I am the type of person who always wants to be on the cutting edge — to be “in the know” the instant it is possible. From social networking to RSS readers, I have either tried it or am currently using it.

In my work, I travel from time to time. Unfortunately, I am not in a business that allows me to travel for the purposes of tech-conference attendance, where the announcements of the newest, latest, greatest gadgets and technologies are routinely made. All I can hope for is to be on business somewhere at the same time one of these conferences is in progress. Last year, I was lucky enough to be in San Diego during CTIA. I did not get to see much of it, as the business I was in town for did not leave me much time per day to attend, but it was enough to fuel my desire to learn. Through interactions with friends in the tech world, I have devised a list of conferences I would one day like to attend.

So, without further adieu, here is my Conference Wish List. One day, I will be able to say I have been to all of these at least once, though it might take a few years.

1. CTIA. A wireless symposium where all things wireless come together. From cell phones to credit card machines to text message marketing, you will find more than enough stuff to do to keep you busy!
   

   The International CTIA WIRELESS® show represents a $1 trillion global marketplace that brings together wireless and converged communications, wireless broadband, applications, mobile web and data.

   For 25 years, International CTIA WIRELESS® has been THE premier marketplace for all things wireless. Don’t miss 2010—guaranteed to be another crucial and groundbreaking event for the industry. Join us for the next era of Mobile Life!

2. CES. A consumer electronics show where the newest technologies are announced, shown, and discussed.
   

   The International CES is produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of consumer electronics products. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.

3. WES. Where to go to get all info BlackBerry.
   

   WES 2010 isn’t just another symposium; it’s the premier BlackBerry® event. And this year, it’s all about collaboration – between BlackBerry, our best partners, loyal users and most passionate enthusiasts.

   With an entirely new, forward-thinking agenda, we’ll explore and explain how this community is working together to increase the value of mobility in your business, by meeting your demands, exceeding your expectations, and making just about anything possible.

   WES is the place to:

   * Hear about the latest developments for the BlackBerry solution
   * See demonstrations of the BlackBerry solution at work
   * Meet BlackBerry experts who can answer questions and provide business or IT solutions
   * Train on the BlackBerry platform
   * Meet, greet and form new business relationships

   System administrators, developers, IT professionals, executives, carriers, dealers, resellers, ISVs, system integrators, customers and other members of the wireless world will be there. Will you?

4. DevCon. A BlackBerry developer’s dream. New processes, techniques, and best practices for BlackBerry development.
   

   The conference is a dedicated forum for the developer community to immerse itself in all aspect of creating consumer and business applications for the BlackBerry platform.
   What you’ll take home:

   * The inside scoop on developing for the BlackBerry platform and the very latest in software, hardware and tools from RIM and its partners
   * Invaluable information directly from RIM experts who will personally share their expertise
   * First-hand experiences from developers who have successfully created, integrated and managed wireless applications
   * Best practices from industry leaders to shortcut development cycles and drive new applications to market

5. SXSW. A music, film, and tech conference that covers topics from every walk of life.
   

   SXSW® Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer.

6. WordCamp. All things WordPress. The community comes together to improve, update, and expand WordPress — arguably the most predominant and best blogging and publishing software on the internet.
   

   WordCamp is a conference that focuses on everything WordPress. WordCamps are informal, community-organized events that are put together by WordPress users like you. Everyone from casual users to core developers participate, share ideas, and get to know each other. WordCamps are open to WordPress.com and WordPress.org users alike.

Well, now you know what types of conferences I would like to attend one day. Are there any that I do not know about that are similar to the ones listed? If so, please leave a comment. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.