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So what is the internet of things? Well some would call it a proposed development of the Internet in which everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data. Or it might be a preamble to the zombie apocalypse. Not really. But there will be huge changes in the way we interact with everything from our microwaves to our disposable cups. Check out this infographic below by wishco.uk to find out how:
Before a Soyuz capsule carried three crew members from Expedition 40/41 to the International Space Station in late May, the crew made a display of unity by posing for a group hug and posting a selfie on twitter during the pre-flight press conference.
They made headlines with the gesture to underscore the cooperation of the many nations involved with the ISS. The 3-man crew includes a German (Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst,) a Russian (Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev,) and an American (Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman.) The embrace promoted the goodwill felt by the team, even as political pressures are mounting and stress is beginning to wear on the international partnership between Russia and the United States.
We will fly to space tomorrow. But first, let us take a selfie...! ;)
@Msuraev @astro_reid pic.twitter.com/3N9d8A5Bxg
— Alexander Gerst (@Astro_Alex) May 27, 2014
Since the Space Shuttle program ended, the U.S. has relied on Russia for rides to and from the ISS. Recent geopolitical unrest and tension between the two superpowers has thrown many questions onto the future of the space program’s cooperation and self-reliance.
Eric Berger recently published an in-depth piece entitled “Adrift” in the Houston Chronicle detailing the tensions and challenges of Russia and the U.S. working together and how the political arena plays into the power structure in the relationship.
“With the shuttles in museums, the station is NASA’s only operational piece of human spaceflight hardware, and will likely remain for at least a decade the only place for astronauts to go in space. Both Russia and the United States know that, without the station, they effectively have no human spaceflight program.”
Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine may well lead to sanctions, spearheaded by the United States. Sharp words from both U.S. and Russian interests have ensued.
Even though twitter was used to bolster good will before the mission launch, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin recently taunted the American space program on the very same platform this month: “I propose the United States delivers its astronauts to the ISS with the help of a trampoline,” Rogozin said.
Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin unveiled that barb while announcing that Russia plans to end ISS cooperation in 2020, four years sooner than NASA’s current wishes. Time magazine reports on the situation and the dynamics with a special video report:
Former Astronaut and Space Center Director Mike Coats spoke on the duality of the program’s cooperation in the Houston Chronicle:
“Astronaut to cosmonaut, scientist to scientist, engineer to engineer, we’ve had a wonderful working relationship with the Russians,” he said. “But politically, if they see an opportunity to exercise an advantage they have to do it. It’s in their makeup. They view weakness as something to be taken advantage of."
“It’s difficult dealing with Russians from a position of weakness, and we’re doing that.”
Even though the men and women of the Russian and American space programs work together gladly and demonstrate that cooperation, there remains an undercurrent of uncertainty.
It all amounts to a new Space Race, even while flying to and from space together.
Few technology industry leaders are followed with more interest than the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. They consistently produce quality - both in their investment portfolio returns and in their publications. Firm partner Mary Meeker's "Internet Trends 2014" was highly anticipated, is now being widely circulated, and will certainly influence investment and business leaders. While you can check out the full 164 slide presentation, here are 7 of the key internet trends for 2014: -Visuals clearly make sense. People are primarily visual, and this is being reflected in how the internet is growing. Video and images are increasingly being used to communicate, educate, entertain, and advertise. It is a major driving force behind user behavior, so remember to think visually.
-Mobile device growth is increasing the availability of screens. People spend more time on mobile devices - this allows users to consume more content than when compared to traditional media like print and TV. Tablet sales grew 52% growth last year, faster than PC sales ever did. Smartphones are still growing at 20% with the most gains now being made in developing economies.
-Mobile ad spending will increase. While print media currently still holds on to a large share of ad dollars, a shift will likely come as mobile advertising starts getting paid for what it delivers: users that will view content. That these ads can be targeted and the results can be measured are further arguments for mobile ads over print and TV.
-Sensors are rising rapidly. Along with the rise of mobile devices mentioned above, the sensors such devices contain are becoming widespread. Gyroscopes, accelerometers, and proximity sensors are in almost all such devices. The latest phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5, have more types of sensors than ever before.
