Back in 2005, I sat in on a great keynote speech by Brian Halla, CEO and President of National Semiconductor, who talked about the lack of U.S. com..."
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Halla's Perfect Storm of Technology Neglect
Halla's Perfect Storm of Technology Neglect: "
Give 1 Get 1: Closing the Digital Divide
Americans Get a Laptop, Give One Free to Kids in Developing Countries
By TERI WHITCRAFT and IMAEYEN IBANGA
Sept. 24, 2007 —
It's been dubbed "the Green Machine," and since it was first conceived five years ago, the low-cost laptop has been ridiculed as a gadget and a toy. But American computer makers aren't laughing anymore.
For two weeks in November, the so-called $100 laptop is coming to America, and supporters say the nonprofit organization that makes it called One Laptop Per Child could become one of the largest laptop players in the United States in the next few years.
Some U.S. students have already reaped the benefits of the program. First- and second-graders at King Open School in Cambridge, Mass., are using the computers for a year as part of a pilot program.
"It's so light, and I can pick it up," one little boy said.
"You can use it for your homework," a little girl added.
According to One Laptop Per Child executive Walter Bender, who runs focus groups on the laptop with American children, some kids say it's cooler than a Thinkpad.
"Their daddy's Thinkpad can't be used outdoors in bright sunlight. It can't be dropped. It can't be charged with a solar panel, or a crank on a bicycle," said Bender. "Kids love it."
Give 1 Get 1 for Two Weeks Only
But the coolest thing about the computer may be something the kids in America don't see.
Every time an American orders a laptop, during a two-week period from Nov. 12 to Nov. 26, a kid in a developing country will get one for free it's called the Give 1, Get 1 program.
The total cost to the consumer: $400 for both laptops a portion of which is tax deductible.
"You sign up, and, basically, donate a laptop to a child in another country," Nicholas Negroponte told ABC News. Negroponte, co-founder and director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Laboratory, created the nonprofit One Laptop Per Child in 2005.
Digital Dream
The Give 1 Get 1 program, announced today on "Good Morning America," is the culmination of a dream for Negroponte. Since 2005, when he first came up with the idea, he has criss-crossed the globe, trying to convince government leaders to buy the low-cost laptops for their countries' children.
Many countries, like Brazil, Uruguay, Libya, Rwanda, and Thailand, have embraced the program, but poorer countries haven't been able to buy enough laptops to make it economically feasible to manufacture them.
With the Give 1 Get 1 program, Negroponte is counting on the generosity of Americans to help kick-start the program. By buying their own kids a cool new laptop, parents in the United States can help kids in a developing country, thousands of miles away, get a laptop, too.
Not a Luxury
Negroponte's goal is to design, manufacture and distribute laptop computers that are so affordable, that every child in the world will have access to one. His vision is for kids to take the computers home particularly, if their home is a thatched hut and share their newfound knowledge with their entire families.
Each laptop is programmed in the country's language with 1,000 books and other educational software. Pilot programs in countries ranging from Nigeria to Brazil to Uruguay have been successful, according to One Laptop Per Child executives.
Yet, critics argue that the laptop is a luxury, and not an essential need when dealing with the extreme poverty found in many Third World countries.
"If you think of it as a laptop, then it is a luxury," Negroponte said. "But, if you think of it as education, it's not a luxury."
$100 Laptop for $200
From the beginning, Negroponte envisioned selling the laptop for $100 but he's not there yet. Right now, the manufacturing cost runs closer to $200; hence, the $400 cost for two laptops in the Get 1 Give 1 program.
The price is expected to drop as more computers are manufactured, with an ultimate goal of producing 100 million laptops a year. Current projections are that they will reach the $100 per laptop goal by the end of 2009.
Kid-Proof and Desert-Proof
The laptop is designed to be kid-proof, withstanding things like milk spills and drops of up to 5 feet. It's been frozen in refrigerators and heated in ovens at 140 degrees in high humidity.
But it's not just a toy. The laptop was built to last for five years in extreme conditions from the African desert to the heat of a Mumbai summer.
