14 DAY TRIAL // Oisin Prendiville, a co-developer of Tokens for Mac, has announced a notification tool that sends out automated phone calls and/or SMSes when WWDC is announced this year. It’s a paid system, and the more you cash in, the better chance you have of nabbing a ticket.
When Apple made the uninspired move to announce WWDC tickets at 5 AM in the morning last year, a lot of developers got left out in the cold.
This year, some of those same people may be more determined not to miss the show. Oisin Prendiville is one of them.
“I'm determined not to miss WWDC this year so I set up a script to watch Apple's site for updates. When WWDC 2013 is announced the script will automatically phone and text me using the Twilio API so I can grab a ticket before they sell out,” Oisin writes.
The developer promises to add your number to the SMS queue for €1 ($1.3). Chip in another €1 and Oisin will hook you up with a phone notification as well.
And, since “This is not a democracy,” as the developer puts it, “Queue skipping is allowed by paying more.” Seems perfectly legit.
Oisin wanted to achieve a paid alternative to WWDC Alerts, a similar (but free) tool that failed to deliver on its promise last year.
According to Oisin, “the minimum fee means we'll be an exclusive club so should have less chance of delayed delivery of messages.” He promises to refund you should something go wrong.
Apple has yet to announce the schedule for the 2013 edition of its Worldwide Developers Conference.
With the increased hype surrounding the event each year, we wouldn’t be surprised if Apple itself rolled out a ticketing system that offers everyone a fair chance to grab a seat.