I woke up this morning to news that President Obama was finally set to sign the stimulus package.? We all await the planned benefits of the package?s economic multiplying effects, but I found myself drawn the bill?s direct beneficiaries.? As I researched the package?s various components, I was struck by a very interesting initiative to expand broadband access nationwide.
The stimulus bill includes $7.2 billion earmarked for the expansion of broadband nationwide, with the intention of making the internet and broadband technology accessible to every U.S. citizen.? $2.5 billion of that amount would go specifically to the Department of Agriculture to focus on development in more rural areas.? The remaining amount would be distributed via the Commerce Department by September 2010 and distributed to projects that can finish within two years.? Grants will be awarded to programs that accelerate broadband growth in unserved areas, institutions that are likely to create jobs, or programs that are expected to benefit the public.
This initiative is certainly a broad one, and is by no means fully scoped out.? The terms ?broadband? or ?unserved areas? have yet to be fully defined.? Speed requirements are also vague, although the FCC previously identified 768Kbps as the accepted minimum speed for broadband last March.? The potential benefit is equally broad.? As fast as the internet has grown over the past decade, imagine what it could be if it was accessible to the masses?? Commerce, education, personal interactions, even fantasy basketball would all be significantly impacted by such an expansion.
As I considered the plans new broadband initiative I thought to myself, how appropriate and timely it is that we have a president who so clearly embraces technology?? Dubbed the first geek President, Obama and his crew text, twitter and write app?s at a level that would make your neighborhood geek proud.? Obama?s even admitted to being a trekkie/superhero junkie.? I can actually imagine him scoring big points on Guitar Hero in the Oval Office between meetings.? Certainly past presidents have used technology (spy satellites, infrared imaging, I watch movies!), but none have embraced it at the cultural level that Obama has.? The stimulus bill is just further testament to this fact, as he simultaneously seeks to expand our technological growth.? And while some may say this is untimely expansion given our economic plight, I can?t help but see some parallel between this proposed broadband expansion and the prosperous train growth during the Great Depression. The best time for expansion is during economic struggle so that we may enjoy the fruits of our labor during times of prosperity.? How cool is that? National Treasure divx
I often find it difficult to explain to people that a spreadsheet is not information. A spreadsheet is a presentation of information. Information is something you can’t see, smell, or taste. It has no form until we give it form.?
and think to yourself how outlandish some of the security tactics or gadgets are?? I grew up watching James Bond movies and relished in the amazing inventions that 007 used to solve crimes.? Well, Sony is moving us one step closer to obtaining technology that was once only a fantasy found in movies.? The company?s new Mofiria uses a CMOS sensor to identify the veins in one?s finger and generate security for personal devices such as computers or mobile phones.
Finger vein authentication technology is the next generation of security methods and follows a principle that is similar to fingerprinting.? Each person?s finger vein patterns are unique and are believed to remain consistent throughout a person?s lifetime.? Sony?s Mofiria technology uses the CMOS sensor to capture diagonally scattered light.? With the company?s new technology, the finger does not necessarily have to be positioned the same way each time.? The technology will account for differences and correct the discrepancies.? Sony says that the technology has a False Rejection Rate of less than 0.1 percent and a False Acceptance Rate of less than 0.0001 percent.? The process takes around 0.015 seconds with a computer and approximately 0.25 seconds when the device is attached to a mobile phone.
Sony has taken the concept of fingerprinting, made it a bit more complicated, and automated the security feature for personal use.? As people begin storing more important information on their computers and cell phones, it is becoming necessary to advance security devices.? Laptops started coming outfitted with finger print identification pads a few years back, although I do not personally know anyone that actually uses the feature.? Fingerprint security systems are much more popular in the commercial area.? Copiers are often equipped with the technology to identify who is printing what.? In addition, banks and other institutions with high security needs often install fingerprint analysis devices on most points of entry.
