Remember good ole' Netscape Navigator and the early days of the Internet? (1989) The early days of Silicon Valley? Here is a documentary of way back then...in the beginning:
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Mobile Device Categories
AT&T News Room (1/26/10):
In 2009, AT&T certified 370 wireless specialty consumer and machine-to-machine devices - such as eReaders, netbooks, digital photo frames, personal navigation devices, and home security monitoring and smart grid devices - for use on its mobile broadband network.
Major emerging mobile devices can be grouped into five categories:
In 2009, AT&T certified 370 wireless specialty consumer and machine-to-machine devices - such as eReaders, netbooks, digital photo frames, personal navigation devices, and home security monitoring and smart grid devices - for use on its mobile broadband network.
Major emerging mobile devices can be grouped into five categories:
- eReaders: AT&T provides the mobile broadband connection for top selling eReaders, including the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble nook. AT&T has signed agreements to connect the Plastic Logic QUE™ proReader and Interead’s COOL-ER 3G, both expected to launch in the coming months.
- Netbooks: AT&T provides embedded wireless connectivity for netbooks and laptops from major computing device manufacturers, including Acer, Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung, among others.
- Personal Navigation Devices: AT&T provides the network connection to the only wirelessly connected, dedicated personal navigation devices in the market, the Garmin nüvi® 1690 and the TomTom XL 340S LIVE, both featuring local search and fuel price services, among other content.
- Digital Photo Frames: AT&T will provide the wireless connection for two digital photo frames – Isabella’s VIZIT and the Pandigital Photo Mail LED Digital Photo Frame – both expected to be in market in the first quarter of 2010.
- Telematics Devices: AT&T enables telematics service for a major luxury automotive OEM and has plans to expand to other automakers. A telematic device can be used to receive general information via the car radio, and data relating to the vehicle location, destination, or an emergency call can be sent to a central station.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
iPad - Steve Job's Presentation
Apple CEO and showman extraordinaire Steve Jobs introduced Apple's new iPad tablet on January 27, 2010 in San Francisco. It was an invitation-only event, but it was captured on video and posted to the Apple Special Event site. The first half hour is pure Steve Jobs. The next hour is a series of more detailed demos on applications that already exist for the iMac, iPhone, and other Apple products that are also available on the larger device, the iPad.PC World's review of the iPad lists five "best surprises":
- Price - lower than expected. Priced to compete with netbooks and/or eBook Readers
- Pre-paid, nocontract, unlocked G3
- External keyboard support
- iWork for iPad
- ePub support of International Digital Publishing Forum Standard for open-standards-based-format for digital books.
- "... iPad left out some key hardware features and will instead charge users a nice markup on accessories designed to give those features back. Specifically, the lack of built-in USB ports and SD card support saved a few dollars per unit, and for a unit that will eventually sell in the tens of millions, that's real money."
- "...the classic up-sell. The company is charging considerably more for the 3G and/or more storage, with the result that buyers of the higher-end models are pitching in extra money to pay for the low-end model's discount."
- "...making up lost hardware revenues with content sales. ... Apple can afford to give away the hardware because it's taking a cut of iTunes, App Store, and iBook sales."
Friday, January 22, 2010
Federal Stimulus Fund Dollars for Public Libraries and Community Colleges
The American Library Association's Office of Information and Technology Policy (OITP) successfully advocated for more Federal Stimulus Funds for public libraries. Carrie McGuire, ALA Director, OITP Program on Networks, is to be commended.On Friday, 1/22, Carrie hosted a "GoToWebinar" presentation for ALA members, featuring John Windhausen and Robert Bocher on "Stimulus Funds: Round 2 -- Get Connected". See archived version at http://ala.org/knowyourstimulus
John Windhausen credited ALA for upgrades to NTIA and RUS grant programs. He said that part 2 of the Stimulus Funds will have the same 3 programs as the first part:
- CCI - Comprehensive Community Infrastructure - emphasis now includes libraries as key community "anchor" entities.
- PCC - Public Computer Centers
- Sustainable broadband
March 15 is deadline for applying for round #2; Grants will be awarded from Summer through September 30, 2010.
Scoring preference:
- Applications for programs that serve the needs of healthcare, education, children and "vulnerable populations" and unserved/underserved areas.
- Public Computer Center programs are obvious areas for libraries and community colleges, yet there is a lot of competition for this money from other community organizations.
- NEW emphasis on community colleges and training (workforce training)
- NEW emphasis on "community anchor institutions"
- includes partnerships - govt, nonprofit, for-profit, community
- addresses economically distressed areas
- commitment to serve community colleges
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Horizon Report 2010
On January 19, 2010, the Horizon Report was officially released. Each year, New Media Consortium (NMC) and Educause releases its technology trends report for Higher Education. Last year, apparently it overlooked a big trend: open (free) content!
