As I continue my conference experience sharing for the week I think this is a good time to share that I actually do more than just read, write, and work! But of course, even in this entertainment I couldn't turn off my brain. Google Cloud Next 2018 is a massive conference with tens of thousands in attendance (this year was their largest year ever with over 25,000 attendees!).

On Wednesday evening Google put on a show. Not just a show, but an entire fairground, complete with a ferris wheel, graviton, food tents, and of course a massive headliner band. The evening was full of incredible sights and sounds and a chance for everyone to unwind and decompress after several straight days of intense conference sessions. The evening was wrapped up with a private and incredible performance by The Chainsmokers. And this amazing experience is what causes me to write this thought.

As I stood in the midst of a veritable sea of cellphone cameras I couldn't help but join in taking photos and videos of this personal and powerful concert. And even as I took the photos I knew I was witnessing something magical. No, I don't mean the artists on stage (yes, they were incredibly talented), nor do I mean the music or the atmosphere, or the weather (it was chilly!). No, the magic I witnessed was held in my hand. Here in the twilight evening, lit only by the flashing strobes from the stage, with my phone thrust in the air, while being jostled by hundreds of other excited fans, jumping enthusiastically, singing at the tops of their lungs; I snapped these pictures.

What's the magic you ask? This was possibly one of the world's most intense demo. Google was providing the most comprehensive and grueling environment to showcase the technology (both software and hardware) their world-class engineers had created. Each of these photos was shot on my Google Pixel 2 XL. Now I could tell you they did an amazing job, but instead I'll let you  look at the pictures above and reach the conclusion for yourself.

Thank you Google Devs. I couldn't have been more pleased with this product and this live demonstration of the low-light, anti-jitter, fast movement, instant-focus, and AI-driven photography technology you've created.

Of course, after being #TeamPixel from the very first day, I was already very well-aware of this awesomeness. 😉