Other applications where fingerprinting has become popular and is used less for security than for convenience is in schools and validating registration.? Interestingly, the popular 24 Hour Fitness gyms began utilizing fingerprint identification technology to eliminate the use for cards.?? At first glance, I thought this was a bit excessive considering it is a gym and not the Secret Service ? but I suppose that it makes sense cost-wise for the company.? They eliminate the necessity to generate cards with a one time investment into some technology.? After several rounds of testing, the fingerprint identification security feature was found to be quite susceptible to fraud.? Intruders could create fake fingerprints using gel molds, which forces developers to create more safeguards against this type of breach.
To purchase and use finger vein authentication technology, someone must have some seriously private information on their mobile devices.? Sony plans to begin selling the product sometime during 2009.? Pricing has not yet been announced, but it will likely take a minor investment to implement the technology.? Sony has taken a concept that is widely popular in the commercial world, kicked it up a notch, and is offering it in the consumer market.? Exact details remain unknown about what the vein identification will actually be compatible with.? Sony is known to develop proprietary technology, leading us to believe that the new device will only work with Sony laptops, although this remains speculative.
The technology that was once only imagined in Hollywood is beginning to take a front seat in our every day lives.? I can?t wait till the Jetsons? days begin and all I have to do to get my eggs and toast in the morning is press a button!!Taken download
As I was racing through the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center during this years CES show, something caught my ?parental? eye.I rarely get a chance to stop and look at all the gadgets, since we?re typically racing from one meeting to another.However, as the father of a 3 year old boy, who is always on the run, this new product from Lok8u, LTD, stopped me in my tracks.It?s a GPS child locator that secures to a child?s wrist and looks like a digital watch.download Time Bomb movie
Right now my son is still pretty content having Mom and Dad close by.However, as he gets older and begins to spread his wings of independence, how can we have the peace of mind of knowing he?s safe while out playing with his friends, going to the beach or shopping at the mall?
The world I grew up in is much different than the world we live in today.In fact, over 800,000 persons were reported missing in 2006, and 80% of those were juveniles according to the FBI?s National Crime Information Center.
Want to view all available product listings? Go to Froogle.? Want to read up on the news? Go to Google News. Want to search a database of pictures? Go to Google Images.? Want to understand the financial world? Go to Google Finance.? Want to act like an astronaut and visit Mars? Go to Google Earth 5.0.? You read correctly ? Google now enables users to explore Mars in a similar manner as they can view Earth.
The application was developed in conjunction with NASA and while it is intended for entertainment purposes, Google and NASA hope scientists will also use it to explore the vastly unknown planet.? Google Earth Mars lets users fly along the planet exploring the landscape, searching desert lands, and navigating across vast mountain ranges.
It is quite amazing to think that all one has to do to visit Mars is click on Google Earth Mars, and there they are! It was not so long ago that people barely believed that humans actually touched down on the moon.? The fact that we can now upload pictures of another planet and explore it as if it were our own backyard is quite remarkable.? If you are anything like me, we take for granted what is available on the internet.? It is as if all that information, data, pictures, and everything else just exists out there in cyberspace.? But, in fact, thousands of people are responsible for getting all that stuff on the internet for our exploration.
As developments such as Google Earth Mars become more popular, we will also forget that not so long ago we could barely call each other long distance without making a huge production, or send pictures quickly to our grandparents, or even correspond with anyone more than a few hundred miles away without waiting a week.? Who knows what Google will bring us next!!!!Journey to the Center of the Earth film
rson?s finger vein patterns are unique and are believed to remain consistent throughout a person?s lifetime.? Sony?s Mofiria technology uses the CMOS sensor to capture diagonally scattered light.? With the company?s new technology, the finger does not necessarily have to be positioned the same way each time.? The technology will account for differences and correct the discrepancies.? Sony says that the technology has a False Rejection Rate of less than 0.1 percent and a False Acceptance Rate of less than 0.0001 percent.? The process takes around 0.015 seconds with a computer and approximately 0.25 seconds when the device is attached to a mobile phone.