According to Negroponte, there were three crucial elements in designing the laptop.
First, the computer display had to be bright enough to be easily read in bright sunlight.
Second, it had to be very low power, so users could wind it up. The reason was simple: 50 percent of the kids in the world don't have electricity. With this laptop, kids can recharge the battery with hand cranks or solar power.
Third, it had to be fun with video, cameras, a music synthesizer, and games that kids will want to play with.
By giving kids their own laptops, Negroponte believes they will get excited about school and learning. "Our goal is to leverage the children, themselves," he said.
For more information on One Laptop Per Child, go to http://laptop.org.
For reviews of the laptop, Click Here, and Here.
Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures
By TERI WHITCRAFT and IMAEYEN IBANGA
Sept. 24, 2007 —
It's been dubbed "the Green Machine," and since it was first conceived five years ago, the low-cost laptop has been ridiculed as a gadget and a toy. But American computer makers aren't laughing anymore.
For two weeks in November, the so-called $100 laptop is coming to America, and supporters say the nonprofit organization that makes it called One Laptop Per Child could become one of the largest laptop players in the United States in the next few years.
Some U.S. students have already reaped the benefits of the program. First- and second-graders at King Open School in Cambridge, Mass., are using the computers for a year as part of a pilot program.
"It's so light, and I can pick it up," one little boy said.
"You can use it for your homework," a little girl added.
According to One Laptop Per Child executive Walter Bender, who runs focus groups on the laptop with American children, some kids say it's cooler than a Thinkpad.
"Their daddy's Thinkpad can't be used outdoors in bright sunlight. It can't be dropped. It can't be charged with a solar panel, or a crank on a bicycle," said Bender. "Kids love it."
Give 1 Get 1 for Two Weeks Only
But the coolest thing about the computer may be something the kids in America don't see.
Every time an American orders a laptop, during a two-week period from Nov. 12 to Nov. 26, a kid in a developing country will get one for free it's called the Give 1, Get 1 program.
The total cost to the consumer: $400 for both laptops a portion of which is tax deductible.
"You sign up, and, basically, donate a laptop to a child in another country," Nicholas Negroponte told ABC News. Negroponte, co-founder and director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Laboratory, created the nonprofit One Laptop Per Child in 2005.
Digital Dream
The Give 1 Get 1 program, announced today on "Good Morning America," is the culmination of a dream for Negroponte. Since 2005, when he first came up with the idea, he has criss-crossed the globe, trying to convince government leaders to buy the low-cost laptops for their countries' children.
Many countries, like Brazil, Uruguay, Libya, Rwanda, and Thailand, have embraced the program, but poorer countries haven't been able to buy enough laptops to make it economically feasible to manufacture them.
With the Give 1 Get 1 program, Negroponte is counting on the generosity of Americans to help kick-start the program. By buying their own kids a cool new laptop, parents in the United States can help kids in a developing country, thousands of miles away, get a laptop, too.
Not a Luxury
Negroponte's goal is to design, manufacture and distribute laptop computers that are so affordable, that every child in the world will have access to one. His vision is for kids to take the computers home particularly, if their home is a thatched hut and share their newfound knowledge with their entire families.
Each laptop is programmed in the country's language with 1,000 books and other educational software. Pilot programs in countries ranging from Nigeria to Brazil to Uruguay have been successful, according to One Laptop Per Child executives.
Yet, critics argue that the laptop is a luxury, and not an essential need when dealing with the extreme poverty found in many Third World countries.
"If you think of it as a laptop, then it is a luxury," Negroponte said. "But, if you think of it as education, it's not a luxury."
$100 Laptop for $200
From the beginning, Negroponte envisioned selling the laptop for $100 but he's not there yet. Right now, the manufacturing cost runs closer to $200; hence, the $400 cost for two laptops in the Get 1 Give 1 program.
The price is expected to drop as more computers are manufactured, with an ultimate goal of producing 100 million laptops a year. Current projections are that they will reach the $100 per laptop goal by the end of 2009.
