Jennifer here.  So I was reading the descriptions of the Amazon sessions at MIX and although they both sound cool, I know which one I'll definitely be attending.  Ever wondered what the power of search could do for your business?  What would you do with 300 terabytes of data?  Do you have some incredible ideas for business around customized search for your applications but don't have the budget or resources to create custom algorithms, crawlers or even have the ability to store hundreds of terabytes of data?  What would you do if that whole infrastructure was offered to you … at a price you could afford?  Good news, you don't have to reinvent the wheel.  Attend the session, Build Your Own Search Engine, presented by Jeff Barr of Amazon and you'll learn about Alexa.com where they have a web search platform that will enable any user to access large loads of web content and services.  As a full-service web analysis and web service publication platform, the Alexa API shows developers and designers how they can get in on the new, leveled search playing field. You can “rent” those resources as needed and take advantage of them through some good old fashioned web services.  It both raises the bar on capability and lowers the bar on investment by having you pay as you go, and you don't have to sink a ton into infrastructure.  You can stand on the shoulder of giants and your web business will be better for it.

On another note, it is fun to watch how MIX is picking up some buzz in the press.  InfoWorld wrote an article emphasizing how MIX is unique in that is has a track focused on designers where we'll open the kimono and show new web-design tools that better bring designers and developers together to build rich interfaces, and CNET talks about the Web 2.0 focus we'll have at MIX.  Will you be going to Vegas to get in on some of this action?  I'm curious to see if any of our attendees can actually stay up for 72 hours straight, btw.  We've been referring to MIX as a 72 hour conversation since the event is three days  and it takes place in a town that is open ‘round the clock, but I wonder if anyone is actually up for the challenge of staying awake all day and night for three days straight?  I can't imagine it will be that hard to do in Sin City!