-Quality user interface designs, along with data-generating consumers, are helping make data more useful. This is helping new companies to challenge traditionally non-cloud business models. Uber, Spotify, Yelp, and AirBnb are some industry-challenging examples.
-Fans trump audiences. According to Alex Carloss of YouTube, "An audience tunes in when they're told to, a fanbase chooses when and what to watch... an audience changes the channel when their show is over... a fanbase shares, comments, curates, creates..."
-Cloud costs are falling year over year. The costs of computing, data storage, and transmission are all decreasing significantly. Reflecting this, the quantity of items processed, stored, and transferred via the cloud is expanding rapidly, with Amazon Web Services leading the charge.
What do you think about these 7 trends? Mary Meeker's presentation is loaded with trends, data, charts, and analysis. This set of seven key internet trends were chosen from your author's immediate perspective, though it is doubtless that the KPCB Internet Trends 2014 report contains other important trends - e.g. China's web growth, digital currency growth (Bitcoin)
Share your insights as we dive deeper together and update the key trends on this post.
Did you know that only 1 in 3 people on Earth have access to the internet? Well, Google is trying to change that, by introducing their new venture called Loon for All:
And this is how it works:
So do you want to become a test pilot for Google's new program? Just head on over to http://www.google.com/loon/ for more information.
NASA Astronaut Mike Hopkins and the Expedition 38 crew returned to Earth in a Soyuz capsule on Monday. During the Expedition 38 mission onboard the International Space Station, Hopkins was a reader for Story Time From Space. His video readings of children's books written by Boulder, Colorado's Dr. Jeffrey Bennett will be used to share the excitement of reading with the children of Earth. ICOSA Media is proud to be media sponsor of the Story Time From Space project!
@AstroIllini points to a picture of the ISS in Max Goes to the Space Station while floating on the real ISS! pic.twitter.com/8xIp7VN1GF
— StoryTimeFromSpace (@StoryTimeSpace) March 14, 2014
Raphael Pirker, a Swiss drone operator, was fined $10,000 by the FAA for operating a drone recklessly while filming a commercial for the University of Virginia. As reported by Politico, a federal judge has just ruled against the FAA. The decision says, "the policy notices the FAA issued as a basis for the ban weren’t enforceable because they hadn’t been written as part of a formal rulemaking process."
Small drones have a wide variety of valuable commercial applications - everything from monitoring crops, delivering small packages, and aerial videography. Filmmakers and others have increasingly ignored the FAA’s ban. The agency has pledged to propose a formal rule for small drones by 2015.
The online search giant Google earned over $50 billion USD in the last twelve months. Rather than just Googling everything, consider using Ecosia.org, a German startup that has geniusly partnered with The Nature Conservancy's Plant a Billion Trees program. One dollar plants a tree in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. 80% of Ecosia's ad revenue goes directly to planting these trees - over 200K trees and growing.
Try Ecosia for yourself and share it with others too!
Every bit of technology and modern convenience we find in our daily lives - from the internal parts of our coffee maker, or clock radio to the precious metals inside an electronic tablet, has a history. A history in the supply chain that leads each part to your home, from such varied and far off distances and circumstances, that if you knew the details, you might have made an entirely different decision. But how can you ever know the story? How can you know whether the ingredients that make up your cell phone, for example, came from dangerous places around the world where people die over conflict minerals, or are the minerals are mined in unsustainable ways, or support regimes that are responsible for genocide?
We've talked about Corporate Social Responsibility before on Connect & Collaborate - but today's program focuses on CSR in the electronics and technology field, something we all can relate to as consumers if not as corporations. Join Jan Mazotti and Kelly de la Torre for a conversation with Joe Verrengia, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Arrow, a global provider of electronics and solutions.
Verrengia explains that Arrow doesn't actually make any particular products. Instead, they source parts to hundreds of thousands of manufacturers and other clients who make the products we purchase. As such, Arrow has an obligation to report the supply chain of the metals and rare earth minerals that make up each component.
