Thursday, March 31, 2011

Intelligent Use of Broadband

Wireless devices are connected via satellites; wired devices by fiber optics. When communication companies and governments made an all out effort to lay broadband underground and under the oceans, it opened the door for emerging economies, remote communities, and post industrial strong arms “to get busy.” The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) was birthed 2004 to encourage broadband’s best use for the global community.

ICF spread its message of intelligent use of high capacity voice and data transfer (broadband) far and wide. ICF seeks to push past call center success to deployment that helps the average person and nation to do more and be more. Each year it has a call for nominations, identifies the Smart21, chooses The Top Seven Intelligent Communities from the Smart21, presents the Intelligent Community Visionary of the Year award, and has Building the Broadband Economy Summit wherein the Founders and Intelligent Community of the Year Awards ceremony occur.

“Due to the initial promotion of ICF globally, visibility is established such that new nominations come to ICF rather than ICF making an extensive call for nominations,” states ICF co-founder Louis Zacharilla. Louis Zacharilla’s prior career in advertising has some bearing on this situation.
ICF got media exposure “on China Central TV, CBC/Radio-Canada, and BBC.” ICF staff travel extensively to meet on-the-ground with technologists, governments, businesses, and parastatal organizations to learn how they use or plan to use the broadband to facilitate commercial transactions, effect civil society, and educational advancement. Broadband supports the many local government web portals—example, www.nyc.gov.

Zacharilla cautions, “The awards aren’t a competition, rather recognition to encourage broadband use for educational, governmental, and social development.”
Award categories are “Founders Award, for innovation in technology and wired buildings; Visionary of the Year, selected by ICF; and Intelligent Community, whose selection is done by an external organization.
“ICF’s website receives 900,000 unique visitors [annually]. Its exposure increases from those persons and communities that get nominated for Smart21 Communities, Top Seven Intelligent Communities, and the award winners,” explains Zacharilla. “Those who get them, do their PR for their local media.”

Knowing no person can handle promotion for an organization as far flung as this one, Zacharilla points to Social Media Director and Community Management Tamara Bond. Interns and researchers arrange global media and meeting opportunities.
ICF’s Building the Broadband Economy Summit which includes the Top 7 Community Summit will be held June 1-3, 2011 at Polytechnic Institute of New York University Dibner Auditorium and ICF awards will be at Steiner Studios, June 3. Both are in Brooklyn. The Network Journal subscribers who want to attend the usually closed Top 7 Summit may do so by contacting ICF and stating you read about it in TNJ.

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Friday, March 18, 2011

BDPA, Closing the Digital Divide





In a time where someone can broadcast his political platform through Vimeo and professionals get advice through LinkedIn, there is still a need for a membership association that facilitates face-to-face meetings between information technologists. BDPA is the national association on a drive to organize blacks in technology into a unified field of technological expertise. “Black Data Processors Association—as BDPA was originally known—was formed in 1975 by Earl Pace and others due to the lack of minorities in the field; a lack of preparation of black youth to enter the field,” explains NYC chapter president Renetta English, “and the lack of preparation for blacks in the field to move up the ranks.”

New York City has the sixth largest chapter with offerings for the business owner or employee; the student and black community at large. There is the monthly Meet and Greet for networking and program meetings to sharpen information technology and professional skills. “The High School Computer Competition was introduced in 1989 which has teenage teams build working models or complex software applications. BDPA birthed another teen collaboration project called IT Showcase in 2010. The IT Showcase has the youth research and present high-tech projects involving such issues as artificial intelligence and cyber viruses,” beams English.

The digital divide is a continuing concern. Though more blacks work in technology and far more are consumers of IT, the community still lags behind US white households. Black Family Technology Awareness Week (BFTAW) is meant to stem the disparity. BDPA board member Tyrone McKinney a group member that conceived BFTAW. “Eleven years ago, BDPA collaborated with 100 Black Men, Inc. and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) to put on a week of events to expose people to different pockets of technology that includes software applications, personal computers and career opportunities,” states McKinney. “For example, a past BFTAW event had a talk about operating systems. Android, IOS, and OSX are variances of the open source operating system UNIX.”

BFTAW is held in February in honor of Black History Month. The recent NYC chapter offering included presentations on cyber bullying and careers in the gaming industry. SoulRealis, ceo Sean Scott was the speaker for the gaming industry segment. Scott spoke to this writer before presenting. Scott noted that “there are not many blacks in the gaming sector. The major development careers are programmer, artist, audio engineer, quality assurance, designer, and producer.”
SoulRealis’ major product is Game Dev Master. This is a website that connects everyone required for game development. Scott quips, “In industry lingo this is a matchmaker.”