Kid-Proof and Desert-Proof
The laptop is designed to be kid-proof, withstanding things like milk spills and drops of up to 5 feet. It's been frozen in refrigerators and heated in ovens at 140 degrees in high humidity.
But it's not just a toy. The laptop was built to last for five years in extreme conditions from the African desert to the heat of a Mumbai summer.
According to Negroponte, there were three crucial elements in designing the laptop.
First, the computer display had to be bright enough to be easily read in bright sunlight.
Second, it had to be very low power, so users could wind it up. The reason was simple: 50 percent of the kids in the world don't have electricity. With this laptop, kids can recharge the battery with hand cranks or solar power.
Third, it had to be fun with video, cameras, a music synthesizer, and games that kids will want to play with.
By giving kids their own laptops, Negroponte believes they will get excited about school and learning. "Our goal is to leverage the children, themselves," he said.
For more information on One Laptop Per Child, go to http://laptop.org.
For reviews of the laptop, Click Here, and Here.
Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures
Office printers 'are health risk'
By Nick Bryant
BBC News, Sydney
The humble office laser printer can damage lungs in much the same way as smoke particles from cigarettes, a team of Australian scientists has found.
An investigation of a range of printer models showed that almost a third emit potentially dangerous levels of toner into the air.
The Queensland University of Technology scientists have called on ministers to regulate these kinds of emissions.
They say some printers should come with a health warning.
The researchers carried out tests on more than 60 machines.
Almost one-third were found to emit ultra-tiny particles of toner-like material, so small that they can infiltrate the lungs and cause a range of health problems from respiratory irritation to more chronic illnesses.
Conducted in an open-plan office, the test revealed that particle levels increased five-fold during working hours, a rise blamed on printer use.
The problem was worse when new cartridges were used and when graphics and images required higher quantities of toner.
The researchers have called on governments to regulate air quality in offices.
They also want companies to ensure that printers are based in well-ventilated areas so that particles disperse.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/6923915.stm
Published: 2007/07/31 10:27:25
GMT© BBC MMVII
BBC News, Sydney
The humble office laser printer can damage lungs in much the same way as smoke particles from cigarettes, a team of Australian scientists has found.
An investigation of a range of printer models showed that almost a third emit potentially dangerous levels of toner into the air.
The Queensland University of Technology scientists have called on ministers to regulate these kinds of emissions.
They say some printers should come with a health warning.
The researchers carried out tests on more than 60 machines.
Almost one-third were found to emit ultra-tiny particles of toner-like material, so small that they can infiltrate the lungs and cause a range of health problems from respiratory irritation to more chronic illnesses.
Conducted in an open-plan office, the test revealed that particle levels increased five-fold during working hours, a rise blamed on printer use.
The problem was worse when new cartridges were used and when graphics and images required higher quantities of toner.
The researchers have called on governments to regulate air quality in offices.
They also want companies to ensure that printers are based in well-ventilated areas so that particles disperse.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/6923915.stm
Published: 2007/07/31 10:27:25
GMT© BBC MMVII
Ready for an E-Mail Diet?
Tory Johnson's Tips to Shrink the Amount of Time and Energy You Spend on E-Mail
By TORY JOHNSON
July 26, 2007 —
Ever feel overwhelmed by e-mail? Does the convenience often seem more like a nuisance?
If so, you're not alone, because the average Outlook business user receives 470 e-mails a week and spends 15 hours dealing with them. By 2009, workers will spend 41 percent of their time reading and responding to e-mails, according to market research firm Radicati Group.
To fight back, some companies, led by advertising giant Kaplan Thaler Group, are going on "e-mail diets" to shrink their daily dose of electronic messages. Other executives have declared e-mail bankruptcy, shutting down their inboxes all together.
From high-profile CEOs to musicians, more professionals are saying no to e-mail. According to several reports, techno musician Moby sent a message to his address list announcing his break from e-mail.
Saying he was done with e-mail because of privacy concerns, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine announced in a statement, "We'll go back to the 1920s and have direct conversations with people." A venture capitalist made headlines when he said he was so far behind that wiping the inbox clean was the only option.
For the rest of us not ready to cut the cord just yet, there are some simple tips on how to get e-mail under control.