They may come from places that are not friendly to the United States, or that are competitive to us. Or from countries where people have been subject to genocide,
"We have to make sure the money you spend isn't going to support those regimes." says Joe Verrengia.
Every sourcing detail must be reported to audit and accounting companies. Beyond that, Arrow maintains self-reporting efforts that examine sustainability efforts through a Global Reporting Initiative.
Recycling initiatives have their own complications. Much illegal electronics recycling is done in third world countries where young children break components apart with hammers, and melting the precious metals out of the components over open flame which is dangerous for both the environment and those children's health.
The efforts to uncover the source of all these parts is not only to foster goodwill, but to save lives as well thwart evil regimes. In the end, we the consumers can rest assured that our desire for first world conveniences have not inflicted great cost in third world countries.
Arrow's efforts are spread here in the U.S. as well - to supporting STEM curriculum and education and funding kits for Boy Scouts who want to earn science and technology merit badges, but can't afford the materials for those projects. Involvement in these programs helps kids who are interested in STEM fields while they're learning, getting them ready for the work force in the future.
To learn more about Corporate Social Responsibility and Arrow's efforts toward transparency in the supply chain, listen to the entire Connect & Collaborate program this Saturday at 10:00 AM on KNUS 710 – Please let us know what you think of our program, either by commenting here or on Facebook at Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA or join the discussion on Twitter @ICOSAMagazine
Colorado Technology Association hosted their annual C-Level event at Mile High- a unique opportunity for businesses to bid on C-Level decision makers also known as the "Celebrities". ICOSA media was there to capture all of the festivities.
C-Level @ A Mile High is a unique opportunity for your business to bid on more than 90 C-Level decision makers who have the key to unlocking your business potential. No other event in Colorado has as many technology executives in one place and at one time ready to hear what your company has to offer. Don't miss this chance to be a solution provider to over $4.5 billion dollars in technology projects from companies that are transforming industries in their states. With 1400 industry leaders in attendance, you are sure to make some new connections.
It only seems like social media has taken over our lives. Between Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, StumbleUpon, and LinkedIn, the internet tends to take up a lot of our time and energy. More than ever, it seems like a narcissist's paradise, where everything is me, me, me and anything we think, quickly becomes a status update. Instant information carries a great advantage. We learn what our friends care about, what activities they participate in - sometimes we find out what they need, and how to help. When you look at it that way, it's not entirely surprising that more than half of teens surveyed (56%) say social media has made them more aware of the needs of others. (source)
For teens, these status updates are like a call to action, and it's more persuasive coming from their friends than from their parents. 68% of the teens surveyed say adults don't do enough to set a good example toward helping others.
Kids do get involved when they see a purpose. 200,000 teens are planning to go hungry when they participate in World Vision's 30 Hour Famine, an event to raise money to fight world hunger and awareness of the millions of people worldwide who don't have enough food. Nearly as valuable, the organizations 31,000 facebook followers will be talking about the effort on their Facebook pages, and other social media, resulting in priceless word of mouth.
The survey was offered exclusively to teenagers, so there is nothing saying that adults aren't equally as immersed in Social Media Do-Goodery. On every Facebook wall and Twitter feed, there are status updates promoting awareness of little-known diseases like Myasthenia Gravis, and online petitions, such as those demanding intervention for the fate American, Said Musa, who is imprisoned in Afghanistan on the charge of being a Christian.
Social media has widened our world in many ways, not the least of which is the ability to get the word out on things we care about, and inspiring everyone to act.
Have you ever wondered what it's like to look at the world through another person's eyes? Now Google can finally give you that experience with Project Glass. News of Project Glass has been piquing tech geeks curiosity for months now, and one question always comes up "What does it look like?" Google has finally given us the answer to this question, and I for one am excited.
What to do when your workday has you constantly on the go, on the phone and inevitably running out of cell phone battery? Seriously. Fussing with phone chargers and finding an outlet is so 2012.
