'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.

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.

Reducing The Digital Divide

America has always been marked by class divisions: wealth, education, race/ethnicity, and gender. While the trend in American culture has been, and continues to be toward increased openness and egress for all, traditional class divisions remain prominent and the emergence of a new class -- a technocracy -- threatens to re-balkanize the nation.

The distinction between techno-haves and techno-have-nots is popularly characterized as 'the Digital Divide'. Its recent growth, fueled by the political intersection of deregulation, globalization, and democracy, suggests the prospects for a further marginalization of the American underclass is significant and a parallel destabilization of the economy. The resulting techno-ghettos on the wrong side of the Divide represent much more problematic conditions for our society.

The Divide is distinguishable by the difference in access to hardware, software, and media -- specifically, personal computers and the Internet. Given the U.S. economy's de-industrialization, millions of individuals are more in need of having the skills and resources compatible with processing content in a service-based economy where information is a commodity. Individual socio-economic mobility is predicated upon one's ability to access and manipulate content according to his self-interests.

To provide some context, approximately 220 million of 300 million Americans -- a notch over 70% -- currently have residential Internet service. However, only 83 million residential Internet subscribers have residential high-speed ('broadband') service, commonly defined here in the U.S. as a downstream transfer rate greater than, or equal to 768kbps. The gap between residential broadband subscribers and everyone else represents the Divide. Given the rapid evolution of Web 2.0, i.e.; digital audio & video, large file transfers, high-resolution graphics, etc., the Divide also represents a new type of socio-economic isolation for those who high-speed Internet service is unavailable, unaffordable, or both.

Ignition Cyber Club is one solution to bridge the Divide. Unlike conventional Wi-Fi 'hotspots' that require users to bring their own laptop or netbook PCs to access a common Internet access point, Ignition is a full-service facility featuring up to 70 PC and game console workstations sharing a high-speed Internet connection, plus Wi-Fi access (for laptop/netbook owners), in a comfortable, friendly environment for use with school, business, or recreation. Visitors may surf the Web, use 'productivity' software (word processors, spreadsheets, etc.), play digital audio & video, chat, blog, play games, and more free of the time and content restrictions commonly in place at public libraries.

Ignition's customers actually share an Internet access point, software, and hardware, thus saving money over the cost of buying a PC and/or game console, then subscribing to broadband service with a cable, telephone, satellite, or 3G wireless Internet provider. With the deployment of service centers like Ignition, a valuable resource will be within the reach of more Americans.