Cut the clutter before it starts. Take yourself off every distribution or mailing list you don't need, which includes everyone you don't instantly read. Be sure to click "no" on the "May we add you to our mailing list" box when registering on any Web site or while shopping online.
Use spam blockers. Talk to your IT department or email provider for help installing and activating spam blockers to limit the amount of junk mail you receive.
Lose multiple accounts. The Radicati Group says e-mail accounts worldwide are growing faster than e-mail users at an average annual rate of 8 percent, which means many of us have more than one e-mail account. Not just one for business and one for personal, but many people have several personal accounts, which adds to the overload. Sign off those extra accounts.
Treat your inbox as a one-stop shop. That means deal with each message once and only once by reading, responding and deleting it at the same time. This means breaking the habit of reading messages and moving on to others before acting. But once you get used to it, the practice is easy. You'll feel more efficient when you're not buried in the e-mail pileup.
Send fewer e-mails. Be part of the solution: Send fewer e-mails and think twice before CCing the whole office. It greatly reduces the number of replies you and others will receive.
And as archaic as it sounds, pick up the phone instead of sending e-mail, especially if the issue is a discussion rather than a bit of information to impart. This saves you time on back-and-forth communiqués and you'll resolve the issue faster. And if you're really daring, you'll get up from your desk to talk face to face instead of sending an e-mail to the person down the hall.
NRN. You've mastered LOL, as in laugh out loud, so now try NRN, as in no reply needed. Use this in e-mails so recipients know they need not reply. And forget for a moment what mom taught you: Office e-mail etiquette doesn't require you to thank someone for his e-mail. If you must, just type "thank you" in the subject line so the recipient can prioritize reading and deleting the e-mail.
Take a time out. For most people, a timeout is more realistic than an outright ban. If doing so during the business week is out of the question because of the nature of your work, try taking a day off on a weekend from both work and personal e-mails.
Maybe your time out is evening hours. Think of it as an e-mail fast. No matter when you do it, be sure to activate your "out of office" message so senders know you're not ignoring them.
Tory Johnson is the workplace contributor for "Good Morning America" and the CEO of Women for Hire. Connect with her at www.womenforhire.com.
Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures
By TORY JOHNSON
July 26, 2007 —
Ever feel overwhelmed by e-mail? Does the convenience often seem more like a nuisance?
If so, you're not alone, because the average Outlook business user receives 470 e-mails a week and spends 15 hours dealing with them. By 2009, workers will spend 41 percent of their time reading and responding to e-mails, according to market research firm Radicati Group.
To fight back, some companies, led by advertising giant Kaplan Thaler Group, are going on "e-mail diets" to shrink their daily dose of electronic messages. Other executives have declared e-mail bankruptcy, shutting down their inboxes all together.
From high-profile CEOs to musicians, more professionals are saying no to e-mail. According to several reports, techno musician Moby sent a message to his address list announcing his break from e-mail.
Saying he was done with e-mail because of privacy concerns, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine announced in a statement, "We'll go back to the 1920s and have direct conversations with people." A venture capitalist made headlines when he said he was so far behind that wiping the inbox clean was the only option.
For the rest of us not ready to cut the cord just yet, there are some simple tips on how to get e-mail under control.
Cut the clutter before it starts. Take yourself off every distribution or mailing list you don't need, which includes everyone you don't instantly read. Be sure to click "no" on the "May we add you to our mailing list" box when registering on any Web site or while shopping online.
Use spam blockers. Talk to your IT department or email provider for help installing and activating spam blockers to limit the amount of junk mail you receive.
Lose multiple accounts. The Radicati Group says e-mail accounts worldwide are growing faster than e-mail users at an average annual rate of 8 percent, which means many of us have more than one e-mail account. Not just one for business and one for personal, but many people have several personal accounts, which adds to the overload. Sign off those extra accounts.
Treat your inbox as a one-stop shop. That means deal with each message once and only once by reading, responding and deleting it at the same time. This means breaking the habit of reading messages and moving on to others before acting. But once you get used to it, the practice is easy. You'll feel more efficient when you're not buried in the e-mail pileup.