This year, top trends are:
This year, top trends are:
- Mobile computing - YR 1 or less
- Open Content - " " "
- Electronic BOoks - 2-3 YR Horizon
- Simple augmented reality - " " "
- Gesture-based computing - 4-5 YRS
- Visual Data Analysis - " " "
LITA Top Technology Trends - ALA Midwinter 2010
Twice a year at the American Library Association conferences, Midwinter and Annual, the Library & Information Technology (LITA) Division has a panel of library technology gurus talk about top tech trends. At MidWinter in Boston this January, the panel presented a number of trends. (Missing: Clifford Lynch.)
- David Walker talked about discovery layers.
- Amanda Etches-Johnson spoke on user experience design. Amanda co-founded INFLUX, a UX design agency targeting libraries. The push toward putting content on mobile devices necessitates better UX design, in that with mobile devices developers are forced to give users the simplest access to data possible.
- Lauren Pressley talked about augmented reality, or, the blending of physical and virtual environments, as a great tool for learning or microlearning.
- Joe Murphy discussed mobile apps as a research gateway. SMS, he said, is the oldest and most popular of all the means of mobile communication, and the protocol has exploded in libraries in the past year, with services like Text a Librarian.
- Jason Griffey talked about mobile access to data in libraries.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Broadband Stimulous Funding - New Applications
News from the Commerce Department on Federal Broadband Grants:
WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department‟s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and USDA‟s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) today announced availability of $4.8 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grants and loans to expand broadband access and adoption in America. This is the second funding round for the agencies‟ broadband programs. The investment will
help bridge the technological divide, boost economic growth, and create jobs. NTIA and RUS also announced the rules for applying in this funding round, which have been modified to make the application process easier for applicants and better target program resources.
“Based on the feedback we received from stakeholders and our own experience in the first funding round, we are making the application process more user-friendly, sharpening our funding focus to make the biggest impact with this investment, and streamlining our review process to increase efficiency,” said Lawrence E. Strickling, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and Administrator of NTIA. “In response to lessons learned from the first funding round, RUS is making important changes that will make the process easier for applicants and target our resources toward „last-mile‟ broadband connections to homes and businesses,” said Jonathan Adelstein, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of
Agriculture. “This draws on our long experience in improving rural networks to the most difficult-to-reach areas of our country that need it most. We‟ve streamlined the application process, added support for satellite service for rural residents left unserved after other funds are awarded, and provided ourselves more flexibility to target areas of greatest need. We are going to stretch every last dime to maximize economic
development in rural areas that currently lack adequate broadband service.”
The agencies announced the rules for this funding round in two separate but complementary Notices of Funds Availability (NOFAs) that promote each agency‟s distinct objectives. NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) NTIA‟s NOFA allocates approximately $2.6 billion in this funding round of which approximately $2.35 billion will be made available for infrastructure projects. In this round, NTIA is adopting a “comprehensive communities” approach as its top priority in awarding infrastructure grants, focusing on middle mile broadband projects that connect key community anchor institutions – such as libraries, hospitals, community colleges, universities, and public safety institutions. Comprehensive Community Infrastructure projects maximize the benefits of BTOP by leveraging resources, promoting sustainable community growth, and ultimately laying the foundation for reasonably priced broadband service to consumers and businesses.
In addition, NTIA plans to award at least $150 million of the funding for Public Computer
Center projects, which will expand access to broadband service and enhance broadband capacity at public libraries, community colleges, and other institutions that service the general public. NTIA also plans to award at least $100 million for Sustainable Broadband Adoption projects, which include projects to provide broadband education, training, and equipment, particularly to vulnerable population groups where broadband technology has traditionally been underutilized.
RUS’s Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP)
RUS‟s NOFA allocates approximately $2.2 billion in this funding round for broadband infrastructure projects. A second funding window will open later which will provide grants for satellite service for premises that remain unserved after all other Recovery Act broadband funding is awarded, make Technical Assistance grants for developing plans using broadband for regional economic development, and grants to provide broadband service to rural libraries funded by USDA under the Recovery Act.
RUS will focus this round on last mile projects, which are anticipated to receive the vast majority of funding. RUS will also fund middle mile projects involving current RUS program participants. The first NOFA had two funding options – grants up to 100 percent in remote rural areas, and 50/50 loan/grant combinations in non-remote rural areas. In the second NOFA, RUS has eliminated this distinction and adopted a base 75/25 grant/loan combination for all projects. The new approach provides RUS with flexibility to seek a waiver if additional grant resources are needed for areas that are difficult to serve, and priority for those who seek lower grant levels. RUS believes this simplified and flexible funding strategy will promote rural economic
development.
Separate NOFAs will allow applicants to apply directly to either program. RUS also eliminates the two-step process for BIP applicants to improve program efficiency. These changes will also add valuable time for applicants to focus on one specific program in preparing a more solid application.
Incorporated into the RUS NOFA is an opportunity for the reconsideration of BIP requests to provide viable applications with every chance for funding. There is also a second application review process during which RUS would allow an applicant to adjust its application to better meet program objectives and for the Administrator to provide discretionary points or to increase a grant component to meet rural economic objectives.
