Government Technology - September 2007 - (Page 14)

pectrum reports from the IT horizon BBN Technologies, Harvard University and Cambridge, Mass., collaborated on a wireless sensor network that spans Cambridge and provides access to weather data. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the to managing editor Karen Stewartson spectrum ideas Send j 14 Modern Weathervanes network will consist of 100 streetlight-mounted sensor nodes equipped with a professional meteorological sensor package. The sensors will detect weather measurements, such as wind speed and direction, temperature, air pressure, relative humidity, and rainfall. Radios in the nodes will allow them to communicate across a mesh-network. — WWW.BBN.COM Talking Habits One-third of 18- to 29-year-olds only use mobile phones or VoIP, according to a Harris Interactive survey, which also found that the combination of household telephone services used by U.S. Internet users varies. Multiple (landline, mobile phone or VoIP) Landline only (excluding VoIP) Mobile phone only VoIP and mobile phone VoIP only None 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Hush Hot Wheels In the ﬁnal days before purchasing an automobile, 53 percent of consumers use the Internet as a primary source for gathering information, according to a DoubleClick survey. While 60 percent of respondents would prefer to visit a dealership in person, more than half access the Web as an educational tool and employ it as part of their consideration process. Officials in a rural valley in British Columbia hope the prohibition of cell phones will help attract residents and tourists who want to escape to the quiet of nature. A group of residents in the valley in southeastern British Columbia have asked telephone company Telus Corp. not to build a planned cell-phone tower in New Denver, a one-time mining boomtown that is now home to about 600 people. If Telus decides against building the system, a local economic development group plans to promote the valley’s cell-phone-free status as a unique reason to visit or move to the region, said Bill Roberts of the Slocan Valley Economic Development Commission. — www.Canada.com See page 49 for the One-on-One Cause Lost According to Gartner, 32.7 million U.S. adult Internet users either stopped online banking or won’t even start because of security concerns. In addition, U.S. shoppers’ security concerns mean $1.91 billion in lost e-commerce revenues — including online banking, payments and shopping/buying. Five years after the concept was proposed, the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project’s “$100 laptop,” or XO machine, is poised for mass production. The ﬁrst machines should be ready for children in developing countries in October 2007. Using open source software, the OLPC — a nonproﬁt that helps children in economically disadvantaged countries get computers for learning — developed an operating system to ﬁt the machine’s 1 GB memory. The XO is built to cope with the harsh, remote conditions in areas where it may be used. Governments, including Brazil, Libya and Rwanda, have signed up to buy the laptops for students. Governments in the program can buy solar, footpump or pull-string powered chargers for the laptops. — WWW.BBC.COM Digital Counties Winners 2007 j PHOTO COURTESY OF FUSE-PROJECT http://WWW.BBN.COM http://www.Canada.com http://WWW.BBC.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - September 2007

Contents Point of View Big Picture ESRI Insert The Last Mile GT Spectrum Profile Nuclear Revival Way Back Machine Intel Insert Tale of TIERS Joining Forces Saving Seniors Site Seeing Quarter Miles Two Cents Products Signal: Noise Digital Communities Contents Our Road Ahead Course of Action Shared Interests Special Report: Foundation for the Future Using Wireless to Save Lives Smart Grids for Energy Conservation Community Governing and Wizards

Government Technology - September 2007

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