Send fewer e-mails. Be part of the solution: Send fewer e-mails and think twice before CCing the whole office. It greatly reduces the number of replies you and others will receive.
And as archaic as it sounds, pick up the phone instead of sending e-mail, especially if the issue is a discussion rather than a bit of information to impart. This saves you time on back-and-forth communiqués and you'll resolve the issue faster. And if you're really daring, you'll get up from your desk to talk face to face instead of sending an e-mail to the person down the hall.
NRN. You've mastered LOL, as in laugh out loud, so now try NRN, as in no reply needed. Use this in e-mails so recipients know they need not reply. And forget for a moment what mom taught you: Office e-mail etiquette doesn't require you to thank someone for his e-mail. If you must, just type "thank you" in the subject line so the recipient can prioritize reading and deleting the e-mail.
Take a time out. For most people, a timeout is more realistic than an outright ban. If doing so during the business week is out of the question because of the nature of your work, try taking a day off on a weekend from both work and personal e-mails.
Maybe your time out is evening hours. Think of it as an e-mail fast. No matter when you do it, be sure to activate your "out of office" message so senders know you're not ignoring them.
Tory Johnson is the workplace contributor for "Good Morning America" and the CEO of Women for Hire. Connect with her at www.womenforhire.com.
Copyright © 2007 ABC News Internet Ventures
U.N. Creates IT Site For Youth
Reprinted from InformationWeek.com
The United Nations Global Alliance for Information and Communications Technologies and Development (GAID) launched a Web site today for youth.
The site will encourage young people to discuss how technology can improve education, entrepreneurship, governance, and health. The launch comes ahead of a forum for youth planned for Sept. 24-26 in Geneva.
GAID expects 600 participants and attendees at “Youth and ICT for Development: Youth and ICT as Agents of Change.” The alliance hopes to encourage young people to interact with policymakers, as well as private business and community leaders, to explore ways that information and communications technology can empower youth around the world.
Before the event, people can find information and updates about the forum, check out a related blog, and begin discussions.
“The blog will allow young people to discuss the use of ICT in these fields and address specific cases, lessons learned, protagonists, and policies,” GAID executive director Sarbuland Khan said in a prepared statement. “Experts from various sectors will moderate the blog and will be raising difficult questions or highlight[ing] controversial issues in order to engage readers and provoke them to respond with their position and to ask further questions.”
Khan said that organizers will listen to feedback, which could help with the planning of panels and workshops.
The forum is organized by GAID and the International Telecommunication Union, in partnership with the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, International Labour Organization, UNESCO, World Health Organization, U.N. Population Fund, U.N. Human Settlements Program, and civil society organizations.
Last year, the U.N. held a digital inclusion forum.
The United Nations Global Alliance for Information and Communications Technologies and Development (GAID) launched a Web site today for youth.
The site will encourage young people to discuss how technology can improve education, entrepreneurship, governance, and health. The launch comes ahead of a forum for youth planned for Sept. 24-26 in Geneva.
GAID expects 600 participants and attendees at “Youth and ICT for Development: Youth and ICT as Agents of Change.” The alliance hopes to encourage young people to interact with policymakers, as well as private business and community leaders, to explore ways that information and communications technology can empower youth around the world.
Before the event, people can find information and updates about the forum, check out a related blog, and begin discussions.
“The blog will allow young people to discuss the use of ICT in these fields and address specific cases, lessons learned, protagonists, and policies,” GAID executive director Sarbuland Khan said in a prepared statement. “Experts from various sectors will moderate the blog and will be raising difficult questions or highlight[ing] controversial issues in order to engage readers and provoke them to respond with their position and to ask further questions.”
Khan said that organizers will listen to feedback, which could help with the planning of panels and workshops.
The forum is organized by GAID and the International Telecommunication Union, in partnership with the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, International Labour Organization, UNESCO, World Health Organization, U.N. Population Fund, U.N. Human Settlements Program, and civil society organizations.
Last year, the U.N. held a digital inclusion forum.
