From Yamtrader to Das Keyboard, the SXSWi trade-show floor is a mixed bag. While not everything lent itself to an in-depth visit with the TCTV camera, we did find a few interesting companies in the mix.

The trade show is an interesting admixture of media companies (WordPress had a nice presence) and apps alongside hardware and software startups. Visiting the trade show is sadly often an afterthought for most of the SXSW crowd – the lines to get into the keynotes are huge this year and you spend most of your time in them – so it was nice to get away from the show floor and see what was up.

I don’t want to add any spoilers but let’s just say we got to meet a few weird characters, including the aforementioned yam and a very lost interstellar traveler.