In very recent years—2011 included—New York’s BFTAW event has been sited off the beaten path. Rather than a Manhattan tech industry address or Brooklyn’s wired DUMBO area, the event has been deep in central Brooklyn. This year it was in Brownsville at the Abundant Life Christian Center. The church has high capacity seating and a state-of-the-art media center. While the verdict is out on what is optimal siting, the reader may view the proceedings on cable or online on BCAT. Stay connected with BDPA through its website www.bdpa-ny.org, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Comcast Wants to Stream Straight to the iPad

Comcast wants to offer TV anywhere you are—with that iPad or other tablet PC. Realizing how popular YouTube is with the “mobile crowd,” Comcast engineered Xfinity TV app (version 2.0) to stream live video content to iPads, iPhones and Androids.

Chief executive for Comcast Brian Roberts announced at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, that the Xfinity TV app will come to market in the first quarter 2011 and will permit subscribers to view 3,000 hours of VOD programming on the tablets. This is a step up from watching episodes of such shows as Californication in ten-minute segments on YouTube. Roberts contends the authorization software protocol protects the content rights holder from privacy. The software architecture requires the user to indicate whether the viewing is from home or out of home. True to his word, a visit to Comcast’s web site reveals the promotion of Xfinity.

HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax signed over rights to their content offerings in what is considered by some cable broadcasters a means to extend the brand experience. HBO offers “600 HBO programs” through HBOGo for $10 per month or $3 per day to its subscribers and Cinemax MAXGo offers “unlimited access to hundreds of Hollywood hits” for free to subscribers. Showtime and Starz don’t have similar product as of February 18, 2011. Turner Broadcasting and CNN are also in the pipeline.

Extending the brand experience will add up and will reveal the digital divide. A consumer must have a PC tablet or smartphone. The Apple iPad retails at $829; Motorola Xoom retails at $799; Lenovo IdeaPad 06517HU Tablet Notebook at $515; and Samsung Galaxy Tab at $599.99. Verizon FiOs Technician Abena Nkromah (on disability) says she “knows about Xfinity and sees the convenience but doesn’t have the time to watch TV.”

Having a cable subscription is another necessary item. Consumers have several-- including Time-Warner, Verizon FiOs V Cast Demand, Cablevision, Comcast--to consider. Then such premium TV networks as Cinemax, Showtime, HBO and Starz are the ultimate providers of live streaming to those mobile devices.

During this economic downturn, many US households are opting to reduce to basic cable services or closing cable and pay-TV accounts. Harry Fox Agency employee Tanya Roberts doesn’t have cable service and has no knowledge of Xfinity. White Plains resident Salome Taylor has DirecTV and has seen ads “about how you can connect the iPhone to DirecTV.” “I’m not a phone person and wouldn’t buy an iPad…if I need to watch TV while on the street, I may as well tie a TV to me,” is Taylor’s take.

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Friday, March 4, 2011

Wireless Giants, Mobile Device Makers Flaunt 4G Dreams

4G, LTE, Wi Max, or HSPA+ networks? They add up to the fourth generation in the long term evolution of getting-it-to-me-yesterday—crisp and clear. The 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Jan 6-9, was the platform for tablet, smartphone and modem makers Motorola, Lenovo, Samsung, Cisco, Asus and Dell to display their line of slim, lightweight and highly productive mobile tools. Wireless Service providers like AT&T (HSPA+), T-Mobile (HSPA+), Verizon (LTE) and Sprint (Wi Max) pointed to their networks as the best pathways to use the mobile devices.

The issue is narrowing the time for data transfers to complete or “downlink.” This is a speed competition between AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile to reach downloads speeds of 21, 42, 84 and 168 Mbps. AT&T’s HSPA+ network’s current speeds are around 6 Mbps. Their HSPA+ operates through faster backhaul. AT&T’s strategy will provide the fastest backhaul to the busiest cell sites first. AT&T marketing chief David Christopher announced the roll out of their line of 4G Android 3.0 tablets starting in the second quarter of 2011. The first will be a Motorola product whose dimensions are 10.1”, NVIDIA Tegra with dual core. During third quarter, AT&T will bring to the market an LTE tablet with additional LTE tablets.

On the street, first quarter 2011, sleek and sparse-worded cardboard posters in cellphone stores’ display windows beckon to passer-bys to take a look inside. Sprint offers HTC EVO Shift 4G™, HTC EVO 4G™ with Google and Samsung Epic. All three use Android OS and have access to the Android Market. The HTC EVO 4G with Google has front and back cameras to allow videoconferencing and 8 mg pixel still shots. Smartphones on sale include Blackberry and Android OS. “For an additional $10 to what you’re paying for your Verizon cellphone that doesn’t have Internet access, you could enjoy unlimited texting, Web, any-cell-service, and 450 free minutes to landlines before 7 PM,” explained Sprint sales associate Yasmira at a Brooklyn store. Sprint’s main office handles service switching and gives a $120.00 porting credit.

