Full coverage: ICT

30.11.2007

30.11.2007 When Nicholas Negroponte unveiled an idea for bridging the technology divide between rich nations and the developing world in 2005, it was captivating in its utter simplicity. The idea was to design a $100 laptop and get it into the hands of 150 million of the world's poorest schoolchildren.

29.11.2007 Google’s new mobile technology is able to track a user’s location within 400 metres. The tracking system, however, does not infringe upon a person’s privacy by not collecting a user’s phone number or any other personal details.

29.11.2007 Universal Library project has now digitised more than 1.5 million published books in 20 different languages of the world and continues to scan thousands more daily. All these books in Chinese, English, Arabic, Telugu, etc. are now available on internet – free of cost.

29.11.2007 The XI National Conference on e-Governance in India, to be held on February 7-8, 2008, will focus on the national awards for e-Governance 2007-08. The event will be organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DAR&PG) in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology.

26.11.2007 The fatal cyclone of November 15 has seriously affected seven out of the nine working districts of the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC), while completely destroying one of its Rural Knowledge Centres.

23.11.2007 The WorldFish is organising an e-consultation from November 24 to December 7, 2007 on how to use information and communication technologies in fisheries and aquaculture programmes. Identifying and linking people, use of ICT, and discussing options for further work in this field are the objectives for holding these consultations.

23.11.2007 Moving money will soon be easier, cheaper and user-friendly, once mobile phone money transfer becomes operational. Over 200 million mobile subscribers in India will be among the first beneficiaries of this facility.

23.11.2007 A new manual released by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development is a handy tool in data collection and analysis and to keep oneself abreast of international trade standards and definitions. The manual provides useful advice on how to tackle statistical challenges and help improve national competitiveness of developing countries in international trade.

22.11.2007 A Global Dialogue Seminar will be held in New Delhi, India on November 29-30, 2007. Organised by the World Bank e-Development Thematic Group/GICT, IT SLC in partnership with eGovWorld, Mobile Government Consortium International, IIS-Russia, eGov Monitor and the Development Gateway, the seminar will discuss a variety of mobile services being developed and deployed around the world.

22.11.2007 A Global Dialogue Seminar will be held in New Delhi, India on November 29-30, 2007. Organised by the World Bank e-Development Thematic Group/GICT, IT SLC in partnership with eGovWorld, Mobile Government Consortium International, IIS-Russia, eGov Monitor and the Development Gateway, the seminar discuss a variety of mobile services being developed and deployed around the world.

22.11.2007 In an innovative way to address several issues plaguing higher education, the lecture videos and course material of the seven prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology and the Banglore-based Indian Institute of Science will soon be made available online to the students and faculty members.

21.11.2007 Named Kindle, Amazon’s electronic book device, can hold as many as 200 titles from the list of best-sellers. Not bigger than a paperback novel and lighter, the device is wireless, allowing the books to be downloaded without plugging the reader into a computer.

21.11.2007 The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) will soon launch a ‘Talking Book Library’ as also other skill development training in the northeastern states of India. Once started, this will enable the blind to listen to books of their choice in English or in the regional languages.

20.11.2007 There was a convergence of the needs of developing and developed countries to reduce the digital divide. This was the main success of the recently concluded World Radiocommunication Conference held at Geneva.

20.11.2007 In 2008, the Kenya Information and Communication Technology Board will train some 1,500 entrepreneurs from digital villages incurring a total cost of US$ 2 million. Kenya’s digital village project was launched with the aim to set up ICT centres throughout the country.

19.11.2007 Seven NGOs have been approved by the Ministry for Information & Broadcasting to set up community radio stations in India. This follows the Ministry’s year old decision to broadbase its policy to include non-governmental organizations apart from educational institutes and agricultural groups.

19.11.2007 YES (Youth Employment Systems) Fund – the Global Fund for Youth Entrepreneurship – has announced its ICT Business Plan Competition for year 2007-2008. Winners will be judged on the basis of most innovative ideas and business plans in India and Kenya.

17.11.2007 Australia’s mobile networks such as Telstra, Optus, Hutchison and Vodafone, are stifling innovation by restricting access to multimedia content. If you want to watch programme of your choice you need four phones, or at least four SIM cards, which you have to keep swapping.

17.11.2007 World’s remotest island in South Africa can now access advanced medical support from IBM and Beacon Equity Partners led team. Satellite communications will enable clinicians to provide real-time diagnostic advice and suggested treatments to the attending physician.