Here are five pieces we thought you would find interesting:
Calling on industry: Closing “the digital divide” is among the efforts that have been underscored by the need for technology as Americans try to work and learn from home. But with online access still not universally accessible or affordable, it’s up to industry to help close that gap. So says an editorial that CAFWD.org republished from the San Francisco Chronicle. “The existing internet patchwork system falls short in speed and geographic availability, missing for about a third of the state’s land area,” the commentary says. “Our elected representatives must authorize funding and invest now in building a ubiquitous high-speed internet network for all Californians. … But leadership must go beyond government.”
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What is a “smart city?” Do traffic sensors and streetlight cameras make for a smart city? International tech leader Jonathan Reichental spells out 10 high-level ways to measure a city’s metrics. Reichental, former chief information officer for the city of Palo Alto, is the author of the recently published best-seller Smart Cities for Dummies. In a recent essay for Medium.com, he writes, “Many reputable institutions, such as the International Organization for Standardization, have created lists of high-level smart city metrics. … City leaders need metrics to manage progress and to help their communities understand how the benefits of the smart city work are being realized.”
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His time to head east: A technology professional who’s lived in the Bay Area since the 2009 recession, and worked there for some marquee firms and started a family in the ensuing years, explains why he’s moving to the East — and why he remains mostly bullish about California. And Derek Pando’s story, which he posted on LinkedIn, includes some important observations for those who work in — or care about — technology.
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A new look at data visualization: As the Western states grapple with wildfires, technology that builds on virtual reality is being eyed as a potential game-changing tool for firefighters. “Mixed reality,” as some call it, could give agencies three-dimensional weather visualization — “the world’s first immersive data visualization and analytics platform,” according to its developer. The company behind the tech is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “It aims to enable 3D weather visualization from multiple NOAA radar data streams in real-time,” according to a news report.
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Technology helps storytelling: The California State Library is using technology to remind residents of the state’s stories. “CAL@170 is a collection of 170 stories celebrating California’s 170 years of statehood,” the Library says on its website. “The aim is to offer examples of California’s unique character and that of its residents, past and present. That means among the good there will be some bad. For every success story, there’s a failure, a tragedy, an injustice. It’s from these mistakes that we learn and grow stronger together.”