The agencies plan to accept applications from February 16, 2010, to March 15, 2010, and announce all awards by September 30, 2010.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided a total of $7.2 billion to NTIA and RUS to fund projects that will expand access to and adoption of broadband services. Of that funding, NTIA will utilize $4.7 billion for grants to deploy broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas in the United States, expand public computer center capacity, and encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service. RUS will use $2.5 billion in budget authority to support grants and loans to facilitate broadband deployment in primarily rural communities. - # -
Friday, January 15, 2010
Press Release: Commerce Department's NTIA and USDA's RUS Announce Availability of $4.8 Billion in Recovery Act Funding To Bring Broadband To More Americans. NTIA and RUS have released separate Notices of Funding Availability for the second and final round of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP). Hopefully, some significant dollars will benefit public libraries. ALA OTIP and others have worked hard on getting libraries and their important role in providing broadband Internet access to communities. See library-specific wording in the announcement below.
WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department‟s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and USDA‟s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) today announced availability of $4.8 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grants and loans to expand broadband access and adoption in America. This is the second funding round for the agencies‟ broadband programs. The investment will
help bridge the technological divide, boost economic growth, and create jobs. NTIA and RUS also announced the rules for applying in this funding round, which have been modified to make the application process easier for applicants and better target program resources.
“Based on the feedback we received from stakeholders and our own experience in the first funding round, we are making the application process more user-friendly, sharpening our funding focus to make the biggest impact with this investment, and streamlining our review process to increase efficiency,” said Lawrence E. Strickling, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and Administrator of NTIA. “In response to lessons learned from the first funding round, RUS is making important changes that will make the process easier for applicants and target our resources toward „last-mile‟ broadband connections to homes and businesses,” said Jonathan Adelstein, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, United States Department of
Agriculture. “This draws on our long experience in improving rural networks to the most difficult-to-reach areas of our country that need it most. We‟ve streamlined the application process, added support for satellite service for rural residents left unserved after other funds are awarded, and provided ourselves more flexibility to target areas of greatest need. We are going to stretch every last dime to maximize economic
development in rural areas that currently lack adequate broadband service.”
The agencies announced the rules for this funding round in two separate but complementary Notices of Funds Availability (NOFAs) that promote each agency‟s distinct objectives. NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) NTIA‟s NOFA allocates approximately $2.6 billion in this funding round of which approximately $2.35 billion will be made available for infrastructure projects. In this round, NTIA is adopting a “comprehensive communities” approach as its top priority in awarding infrastructure grants, focusing on middle mile broadband projects that connect key community anchor institutions – such as libraries, hospitals, community colleges, universities, and public safety institutions. Comprehensive Community Infrastructure projects maximize the benefits of BTOP by leveraging resources, promoting sustainable community growth, and ultimately laying the foundation for reasonably priced broadband service to consumers and businesses.
In addition, NTIA plans to award at least $150 million of the funding for Public Computer
Center projects, which will expand access to broadband service and enhance broadband capacity at public libraries, community colleges, and other institutions that service the general public. NTIA also plans to award at least $100 million for Sustainable Broadband Adoption projects, which include projects to provide broadband education, training, and equipment, particularly to vulnerable population groups where broadband technology has traditionally been underutilized.
RUS’s Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP)
RUS‟s NOFA allocates approximately $2.2 billion in this funding round for broadband infrastructure projects. A second funding window will open later which will provide grants for satellite service for premises that remain unserved after all other Recovery Act broadband funding is awarded, make Technical Assistance grants for developing plans using broadband for regional economic development, and grants to provide broadband service to rural libraries funded by USDA under the Recovery Act.
RUS will focus this round on last mile projects, which are anticipated to receive the vast majority of funding. RUS will also fund middle mile projects involving current RUS program participants. The first NOFA had two funding options – grants up to 100 percent in remote rural areas, and 50/50 loan/grant combinations in non-remote rural areas. In the second NOFA, RUS has eliminated this distinction and adopted a base 75/25 grant/loan combination for all projects. The new approach provides RUS with flexibility to seek a waiver if additional grant resources are needed for areas that are difficult to serve, and priority for those who seek lower grant levels. RUS believes this simplified and flexible funding strategy will promote rural economic
development.
Separate NOFAs will allow applicants to apply directly to either program. RUS also eliminates the two-step process for BIP applicants to improve program efficiency. These changes will also add valuable time for applicants to focus on one specific program in preparing a more solid application.
Incorporated into the RUS NOFA is an opportunity for the reconsideration of BIP requests to provide viable applications with every chance for funding. There is also a second application review process during which RUS would allow an applicant to adjust its application to better meet program objectives and for the Administrator to provide discretionary points or to increase a grant component to meet rural economic objectives.
The agencies plan to accept applications from February 16, 2010, to March 15, 2010, and announce all awards by September 30, 2010.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided a total of $7.2 billion to NTIA and RUS to fund projects that will expand access to and adoption of broadband services. Of that funding, NTIA will utilize $4.7 billion for grants to deploy broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas in the United States, expand public computer center capacity, and encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service. RUS will use $2.5 billion in budget authority to support grants and loans to facilitate broadband deployment in primarily rural communities. - # -
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)