money
Without making headlines, the digitization of money has registered significant progress recently. This session will explore the upcoming cashless economy with international expert David Birch (Consult Hyperion, UK) and American science fiction writer Bruce Sterling (initiator of the cyberpunk movement, writer on Wired).

[17:30 Break and Lift Experience]

18:00 Sustainable Development Evening
The traditional session on our planet's biggest challenge, organized in partnership with WattWatt, will welcome American gadget guru Dan Dubno (Gizmorama, USA) and Swiss adventurer Sarah Marquis who will explain how one can travel the world in energetic independence.

[19:30 Cocktail and Dinner offered by WattWatt and Hyatt]

Lifters are invited to share a cocktail and dinner at the magnificent Hyatt hotel, on the terrace overseeing the ocean. Enjoy international wines & dishes and take the chance to meet participants from all over the globe!

Friday Sept. 5

09:00: Session: Networked city
The new digital layers provided by ICTs are transforming contemporary urban environments. What does that mean for its inhabitants? What changes can we expect? How will ubiquitous computing influence the way we live? « Everyware » author Adam Greenfield (Nokia Design, Finland), as well as architects Jeffrey Huang (EPFL, Switzerland) and Yang Soo-In (The Living, Korea) will provide their vision on this not so distant future.

[10:30 Break and Lift Experience]

11:30: Session: Aiming for a better society
How can technologies help us shape a more inclusive and sustainable society, as well as take advantage of the world's diversity? Raphael Grignani (Nokia Design, USA) and Ilpyo Hong (Hope Institute) will address this question. Raphael will talk about Nokia Design address environmental and social issues including recycling, energy and making the benefits of mobile technology available to more people. Dr. Hong will describe how the think tank he belongs to is employing on-line technologies for aiming at a better society.

[13:00 Lunch]
In the purest Lift tradition, Swiss Chef Roland Hinni will prepare a Swiss meal where dishes imported directly from the Alps will be served. Explore the tastes of Gruyère, Roesti and more!!

14:30 Open Afternoon & Asia Venture Trip presentations
Lifters who want to speak can take the stage and share their ideas in 20 minutes presentations.
In one of the rooms, innovative Swiss start-ups selected for the Asia Venture Trip program by AlpicT will present their companies to the community.
See the program and propose a presentation!

16:30 Session: The future of social worlds
Social networks and Massive Multi-Player games are now merging in a new category of digital entertainment platforms with new business models, reaching consumers via different screens. What does the usage of such platforms tell us about new forms of socialization? Where is gaming heading? What are the new opportunities?
Joonmo Kwon (Nexon, Korea) will share his profound experience in this field, and present the vision he has for his 300-millions-customers company. Then Jury Hahn (Megaphone, USA) will talk about the latest and most innovative forms of social mobile entertainment, using cell phones as the main platforms.

[17:30 Break and Lift Experience]

18:00 Session: Techno-nomadic life
Mobile technologies have freed us from the tyranny of "place", but have they introduced new constraints? New behaviors? Is the mobile web going through the same process as the Web in the 90s?
Star design researcher Jan Chipchase (Nokia, Japan) will present some insights nomadic work/life practices enabled by mobile technologies, while i-mode father Takeshi Natsuno (Keio University, Japan) and Christian Lindholm (Fjord, UK) will talk about the future of mobile services.

[21:00 Cocktail and karoake]
The day will end in style at a karaoke party where Westerners will try to challenge the unequivocal Asian domination on this soon-to-be-Olympic discipline. Meet us at the Karaoke of the Hyatt Hotel and may the force be with you!

Saturday Sept. 6

10:00 Session: From robots to networked objects
Robots are moving beyond anthropomorphism and starting to communicate. What can we expect? What's hot in robotics that we will soon see all around us?
Japanese inventor Tomoaki Kasuga (Speecys, Japan) will show his latest robotic creation, while researcher Frédéric Kaplan (EPFL, Switzerland), known for his work with the Sony Aibo, will talk about the future of robots as part of our daily life. Legendary French entrepreneur Bruno Bonnell, founder of Infogrames and former CEO of Atari, will close the session by dicussing the differences between the Asian and Western approach to robotics.

11:50 Conference wrap-up
Various speakers and members of the audience will be on stage to provide their views on the conference, the ideas and insights they will take home, and their wishes for the next editions of Lift.

[12:30 End of conference]
See you at Lift09 in Geneva!

[13:30 Social Activities and visits]
In partnership with Jungtour, we invite Lifters to head for a visit of one of the many attractions in Jeju such as the Stone park, some of the world's most beautiful golf courses, and the teddy bear museum!