T-Mobile’s 4G experience is on smartphones, Dell Streak 7 Tablets, Dell Netbooks, and Dell laptop sticks. The choice of smartphones include HTC, Samsung, LG and Motorola products. Further, T-Mobile TV™, which permits real time and on-demand streaming, is pre-loaded on the Samsung Galaxy S 4G. The Samsung Galaxy S 4G has built-in video chat and a HD camcorder. “For $79.99, you can have a plan that covers both a smartphone and laptop,” Shanee T. said encouragingly. Even the security guard at T-Mobile store #8580 knows product information. He said “Samsung Galaxy S 4G had the fastest download speed, followed by HTC G 2.”

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Thursday, March 3, 2011

Amazon Android App Store Still Shuttered

Amazon apparently wants to ‘open the doors’ to its Android App Store with all fixtures securely fastened, staff well-trained and products triply tested. The tech media world was abuzz with stories and blogs about this formidable contender to Google Android Market, the number one app store. Many, like Wired magazine and Techcrunch, thought the online service would launch October 2010; however, there’s still no word of a launch date. News bits orbit around it, though.

The enterprise’s critical path includes meeting with app developers and device makers. App developers are concerned about the reliability of the site, ease of finding their products, absence of spam and revenue. Google Android Store is said to have the spam and difficult identification of product but the developers set their prices. Amazon’s pricing strategy involves accepting the developers’ list prices and the final price set is made by Amazon. The developer’s will receive 70% of each sale proceeds. Amazon is in the extreme mode to sign deals with device makers to get Amazon app store bundled within the devices.

Consumers will access Amazon Android App Store through amazon.com which has the reputation for connecting one product to its peripherals or similar product. In this case, Android apps to mobile devices. The store will be open to all Android platforms. People will enjoy Amazon’s recommendations that are given to other products and services within the site. One may purchase the apps and have them immediately sent to their phones.

The App store will be available only within the US. Other contenders in the Android app store market include AndSpot and SlideMe. Though smaller, these suppliers use size to their advantage. Amazon is a multilayered enterprise, geographically spread across parts north, east, south and west.

“Amazon has constraints we do not have. As a small start up of our nature, we can afford to take greater risks, we have less bureaucracy, we will work around the clock and other factors that contribute to faster movements in the market,” explains And Spot ceo and co-founder Ash Kheradmand. Kheradmand has “a wait and see” attitude regarding the shuttered Amazon store. The operating and marketing decisions are based on current market activity. Kheradmand explains that the “strategy is not based upon anything that Amazon does specifically. Our eyes are much more on the Android Market as that is the default app market on Android. Having said that, depending on what amazon does exactly and the traction they gain, we will react accordingly.”

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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

How Smart Can Your Appliances Be?

How smart can your appliances be? As smart as humans make them is an answer. Also key is how well humans sell them. LG Electronics Home Appliances Company developed LG THINQ (“thin –Q”) technology which connects home appliances with smartphones, tablets and PCs. Such appliances as refrigerators, washing machines, ovens, televisions and Hom-Bots can be activated to turn on and off, adjust temperature, download recipes, or visually monitor the home. A home Wi-Fi system is required. The United States, Germany and Korea are involved in the initial global roll out.

What LG is harnessing is artificial intelligence. The mass media has presented artificial intelligence as structures strongly resembling humans. In fact, it has been with us in the way of certain pharmaceuticals, smartphones, automated customer service and e-commerce.

THINQ technology involves Smart Grid, Smart Diagnosis, Smart Access and Smart Adapt as well as Food Management. Smart Grid uses the smart meter to identify the hours of lowest electricity usage and price in the consumer’s area to wash clothes or use the oven. Smart Diagnosis sends notices of malfunctions or disruptions due to not having the appliance not turned or an appliance door left open to the smartphone or PC monitor. When a consumer calls into the customer service center for detailed assistance, the representative will tell them a series of buttons to press on the appliance. The appliance will respond with a tone series that explains the malfunction.

Smart Access allows remote operation. Refrigerator temperature can be adjusted or the Hom-Bot can feed the pet, vacuum the floor or streams video of the room it is in. Smart Adapt is the ability to download the latest operating updates and services which slows product obsolescence. Food Management is a refrigerator function. Owners can state the type and location of food items within the refrigerator. This feature facilitates grocery shopping.

Currently, many area Best Buy stores don’t have models on the floor, but will fulfill consumer orders. The Best Buy at the Atlantic Center is a case in point. A floor associate directed one person to two specified supervisors—“Barbara or Theresa”—without giving their telephone numbers.

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