Your Virtual Guide to SXSW

Not all of us can make it to South by Southwest (SXSW), one of the hippest conferences of the year and a top convergence for original music and independent films, as well as a premier destination for innovation and emerging technologies.

For those of us who want to follow along virtually, we put together the following guide. First, Screen Geek has compiled a list of must-follow folks on Twitter, and a great SXSW Vine list and Spotify Playlist. If you can’t join them, you can certainly listen to mood music while scanning through the photos and videos. Check out Mashable’s “8 Vines to Follow During SXSW” for a sampling. SXSW’s Pinterest page is also full of fun visuals.

If you’re most interested in cutting-edge tech, we are already seeing some great innovations such as the pop-up hotels opened by SyFy Channel, and a Swarmly app which provides real-time data on the crowds at certain events, bars, restaurants and venues. Simply follow these hashtags to learn more about other SXSW happenings:

• #SXSW
• #SXSW2013
• #TechNews
• #SXSWCrunch
• #WiredSXSW

To ensure complete coverage, follow Wired’s live blog or Engadget’s event page. If all else fails and you need a laugh, thanks to Pando Daily’s round-ups, we found out about SXSW Back Channel – a place to anonymously tweet thoughts on the event – which may include meeting the “unlikely star” of SXSW, the grumpy cat. Enjoy!