There's a woman with a solution, that may just astound you. From what I can see, Elizabeth Day Ormesher Salcedo has solved every conceivable problem surrounding carrying and using a smartphone. The Everpurse is a perfect little pouch, that works as a clutch or an insert to any other bag you're carrying - that charges your cell phone.
Your phone slips right in, easily docking and instantly charging. Just charge the Everpurse overnight on it's charging pad - and it's good for two full phone charges throughout the day.
Perfect for women in touch, who are typically dealing with low batteries by lunchtime. With the Everpurse, you can get through your morning commute, your work day, and even running errands on your way home. All this, without having to find awkward ways to charge just to get through the day - or feeling that your safety is compromised when you are left with a dead phone to call for help if you need it.
This eliminates the need to carry chargers with tangled up cords in your purse. Instead, toss a cute clutch in your bag and you're good to go.
We like that a woman designed it, for women. She secured funding on Kickstarter with 1,451 supporters, more than doubling her goal. Proof that women will support smart solutions!
The miracle bag starts at about $240 for a cute clutch and the charging pad.
Right now there are eleven designs to choose from - or you can retrofit your favorite bag for $600. Will it work with your phone? Yes, if you have the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone5 or the Samsung Galaxy S III. They're working on fitting other phone models - and possibly EverPants for men! (yikes!)
NASA is hosting the first Google+ Hangout with the International Space Station. As bandwidth capabilities increase, online video has been rapidly increasing its share of total internet traffic. Google+ Hangouts (my personal favorite video chat service) is leading the way by extending the medium's reach 240 miles into space. Totally far out.
The live video chat will take place on February 22 at 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Eastern on NASA’s Google+ page and YouTube channel. Submit a video question to the astronauts via YouTube, or you can ask questions during the event via Google+, Facebook, or Twitter with the the hashtag #askAstro.
Did you know if Facebook were a country - it would be the 3rd largest country in the world? Andrea Vahl, social media coach, speaker & strategist talks about Facebook's staggering numbers and how your company can create a successful formula for social media success.
Are you using social media in your company? We'd love to hear about your successes and challenges, we'll dig up the experts on topics that you want to hear more about.
Let us know in the comments below.
The Colorado PUC (Public Utilities Commission) is trying to shut down one of our favorite new companies in Denver and we need your help to stop it from happening! Uber is a limo/taxi type service that provides rides through their brilliant smartphone app. All you do is press a button to request a pickup and voila, you receive a text that your Uber is enroute. The text tells you approximately how long it will take for them to arrive, but equally importantly, provides you with the driver's name, customer rating, phone number and profile picture. This is absolutely wonderful for those whom may want to know who's picking them up. The drivers of Uber are far more personable than most taxi drivers and the quality of cars they own are beyond comparison to any Yellow or Metro taxi there is. The thing I like most is that the wait has never once been long, averaging about 6 minutes from the request.
In my experience (31 Uber rides to date), it blows the taxi services in Denver out of the water. The service has been so good in the short four months they've been in Denver that the taxi companies have talked the PUC and Gov. John Hickenlooper into changing the rules in sections 6001, 6301, & 6309, which would effectively shut Uber Denver down.
As the citizens of the greatest city on the planet, we cannot let this happen in our town! Here's what you can do to help:
1) Contact Gov. Hickenlooper and tell him: “Save Uber in Colorado! Withdraw PUC Rules Changes to sections 6001, 6301, & 6309.”
2) Contact the Colorado PUC Directly:
3) Sign this petition
If you've never used Uber, you really need to give it a try. Get $10 off your first Uber ride by using this promo link
~Follow Blake Rubenstein on Twitter: @BlakeHenry27
Where are all the women? I hear this question at almost every technology and start up event I cover. Guess what?
We found 'em!
The Colorado Technology Association and Women in Tech hosted their annual holiday party this year at Footer's Catering. The event was electric. Check out some of the highlights:
Join your women-in-technology peers in a series of events each year that range from content-rich speakers to fun-casual networking. This peer-to-peer forum started in the fall of 2007 as a once year networking get together, and has quickly grown to a program with incredible speakers and mentoring. To learn more visit Colorado Technology Association.
