Thursday, March 15, 2012
Congress, FCC Proposals to Auction Broadcasting Spectrum Threaten Wireless Broadband Deployment
Wall Street Journal columnist Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. writes on gov't proposals to redeploy spectrum are likely to set off a lobbying war between broadcasters and mobile telco operators; "Wireless War Without End".
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
'Urban' Incubator Launched for DMV Start-Ups
Perceiving a demand for business support services among Gen-Y entrepreneurs in the Washington metropolitan area, a club promoter duo have created an open incubator for local start-ups. Dane Matthews and Keith Bentley, Jr. founded Cool Worldwide as a compliment to their promotions business after determining many of their entrepreneurial-minded peers stood to benefit by pooling their individual resources toward various business expenses. By lowering individual costs for certain services, the incubator can improve its member businesses chances for long-term success.
Matthews and Bentley launched Cool Worldwide in December '11, offering a menu of non-industry specific fee-based business services, including strategic planning and financial consulting, to entrepreneurs regardless of their stage of operation. The incubator has partnered with React Radio Network on hosting a series of free monthly business mixers open to the general public beginning 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 26 at Babe's Sports Bar & Grille in Silver Spring. Cool Worldwide is waiving incubator registration fees for businesses with a 1 hour sponsorship of the AMPLIFY DC! local music project.
Matthews and Bentley launched Cool Worldwide in December '11, offering a menu of non-industry specific fee-based business services, including strategic planning and financial consulting, to entrepreneurs regardless of their stage of operation. The incubator has partnered with React Radio Network on hosting a series of free monthly business mixers open to the general public beginning 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 26 at Babe's Sports Bar & Grille in Silver Spring. Cool Worldwide is waiving incubator registration fees for businesses with a 1 hour sponsorship of the AMPLIFY DC! local music project.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Ignition:CC Announces Opportunites for Students,Techies, Gamers
Ignition Cyber Club announces opportunities for D.C.-area students, gamers, mobile app & video game developers, techies, and IT pros. Develop Ignition:CC locations for use in education, business, or leisure to close the Digital Divide in your community. Ideal for networking, software R&D, and events. Students from area colleges and universities with an interest in technology, media, or business are strongly encouraged to apply, but all persons are welcome. Temporary part-time to permanent part-time positions available.
For an application and invitation to the organizational mixer, send an e-mail with your full name and contact information to ignitioncc@gmail.com.
For an application and invitation to the organizational mixer, send an e-mail with your full name and contact information to ignitioncc@gmail.com.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, July 12, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
'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.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
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!
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