The Second D.C.Community Broadband Summit

Washington, D.C.'s Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) hosted its second community broadband summit, October 27th, at the Deanwood Recreation Center and Library.  The event was a town hall-style meeting where OCTO's Bryan Sivak announced the city's receipt of Federal broadband stimulus dollars, and Dr. Jonathan Guevarra, CEO of D.C. Community College, discussed the school's role in closing the city's digital divide.  Sivak outlined the city gov't's strategy for increasing residents' access to broadband & technology by forging partnerships with the private sector. 


The summit began with Sivak's keynote address, followed by the introduction of representatives from non-profit organizations addressing some aspect of universal broadband access in the District, including One Economy.  One Economy is a NPO focused on increasing digital literacy and broadband adoption in underserved communities.  The most personally intriguing of the featured guests was a neighborhood wi-fi network venture underway in the Bloomindale section of Northeast D.C..  The network -- which utilizes a 'mesh' design of low-powered access points served by the city's fiber optic network -- is based in the Big Bear Cafe and provides free wi-fi Internet access to Bloomingdale residents within range of an access point.  The venture is financed by contributions from neighborhood residents and businesses.


The summit recessed for us to meet in small groups for discussion.  Each group consisted of public- and private-sector entrepreneurs, citizens, and activists.  In my group, talk centered on affordable access to broadband and PCs, digital literacy, and adoption.  There were three seniors from Ward 7 who each cited the costs of residential broadband service as a huge obstacle to improving their daily lives.  As I recall, two of them had taken classes on using PCs and the Internet and were quite familiar with several features and sites, including e-banking and YouTube.  They all spoke openly and passionately about having the ability to use video conferencing and shop online. 


When the summit re-convened in the rec center's multi-purpose room, Dr. Guevarra spoke about how technology can influence the way we work, play, and live, and the importance for those of us in the tech sector to consider human and social factors in our ventures.  I believe many of us get so caught up with inventing or innovating a magic bullet that we lose sight of simple things we can do that have value to people.  While Ignition:CC was created with this principle in mind, it was reassuring to see Sivak and OCTO drive the point home by engaging the community as partners rather than consumers. 

Proportionally Higher Usage of Web-enabled Mobile Devices Among Af-Ams, Latinos Serving as Gateway Beyond Digital Divide

As published in The Washington Post, Saturday, July 10, 2010.


One question raised by the article is how the movement by some wireless companies, incl. AT& T and Verizon Wireless, toward tiered data plans will impact adoption rates by African- and Latino-Americans of smartphones, and by extension, said groups' access to high-speed Internet. 

'Game Squad' to Support Video Games, Gamer Lifestyle in D.C.

Gamers of all ages in Washington, Maryland, and Virginia are invited to organize and discuss the latest PC/online/video gamenews, equipment, and events.  The Game Squad is a social organization for promoting gaming and social networking throughout the metro area.  Players of all types of virtual games and game formats are welcome: XBox, PC/Mac, Wii, Playstation, Mafia Wars, Fallout 3, Madden, The Sims, Call of Duty, GTA, Second Life, online chess and poker, etc.. 

Game Squad programs help support academic scholarships for studies in computer science and information technology, video game research, and human development.

GAME SQUAD MEETUP

FREE ADMISSION!!

Thursday July 8, 2010

7 p.m.

Fuddruckers

819 Ellsworth Drive

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Receive a 1 year Ignition Cyber Club membership with a minimum $20 donation.

Troy Williams Wins Laptop in Ignition Cyber Club Raffle

Congratulations to Troy Williams of New Carrollton, MD for winning the Dell Inspiron laptop PC at Saturday's membership drawing!

Ignition CC "Pro" Version Announced for Georgia Avenue Gateway District

Developed specifically with today's mobile professional in mind, Ignition Cyber Club is creating a variant for entrepreneurs, teleworkers and small businesses -- incl. start-ups.  Ignition CC Pro is co-working space that features:

wi-fi access (daily or monthly plans)

networked printer

copier

scanner

conference room

mailing address

in a comfortable environment with secured access.  Plans for shared- and exclusive-use desks with locking cabinets are also available with 24-7 access.


For information on rates and availability, or to receive an application, e-mail: ignitioncc@gmail.com.

Ignition Laptop Raffle Survives Snowpacalypse For New Date - April 10th!

Ignition Cyber Club's Dell laptop raffle is now scheduled for Saturday, April 10 2010.   Fuddrucker's, located at 819 Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring, has agreed to host the live event at a time to be announced (TBA). 

Tickets may still be purchased online through the PayPal link.  All tickets purchased previously will be honored; no additional purchase is necessary.   For information on purchasing tickets in person or sponsorship opportunities, e-mail ignitioncc@gmail.com.

Affinity Lab in Adams Morgan Provides a Model for Coworking Space

'Coworking' is a term used to describe an informal workspace shared by entrepreneurs and telecommuting professionals.  Members of a coworking space rent a dedicated file cabinet, and share an Internet access point and desk with other members.   Those who use coworking spaces save money over renting conventional office space, and the casual environments facilitate the type of dynamic brainstorming among members often unrealized with conventional networking.   The workstyle option has evolved into a movement of sorts, with approximately 200 such coworking centers open across the nation.

Affinity Lab in Adams Morgan has been open since 2001, and to the best of my knowledge is the only facility of its type in the D.C. metropolitan area.  As coworking space is to be a central feature of Ignition Cyber Club, I've provided a link to a Washington Post article on Affinity Lab that gives a solid representation of the concept.