According to an article written by Mark Gurman of [lightbox type="iframe" title="Title" href="http://9to5mac.com/2013/01/27/apple-ready-to-release-additional-ipad-model-likely-128gb-version/"]9to5Mac.com[/lightbox], Apple is set to release another version of the 4th generation of the iPad with Retina display. This additional model will supposedly have 128 GB of storage capacity, doubling its current beefiest model, which holds 64 GB of memory.
It sounds like the Apple community of consumers isn't exactly ecstatic about this unofficial announcement. They are worried that this 'quiet release' of an additional 4th generation iPad will push back the 5th generation release, which is currently slated for June, to more likely Novemberish.
This is still just a rumor, as inside info about a new Apple [lightbox title="Title" href="http://www.icosa.co/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ipadskus2.png"]SKU[/lightbox] was discovered, calling this additional device the 'Ultimate'. As iPads are named by their storage amount, (Good- 16 GB, Better- 32 GB and Best- 64 GB), the Ultimate would have 128 GB of ROM. Since it's not an official announcement, it is also thought that the new iPad model could be only for government, retail or internal use by Apple, as they have done that with certain products in the past.
The price of the new iPads would start around $799 for the WiFi-only model and $929 for the Cellular-compatible model in the United States.
If I were you and I had the money to spend on one of these devices, I'd either save it for the next iPad or I'd buy a MacBook Air. I don't see the point in this additional release of the current model, which didn't do as well as hoped anyway. Apple is projected to have a slow first half of 2013, so I think they should be focussing their efforts elsewhere.
~Follow Blake Rubenstein on Twitter: @BlakeHenry27
Mozilla is releasing their first smartphones to developers so they can get a look at their new OS platform for smartphones. The problem is, it's not 2011. The [lightbox type="iframe" title="Title" href="http://slashdot.org/topic/cloud/firefox-os-smartphones-arriving-for-developers/"]specs[/lightbox] on the phones would have been impressive a couple years ago, but it's hardware seems to be lacking in many ways. At around the same price point as the majority of Droids and iPhone 4, there is no reason you'd buy one unless you want to waste your time on an unproven concept.
Basically, they are making the phone, because it is powered by the Internet and gives users and developers the ability to use the browser much like that of Mozilla Firefox for your computer. Apps don't need to be built in the traditional way, specifically for the phone, but rather can be created from any basic html website. I guess that's cool if you want to be different, but let's face it, they aren't going to be taking the marketshare from Google or Apple anytime soon. Apparently these phones aren't even intended to crack the U.S. market and are more for emerging economies. Therefore, your official 'give-a-crap-o-meter' should be at an all-time low. But hey, they can't all be winners, right?
In the course of his 30 years of practice, interdisciplinary artist Guy Laramée has created in such varied and numerous disciplines as theater writing and directing, contemporary music composition, musical instrument design and building, singing, video, scenography, sculpture, installation, painting, and literature. His latest work includes these intricate landscapes made from books.
[lightbox type="iframe" title="Title" href="http://how2dostuff.blogspot.com/2006/02/how-to-make-secret-hollow-book.html"]DIY Hollow Book[/lightbox]
[lightbox type="iframe" title="Title" href="http://outofprintclothing.com/ebook-cases/"]Ebook Jackets[/lightbox]
Google is declaring war on the password, as WIRED reported today. Everyday, we use passwords to log into important aspects of our digital lives. Experts agree, however, that passwords just aren't that secure. “Along with many in the industry, we feel passwords and simple bearer tokens such as cookies are no longer sufficient to keep users safe,” - Google Vice President of Security Eric Grosse and Engineer Mayank Upadhyay. The two are the authors of a research paper to be published later this month in the engineering journal IEEE Security & Privacy Magazine.
Due to the inherent security flaws, Google is applying its R&D power to find alternatives to passwords. Someday soon, users could access their accounts using some sort of smartphone authorization or a USB key like Yubico.
Do you feel safe with passwords? Have you been hacked before? What does a better substitute look like to you?